Peppercorn Street (12 page)

‘Are you in pain?’

He gave her a wry smile. ‘A bit. I’ve not been as active as this for a while. I’m sure it’ll be good for me in the long run. My physio said to increase my activity level bit by bit, as soon as I felt up to it.’

‘It must be hard to be so restricted in what you can do after being active.’

He couldn’t hold back a sigh. ‘They tell me I’ll continue to get better, but it’s been a year now and I’m still on regular painkillers.’

When they were nearly back at Sexton Bassett, he said, ‘Why don’t we turn right at the next crossroads? There’s a pub in the village that does great Sunday roasts. I used to pop in there sometimes. Unless you’re in a hurry to get back?’

She looked at him uncertainly then switched on her indicator and made the turn.

He felt a little uncertain too. It wasn’t a date, but it felt like one suddenly.

And she hadn’t said no. In fact, she’d blushed.

The next day Kieran popped upstairs to see Janey and tell her he’d taken back the printer and cartridge.

‘What did Dad say?’

He hesitated.

‘I’d rather know.’

‘He smashed the printer, stamped on it. Then a friend of his called Gary turned up and they went inside the house.’

Her face turned white and she looked suddenly terrified. ‘Did his friend say anything about me?’

‘Gary?’

She nodded.

‘No, not a word, and he calmed your father down a bit.’

‘You didn’t tell him where I live, did you?’

No use giving her false hope. ‘He’ll be able to find out easily enough. He’s what – a police sergeant?’

As she nodded and pressed one hand against her mouth, he could see tears welling in her eyes. ‘Why are you afraid of him?’

There was a long silence, then she said, ‘I can’t talk about that.’

He didn’t press the point. But he was pretty sure now that this Gary was somehow involved in what had happened to her. Surely a police sergeant wouldn’t go round raping young girls? If such a thing ever came out, the man would lose everything, not only his job, but his freedom and his early retirement.

‘If you ever need help, whoever it is that’s troubling you, call me,’ he said quietly, patting her on the shoulder then going back to his flat.

When someone banged the door knocker hard Winifred went into the front room to peep, sighing to see her nephew standing there. She let him knock again, hoping he’d think she was out.

But he didn’t go away. He called through the letter box, ‘I know you’re in there, Auntie. Let me in. I shan’t go away until you do. We need to talk and we can’t do it like this.’

She felt suddenly nervous and on an impulse rang her friend Hazel, grateful when the phone was picked up straight away. ‘My nephew’s banging on the front door, insisting on being let in, and I don’t know what to do. I’m afraid of him.’

‘I’ll ring Dawn. She’ll come straight across, I’m sure.’

Winifred put down the phone and told herself not to be such a coward. She walked to the front door, not opening it but calling out, ‘Go away, Bradley. I don’t want to see you.’

‘I’m worried about you, Auntie. Why have you had the locks changed?’

The way he said that made her feel even more nervous, his voice was so loud and harsh. And he was a tall man, towering over her. They’d joked about that now and then, but today, she felt threatened by it. She was too frail now to risk dealing with a furiously angry man, so she wasn’t letting him in.

‘I’ll give you two minutes, then I’m coming round the back and breaking in,’ he yelled.

‘Don’t you dare!’

‘Something’s wrong and I’m worried about you. No one will blame me for checking for myself that you’re all right.’

She could guess what that would lead to, calls to social services. She hoped Dawn would get here soon. She didn’t want Bradley breaking her windows.

Janey decided to take advantage of a fine spell and go out for a walk. It’d perhaps clear her head a little, take her mind off worrying about what her father might do next.

She’d just turned down the narrow path between the houses when she heard someone yelling. It was unusual even to see anyone at this end of the street in the daytime, so she slowed down to listen. She heard a man threatening to break into Miss Parfitt’s house and stopped walking in shock, standing on tiptoe to peep over the hedge.

The man had his left wrist raised and was looking at his watch. ‘One and a half minutes to go, Auntie. Open this door or I’ll break in.’

For all he was calling Miss Parfitt ‘Auntie’, he sounded as if he intended to harm her. Janey didn’t want to put
Millie at risk but she couldn’t leave that nice old lady on her own, just couldn’t.

Bracing herself, she turned back on to Peppercorn Street and walked briskly along to the gate of the big house, opening it with a loud clang of the old-fashioned catch.

‘Thirty sec—’ The man spun round. ‘Who the hell are you?’

‘A friend of Miss Parfitt. Is something wrong?’

‘Nothing you need concern yourself about. She’s not well enough to see anyone today.’

‘Janey!’

She looked up to see Miss Parfitt standing at an open bedroom window above them. ‘Are you all right?’

‘I will be if my nephew will go away. I don’t want to see him and he’s threatening to break in.’

