Living in the Shadows (29 page)

Jack came over to him. He held out his hand. ‘I’m sorry, Will, I really am.’ He faltered. ‘Thanks, mate.’

William took hold of the proffered hand with his own left one. He gave Jack a crooked grin. ‘Go on, you heard Lin, it’s not as bad as it looks. Just be careful over there. From what it says on the news you’ll have a rough time of it in Belfast as it is. Just keep in touch with your mother. Okay?’

‘Okay.’ Jack nodded. He picked up his backpack and gave William a last uplift with his chin. ‘See you.’

‘See you.’

Charlie waited until Jack had gone before slinging his backpack onto his back. He looked at William for a long time. William returned the stare. Neither spoke. Then Susan’s husband walked through the door, slamming it behind him.

Chapter 59: Ted Booth

Bradlow: Sunday, October 12th

‘I’m William’s dad. How is he?’ Ted said, stepping into the small porch of the terraced house and holding out his hand to the small woman who opened the door to him. He could tell she’d been crying and still looked shaken.

He screwed his cap into folds and shoved it into his tweed jacket pocket, wishing for a moment he’d brought Ellen; in the right circumstances she was better at the ‘niceties’ than him. But then these weren’t what you’d call the right circumstances, he thought, and Ellen would probably have gone for the girl; she had a right tongue on her when she was upset. No, better he was here on his own.

‘Susan,’ she said, taking his hand, looking as uncomfortable as he felt. ‘And Linda says he’ll be fine.’

‘I’m sorry we haven’t met before. No, you first,’ he said as Susan held the door open for him to go through to the living-room. He followed her. ‘And I’m that sorry we have to meet like this now.’

‘I’m sorry, too. This is all my fault. William’s this way.’

‘We knew he had a girlfriend,’ Ted said as she opened another door. ‘But we didn’t know you were married before this last week.’ When she looked over her shoulder to him he saw the colour rise from her throat to her face. He heard the cry of a child. Looking up to the ceiling he said, ‘And with a bairn.’

She let him pass her into the kitchen. ‘If you’ll excuse me…?’

‘You go, see to…’ Ted rubbed his hand over his mouth, embarrassed. He was relieved when he saw William, looking ashen but sitting on a chair at a table opposite Linda, They were drinking tea. ‘Son.’ He nodded at them. ‘Our Linda.’

‘Don’t judge, Dad.’

‘I’m not, lad.’ Ted fingered the scar on his cheek. It wouldn’t be him that judged; Ellen’s face flashed through his mind. ‘How’re you feeling?’

‘I’m okay.’ William touched his shoulder under the clean white shirt. ‘Lin patched me up.’

‘Where did you get to, Dad? We didn’t go that fast. I think Jack was more nervous than me on Will’s bike.’

William gave a chuckle.

‘I thought you were right behind us?’ Linda said, standing up. ‘Tea?’

‘Please.’ Ted said. ‘I took a wrong turning and couldn’t get out of the one-way system. Stupid. I were that frantic.’ He saw the bloodied shirt in the sink. ‘Bloody hell, Linda, shouldn’t he be in hospital?’

‘I
am
here, you know, Dad,’ William said, ‘and no, there’s no need for me to go to hospital.’

‘I’ve told him.’ Linda said. ‘He won’t go. But I think he’ll be fine, so long as he rests for a few days.’

‘I can see Patrick liking
that
.’ William shifted on the chair and flinched.

‘It’s his son that caused this,’ Linda said. ‘So he can like it or lump it.’

‘Aye, she’s right.’ Ted took the cup of tea from Linda. ‘Thanks, love. Jack went then? Didn’t wait to face the music?’

‘There’s nothing for him to face, Dad. I’ll not be grassing him up to the coppers.’

Linda pulled a face.

‘Your choice, lad.’

The crying stopped. A minute or two later Susan came back into the kitchen.

‘How is he?’ William looked up at her.

‘He’s fine. Bad dream, that’s all.’

‘Sure?’

‘Sure.’ She smiled at him and then looked at Ted. ‘Won’t you sit down, Mr Booth?’

‘Ted, please. And no, lass, I’d better be off. Let his mother know our William’s okay.’ Ted drained the last of his tea. ‘She wanted me to bring you home,’ he said to William.

‘No, Dad, I’m fine here.’

‘What if he … Susan’s husband comes back?’

‘He won’t.’ William set his jaw.

