Intrigue in the Village (Turnham Malpas 10) (13 page)

Maggie nodded. ‘I expect so. They come in every day so you’ll know they’re both ill if they don’t.’

‘Here’s your change. Enjoy.’

‘Thanks.’ Maggie went home to put her feet up and contemplate the possibility of inviting the dinner ladies for a seance. She could have a really good time frightening them with tales she’d overheard when they were washing up in the school kitchen. It was a right hive of gossip in there at dinnertime and not half. Friendly overture, she’d call it. She’d focus on Jean, who’d caused the trouble
today. She knew a few things about her she shouldn’t know. Her eyes drooped and she dozed.

The next lunchtime Maggie positively grovelled to the dinner ladies for causing trouble the previous day. ‘To make up for it,’ she said, ‘why not come for a seance one night. At my house?’

The three of them – Jean, and the two Maggie had nicknamed Mealy Mouth and Ginger Nob – looked from one to the other in surprise.

‘I’m a medium, you know.’ Maggie winked. ‘What about tomorrow night? Half past eight?’

One by one, they agreed.

‘I don’t provide refreshments, which might interfere with the psychical waves, and it’s five pounds each. I’ve got my expenses, you see.’

‘Oh! All right then, half past eight. Thanks.’

‘I’ve often fancied a go at that. Could be fun. Does it mean you can tell the future?’

‘Thanks for the invite. It won’t be frightening though, will it?’

‘No. I want to be able to sleep at night.’ Maggie laughed and twinkled her fingers at them in the friendliest way as she left them to their washing up. She found a spoon on the hall floor and as a contribution to restored relations, went back into the kitchen and gave it to them.

‘Found this on the floor.’

‘Oh! Thanks. That’s kind of you.’

‘Not at all.’ Maggie left then, not wanting to over-egg the pudding.

‘Kate? It’s Caroline.’

‘Hi there.’

‘Just to let you know I’ve had a word with Social Services about the Blisses and they’ve promised me they’ll look into it as soon as possible. Unfortunately they’ve staff away at that conference they’ve reported on TV, and some ill, so it may be a while before they’re able to do anything. Just thought I’d let you know.’

Kate’s heart began to race. ‘I didn’t ask you to do that. Why have you?’

‘I thought you would want me to.’

‘When you knew it belonged to Craddock. What are you thinking of?’

There was a short silence and then she heard Caroline saying, ‘I felt it to be my duty to report the conditions they were living in. I thought that was what you wanted too.’

Kate took a deep breath to get herself under control. ‘It’s none of your business.’

‘They are in Peter’s parish.’

‘So?’

‘He has a duty of care, surely.’

‘He has a duty not to interfere in what doesn’t concern him. Craddock will go ballistic.’

‘Craddock Fitch’s temper, in the circumstances, has nothing to do with it. That cottage is a disgrace and well you know it. And there was I thinking you were a woman of high moral principles. However, it’s too late now. Sorry if this has upset you, but something needed to be done.’

‘I just wish you’d consulted me first.’

‘Would you have told me not to do it?’

Kate had to think for a moment. Would she? Yes, she
. . . No. ‘I might have asked for a little more time to work it out from my side.’

‘Hmm. Well, I’ve done it now and I’m sure you’ll agree I was right when you’ve had time to think about it. Sorry. Bye.’

Kate replaced the receiver and put her head in her hands while she thought about the consequences of Caroline’s actions. She’d have to tell Craddock, even though it might be weeks before action was taken. Hell’s bells. Had she changed sides? She fervently hoped not. But she knew, deep down, she must have done.

Maggie had organized her cottage living room for the dinner ladies’ seance and was sitting before the fire, readying herself for her big moment. She’d give them a thing or two to think about and not half. Then she remembered she had to shut the cat out, and got to her feet to look for her. But Tabitha was nowhere to be found. Drat. Maggie even looked under the bed but she wasn’t there. Blast it. If she appeared and gave someone a fright just at the wrong moment she’d wring its neck. But a woman who dealt in the occult needed a black cat for authenticity.

There was a soft knock at the door and when Maggie answered it she saw that the woman had parked her car right outside the house.

‘Move that car, we don’t want people getting curious. Please.’ It was Mealy Mouth and Maggie suddenly wished they hadn’t turned up after all.

Eventually, when the cars were parked to her satisfaction and the curtains were drawn and the lights out except for the fire and the table lamp they joined hands, Maggie settled down and began going into a trance. With their five-pound notes carefully stuffed into Dave’s fairground jug, she knew they’d expect their money’s worth, so she
began rolling her head from side to side, and the fun began.

Mealy Mouth began to giggle. An annoying giggle, which started to put Maggie off her stroke. Then Ginger Nob gave an almighty sneeze, and it broke Maggie’s concentration completely.

‘Sorry. We’ll have to begin again. You must be quiet, otherwise I lose the thread and the spirits won’t be moved.’

‘I’ve got cramp,’ said Jean, the senior dinner lady. ‘Just a minute.’ She stood up and waved her leg about, then bent to rub the life back into it.

Finally Maggie asked, ‘Now, are we all settled?’ A deathly hush fell. Maggie closed her eyes and began again. Very slowly, bearing in mind that she needed to make it very realistic, her head began rolling back and forth and then went into circles. Then came the moaning, followed by guttural groans, then finally, ‘Is anyone there? Is anyone out there?’

The tension in Maggie’s sitting room was electrifying.

Not a sound.

Not a tremor.

A strange, grave tone came into Maggie’s voice as she called out again, ‘Who are you? Who are you? What do you want?’

‘It’s Dad. It’s Dad.’

