One Night (23 page)

Shannon leapt up from the floor and
came to stand beside me, her eyes huge with terror. ‘What are you doing back so
soon?’ Her voice shook.

Todd eased himself forward, very
slow. ‘I pulled a muscle at the gym. Bit of a bastard but I figured a lie down would
put me right before the game this afternoon.’ His eyes flicked over us,
skinning us alive. ‘What the fuck is this?’

Shannon stared at him mutely. I
could feel her trembling against me.

I blurted, ‘I’m taking Shannon out
of here. Somewhere safe. Away from you!’

‘What are you talking about?’

‘I know all about you. What you
do.’

Shannon stiffened. ‘No, Casey,
don’t say. Please don’t
say
.’

‘Don’t say what?’ He was coming
closer.

‘You back off, Todd. Shannon’s
leaving you. She’s coming with me.’

He stopped, cocked his head. The
look of amused admiration was still there, but underpinned by something else.
Something, instinctively, I didn’t want to test.

His eyes shifted to Shannon. ‘So
you were leaving without a goodbye kiss?’

‘I can’t stay with you, Todd. Not
any more.’ Her voice rattled with fright.

‘So why the sneaking off behind my
back? Couldn’t we have discussed this like grown-up people?’

‘I didn’t think you would
understand.’

‘This – ’ he indicated the hold-all
on the couch. ‘This is what I don’t understand.’ He looked at me. ‘Is this your
doing?’

‘It’s over, Todd. Just let it go.
Shannon is coming with me.’ I glanced at her. She was staring at Todd like a
mesmerized rabbit. ‘Get your stuff,’ I rasped. ‘Let’s go.’

She dived back into the bathroom,
came out with a cloth bag. Todd watched her, his eyes flat, incredibly black. He
was blocking our way out. I was watching him like I’d watch a Cobra. When he
moved he would be lightning fast, no matter a pulled muscle.

Shannon edged round the couch,
picked up her bag. Todd eased back slightly, attempting a look of hurt
innocence. But it didn’t work. I had a terrible fear he wouldn’t let us leave,
that he was waiting for an opportunity to wreak violence.

It seemed Shannon read my mind
because she picked up the hold-all without looking at Todd and turned to the
doorway. I followed behind her. For a breathless moment, Todd stood in our path
without moving. Then slowly, with a half-grin, he stepped aside – his look and
attitude emphasizing his power to stop us if he wished. As we went past him I
tried not to catch his eye. But it was difficult. Todd had that kind of draw on
people. I threw him the tiniest look of defiance – and it was enough.

His arm came around my throat,
crushing me backwards. I could make no sound. But Shannon heard my feet slide
on the floor. She turned and began screaming.

I fought to regain my balance but
Todd swept me off the floor. He twisted me round to face him. I felt like a
ragdoll in his clutches. He looked down at me, his eyes intense.

‘You fuck off!’ I managed,
struggling against him.

Shannon dropped the hold-all in the
passage and ran back. ‘Todd!’ she screamed. ‘Don’t! Don’t you touch her!’

He kicked out at her. One long,
powerful leg slammed into her stomach and sent her sprawling backwards. I tried
to reach for his eyes but he was too quick for me. He caught my clawing hand
and held it tight against his cheek.

‘Casey,’ he said, looking into my
eyes. ‘You clever little bitch.’

‘Fuck off!’

He held my squirming body as though
nothing was happening.

‘You did this on purpose, didn’t
you? You wanted to finish Shannon and me off so you could have me all to
yourself.’

‘Are you mad? Are you out of your
mind?’

He laughed with enjoyment. ‘I like
the way you work. I’m not a fan for nothing, remember? You’re just perfect.’

I felt as though I’d swallowed an
ice-cube. ‘You egotistical bastard! You think I’m moving Shannon out because I
want to move in?’

He leaned close, whispered, ‘Love
your strategy.’

His lips came down on mine in a kind
of bite pressure that almost suffocated me.

Then he let me go.

I tumbled to the floor. Shannon was
curled in a ball, sobbing. It seemed that we knelt there in supplication before
his brutality. It sickened me. I wanted to hurt him – to hurt him in the way
he’d hurt Shannon. And, if Stephen was right, other people. Especially women.
He would be that type.

I scrambled to my feet, rising up
tall, tall, tall…and grabbed one of the golf clubs lying on the floor beside
the couch. I slammed it upward with every ounce of strength. He ducked but not
quickly enough and I caught him across the shoulder. The blow ricocheted up my
arm. I yelled at Shannon, ‘Run! Just bloody run!’

