Winners and Losers (29 page)

Daniel walked into Maura's hairdressing shop. He saw that two customers were standing at the counter talking to the girl who worked there. Their faces were serious and it was clear they were shocked. He hesitated as they looked at him, then asked for David.

‘He is upstairs. The police are with him.'

‘Police?' Daniel frowned. ‘What is wrong? Has something happened?'

‘Maura . . . she was killed early this morning,' Shirley said, her face white and shocked. ‘She ran in front of a lorry near the Paradise football ground and it killed her.'

‘I'll go up,' Daniel said. ‘Is it the stairs through the back?'

‘Yes.'

Daniel knew that they were staring at him as he went through to the back. The gossips were bound to pick up on his arrival and make four into five, but he couldn't leave David to face this alone.

At the top of the stairs he saw an open door. A police constable and a woman were standing over the boy, who was shrinking into his chair and staring at them, his face white and scared.

‘You have to go with Mrs Briggs. You can't stop here alone,' the police officer was saying.

‘No. I won't!'

‘David, are you all right, lad?'

The officer turned his head as Daniel stepped into the room.

‘Who are you, sir?' he asked, but a small tornado went past him, throwing himself at Daniel, burying his head against his side as he clung to him and sobbed.

‘Mum's dead. They want me to go to a home and I won't. I won't go!' He looked up at Daniel, his face streaked with tears. ‘Don't let them take me, Dad. Please don't let them.'

Daniel stroked his head. ‘Calm down, son. Let's hear what they have to say. You can't stay here alone.'

‘Are you the boy's father?' the police constable asked.

Daniel looked down at the boy clinging to him and nodded. ‘Yes, he is my son. I knew Mrs Jacobs years ago. We never married, but David is mine. He stayed with me a couple of weeks back. He was upset at the time and I came over this morning to see how he was getting on.'

‘Is that true, David?'

‘Yes. He's my dad. I want to go home with my dad.'

‘Your name, sir?'

‘Daniel Searles. I think it might be best if David came home with us. My wife was anxious about him and we wanted to help him. She will take him in until his future is decided.' He looked down at David. ‘Do you still want to live with your grandmother and uncle in Ireland?'

‘I don't want to go with her.' David sent a look of dislike at the woman standing near the chair where he'd been sitting. ‘She wants to put me in a home.'

‘We called Mrs Briggs,' the constable said. ‘The boy can't be left on his own in an unfortunate case like this.'

‘He isn't alone,' Daniel said. ‘He can live with us until he decides what he wants to do. He has relations in Ireland. I am sure there must be an address for them. I'm not sure about Maura's husband. I think he walked out on her a while ago. I'll see to the funeral arrangements – if that is all right with you?' He glanced down at David. ‘Do you know where your grandmother's address is?' David nodded. ‘Go and fetch it then, lad.' As David ran off, he looked at the police officer. ‘Would you rather contact the family – or do you want me to?'

‘We'll do that, sir.' He took a notebook from his pocket. ‘Could you give me your address?'

‘Greenfields, Acre Drove, Stretton. It's a farm. I have four children besides David and he will be fine with us until this business is cleared up.'

‘What do you think, Mrs Briggs?' the constable asked.

‘We've only his word that he is David's father . . .' She hesitated but then nodded. ‘I suppose it is all right – but you may receive a visit from a council officer to make certain David is living in a suitable home.'

‘That's all right by me,' Daniel said. David brought him an address book, opening it so that he could see the address in Ireland. He handed the book to the constable, who copied the address into his notebook and then returned it to the boy.

‘Do you want to go with Mr Searles?' he asked David.

‘Yes. I'm not going with her.' David took shelter behind his father's body and clung on to his jacket. ‘You can't make me. I'll run away.'

‘I think it's best you take the boy for the moment,' the constable said and smiled. ‘He seems to know what he wants. We shall be in touch, sir. You should be able to start making arrangements for the funeral in a few days, but perhaps Mrs Jacobs' relations may have something to say on the subject, so don't be in too much rush.'

