Lonely Girl (25 page)

Watching from the patio outside the sun-room, Kathleen grew increasingly anxious. She’d had another telephone call from Molly, still at the police station, and the situation was looking even more bleak. For this past hour and more, Kathleen had been backwards and forwards, in and out of the house, then across the gardens to look towards the foothills, to the spot where Patrick had disappeared from sight some hours before. She was longing to share her new troubled thoughts with him.

Her heartfelt wishes continued to will him home and she prayed that she might see him emerge from the hills at any minute, with Harry and Rosie by his side and Barney bounding along in front.

Time and again, her worried gaze carried across the gardens and on towards the place where she’d last seen him, waving and smiling, looking strong and able.

‘Where are you, Patrick? Oh, please God, I hope you have found the children safe and well,’ she murmured.

Another hour passed, and when there was still no sign of them she made a decision: I know that if you had stayed safe you would have been home by now, Patrick … I just know it! Something’s happened, and I can’t wait any longer. I’m calling for help!

With one last look towards the place where she had last seen Patrick, she turned away, and as she did so, she heard Barney’s familiar, excited bark. In her excitement and hurry to return to the spot where she had watched for them these past hours, she almost fell over. ‘Careful, girl!’ she cautioned herself. ‘You’re not as young and agile as you used to be!’

Suddenly, there was Barney, bounding towards the garden, excited and happy, and shouting to her in that familiar, deep bark. ‘Barney!’ She called him to her. ‘Where are they, boy? Are they all right? Where are they?’

She looked up and was greatly relieved to see Patrick, with Rosie and Harry close behind. All three of them looked to be completely and utterly exhausted. The strain of their ordeal was visible in their faces and in the slow, heavy manner in which they walked towards her.

Saying a little prayer of thanks, Kathleen felt a burst of pride and immense relief that they were all safe.

Then she was running, her bruises forgotten, and soon she was flinging her arms about Patrick, before she hugged Harry and Rosie. Nor did she leave out Barney; she ruffled his coat with great affection while he relished the attention.

‘I’ve been so worried,’ she said brokenly. ‘I was so afraid you were in trouble.’

As they trailed back to the house together, Kathleen heard the story of how Rosie had lost her shoe, and how Patrick had come to her rescue with his old Boy Scout skills. Harry said very little, but gave his stepmother the biggest hug ever.

As for Patrick, he felt too worn out and bone-sore to enter into heavy conversation. Thoroughly exhausted, he could hardly drag one foot behind the other. There would be time enough for him to tell his side of this particular adventure. Meantime, he was simply thankful to be within sight of home, while Harry and Rosie explained their careful descent down to more level ground.

‘I’m too old for this kind of malarkey,’ Patrick said to Kathleen. ‘What I need right now is a strong cuppa tea … and my lovely wife right there beside me.’

‘And that’s what you’ll get, my husband,’ she answered, ‘and maybe another little kiss on the cheek for bringing you all safely back to me.’

‘We all did our bit.’ Patrick gratefully accepted a helping hand from Kathleen.

‘You seem unduly quiet.’ He had noticed how she seemed so deep in thought, and her face was serious when she looked away. ‘You’ve no need to worry now, my love.’ He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. ‘As you can see, although we might be a little battered and weary, at least we’re all home safe and well.’

Kathleen smiled. ‘No more adventures, then … is that agreed?’

Patrick chuckled mischievously. ‘Duly noted and agreed, sir!’

Kathleen gave him a playful poke in the arm.

As they continued slowly back to the house, she was all too aware that the news she was keeping to herself for the moment would be as big a shock to the three of them as it had been to her.

During that latest phone call from Molly, Kathleen had taken the opportunity to ask a few niggling questions and, to Kathleen’s great surprise, Molly had been only too eager to provide answers, although they had not been exactly what Kathleen was expecting.

Molly was still at the police station answering questions and giving as much information as she could about how John had come to meet his untimely death.

According to what Molly confided in her, Kathleen realised that Molly had become angry under questioning and, feeling threatened, she’d decided to call the family lawyer, who advised her that she should not answer any further questions; he was on his way to advise and counsel her.

Her sister’s call had troubled Kathleen deeply, but seeing how weary and thoroughly shaken Patrick and the youngsters were, she was loath to burden the family with the shameful news that Molly had confessed to her. So she kept silent and hoped she might be able to break the news gently once they were home and rested.

Some time later, while Barney was stretched out asleep on the patio, panting and groaning, his legs madly twitching as though he was running in his slumbers, Kathleen checked on the family inside.

She found them all washed and rested, and after a few minutes they were enjoying yet another glass of cool lemonade, which Kathleen had made earlier with love and attention.

With little appetite for conversation at the moment, Kathleen discreetly watched her family as they enjoyed the cold drinks, before appearing to drift into their own thoughts.

She decided that this was probably the right time to acquaint them with what Molly had told her about the train of events that had apparently cost John his life. Discreetly studying Rosie, who remained pale and exhausted, Kathleen felt sorely tempted to leave the news for another, more suitable time, but then she realised that her family had to be told, and there might not be another time when they were all together like this.

After a moment of thought, she again peeped at Rosie, who was deep in thought, staring at the carpet with wide-awake eyes, no doubt reflecting on the painful loss of her beloved father. Kathleen felt somehow guilty that Rosie should have to deal with such a cruel tragedy in her young life and she feared adding to the child’s anguish. Kathleen’s lately acquired knowledge had to be shared, but maybe not with Rosie just yet.