‘Dad who?’

‘I’m searching for my little girl. Is she there?’

‘We don’t know. Give us a clue.’

‘She’s the boss. I see food. I see children.’

Jean trembled. ‘It must be my dad. Your little girl is here. It’s Dodo, Dad.’

‘Mind out, my girl. That Larry of yours, beware.’

The senior dinner lady answered, ‘Beware what of?’ her grammar having gone to pot in the excitement of the moment.

‘That husband of yours. He’s always been a wrong ’un. Remember I didn’t want you to marry him?’

‘I know. I know, Dad.’

‘He’s at it again. He’s an adulterer. A liar and a cheat.’

‘Oh God!’

‘Beware! Beware!’

The tone of the medium’s voice changed completely as she said, ‘There’s someone else trying to get in touch. Why, it’s Evadne. You haven’t spoken for a while. Welcome, Evadne. Do you have a message for us?’

In the dark, no one realized that the sound they heard of someone striving to speak was Maggie grinding her teeth.

‘I can’t tell,’ said the spirit of Evadne.

‘You must. We are prepared for your message. Have no fear.’

‘Ginger. Ginger,’ the spirit voice called.

Ginger Nob answered in a squeaky voice. ‘Yes, I’m here.’

‘Beware! You travel a dangerous path. Other women’s husbands are not for you. Not for you. Take care. T-a-k-e c-a-r-e.’ The voice faded away. A piece of coal fell on to the hearth. Ginger took in a shrieking breath, and the senior dinner lady moaned.

Maggie began rolling her head again and the red light from the shaded table lamp lit her features and made her wide open eyes glow like hot coals. ‘Evadne’s gone.
Evadne’s gone.’ Slowly the rolling stopped and her eyes focused.

Mealy Mouth, who hadn’t spoken since the seance began, asked, ‘Who the hell is Evadne?’

‘I need a drink of water.’ Maggie disappeared into the kitchen, leaving them to sort themselves out. Her throat wasn’t half dry with all that groaning. She listened as she sipped from her glass.

But there was nothing to hear except the moaning of the senior dinner lady.

Maggie returned to her chair and waited. ‘Well, that’s it,’ she said eventually. ‘Evadne’s my contact with the spirit world. Sometimes she comes, sometimes she doesn’t, but when she does, boyo! Does she spill the beans!’

Mealy Mouth jumped to her feet. ‘It’s a load of rubbish. I’m off.’

Ginger Nob called, ‘Wait for me.’

But the senior dinner lady spoke not a word. Clearly shocked to the core, she got up, tucked her handbag under her arm and stalked out.

Maggie shrugged. She’d only told them what she knew from hearing them gossiping. She’d put two and two together and decided Ginger Nob was having it off with Jean’s husband Larry. She couldn’t imagine what the outcome of her seance would be and as she laid her head on the pillow later, Maggie contemplated the success of the evening. It would be a while before they wanted another go! She turned over and smiled, remembering that tomorrow night it was her regulars’ turn and thought about even more five-pound notes in Dave’s fairground jug. It was surprising how they mounted up.

It was at that moment that she heard strange tappings
and rustlings, apparently coming from her wardrobe. Her hair almost stood on end.

She grabbed hold of the blankets and pulled them over her face but the sounds would not be shut out. ‘Who’s there?’ she shouted. ‘Who’s there?’

The sound of her voice, strangled and muffled though it was, brought a ‘Miaow!’ from the wardrobe.

‘Bloody hell! It’s the cat.’ Relief, what relief. She bounded out of bed to open the wardrobe door and out struggled, from among the jumble of shoes and coat-hangers idling in the bottom, poor old Tabitha. Fluffed up and indignant, the cat strode off. Maggie ran down to open the cat flap for her and then dashed back into bed and covered herself completely with the blankets. She had to face the fact that she’d frightened herself tonight. She’d have to get a grip.

The following morning each of the dinner ladies rang in to say they weren’t well enough to come to school.

Kate almost exploded.

Hetty Hardaker suggested Linda Crimble. ‘Jimbo’s sacked her so I know she’s free. Just temporarily, of course, and if she does well we could always keep her in mind for another time.’

‘Good thinking. Mrs Dobbs, if I pay you for the extra hours, would you help?’

‘Of course. Of course I will. We all have to rally round in times of crisis.’

Crisis indeed, thought Maggie. It had never been known before for all three of them to be off at once. At least she’d get a free dinner.

She and Linda got on famously together. They had
cleared the hall and were busy washing up when Linda declared she was at the end of her tether with Alan.

‘Such a paddy he threw when I told him what had happened. All ready for going to Jimbo’s last night and having it out. I persuaded him not to. I said, “Look here, Alan, he always comes crawling back because he can’t find anyone else and exactly the same will happen this time, but it might take a bit longer. So please, leave it be,” I said.’

‘D’yer think he will?’

Linda smiled confidently. ‘Of course, and it’ll be different this time because I didn’t half give him a piece of my mind. He’ll treat me different, to say nothing of a pay rise.’

‘So why’s Tom in there this morning for all the world as if he’d been born to it?’

Linda dropped a plate in the sink and the water splashed all over the front of her plastic disposable apron and ran down on to her shoes, but she didn’t notice. ‘What? Tom? The slimeball! I’ll kill him. What does he know about running a Post Office?’

‘I don’t know, but there he is, stamps, pensions and a registered parcel. He served me and very nice and efficient he was too.’

Linda untied her apron. ‘Right! I’m off in there.’

‘Eh? Just a minute, you’re not leaving me with all this lot. Have a heart.’

‘My career is at stake.’