Home Truths (2 page)

‘My brain's playing catch-up with my eyeballs, I can't move. My bloody body is still floating and I had the weirdest dream.'

‘Dream about what?' Sofie cracked open a can of Coke.

‘Uncle Bob…dying.' Jennifer gave a heavy sigh. ‘And why did he leave that strange message for us with his solicitor saying he meant no harm, what he did was for him, no one else? Who does that?'

If he meant for them not to investigate, it was the wrong way to go about it. In fact, Jennifer was already curious. Did it have something to do with her mother and the reason she'd turned her back on Bob, her own brother? When Jennifer was a teenager, her mother had tried to knock sense into her about doing the same. Like that was going to happen. She loved her uncle; he was never critical of others, and especially not of their appearance.

She screwed her eyes shut and tried to picture her uncle's gentle face. Okay, he was dead. That didn't mean he couldn't send her another message or a sign. Then again, if anyone was going to get a sign, it would be Sofie. She could see signs in wisps of smoke.

‘We'll work it out. Uncle Bob'll probably send me a sign,' Sofie said.

Jennifer resisted an eye-roll.

Claudia piped up with, ‘Pity Mum didn't get a sign about a country town seeing her undies.'

Sofie's mouth popped open. Before she had a chance to say anything, Jennifer pulled a spring roll from her take-away bag, and shoved it into her sister's mouth. She took a bite of her dim-sim. The salty, deep-fried pastry and something resembling mincemeat made her reach for her Coke. She threw the remains of her dim-sim back into the bag, and took a long swig to wash the greasy taste from her mouth. Then she rolled up Sofie's recycled undies, making sure they weren't recognisable, and wiped the side window to peer at the row of shops.

‘You've parked outside Uncle Bob's pharmacy. Hey, why are the windows papered up?'

‘Claudia and I discussed it earlier,' Sofie mumbled around a mouthful of spring roll, ‘and we don't know.'

‘I think we'd better get inside.' Jennifer took another swipe at the window. ‘Got the keys to the house?'

‘Of course,' Sofie mumbled around the spring roll between her teeth. She turned the engine on and swung the car into Grey Street. A couple of minutes later they were in the back lane. She stopped at the double garage roller door that formed part of the back fence.

‘Got a brolly, Sofe?'

Sofie pulled an umbrella out from under the seat and tried to open it. ‘It's a bit bent since I used it on Jett's head — and his car.'

‘On ya, Mum!' In a flash, Claudia made the switch from undie-outrage to mother-daughter united. ‘Wish I'd seen it.'

‘Good for you.' Jennifer laughed until she saw her sister's eyes had a glazed, mutinous look. ‘Perhaps we should dump this in the rubbish.' She tugged the umbrella out of Sofie's grasp. ‘I know you'd like to do it again, Sofe, but it's time to let go.'

Claudia leaned across and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. A dreamy expression softened Sofie's face.

‘Getting wet due to your brainless ex-husband's headache will be a pleasure.' Jennifer shouldered the car door open.

‘Do you remember the code for the garage door?' Sofie asked.

‘Uncle Bob used our birthdays, the sweetie,' Jennifer said wistfully.

She held Sofie's useless umbrella over her head and punched in the code. The roller door thundered up. Jennifer guided Sofie into the garage, and quickly threw the battered umbrella into a dark corner. She found the light switch and a fluorescent tube flickered on, casting a blue-white glare over shapes and angles hidden under a dust cover. Whatever it was, it took up one side of the double garage.

‘You're soaked through.' Sofie frowned, clambering out of her car. Claudia slid across the bench seat and followed.

‘I'll be fine,' Jennifer said. ‘I've just come from a London winter.'

Claudia peeked under the dust cover. ‘Awesome!'

‘Well, lift it up so we can all see,' Sofie urged.

But Claudia just stared with her hand over her mouth. Jennifer grasped one corner of the dust cover and pulled. It slithered onto the garage floor revealing a shiny, yellow and white vintage model Cadillac with huge headlights and fins, and a mass of gleaming chrome.

‘Uncle Bob, you eccentric old coot,' she whispered. ‘He finally got his wish, and it's a convertible. It's so ugly it's beautiful. I wonder who the lucky relative will be who gets this.'

‘Hope Mum doesn't get her hands on it,' Sofie muttered.