Kathleen was increasingly nervous about imparting her news. She feared that the true series of events that had led to John being killed would fire huge shame and disgust not only in everyone here, but also in others, who would likely learn of it when the newspapers got hold of the story. Inevitably, their reports would include all the sordid details leading up to the violent death of a well-respected and much-loved family man. But no one would feel such tearing pain for John Tanner as did his devoted daughter, Rosie.

Kathleen’s tender gaze again fell on Rosie, still in deepest thought. After a moment, and totally unaware that Kathleen was watching, Rosie bent her head and discreetly wiped away her falling tears.

Having noticed Kathleen watching Rosie with love, Patrick leaned over to take hold of his wife’s hand. ‘Don’t fret, sweetheart,’ he assured her in the softest whisper. ‘Rosie will be all right. She’s not alone … she has us.’

His kind words were most reassuring to Kathleen, who thanked her own lucky stars for the love and companionship of this solid, gentle man, whom she loved with every fibre of her being.

Before Kathleen could say anything, Rosie sat up to look straight at her and, as though she had been going through the dark matters in her own mind, she said in a quiet manner, ‘I need to go and see Mother. I need to know what really happened.’

‘Of course you can see your mother and ask her whatever you need to,’ Kathleen assured her gently. ‘But for now it’s best to leave her to deal with the police. Afterwards, I’m sure it would do no harm for you to ask her any questions that might be bothering you.’

In answer, Rosie gave a little nod of her head. ‘So when do you think I can see her?’

‘Not for a while, I suspect. Why don’t you go and see if Barney’s all right? He looked all in.’ Kathleen gathered herself to impart news of the recent development while Rosie went off to find her dog.

‘Molly rang me again while you were all away,’ she told Patrick and Harry. ‘She confided in me that the police had been asking her so many questions about the accident and how John met his death that she felt threatened, and decided to call the family lawyer. I’m guessing he’s on his way to the police station at this very moment.’

‘Why does she feel threatened?’ Patrick asked. ‘It was an accident, wasn’t it? If so, all she has to do is report what happened. There should be no need for endless questions, but then I know little of the law, so I might be wrong.’

‘As you know,’ Kathleen went on, ‘we were led to believe that it was an accident, but I now know, because Molly explained to me, that it was
not
actually an accident. She also told the police, and that’s why there were more questions. It’s also why she thought to call the lawyer.’

‘But if it was not “actually an accident”, what the devil was it? I mean, what did happen in that barn, eh? What I can’t fathom is why Molly should be frightened or think the police might blame her. Why would they?’ Either way, Patrick cared nothing for his sister-in-law, but he was anxious to get to the truth about John.

‘Well … she seems to think they might put the blame on her somehow.’

‘Hmm, I think she might be paranoid. But if it was not an accident, what happened then? How was John killed?’

Kathleen now revealed the truth behind Molly’s worries. ‘Apparently, Molly did a bad thing. She told me it was because of her that a vicious fight kicked off between her boyfriend and John. John caught them together … in the hay barn in a state of undress.’

‘What! Good Lord, is there nothing your sister won’t get up to, given the chance?’

‘It seems not. The thing is, the man she was with is none other than Tom Stevens, an old sweetheart of hers. She was courting him when she met John. For a while they were inseparable but it gradually became clear to me that he doted on her, while she loved the attention, but sometimes treated him terribly – standing him up when she was bored and had a better prospect of a good time with someone else, getting him to take her all over the place on his motorbike, as if he was her unpaid driver, openly flirting with other men just to make Tom jealous and bring him to heel if he showed any sign of objecting to being used. In the end, for material reasons of course, she dumped Tom and married John soon after.’

Patrick laughed. ‘We all know why she dumped Tom. It was because he had nothing material to offer, while John had just inherited a farmhouse, with all the land and buildings. We all know your sister is nothing but a gold-digger. She doesn’t care who she climbs over or who she gets into bed with to further her own ends.’ From the first meeting with Molly, he had neither respect nor liking for her.

‘What I still don’t know is what caused John’s death,’ Patrick went on, ‘and why Molly is so worried about answering questions from the police. She must know it’s the regulation after a fatality.’

Kathleen relayed what Molly had told her. ‘Apparently, when John found them together like that, he went crazy. A vicious fight broke out between the two men, and that’s when John was fatally hurt. Molly says she thought John was just knocked unconscious when she called the ambulance. She says she tried so hard to revive him, and then realised that Tom had killed him, although he claims he didn’t mean to and it truly was an accident.’

Rosie, who had been hovering by the door unseen, came in looking shocked and angry. ‘So, it
is
her fault he was killed! She didn’t come home from work, and Daddy was worried … and all the time she was with another man. She caused his death! I hate her! It’s her that should be dead, not my father!’

With a gesture of his head, Patrick indicated for Harry to take Rosie away, but she insisted on staying. ‘I need to know what she said to you, Auntie Kathleen … please?’ Quietly sobbing, she pleaded, ‘I have to stay. I have to know the truth!’

And so it was agreed, although she was glad when Harry put a supportive arm about her while she listened to what else Kathleen had been told.

Kathleen began, ‘I won’t deny that what Molly did was shameful. And I do agree with you, Rosie. If she had not gone into the barn with Tom Stevens, there would never have been a fight, and your father would still be here. But life sometimes takes dark and dangerous turns, and we have no control over what happens.’

She wisely omitted the information that Molly had relayed: that Tom had swung a spade at John’s head. It was the fatal blow.

‘I’m sorry you had to hear any of this now, Rosie,’ Kathleen said.

Feeling cold and empty inside, Rosie asked quietly, ‘Who is this Tom Stevens?’

‘He was your mother’s sweetheart years ago,’ Kathleen explained. ‘Before she met your father.’

Rosie was curious. ‘What does he look like … this man?’ Her mind went back to the man in the barn … the man who had been so very sad.