In Search of Hope (28 page)

The car was gone.

Damnation! He should have kept better watch.

He would, he decided, go up to the antiques centre himself. And he’d set off as soon as he’d packed and paid his bill. He had a bad feeling about this.

When he took his case outside to his car, he stopped dead and cursed. Someone had hacked at his front tyres. Made a good job of it, too.

On a sudden suspicion, he went to peer into his exhaust pipe and could see something blocking it. Someone had been very determined to stop him driving.

Cursing, he wondered if it was Pulford, or someone else.

Would the young guy have done it? No. He didn’t look the type. It took a lot of physical strength to hack at modern tyres. It must have been Pulford.

How had he given himself away?

It would take a while to get this sorted out. He went into the hotel and reported the vandalism, asking that they call in the police.

He tried Chad’s mobile phone again, but got the same lack of response. He wondered whether to call the antiques centre, but when he phoned, there was no answer, so he could only leave a message asking Chad to get back to him as soon as possible, since he had something to report.

After that Des was kept busy for quite some time, first with the police, then with sorting out repairs to his car.

In the end, since he hadn’t heard from Chad, he decided to hire a car and drive up to the antiques centre.

He hoped Pulford wasn’t causing trouble there. But he’d not bet on it. That fellow had trouble written all over him. He was, as the young guy had said, a fruit loop.

Steven moved very carefully along the rear of the antiques centre. This part was really old and should have been knocked down years ago. Those Heritage people had a lot to answer for, preserving unimportant ruins like these at enormous cost.

There was a shoulder-high dry-stone wall running right round the complex. Fat lot of good that would be for keeping people out. He climbed over it easily, annoyed with himself when he knocked out a loose stone and it fell with a loud clatter.

He paused, listening carefully, but no one came out to investigate. It probably hadn’t been loud enough to be heard inside, had just seemed loud out here in the morning stillness.

He carried on round the top end of the outbuildings. When he’d nearly reached the front again, he found a kind of three-sided courtyard, enclosed by the wings of the house.

And then – he couldn’t believe his luck – he saw Libby sitting on a bench looking weary and worried. So she should be, the trouble she’d caused, the bitch!

He nearly ran across to grab her, but stayed mainly hidden by the corner of the wall to make sure she was alone. Besides, she was about thirty yards away from him and she might run back into the building and lock the door on him before he got close enough to grab her. He didn’t want her screaming for help and bringing other people running. There was that damned injunction to think about.

Still, if she came out like this every morning, he might find a way to get close enough to grab her and cover her mouth.

He let out a sniff of near laughter. Perhaps he could make a noise like a cat and see if she came to investigate. As if! That sort of thing only happened in cartoons.

A minute later, he congratulated himself on his caution, because someone came out of the rear building, near where he was hiding. He pressed even further back against the wall. It was a young man with a big moon face, who was yawning and stretching.

Steven could hear their conversation quite clearly.

‘Hello, Libby.’

‘Oh, Toby. Hi. I hope I didn’t wake you up.’

‘I heard a noise. It wasn’t you. It came from behind our units.’

‘Perhaps it was an animal.’

He frowned. ‘No. Sheep can’t climb walls. And we don’t have a cat.’

‘Do you want me to come with you to look? Could it have been a bird?’

Damn you, no!
Steven thought.
Stay where you are.

‘There are birds on the moors. I like to watch them.’

‘So do I.’

‘I think I’ll go back to bed.’ Toby yawned again. ‘I’m still tired.’

‘Yes, so am I. Bye.’ She went back into the centre.

She was inside so quickly, Steven could only watch her and listen to what sounded like a lock clicking into place. He glared at the building. So near – and if it hadn’t been for that idiot, he might have had her.

Now he’d have to hang around and wait for another opportunity. Perhaps she’d come outside the following morning. But that would be a long time to hang around in this god-forsaken place.

He heard the sound of a car engine and watched as a white BMW came down the hill and turned into the centre. Who the hell would be turning up at this hour of the morning?

Chad stopped the car and rolled his shoulders. ‘Well, that was an annoying thing to happen.’

‘It only delayed us for a short time.’