Jennifer leaned against the hood. ‘Somehow I don't think he'd leave Mum this amazing car. Besides, it'd be a terrible waste.'

‘Yeah, you're right.' Sofie slid her hand lovingly over the car's duco. ‘Uncle Bob had lots of friends in Tumble Creek who are far more deserving.'

Claudia draped herself across the gleaming bonnet. ‘No way! This is so me, don't you think?'

‘Get off there before you scratch it with one of your belt buckles,' Sofie warned.

Claudia pulled a face and slid off.

‘Uncle Bob may have left it to Claudia.' Jennifer patted the hood and gave her sister a raised eyebrow, hoping she'd get the hint and ease up on her daughter.

‘Honestly,' Sofie groaned. She helped Jennifer throw the dust cover back over the car.

‘Let's go inside.' Jennifer grabbed her leather tote bag, moved to the door at the opposite end of the garage and pushed. The old door scraped heavily over worn flagstones as it opened. They managed to shove it open far enough to squeeze through to the dark, wet courtyard garden. A wide flagstone path led from the garage to the patio and back door.

Jennifer flicked a switch, lighting the garden in soft shades of sepia. ‘It's always so pretty in here.'

‘Yeah,' Sofie said. ‘Uncle Bob loved his cottage garden, especially his snapdragons and pansies.'

Jennifer hurried through the puddles, her sister and niece right behind. They made it to the back door and huddled under its narrow awning. Faced with the papered-up door and windows, Jennifer felt like a trespasser.

“Just like the front,” Claudia muttered.

Jennifer fumbled with her uncle's Marilyn Monroe doll key-ring, chose the most used key and slipped it into the lock. She eased the door open. They stepped across the threshold. As they entered the dim interior of the sunroom, an uneasy feeling stole through Jennifer.

She dropped her bag near the stairs. ‘Uncle Bob only died a few days ago. The place seems empty — surely someone would've kept the pharmacy going?'

‘Yes, people need their medications,' Sofie said. ‘Uncle Bob's solicitor never mentioned any of this.'

Jennifer pulled a corner of newspaper aside and scanned the courtyard through rain-spattered glass. A sense of foreboding settled inside her. Something was wrong. She felt a need to be with her sister and niece and moved away to join them in the central hallway.

Claudia came out of the shop's kitchenette, while Sofie emerged from the staffroom. Jennifer's shoes squeaked on the glossy floor tiles as she walked to the main area of the pharmacy. She stopped in her tracks, unable to believe her tired eyes. Her uncle's impressive Edwardian shop was empty. All that remained of his working life were shop fittings and display cases.

‘Where is everything?' her troubled voice echoed around the walls.

Sofie shrugged. ‘Beats me. This is eerie.'

Underneath the grime and dust, it was obvious there'd been no change to the original cream and dark-blue mosaic tiles laid in an intricate pattern of scrolls and flowers. Jennifer marvelled at what could be an elegant room with its lofty ceiling and decorative plaster scrollwork. It gave the room an old-world elegance. This stunning shop had been empty for a long time. Now Jennifer found herself questioning her uncle's life and sudden death.

‘When was the last time you saw him, Sofe?'

‘I think it was at school...' Sofie trailed off.

‘The night of the school play,' Claudia prompted. ‘I had a part in the chorus and Uncle Bob came down to see.'

‘Four weeks ago.' Sadness etched Sofie's face as she gripped Jennifer's arm. ‘I wonder if he knew he was going to — you know, die?'

Jennifer would've preferred it if her uncle hadn't had imminent death hanging over him. She shook her head. ‘Of course he didn't know. We're his favourite girls, he would've said something.'

‘When did
you
see him last or hear from him?' Sofie's voice trembled.

‘We had a standing date to Skype video every two weeks. The last time we spoke was a week ago. He looked great. We spent a week together last July, remember? I sent you photos from Paris. We met an acquaintance of Uncle Bob's.' Jennifer paused. ‘Can't remember his name, but he was from the Russian Embassy and invited us to a cocktail party. We had a fantastic time, and the food was delicious. That's where I met Vlad and suggested he come to London sometime — and he did, damn it.' Jennifer's misgivings about her Russian boyfriend were starting to bite. ‘Claudia, never trust a man who yabbers poetry in a foreign language, he could be reciting his shopping list.'