‘He’ll be well on his way to barracks by now,’ Susan added. ‘And he knows he’ll never be welcome here again.’

‘I’d better be off, then.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Linda said. ‘I’ll be even later for my shift if I don’t get a move on.’ She hugged Susan, knowing already she was going to like William’s girlfriend. ‘I’ll call around after work tomorrow.’

‘You sure?’

‘Yeah. Need to keep an eye on my little brother. One of the nurses lives around here somewhere. I’ll cadge a lift with her.’

‘Dad?’ William caught hold of Ted’s sleeve. ‘I’ll be right. Honest. Everything will be all right. Tell Mum, won’t you, I don’t want her mithering. And then getting herself in a state again. You know what I mean?’

‘Aye, lad, I know what you mean.’ They exchanged looks.

‘I’ll keep an eye on her.’ Linda picked up her coat. Helping her dad to look after her mother would help to take her mind off her own problems.

Ted stopped by the door. ‘And perhaps you’ll bring your young lady home – to our house sometime? With the little ’un, of course.’

‘Thank you Mr Booth … Ted.’ Susan hesitated and then gave him a peck on the cheek.

‘You look after him,’ Ted said, blushing. ‘He’ll eat you out of house and home, mind.’

They all laughed. It released the tension.

‘Well then,’ Ted unfolded his cap and jammed it on his head, ‘I’ll be off. And I hope we’ll be seeing a lot more of you in future, Susan.’

‘You will.’ William grinned. ‘Thanks, Dad.’

Ted nodded. ‘You be careful.’

When Linda had settled into the passenger seat of the van, Ted stopped and looked back at the closed door of the house. It looked like they were all going to have to be careful in the future. One way or another. Seems they couldn’t help getting into trouble, not one of them.

Chapter 60: Richard Schormann

Ashford, morning: Monday, October 13th

‘How did it go?’ Richard pushed the hood of his parka off and sat up in the passenger seat of the Mini where he’d been waiting for the last two hours, outside the Worths’ house. He was frozen. At first he’d tried to read the medical textbook he’d brought with him, but the words wouldn’t go in. His mind kept going back to what his mother had told him last week and the realisation of how dangerous Karen’s stepfather might be.

Fear had made him anxious; he hadn’t thought it would take Karen so long to talk to her mother. He’d constantly turned to try to look through the misted-up back window, uneasily watching in case her stepfather’s Jaguar appeared off the main road.

He’d tried hard over the last week to shut out the images his mother had conjured up when she’d told him everything that had happened, even though he could tell she’d spared him much of how she’d felt at that time. He’d searched his memories for some inkling, some clue, that could have told him that something so horrendous had happened to her, to his family. There was nothing: nothing that hinted that they were anything but an ordinary family. Even on the rare occasions his father had spoken of the war, of being prisoner, it had seemed utterly remote: a time so long before he was born that it hardly registered. Everyone seemed so normal.

But now that had all changed; he saw his family in a different light – a group of people who shared secrets. And his nights consisted of broken sleep and nightmares: of him and Karen being chased down dark lanes, of drowning in black still water, of seeing his mother’s face silently screaming. And last night, a faceless man, lashing out with knives and blood, so much blood splattered on walls. William lying on the floor. At least he knew why he’d dreamt that; both his uncle and aunt were upset about what happened to his cousin.

He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts and turned to look straight at Karen as she threw a bag onto the back seat and slid in behind the steering wheel. She’d been crying.

‘Sorry I was such a long time.’ She gave him a wan smile.

‘S’all right.’ Richard hoped she couldn’t see his nervousness. All he wanted to do was get as far away from her mother’s house as quickly as he could. ‘Just as long as you’re okay, isn’t it.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘It’s nearly twelve, I was getting worried he might come back for his lunch.’

‘No, Mum said he’s out for the day. That’s why I was in there so long. And I packed the rest of my stuff.’ She tipped her head towards the bags. ‘I told her I wouldn’t be back until she kicked him out.’

Richard had done a lot of thinking since Saturday; he knew that by telling Karen's mother about Shuttleworth’s past they’d open up a hornet’s nest, as his mother would say. If Karen’s mother was ever brave enough to face the truth, to tell her husband to leave, would he go…? Richard doubted it. George Shuttleworth wouldn’t leave the life he’d got used to. When he’d married he’d gained a lot, from what Karen had said: a good business, money, a large house, different from the one he’d grown up in. And then there was the baby; surely he’d put up a fight for his son. And if he threatened to take Frank, Karen’s mother would certainly back down. No, George Shuttleworth wouldn’t leave the life he’d grown used to.

