‘Thanks very much, Mrs Goudge, good morning to you. Who is next, please?’ Geoff looked into the face opposite and smiled delightedly. It had been an exhausting morning with the queue of customers on the other side of the counter seeming never-ending. It was grand to see a friendly face. ‘Sally! Nice to see you. But why aren’t you in work? Where’s Lizzie?’
‘I’ve sagged off work today because I don’t
know
where Lizzie is, nor don’t nobody else,’ Sally wailed. ‘In fact, I thought she might have run to you. Oh, Geoff, you would tell me if she had, wouldn’t you?’
‘I’ve not seen Lizzie since we went skating,’ he said at once. He looked more closely at Sally’s face and saw it seemed white and blotchy; it was clear she had been crying. ‘Why should Lizzie run anywhere, queen? What’s been happening?’
Sally leaned across the counter, resting her head on the grille which separated the bank employees from the general public. Lowering her voice, she said: ‘Oh, Geoff, dreadful things have happened and I’ve got to speak to you. When’s your dinner hour? Can I wait somewhere outside so’s we can meet? It’s desperate that we find Lizzie as soon as we can. If we don’t . . .’
Geoff glanced at the clock which hung on the wall
to his right. ‘It’s me dinner hour in ten minutes,’ he said, keeping his voice low. ‘Make out as if you were a customer, queen, or sure as eggs is eggs someone will complain that I’m talking to a pal instead of attending to business. Look, I reckon it’s jolly cold outside so how about meeting me in a quarter of an hour, outside Cottles’s? We can get a cup of tea and a sandwich there and talk while we eat.’
‘Cottles’s in fifteen minutes, right.’ Sally said, turning briskly away and hurrying out of the bank. She left Geoff with his mind in a whirl, wondering what on earth could have happened, but the next customer soon brought his mind back to his work and in fact the ten minutes until he was relieved by another bank clerk passed quickly though the worry never quite left his mind. By the time he reached Cottles’s, in fact, he was running and as he stopped beside Sally so breathless that he could hardly get the words out.
‘What the devil’s been happening? You’re real upset, I can tell. Oh, we’d best not stand here on the pavement chatting, let’s go and grab a table.’
They managed to get a corner table and when their tea and sandwiches arrived, Sally began her tale. ‘I’ll start at the beginning,’ she said, ‘otherwise you’re not going to understand why I’m so worried. As you know, Lizzie and I went to the works Christmas do last night, the way we told you we would, and came home on the tram around half-eleven, I suppose. We’d had a grand time and Lizzie was as cheerful as anything, talking about Christmas and what we’d do if there was snow, ’cos when we were kids, we used to sledge down Everton Brow on wooden tea trays and have all sorts of fun. We parted outside our doors and I went in. I made meself a cup of cocoa and went
upstairs to get ready for bed, though it were such a cold night I didn’t take an awful lot off. I don’t know what made me think of it, but just before I got into bed I remembered something.’ She glanced rather shyly at Geoff across the white-clothed table which separated them. ‘Lizzie’s aunt had bust her guzunder – her chamber pot, you know – and Lizzie had bought her a new one from Paddy’s Market earlier in the evening. Only no one would want to walk into a dance hall wi’ a jerry under her arm, would they? So she left it with old Mrs Batchelor who lives not far from the hall. We meant to pick it up on our way home, but as we came out of the hall, a tram drew up right alongside and we hopped aboard without giving the matter another thought.’
‘I’m glad you had a good time despite me and Reggie not being with you and I can understand you forgetting the jerry,’ Geoff said, grinning. ‘It ain’t the sort of thing you have on your mind when you’ve spent the evening dancing. Go on, then.’
‘Well, I got to wondering whether Lizzie had gone back to fetch the thing by herself, and that worried me. There’s a lot of drunkenness about, so near Christmas, and she could have run into trouble. Even so, there weren’t much I could do about it, but something made me gerrout of bed and go over to me window. I looked across at number nine and the door were open which really did strike me as queer. I mean, our houses is cold enough wi’out leaving your front door ajar! I were just wonderin’ whether I ought to nip out and close it when a movement caught my eye and I looked sideways, up towards the end of the court where the – the tap is, you know. There were two or three people in a group, lookin’ down at somethin’, and suddenly one of them broke away
from the others and went tearing out of the court with the others close on her heels. It were Lizzie, I’d know her anywhere, even though she had a dark headscarf on which covered most of her hair. And the feller were her Uncle Perce. I dunno who the other one was, but I’d put money on it bein’ that bleedin’ Flossie.’