‘I'm off men,' Claudia voiced flatly. ‘Boys are okay, especially Skids.'

“Uncle Bob was a man,” Jennifer said, “and we could always rely on him.'

‘Uncle Bob was — different,' Claudia said.

‘True. He was a sweetie that night at the embassy. After we left, he took me to a café and we talked until the early hours, reminiscing about the clothes and gaudy jewellery he used to buy for us behind our parents' backs.'

‘I remember.' Sofie smiled. ‘Mum didn't want you to get your ears pierced. She thought you'd end up with piercings all over your body.'

‘Jeez, no wonder I get funny looks from Gran,' Claudia muttered.

Jennifer gave her niece a sympathetic smile. ‘You're not a good image for wannabe socialites, and I wouldn't worry about it for a second.'

‘Whatever,' Claudia said with just a hint of disappointment. ‘I don't give a shit.'

Jennifer put an arm around Claudia's shoulder and kissed her cheek. ‘I like your attitude. I'm sure Uncle Bob would've told you that as well.'

‘We spoke on the phone,' Claudia sniffed back a tear. ‘But I didn't see him as much as I would've liked.'

‘I quizzed him about why he moved away from Sydney,' Jennifer said. ‘But he just gave me some lame excuse. He seemed uncomfortable about it, so I let it go.'

‘He was the same with me,' Sofie put in. ‘I'm just thankful we all kept in touch. Weird how Mum and Dad never let us visit him when we were little.'

Jennifer frowned. ‘Really weird. But they couldn't stop us in our teens. I remember making such a fuss.' Sorrow washed over her. ‘What have we missed? What's been going on here?' She slid her fingers over the brass moulding that surrounded the curved glass top of a display case. The shiny surface gleamed; thoughts of a new restaurant popped into her mind and how this beautiful display case would improve its décor. Impossible to ship, she shook her head and focused back on her surroundings. ‘I
don't
understand.'

‘Maybe he was sick for a while but didn't let on,' Claudia said from the other side of the room. She held up a dusty packet of bobby pins she'd found on a shelf. ‘Remnants of a country pharmacist's life?'

‘I'm sure there's a lot more to our uncle.' Jennifer choked back tears.

They made their way up the creaking, dark timber stairs. In stark contrast to the shop, their uncle's home was clean and lived in, immaculate, as if he'd only stepped out for milk and bread.

At the top of the landing, a timber floor gleamed on either side of a Persian carpet runner. At the end of the hallway, warm streetlight poured through a tall window.

Jennifer opened the first door on her right. She found the switch and flicked the lights on. ‘The living room hasn't changed at all.' A slight buzz zipped through her fingers. She eyed the old brass switch and curled her fingers protectively; perhaps her hands were a little damp. ‘This heavy timber furniture must date back to Grandma's time,' she said, heading for the heavy, red brocade drapes. She pulled one aside to look out through the rain trickling down the window on to Grey Street below, so quiet compared with the constant hum of London traffic. A corrugated awning stretched over the footpath below, hiding it from view. Beyond that, Jennifer could see flowerbeds and glistening trees along the central nature strip that separated the north and southbound traffic. Wet asphalt gleamed, slick with summer rain.

Across the street, she caught sight of a stout man as he stepped under a streetlight. He looked directly up at her. A cold shiver prickled at her nape. The man adjusted his collar, ducked his head and stepped back quickly into the shadow of a shop's doorway.

It's nothing,
she told herself.
This is a country town, bugger-all happens here. Poor bloke is sheltering from the rain, that's all.

Chapter 2

Jennifer closed the drapes and walked over to where Claudia sat slumped at the dining table, chin in the palm of her hand. She tugged at her niece's sleeve.

‘Come on, let's see what else there is.' Dead tired, but floating as if still on the plane, she tried to ignore the leather sofa that beckoned her to lie down.

They met Sofie across the hall.

‘Uncle Bob's bedroom,' Jennifer whispered.

‘Great, Uncle Bob's bed?' Claudia whispered.

‘Yep,' Sofie sighed.

‘He died in his sleep...heart failure on that bed.' Jennifer said quietly.

‘I'm outa here.' Claudia shuddered.

Jennifer turned to leave. ‘Let's go to our old room, Sofe.'

‘This is creeping me out,' Claudia muttered, hooking one arm through her mother's, the other searching for her aunt's.