‘Nearly two hours by the time we’d stopped at a services to clean ourselves up. And fancy me treading on my mobile! I’m not usually so clumsy. It’s ruined. I’ll have to buy a new one.’

‘Never mind. We’re home now.’

He looked at the car park. ‘Looks like someone else is here, too. Who can that be? I don’t recognise the car.’

She shook her head. ‘Perhaps we weren’t the only ones to break down yesterday. There was that car in the layby just up the road as well.’

‘I’d have stopped to offer help if there had been anyone in it, but there was no sign of the driver. If it’s still there later today, I’ll call the police. No one would just dump a luxury car like that.’

‘Unless they’d stolen it.’

‘Yeah.’ They got out of the car and went into the antiques centre, disarming the security system.

‘It was already partly disarmed,’ Chad said, frowning at the control panel near the door.

Even as he spoke a woman peered at them from part way up the stairs. She looked as if she’d recently got out of bed, her hair still tousled.

He recognised her at once; it was the woman who’d sold him some pieces of china and helped bring Jane to them. ‘Libby King, isn’t it?’

‘Yes.’

As they moved slowly forward towards the stairs, a man appeared above her. ‘Rachel let us sleep here last night. I hope that’s all right.’

‘Joss Atherton,’ Emily said.

‘Yes. I thought you might give us shelter till I can ask Leon for help.’

‘It’s all my fault. I was running away from my husband,’ Libby said. ‘He found out where I was.’

Emily stared at her. Toby had been right. She wanted to blurt out that she was Libby’s mother, but the young woman was looking so strained that the words died in Emily’s throat. Instead she said cheerfully, ‘Why don’t you put the kettle on and you can tell us about it over a cup of tea? And maybe make some toast? We’re both dying for something hot to drink and we’re ravenously hungry. We had a flat tyre on the way back or we’d have been here a few hours ago.’

‘Not much fun, changing tyres in the dark.’

‘Tell me about it. My phone slipped out of my pocket and I trod on it.’

‘Tough.’

Libby let the owners pass and go into the master bedroom. She went into the kitchen of their flat, put the kettle on and got out some mugs and the makings for toast.

By the time Chad and Emily had dumped their luggage, used the bathroom and joined them, she had a pot of tea brewing.

‘I feel terrible being in your home like this,’ she said. ‘Only I had to get away from my ex.’

There was a sound at the door and they turned to see a small boy standing there, looking anxious. When he saw Libby, he ran across the room, avoiding the strangers, and clinging to the side of her clothes.

She put an arm protectively round him. ‘This is my son, Ned.’

‘Pleased to meet you, Mr Ned,’ Emily said, the first words she’d ever spoken to her grandson. She was aching to cuddle him.

He looked at her solemnly, relaxing a little. ‘I’m not Mr Ned, silly. I’m just Ned.’

‘Oh, yes. Sorry. I’m Emily and this is Chad.’ She watched Joss move to stand near Libby and the boy. He looked protective, as if he cared for them.

‘You must be tired,’ he said. ‘Sit down and I’ll make the toast.’

‘Butter and jam are in the fridge.’ Emily took a seat and smiled at Ned again. ‘Is that your lamb?’

He nodded.

‘What’s he called?’

‘Lamb.’

She laughed. ‘That’s a very good name for him.’

Ned nodded solemnly and the whole atmosphere lightened still further.

By the time they’d toasted and eaten the whole of a loaf between them, the tale had been told.

Emily laid one hand on Libby’s. ‘Of course you must stay here. You’ll be quite safe. If Chad and I can’t help Joss keep one man away from you, we’ve lost our touch.’

‘Thank you. I’ll try not to be a nuisance.’

But Emily could tell that Libby was still worried.

As Steven was making his way out to the moors again, he found an old lean-to at the back of the older buildings. It had a door, but no windows, and was empty. Clearly it wasn’t being used for anything at the moment. He looked up. The roof seemed watertight.

He nodded. This would do as a hiding place. When he’d finished here, he could get out on to the moors easily from his hideout, without anyone seeing him.

In the meantime he was hungry. He’d go back to his car and have something to eat, then find another place to park.