‘What the devil were they doing?’ Geoff asked, seriously worried now. If Lizzie had caught Uncle Perce and Flossie in a compromising position, he thought it very likely that Uncle Perce might take a terrible revenge. ‘Dear God, that man was violent!’
‘I dunno what they were doing, but before I’d really thought, I was jamming on my boots and getting dressed. I swear it didn’t take me more than two minutes, but even so I were well behind them when I burst on to Burlington Street. Lizzie were already out of sight, but Mr Grey were still stumbling on under the lamps, clutching his side as though someone had knifed him. I began to foller but when he reached Vauxhall Road, he met someone – couldn’t see who – and while they stood there talkin’, Mr Grey glanced back up Burlie, and – and I took fright. I knew Lizzie had got away, but I didn’t know where she’d gone and I’m real scared of Mr Grey – bash you as soon as look at you, he would – so I went home.’
‘And you
still
don’t know where Lizzie is?’ Geoff asked. ‘Surely you went round this morning to call for her, when it was time for work?’
‘Well, I would have,’ Sally explained. ‘Only this morning the place were full of scuffers and undertakers and all sorts. It seems poor Aunt Annie gorrout of bed during the night to go to the privy and slipped on the ice. She cracked her head open on a pile of bricks – the scuffers said a dog or cat must have
knocked them over – and she were dead by the time Mr Grey realised she’d been gone too long and went down to see if she were all right. Though if you believe that, you’ll believe anything,’ she added viciously. ‘I dunno how he done it, Geoff, but I reckon he must of give her a shove or something, and Lizzie saw and ran for her life. Only – only where
is
she?’
‘Did they turn left or right along Burlie?’ Geoff asked. ‘I bet it was left.’
‘Aye, it were left,’ Sally said immediately.
‘If she went to the left then she’d have gone to the canal,’ he said positively. ‘Best thing she could do, ’cos it’s a long run to Shaw Street and she couldn’t be sure anyone would be awake, even if she’d made it to the YM. But there’s always boats moored alongside the towpath and plenty of places to hide. Look, this is an emergency. I’ll nip back to the bank and tell the fellers to cover for me while I go and have a chat to Clem – if he’s in the ‘Pool, that is.’
‘I’ll come with you,’ Sally said eagerly. ‘Oh, I’m so glad I came to you, Geoff. I were so worried, I’ve not been able to think logically at all.’
And presently, having arranged matters with the bank, he and Sally set off for the canal.
Clem was hurrying.
The Liverpool Rose
had docked alongside the wharf earlier that morning and unloaded her cargo almost immediately. Because it was so near Christmas, they were taking grain up to Leeds, rather than the more perishable cargoes which Jake usually favoured, and this meant a straight run through, not having to stop at canalside villages and towns to unload small quantities of fruit, groceries or even sugar.
‘Have you give that girl her woolly jumper, yet?’
Priddy had demanded that morning as they ate bacon sandwiches and drank mugs of tea. ‘For the lord’s sake, boy, stop shilly-shallying! Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve and there ain’t no better time to hand over a present than at Christmas. Gettin’ grain aboard ain’t no big deal – there’s plenty of loafers hanging round the wharves, eager to earn a few bob humpin’ sacks at Christmas time – so you go off and find your pal. You can kiss an’ make up that silly quarrel first, then give her the present and ask her to come along here for a taste o’ my home-made mince pies and a drink of cowslip wine. What do you say?’
‘Thanks, Priddy,’ he had said gratefully. ‘I’ve been a fool not to have contacted her before, but the truth is her aunt made me feel so uncomfortable that it put me off visitin’. I kept hopin’ Lizzie’d come down by the canal to search for me but I suppose it was askin’ a bit much. She would have had no idea when we were due in or how long we’d be here. But before I go, I’ll see the butty boat is laden properly – you and Jake will have your hands full with
The Liverpool Rose
and I don’t want to find myself tipped into the canal because the grain hasn’t been loaded evenly.’
So here he was, directing operations and trying not to think about the ordeal ahead, for it would be an ordeal, Clem was sure of it. Yet even as he thought this, he could feel a warm and pleasant glow of anticipation at the prospect of seeing Lizzie again and making friends with her once more.