She staggered up and ran through
the door. But she was screaming again, yelling her head off. As she went out,
two men came in: an older man, broad and beefy, and a younger one of about
eighteen, probably his son. They seemed to take in the scene at a glance.

‘What’s going on here then?’ The
older man’s eyes were on Todd.

I stepped back, dropped the golf
club. ‘We were just leaving. This man was trying to stop us.’

‘That right?’ The man glanced at
Shannon hunched over her bag in the passage. ‘Well, then you just better get along
then.’ He looked significantly at Todd. ‘You won’t be minding them leaving
peacefully now, would you?’

Todd offered a self-effacing
chuckle, a shrug of his shoulders, that impish disarming grin that would have
the men confused and on his side in a matter of seconds.

‘Women!’ he said in exasperation.
‘Can’t live with them, can’t live without them!’

The man eased back, uncertain. His
son stood behind him, cautiously taking in Todd’s size, his cheerful grin.
‘Well, there’s a little too much noise about it, if you don’t mind,’ the man
said. ‘Just tone it down. Other people got to live here.’

Todd glanced across at me – and suddenly
we were the only people in the room, his eyes fixed on mine: a hint of derisive
humour threaded with the chilling promise of unfinished business.

Elva Spears seemed both pleased and apprehensive when we arrived. She bustled
about making tea and clearing cupboard space for Shannon in Mona’s old room.
She had thoughtfully prepared a cold meat and salad lunch for both of us.

‘I’ve made up the bed,’ she said.
‘But just shout if you want another blanket. You don’t mind, do you?’ Her
large, dark Mona eyes looked up at Shannon.

‘Mind what?’ Shannon was alabaster
pale. I knew she hadn’t eaten that morning. Hot tea, a meal and a good sleep were
what she needed.

‘The fact that’s it’s Mona’s room?’

‘No, of course not,’ Shannon responded
sadly. ‘I can’t really mind, can I? I’m putting you to a lot of trouble.’

‘No trouble.’ Elva looked at me.
‘Who would have thought that nice young man could behave so badly? He seemed
very pleasant at the funeral. But you can’t always tell, can you?’

‘Shannon will be safe here with
you.’

Elva returned a look that was unconvinced.
I felt a rill of uncertainty.

‘What’s the matter?’

‘I’m glad you’re here,’ she said.
‘Two reasons really. Come with me. We’ll leave Shannon to settle.’

We moved back to the living room. I
turned. ‘Is something wrong? You don’t mind Shannon being here? I’m sorry we
had to drag you into this – but I had nowhere else to turn.’

‘Not at all. I’m only glad to be of
help. No, there’s something else.’ Her eyes darted, finding difficulty in
meeting mine. ‘The thing is – I had a phone call this morning from you know
who.’

My mind was feeling a little jaded.
Putting two and two together from cryptic statements was a little beyond me.
‘Who?’

‘You know.’ Her stare was meaningful.
‘Brent Sedgeworth.’

‘
What?
’

‘He’s coming round.’

I almost choked. ‘What?
Now?
’

‘Yes. Should be here by two. That’s
why I was glad to see you. I’d prefer not to be alone with him.’

‘What’s he coming for?’

‘He wants to tell me that he had
nothing to do with Mona’s death. Wants me to hear it from the horse’s mouth, so
to speak. He says a lot of people have been rumor mongering. He wants to clear
things with me.’

‘Oh, my God!’ I sat down. ‘That
bloody swine!’

Elva sat opposite me. ‘I couldn’t
say no. He sounded so – so
urgent
on the phone. I felt obliged in a way.
I mean, what if he is innocent. Maybe he’s got a point. And in any case – I
want to hear what really happened. I want to know.’

I half-laughed. ‘You really expect
him to tell the truth.’

‘That’s what I always hope for,’
she said. ‘From anybody.’

I put my head in my hands.

‘You think I’m naïve?’ she asked
after a little silence.

‘Yes, I do. Really I do.’

Elva Spears sat very still, facing
me. A small, plump figure holding herself as tall as possible in the chair.
‘Well, then we’ll just have to test it out. Let’s have lunch.’

Shannon managed her tea and half the meal. Then she sagged at the table. Elva
led her down the passage and settled her on the bed under a duvet. I drew the
curtains and we tip-toed out. ‘She needs a good sleep, poor girl,’ Elva
whispered. ‘Would you like more tea?’