‘Shall I call the police?’ The last thing Janey wanted to do was get entangled with the police again, but she couldn’t leave Miss Parfitt to face this tall, angry man on her own, just couldn’t, so she got out her mobile.

‘Don’t you dare!’ he growled. ‘Or it’ll be the last call you ever make on that phone.’

She gaped at him in shock, taking an involuntary step backwards.

He looked back at his watch. ‘Ten – nine – eight—’

A car came up the street fast and screeched to a halt outside the house. Dawn jumped out of it and ran to join them on the path.

‘Thank goodness you could come,’ Miss Parfitt called down. ‘Tell my nephew to go away.’

‘She’s my aunt. And she’s not well.’ He tapped his forehead to indicate a mental problem.

Even though he was taller than her, Dawn walked right up to him so that he had to step back. ‘Don’t you dare even hint at that! Miss Parfitt’s mind is in excellent working order and if she doesn’t want to see you, then she doesn’t have to.’

His face went even redder. He scowled up at the window and then at Dawn. ‘Someone’s poisoned her mind against me. Perhaps it’s you. I don’t know what you’re after, but I’m not letting you take advantage of her like this. I’ll be back with help –
official
help. She needs looking after for her own sake and as her only remaining relative with power of attorney, I’m going to make sure that happens.’

There was silence. When Janey would have spoken, Dawn shook her head to warn her not to and pointed towards the gate. ‘I think you’d better go, Mr Parfitt.’

He pushed past them with a muttered curse and strode back down the garden path, slamming the door of his car hard.

Dawn waited till he’d driven away before calling up, ‘You can come down now, Miss Parfitt.’ She turned to Janey. ‘Are you a friend of hers, too?’

‘I met her coming back from the shops and helped her carry back her groceries. She gave me some lovely cake and she’s going to teach me to bake. I was passing by today, taking my baby for a walk, when I heard him threatening her.’

They both turned as the front door was unlocked. Winifred stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks.

‘Oh, Dawn, what am I going to do? He’ll try to get me locked away, I know he will.’

Dawn moved forward to put an arm round Winifred. ‘First of all, let’s all go inside. I think a nice cup of tea is called for, don’t you?’

The old lady sagged against her for a minute then straightened up with a visible effort. ‘I felt terrified of him,’ she confessed.

‘I felt a bit nervous myself. He’s a big man,’ Janey said, ‘and he was very angry. Um – perhaps you’d like me to leave you two alone now you’re all right, Miss Parfitt?’

‘No, dear. You come and have a cup of tea too. Don’t say you wouldn’t like a piece of cake?’

‘Well, if you’re sure.’

‘Dawn, I can’t thank you enough for coming so quickly. I don’t know what I’d have done without you today.’

‘I was just sorting stuff out at the charity shop, so I was nearby. It’s lucky I answered my mobile. I don’t always. I’ll give Mum a ring to let her know you’re all right. She’ll be worried.’

Winifred was feeling better by the minute, but was already wondering what she’d do if Bradley came back again. Dawn seemed to be reading her mind.

‘Does he really have power of attorney?’

‘Not now. I’ve just changed it. But I was afraid to tell him.’

‘I’m not surprised. Look, I think you should tell the police about this, and also ask the authorities for a security pendant so that you can call for help if necessary. They issue them to older people living alone for that very reason.’

Winifred frowned. ‘I’ve always tried to avoid getting into the hands of the authorities. Before you know it, they put you in one of those dreadful old people’s homes.’

‘I think things are a bit different these days. They’re more keen to keep people in their own homes, because it saves them a lot of money. I have a friend I could speak to. She’s already set Mum up with a pendant. I’m sure she’d make you a priority.’

‘I – don’t know.’

‘It wouldn’t hurt to see what they say,’ Janey said. ‘I’ve had a lot of help from Social Security people with Millie. They’ve nearly all been lovely with me – except for one woman from the council, Miss Stevenall. Don’t have anything to do with her.’

‘I’ve met her, but she’s more admin than social care these days just because she’s not good with people.’ Dawn looked at Janey in surprise. ‘Is she the one who tried to take your baby away?’

‘Yes. She came with the police to answer my father’s complaint. If a neighbour hadn’t helped me, she’d have taken Millie away from me there and then.’

‘Even if she was a field worker, she has no right to do that on such flimsy evidence! What on earth is going on?’

‘If she’d taken Millie, I bet I’d have found it hard to get her back.’ Janey leant forward to kiss her daughter’s soft cheek, even though it was smeared with rusk.

‘You’re right. Look, Miss Parfitt, I’ll speak to a friend,’ Dawn said. ‘And we’ll make sure that Stevenall woman doesn’t come anywhere near you. And I’ll mention her coming to see you, too, Janey.’

‘Would you … be with me when they come to see me?’ Winifred asked. ‘I know I’m being a coward, but I’ve been keeping away from the authorities for years.’