Finally, the butty boat was loaded. Wiping sweat off his brow with a large spotted handkerchief, Clem was about to return to the cabin to fetch Lizzie’s present when he heard the clatter of approaching footsteps along the towpath and saw Sally and Geoff approaching at a run. He went towards them but
before he could so much as open his mouth, Sally was shooting questions at him. ‘Where’s Lizzie? Have you seen her? Oh, Clem, if you know where she is, for God’s sake tell us ’cos we’re mad with worry, me and Geoff here.’
‘I’ve not set eyes on her for three months,’ he said briefly. ‘What’s up? Don’t tell me Lizzie’s in trouble?’
It was like unleashing a dam. With interruptions from Geoff when Sally’s tale grew confused, Clem soon knew as much as they did about the strange events of the previous night. When the story was finished, he looked grim. ‘So you’re fairly sure she came to the canal?’ he said thoughtfully. ‘If only we’d not moored up after going through the last locks . . . but there it is, we did, so I weren’t around when I were needed. Are you
sure
she came to the canal?’
Sally shrugged helplessly. ‘We aren’t sure of anything,’ she confessed. ‘It just seems the likeliest place for her to make for, don’t you think? The streets round here are fairly well lit – it would have been difficult for Lizzie to hide with the others so close – but the towpath would have been in darkness and I’m sure she felt the canal folk would stand her friends, even if
The Liverpool Rose
wasn’t moored up here. Come to that, she might have hidden aboard one of the boats and got clean away. If she had hidden ashore, I guess she’d have gone searchin’ for me or Geoff as soon as it was light, to tell us what had happened. But we’ve neither of us seen her so I’d take a bet she went off on one of the boats as soon as it loosed its moorings.’
Clem nodded, but inside his head, a terrible picture was forming; one of Lizzie, with her blonde hair streaming around her, floating face down in the canal. If her Uncle Perce had caught her up on the towpath,
what easier way to dispose of an unwanted witness to whatever dark deed had been done than to tip her into the icy water? She would be dead in a couple of minutes and since there had been no onlookers, folk would think that in running away from the horror of her aunt’s death, she had missed her footing and plunged into the canal.
He did not say this to Sally, however. ‘Have you spoken to the scuffers or told your mam and dad what you saw?’ he asked her. ‘I think you should, honest to God I do. They’ll mebbe not believe you but it will make them think.’
‘Aye, he’s right, Sal,’ Geoff said. He turned back to Clem. ‘What else should we do, mate? I’m really worried about Lizzie. Anything could have happened to her.’ Over Sally’s head, the eyes of the two lads met and locked. Clem realised that Geoff, too, feared the worst, but would not say so before the girl.
‘Tell you what, Geoff,’ Clem said, ‘you go with Sally and back up her story as best you can. I’m going to have a word with every boat crew moored along this bank – and further, if need be. Someone must have heard something, or if they didn’t, at least they’ll know the names of the boats which were moored up here last evening. That’ll mean we’ll be searching for a fugitive on half a dozen boats and not a couple of hundred.’
Geoff and Sally agreed with this and they parted; Clem first went aboard
The Liverpool Rose
to explain to Priddy and Geoff why he wasn’t going to visit Lizzie at her home in the court. When he had explained, the old couple agreed that he must question the crews of the boats still moored alongside about the events of the previous evening, while they would get ready to depart.
‘And don’t think I can’t guess you’re worryin’ young Lizzie might have ended up in the canal rather’n on it,’ Jake said quietly to Clem as the two of them left the cabin. But remember, lad, a body fallin’ in the water makes the most almighty splash. I’m tellin’ you, every boat owner, every member of every crew, would have come shootin’ out of their cabins to see what were up and that gel would have been fished out of the water before you could say knife. So there’s one worry you can put
right
out of your head.’
Despite his long experience on the canal, Clem had not thought of this and felt a considerable degree of relief to hear it now. Of course, it was no guarantee that Lizzie was not hurt or even a prisoner, but at least he need no longer worry that she had been drowned. So it was with a much calmer mind that he set out along the bank to question the crews of the boats still moored there.
Geoff and Sally came out of the police station on Rose Hill and without exchanging a word made for Burlington Street once more. But when they drew level with Agnes Thorn’s tea-room, Geoff caught Sally’s arm. It was an extremely cold day, though the frost had given way to sleety rain, and it had been none too warm in the police station. In fact, he thought, the air in there had been almost as cold as the authority’s attitude to their story.