‘I'll wait to hear from you.' He looked down at David. ‘Do you want to pack a few things? You'll need some clothes – underpants and socks, shirts. Do you want me to help you? Has your mum got a suitcase?'

‘I'll get it,' David said.

‘It was lucky that you came along when you did,' the police officer said. ‘We'll be on our way now – but someone will come and talk to you in a few days.'

‘Whenever you like. I'm usually about the yard, but if not I'll be on the land somewhere nearby.'

‘If your wife isn't happy to take the child, let us know and we'll fetch him,' Mrs Bates said and followed him out.

David came back into the room a few minutes later. ‘Have they gone?'

‘Yes.' Daniel smiled at him. ‘Let's pack some clothes and anything else you want to take – you'd better bring the address book. We will need to contact your grandmother.'

‘Can I stay with you until Mum's buried?'

‘Yes, of course. You can stay until your uncle or grandmother sends for you.'

‘What if they don't?'

‘We'll think about that if it happens,' Daniel said as he followed the boy into his bedroom. ‘What do you want to bring with you?'

Daniel hoped Alice would be all right with what he'd done. He had acted on impulse, because he couldn't let his son go to an orphanage.

‘Of course you did the right thing,' Alice said when she came down from settling David into Connor's bedroom. ‘You couldn't let David go to a home. Some of those places are all right these days, but I should have hated to think of him there being looked after by strangers.'

‘I thought you would say that.' Daniel felt the relief sweep over him. ‘If you'd seen his face and the way she was standing over him – old battleaxe! I couldn't let it happen, Alice.'

‘Of course you couldn't,' she agreed. ‘Poor kid. It's an awful mess, Dan. What do you think happened to her? I mean, why did she run in front of that lorry?'

‘Her bed hadn't been slept in. I think she must have gone out drinking. Maybe she slept it off somewhere and then tried to rush home before David got up.'

‘How could she go out and leave her son alone all night? Supposing something had happened – a fire or . . .' Alice shook her head. ‘What will happen to the shop now?'

‘Shirley asked me what she ought to do. I told her to carry on as normal for now. I suppose Maura's husband is entitled to anything she had, though I think it should go to David. If his family come over for the funeral, they can decide. I think Shirley might like to take the shop over, but that isn't for me to say.' Daniel looked thoughtful. ‘I said I would arrange the funeral, but David told me his grandmother and uncle are Catholics, so they may want to do it differently.'

‘We shall have to wait and see if they come for the funeral,' Alice said. ‘I'm sure one of them will come, because of David. They are sure to take him back with them to Ireland.'

‘Yes, I suppose so. I know it is what he wanted . . .'

‘You sound unsure?'

‘Do I? I'm just shocked. It was all a bit sudden, Alice. Maura promised she wouldn't drink – and now she's dead. David is stunned. He hasn't cried properly yet. I don't think he really understands what has happened.'

‘I am sure he knows, he just can't take it in,' Alice said. ‘Poor little love. It is awful to lose your mother – even if she wasn't as good a mother as she might have been. He will be all right with us, Dan. He can stay for as long as he needs to.'

‘You wouldn't mind if he stayed for good?'

‘Not if it was what he really wanted,' she said and looked thoughtful. ‘We might have to tell the children that he is their half-brother in time, but we'll leave that for now.'

Sarah could hear the sound of raised voices downstairs. She knew that her parents were arguing. Her father wanted to know why they had come home earlier than planned. She heard the telephone shrill in the hall and then the sound of her father picking it up.

‘Sarah,' he called from the bottom of the stairs. ‘It is for you.' Sarah went down the stairs. He handed her the receiver. ‘It's Connor.'

‘Thank you.' Sarah took the receiver, her heart thumping wildly. ‘Connor, where are you? I want to see you!'

‘I'm staying with Emily. Are you all right? You sound upset.'

‘Yes, I am. I'm sorry I didn't believe you,' Sarah said. ‘I love you, Con. I know you wouldn't do anything like that. Please forgive me.' She gave a little sob. ‘I am so sorry . . .'