He didn’t know who had turned up at the centre. Probably someone who worked here, given the early hour. No, it had been a luxury car. Perhaps it was the owner. In any case, there was no use hanging about at the moment. He knew the layout, had a vague plan and was prepared to wait for his moment.

He was glad to find his car still in the layby, untouched. Well, there wouldn’t be vandals around up here, would there? But still, you never knew who was driving past.

He drove slowly off, smiling as he saw another layby on the other side of the road, only a few hundred yards further up.

He drove right to the top of the slope, where there was a lookout with a gravelled space for cars to park. He’d stay here for a couple of hours, he decided, before reconnoitring again. If the centre got busy, he might even go inside it and wander round. He could claim that he didn’t know his wife was there.

He listened to the news and an interesting business report, watching the road get busier. But there was only a stupid chat show after that, or classical music on another channel. Miserable stuff it was, too. He should have brought something to read.

He didn’t feel at all sleepy, so simply sat there, bored and irritated … waiting.

All this was Libby’s fault, damn her. He’d teach her not to run away again. Oh, yes.

Libby found the hours passed slowly. She felt like a prisoner and was bursting with unused energy. There were only so many games you could play with a small child who hadn’t got many toys, so Ned was fidgety.

Joss took over playing with him from time to time, but it was obvious that he too was chafing at the inaction.

It was a relief when Ned fell asleep in the bedroom during the afternoon.

‘Let’s go and sit in my bedroom,’ Joss whispered. ‘We can chat and we’ll hear him if he wakes up. I think Chad and Emily deserve a little privacy, and I wouldn’t mind some time with you.’

Joss gestured to the bed and went to sit on a chair beside the window, staring down at his loosely clasped hands. When he looked up, he asked, ‘What are you going to do afterwards, Libby?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘Will you stay in Rose’s house?’

‘If it’s safe, I’d like that very much.’

‘I love living out there. I like the views, I enjoy walking on the moors and I find the people in the village friendly in the best of old-fashioned ways. What do you usually do in your spare time?’

‘I used to be so busy keeping the house immaculate and looking after Ned that I didn’t have time for hobbies.’

‘Before you were married, then?’

‘Oh, I was very active. I swam and hiked, played netball for my school. I loved any sport, come to that.’

He looked sad and she went over impulsively to take his hands. ‘I’m sorry. I was forgetting your leg.’

‘It’s OK for walking and activities where you don’t have to jerk around at speed. I’d be getting a bit old for rough sports now anyway. I miss being able to kick a football around – that’s too risky. I like to go to the cinema or watch movies on DVD, and I enjoy reading.’

‘Is that enough to fill your life?’

‘No. But I’m hoping Leon will give me something interesting to do.’

She realised she was still holding his hands and tried to pull away, but he drew her gently down to sit on his knee.

‘Stay with me.’

She did as he asked and when he kissed her, she kissed him back. Oh, she’d wanted to do that, wanted to feel cared for again, desired.

They stayed there, hardly saying a word, kissing occasionally until they heard Ned’s voice calling for his mother.

‘That was a good time,’ she said quietly as she stood up.

‘Very good,’ Joss corrected. ‘To be continued.’

‘Definitely.’ She raised her voice. ‘I’m coming, Ned.’

That quiet hour was the highlight of her day. She wasn’t going to make love to Joss until she was free of Steven. It wouldn’t feel right. At this stage it would be more a way of sealing their growing feelings for one another than out of lust, anyway.

She really hoped they could nurture their relationship. At the moment she was too anxious about other things to lose herself in sex.

She could forget Steven for a few minutes, but that was all. She was so sure he was coming after her. So sure there would be more trouble.

In the late afternoon Libby decided to take Ned to play ball in the rear courtyard while Joss made a couple of phone calls. She was halfway down the stairs when a man entered the antiques centre. He looked frazzled and his clothes were wrinkled, even though he’d clearly made an attempt to tidy himself up.

She stopped to watch him and he stopped, too, staring at her so openly she had to wonder if there was something wrong with her appearance.

Then Chad came out of the ground-floor offices to the left of the entrance, beaming a welcome at the newcomer. ‘Des! I saw you drive up. What happened to your other car? Have you traded down?’