‘Not really, thank you.’ I
hesitated. ‘Listen, Elva, I don’t think I should stay. I don’t think it’s good
idea for me to be here when Brent arrives.’

‘Are you frightened then?’

Her look was worried but her words
a shade accusatory.

‘That’s not it really. It’s just
that if I’m here, I don’t think he’ll tell the truth.’

Her fingers moved nervously at her
collar. ‘I don’t want to be alone with him. I only told him he could come
because I knew you and Shannon were on your way.’

I chewed this over. I didn’t want
her to be alone with him either – but the likelihood of him doing her harm was
remote. But then, there was no more time to make decisions. The doorbell rang.

Elva said sharply, ‘That must be
him!’

She hurried and opened the door. Brent
Sedgeworth stepped inside almost before she had time to greet him, as though he
didn’t want to be seen hanging about in the corridor. He was wearing blue jeans
with a white polo neck jersey and the same black leather jacket he’d worn in
the forest. The sight of it chilled me as if that same damp night air had blown
in with him and settled on me.

He spoke to Elva Spears, his voice
carrying that underlying note of patronization which I hated. ‘You’ve no idea
how much I appreciate this, Mrs Spears. I know what you must be feeling about
me – ’ his eye caught me rigid in the chair. ‘
Christ!
What are you doing
here?’ He glanced quickly at Elva, assuming she had arranged some kind of trap.

‘Unfortunate co-incidence,’ I said.

He stared, mouth open. ‘Damn right,’
he uttered after a moment. Animosity steamed off him. ‘This isn’t what I
arranged.’

Elva threw me a nervous look.
‘Whatever you want to say to me, you can say in front of Casey.’

Uninvited, Brent sat with a thump
on the opposite couch. ‘She’s had a lot to say about
me
that wasn’t in front
of me.’ He shook his head, clasped his large pale hands together, legs apart,
feet braced to the floor. ‘I really didn’t expect this.’

‘Why? Because you can’t lie to Mrs
Spears with me in the room?’

There was an expression in his eyes
that was hard to read – like bluster gone wrong. Uncertainty. It was a new
look. Somewhere in the weeks after that terrible night, it seemed Brent
Sedgeworth may have lost a little of his self-assurance.

When he did speak, his eyes had a faraway look as though he was reciting
something, a carefully rehearsed script. ‘I know what you all think. And under
the circumstances, it’s understandable. A lot was going on and things were
confused. As clear as I can, I want you to know how it played out – at least
from my side.’ He was watching me. With a flick of his blonde hair, he went on:
‘I had to go to Leeds that night. I had to make a payment to some people who I
don’t – ’ he paused, licked his lips ‘ – whom I wouldn’t care to meet in a dark
alley, so to speak.

I gave a derisive snort. ‘Scared of
your own sort, then?’

He ignored this and went on, ‘I
couldn’t do it without Mona. I needed someone to drive the car. I asked her if
she would help me and she said yes.’

‘She have any choice?’ My voice
dripped with sarcasm.

‘Neither of us had much choice.’

‘Let him get on.’ Elva sat stiffly,
stony-eyed; impatience, intrigue and anger finely balanced.

‘I needed Mona to drive because I
had to drop the money I owed and I had to get out quick.’

‘Gambling money?’

He mulled this over. ‘You could
say. But no matter. Hanging around wasn’t a good idea.’

‘You were in their bad books?’

‘You could say,’ he said again, looking
me over with patent dislike. ‘Anyhow the bloody dog broke his leg on Friday and
we were in this fix on Saturday. And – you’re going to love this – ’ he leaned
forward with a look of pure spite ‘ – I suggested she phone you to come up.’

‘You?’ I breathed. ‘You suggested
me?’ I was genuinely surprised.

‘Oh, you’ve no idea the carry on!’
He almost laughed. ‘She was nearly hysterical about leaving him. You’d think he
was a sick child on the point of death.’

‘She loved that dog.’ Elva’s eyes were
huge with affront and imminent tears.

‘Yes, I know. I’m sorry but it’s
the truth. I thought it was going to ruin everything.’

I was finding this information hard
to process. ‘So you told her to call me?’

‘I did. Actually, I wasn’t sure
that she would. We’d had a blazing row about everything that was going on and
she was working herself up to leave. I knew that. But I persuaded her to help
me with this – this delivery. I told her my life was in danger.’