‘Don't cry, darling,' he said. ‘I shouldn't have said those things to you. I was angry and I didn't know what I was saying. I love you, Sarah.' He hesitated, then said, ‘The police want to see me again. I have to go back to London today. If I can, I'll come down as soon as I finish there.'

Sarah felt cold all over. ‘Why do they want to see you? They can't arrest you. You didn't do anything. I know you didn't!'

‘No, I didn't,' Connor said. ‘I didn't speak to them myself. I just got a message that they needed to see me. I'm sure it will be all right, Sarah. If they were going to arrest me, they would have got the local police to do it. Besides, my lawyer told me that he had taken them some new evidence about the girl – so maybe it is that.'

‘Yes . . .' Sarah could hardly keep the tears from her voice, because they were trickling down her cheeks. ‘I love you. I'll stand by you whatever they do.'

‘Sarah, I wish I were with you. I've missed you.'

‘I've missed you.'

‘I thought you might still be away.'

‘We came home early. I hated it there. I hate it here without you. I just want to be with you wherever you are.'

‘I've had some thoughts about the future, but I'll tell you when I see you. I have to go. I've got to get to London.'

‘Love you,' Sarah said and put the phone down.

As she turned, she saw her father looking at her from the doorway into the sitting room.

‘Sarah, I should like to talk to you. If you could spare a moment, I have something to tell you.'

‘Is something wrong, Dad?'

She went into the sitting room. Her mother was sitting hunched up in a chair, her face like stone. Sarah sat down on the edge of the sofa. Her father went to stand by the fireplace.

‘I wanted to tell you the truth a long time ago,' he said. ‘It was wrong to hide the way things are from you, Sarah. Your mother and I have stayed together for your sake but that is over. I think you will be getting married quite soon now. As soon as the wedding is over I intend to leave this house . . .'

‘Dad!' Sarah stared at him. ‘What about Mum?'

‘She will have the house and enough money to live on, but I've wasted enough of my life living in a sterile marriage. I'm going to stay with a friend, but I'll visit from time to time and I'll definitely be there for your wedding, Sarah.'

‘Mum . . .' Sarah looked over but her mother was staring into space. ‘Why now, Dad?'

‘Because you know the truth and there's no point in continuing this sham. You've made it up with Connor. I'll give you my permission in writing before I leave and you can arrange the wedding for whenever you like. Naturally I'll pay the bills and I'll give you five thousand pounds as a wedding present.'

‘Dad, that's a lot of money!' Sarah felt the tears pricking. Impulsively, she went towards him, putting her arms about him, her head against his chest. He smelled so familiar and dear, and it was breaking her heart. ‘I'm so sorry . . . sorry that you've been unhappy all this time . . . both of you . . .'

Her mother got up and walked out of the room without looking at either of them.

‘Mum!'

Her father caught her arm as she would have followed. ‘Let her go, Sarah. Don't you understand why she didn't want you to get married – why she has tried to keep you a little girl all this time? It was because she knew that once you got married I would leave her. She blackmailed me into staying and into keeping it from you. I think we should have told you when you were sixteen.'

‘Dad . . .' Sarah caught her breath because his words struck like a knife. She knew that he was telling her the truth and it hurt. Her mother had deliberately tried to turn her against Connor because she wanted her to break it off – to stay at home a few years longer. ‘You shouldn't have let her.'

‘I didn't want to hurt you, princess. I've always loved you even though . . .' He shook his head. ‘Marry Connor and be happy. He really loves you.'

‘Yes,' Sarah said. ‘I know.'

She was thoughtful as she went upstairs. She prayed that the police weren't going to arrest Connor, because she wanted – needed – to be with him. All the doubts and the uncertainty had gone. She didn't care where they went or what they did; she just needed to be with the man she loved.

Eleven

‘
I
wish I could come with you,' Emily said as she said goodbye to Connor. ‘Remember, if they arrest you, get a message to me. I'll make certain you have the best lawyers.'

‘I have a good lawyer. He is going to meet me in London and we're going to the police station together. You don't need to worry about me, Emily. I'll be fine.'