‘I’d be happy to be with you. I was there for Mum only
recently, so I know what sort of questions they’ll ask.’

‘Thank you.’ Perhaps it was a good idea, Winifred thought. She had felt so helpless today. Hazel had shown her the security pendant and said how much better it made her feel to be able to call for help.

She was so glad she’d changed her will. And got that letter from her doctor to say that she was in full possession of her mental capacities.

Surely Bradley wouldn’t continue to pester her once she made everything clear to him? But she remembered the gloating look in his eyes as he’d stood outside with that Ebony creature, evaluating the house, planning to get her out of it and knock it down.

‘Let’s call in at the police station tomorrow and report this,’ Dawn said. ‘I can drive you there. Ten o’clock in the morning suit you?’

‘Yes. Thank you so much, dear.’

As she left Miss Parfitt’s, it began to rain again and Janey had no alternative but to take Millie home. She’d wanted to go to the allotments to see if Mr Shackleton was all right and to say how sorry she was to hear about his wife. She shivered. It was not only wet but bone-chillingly cold today and she didn’t like to keep her baby out in it.

Whatever the weather was like, she was going to her college classes, if she had to push Millie’s buggy through snowdrifts to get there. She was really looking forward to it, determined to make the most of this unexpected chance to start working for a better life.

She’d managed to get copies of the books she needed
for English really cheaply by scouring all the charity shops in town, which seemed like a sign that this was meant to be. She’d started to read them again, trying to remember what her teacher at school had said about them.

How long ago that seemed now! How young and naïve she’d been! And how terrified of what was happening to her. She had learnt a lot since, to look after herself, to be totally responsible for another human being’s life, to budget – but she hadn’t managed to lose the fear that one day
he
would come after her again.

To Janey’s relief, the next day was fine and warmer too. She got ready to go for a walk, smiling to see how excited Millie became as she was wrapped in her warm outer clothes. She carried the buggy downstairs first then went back to scoop Millie out of the playpen and carry her down too.

Kieran came out of his flat to open the front door and help her with the buggy. ‘Have a good walk!’ he called, standing on the steps to wave her goodbye.

Perhaps when she first met him, he’d been feeling ill and that was why he’d been so grumpy and stand-offish. All she knew was he’d been a good friend to her when she needed one and he looked quite cheerful this morning.

She walked up past the big house, but there was no sign of anyone today. She hoped Miss Parfitt was all right but didn’t like to knock on her door to find out.

She went on through the park, heading for the allotments. She wanted to see if Mr Shackleton was all right and tell him how sorry she was about his wife.

Dan woke up early, lying there for a few moments, trying to pull himself together. He felt washed out today, but lying in bed never did you any good, so he got up and made his breakfast. He could only eat half of it, didn’t have much of an appetite lately.

He’d cried last night after he went to bed, when there was no one to see or hear him. This morning he was determined to make a new start. Or rather, to get back into his old habits. At least he wouldn’t have to go and visit Peggy in that horrible place any more. He’d dreaded it each time, not only seeing her like that, but even going into the building, which seemed heavy with despair, for all the efforts of the kind people working there.

To his delight the post brought some packets of seeds and that cheered him up a bit. He riffled through them quickly, smiling at the photos of perfect specimens shown on the packets. As if they always grew like that! Afterwards he put the package into the backpack, which he always took to the allotment, and as an afterthought the mobile phone. He’d promised his sons to keep it with him and he always kept his promises.

He’d walk there today, as usual. He didn’t need to go fast, just take it easy. The fresh air would do him good. There was nothing like sun on your face, even the watery sun of late February.

He got there by nine, greeted a couple of people he knew and accepted their condolences about the loss of his wife with as much dignity as he could manage. He had to get used to that, he knew, and people meant it kindly, but it seemed to rub salt into his wound each time.

At ten o’clock he put on the kettle for his morning cup of tea and got out his tin of biscuits. The water was boiling merrily when someone tapped on the half-open door. He turned round to see the young lass with the baby.

‘Hello, Janey love. You’re just in time for a cuppa.’

‘Are you sure? I didn’t mean to intrude. I just wanted to say how sorry I was about your wife.’

‘Thank you, dear. And you wouldn’t be intruding because this young miss is just what I need to cheer me up today.’ He bent to tickle Millie and soon had her giving some of her fat, happy chuckles, which always made those watching laugh with her.

‘She’s a happy baby, that one, knows she’s loved.’

‘What a nice compliment.’

They sat together in companionable silence, then Janey started telling him about college.

He smiled indulgently. ‘You sound excited.’

‘I am. I can’t wait to do something that uses my brain. I never thought I’d miss school so much.’ She sipped the tea, then noticed the pile of packets. ‘Oh! The new seeds have arrived. When are you going to start planting them?’