And then he’d be out for revenge. What would happen then? Shuttleworth would know it was because of Richard and his family. Who would he go for first? There was no doubt in Richard’s mind. Because of Karen, it would be him.

‘Do you think she will? Kick him out, I mean?’

‘Who knows?’ Karen was near to tears again but still smiled at him as he took hold of her fingers. ‘She hasn’t said anything to him yet. I think she’s scared stiff of him.’

‘Has he ever done anything … like hit her?’

‘Not that I know.’ Karen deliberated a moment. ‘No, she would have told me, I’m sure. No, he’s just nasty, controlling.’ She sighed. ‘Like I said, he’s a pig.’

‘You told her everything?’

The more he thought about it the more he was convinced they’d done the wrong thing.

‘Everything you’ve told me, yeah.’

He’d believed he was right when he’d asked Linda to go with them to warn Karen’s mother. He’d really thought that if Shuttleworth was made to leave he’d be out of their lives for good. What an idiot he’d been.

Karen was talking again. ‘But this is so far outside of her world, Richard. Dad always looked after her. She’s always been such a home-bird. She’s not come across anything like this before.’

‘He’s fooled her then.’

What a mess. Even if Karen’s mum didn’t believe what she’d been told, it was possible she’d still tell Shuttleworth. Richard knew he’d have to tell his mum what they’d done. Warn her so she could tell the rest of the family that they needed to be watching out for trouble. Or should he tell Jackie? One way or another, this wasn’t something he should keep to himself.

Karen let go of Richard’s hands, pulled on a pair of gloves, and turned the key to start the car. ‘Oh, George has kept his life outside the house as much a secret as his past. So I’m still not sure she totally believes he’s not really called Worth.’ The engine ticked over as she fastened her seat belt. ‘Let’s get away from here.’ She bit her lower lip as she checked the rear view mirror.

She was clearly as worried about her stepfather coming home as he was. Richard stretched back and wiped as much of the rear window as he could, so they could see the main road. No car yet. He breathed a sigh of relief.

‘We knew nothing about him before he came to work for Dad,’ Karen scowled as she manoeuvred the car across the lane. ‘Mum told me once he used to say he thought George was a rough diamond but a good worker.’

‘Hmm. Do you want me to get out to check the wall while you reverse?’

‘No, you’re okay.’ She spun the steering wheel and the car bumped backwards over the uneven ground. Her voice was strained. ‘He was a quick worker after Dad died, I know that. Anyway, it’s up to her, I suppose.’ She put the car into first gear and straightened it. Before they set off she looked at Richard. ‘I just wonder if she’s really too frightened of being on her own, especially since she had Fra— the baby.’

Couldn’t she even say the baby’s name, now she knew about Shuttleworth’s brother? Richard thought. Poor kid, to be named after such a sicko.

‘Is there no one in your family that can help her?’ he said.

‘No, neither Mum nor Dad had any brothers or sisters. I think there’s a cousin of Dad’s somewhere but we haven’t seen him since George came on the scene.’

The main road was busy. Richard watched through his window. ‘You’re right this way,’ he said, when there was a clear space in the traffic. He turned back to her. ‘How does she feel about you leaving home?’

‘Thanks.’ Karen pulled out onto the road. ‘I’ve wanted to leave for a long time and she knows that. She’s not happy about it. But, like I told her, I can’t … won’t … stay there.’

They turned onto the road towards Ashford.

‘You sure Jackie doesn’t mind me staying with them a bit longer?’ she said.

‘No, I’m sure she’s cool with it.’
Could
Jackie help, with her being in the police? Would it be any different from when Mum had tried to get them to believe her about George Shuttleworth? Should he try to persuade Linda not to tell his mum what they’d done? Or should he own up?

What a bloody mess. A week ago Richard had thought his life was perfect. Now who knew what was going to happen?

Chapter 61: Mary Schormann & Ellen Booth

Ashford: Tuesday 14th October

‘You could stay here, now our William’s gone.’ Ellen gave her nose a long blow and shoved her handkerchief in her cardigan pocket. She flopped onto the chair. ‘Where’s Peter?’

‘Out at the car, tidying it up.’ Keeping out of the way more like, Mary thought.