Peppercorn Street (15 page)

Winifred could feel herself flushing with pleasure and was glad when the doorbell gave her a chance to turn away.

A man was standing on the doorstep and behind him was her nephew.

‘Dawn!’ she called in a panic.

Dawn came running, saw Bradley giving them a triumphant smile and turned to the official. ‘I don’t know why you’ve brought this man here, but he’s been asked to stay away from Miss Parfitt.’

‘He’s her nephew and he’s worried about her.’

Winifred felt ashamed of herself for being so weak-willed and stepped forward. ‘Well, he’s not coming into my house, not now and not at any time in the future, if I have to take out a restraining order to stop him.’ She wasn’t sure how you did that but it seemed to hit home to Bradley, who glared at her for a moment then forced a false smile on to his face.

‘It really would be best if your sole surviving relative joins us,’ the official said.

She looked at him in surprise. ‘He’s not my sole surviving relative. Whatever gave you that idea?’

‘The others don’t count,’ Bradley said. ‘They haven’t been near you for years, Auntie. I’m the only one who cares about you and I’m sure this is all a mix-up. You do get confused sometimes.’

‘I do not get confused. And it’s my fault that I’ve not kept in touch with my other relatives but I’ve already taken steps to remedy the matter. In the meantime I have good
friends like Dawn here who keep an eye on me.’

‘Couldn’t you just let him come in and talk, to set his mind at rest?’ The official’s tone was again that of someone talking to a rather stupid person.

‘No. He’s not setting foot inside my house again.’ But she was beginning to get worried about the way the two men kept looking at one another meaningfully.

Dawn looked at the official. ‘Who are you, anyway? We haven’t seen your identity card nor do we know your name.’

‘My name’s Hersen.’ He fumbled in his pocket. ‘I must have – um, forgotten my ID card. Ring the council offices and ask them if they know a Hersen.’

‘I certainly shall. In the meantime, you’d better come back another time when you do have ID with you. And this time, make an appointment first.’ She started to shut the door and he put out one hand to stop her. She looked at him in amazement. ‘Excuse me!’

‘Please go away, Mr Hersen,’ Winifred said. ‘This is my house and I say who comes in.’

From the look her previously loving nephew gave her, Bradley was getting very angry indeed.

Dawn took the opportunity to shut the door. ‘Shall we ring up the council and ask if they know a Mr Hersen? It’s strange, but I’ve never known an official try to get into someone’s house without an ID card.’

‘I’ll check the letter I received first. It’ll have the phone number on it.’ Winifred led the way into the kitchen and took out the letter from the council. As she read it, she looked at Dawn in shock. ‘This says a Ms Mary Hersen will be coming to see me today. Ms not Mr.’

‘Ring the number they give for enquiries. Do you want me to speak to them for you?’

‘No. I can do that myself, but I may need you to corroborate what I say.’ It took her a long time to get through to the correct department – did they think ratepayers had unlimited time to wait around while they played idiotic music in their ears? – but she didn’t hang up. This was too important.

When she explained why she was calling, there was silence, then the woman at the other end of the line said, ‘But you wrote to cancel the appointment.’

‘I most certainly did not.’

‘I have your letter here. It has your signature on it. Perhaps you’ve forgotten.’

‘And perhaps someone else wrote that letter. Excuse me for a moment.’ She explained to Dawn what had happened.

‘Can I speak to her?’

‘Dawn Potter here. I’m a friend of Miss Parfitt and I can assure you that she is in complete possession of her faculties. If she said she didn’t write to you, I believe her. She’s currently having trouble with her nephew and is about to see her lawyer about him. If your letter has what looks like her signature on it, she’ll need to change the way she signs her name, as well.’

She listened, nodding. ‘Yes, terrible. So we’ll be down to see you in ten minutes. Thank you so much for sparing us the time. It’s much appreciated.’

She turned to Winifred. ‘I’m sorry to have taken over and made arrangements without consulting you, but I’ve had a lot of practice at dealing with bureaucracies. Now, we’d better go there and check this letter that supposedly
has your signature on it. I’ll drive you there and back.’

‘I’m very grateful for your help.’

‘It’s my pleasure. I can’t bear the way some people treat the elderly.’ She smiled wryly. ‘Various older celebrities are trying to do something about that and I hope the Dignity in Care Campaign makes a difference. Sometimes systems and carers don’t allow old people any dignity or choice. It’s rather a thing of mine, after seeing the way some officials have tried to treat Mum. And now you. Is the house locked up at the back? Right. Get your coat and handbag and we’ll go and see this Ms Hersen.’

At the council offices, Dawn parked the car, winked at Winifred and led the way inside. She was known by one or two people and greeted cordially. Within two minutes they were being shown into an office.

After they’d introduced themselves, Dawn sat back. ‘I’ll let Miss Parfitt speak for herself, which she’s well able to do.’

Winifred explained what had happened, answered questions about why she had turned against her nephew, then asked to see the letter cancelling the appointment. She studied it then showed it to Dawn.

‘This is very like my signature, but I definitely didn’t write this letter.’

‘Would you do me a signature now?’ Mary asked.

She did so and they compared them.

‘It is very alike,’ Mary said. ‘What worries me is how they knew you had an appointment in the first place, or that it was with me. Did you tell your nephew about it?’

‘Definitely not.’

She pursed her lips. ‘Then either someone has been intercepting your mail or we have a person in the office prepared to sell information – which is not unknown in local bureaucracies, unfortunately.’

Winifred sighed. ‘Either way, I’d better go to the bank and change my signature. I’ve already cancelled the enduring power of attorney vested in my nephew.’

‘Indeed yes, and the quicker the better. Have you any idea what signature you’ll use? Ah. Good idea. And if it’s all right, I’ll come and see you at home this afternoon, Miss Parfitt, with a pendant. I can see that it’s urgent for you to be able to summon help.’

‘Thank you.’ Winifred looked at them both and they were two women of such obvious goodwill that she confided, ‘I can’t believe this is happening. My life was boring and uneventful for years, then suddenly it’s one thing after another, most of them good, but now this!’

Dawn smiled at her as they walked out. ‘You did well there. She didn’t need convincing that you’re in full possession of your faculties. No one would have doubted you, listening to you explain things so succinctly. Which bank are you with? Oh, good. We can walk there from here.’

‘I’m taking too much of your time.’

‘I’m giving my time willingly. I believe what goes around, comes around.’

Winifred had to blink her eyes again and sniff rather inelegantly to clear the tears that threatened.

After explaining to the bank manager what was happening and registering a new signature, they went on to the lawyer’s office, where Winifred also changed
her signature and then created a new power of attorney naming her lawyer, whom she trusted absolutely.

As they came out, Dawn smiled at her. ‘A good morning’s work, don’t you think? This calls for a cup of tea and a piece of cake to celebrate. Let’s go round to Mum’s. She loves visitors to drop in.’

Paul sat beside Mrs Makepeace in the hospital waiting area. They’d taken his father away and he felt very much alone, in spite of the kindness of the woman sitting beside him.

‘I’m sorry for taking up your time,’ he said.

She smiled at him. ‘It’s an emergency. No one’s fault. And call me Sally. I always think it’s my mother-in-law if someone says “Mrs Makepeace”.’

‘Sally.’ He stared at the floor, kicking the heel of his trainer against it. ‘Dad should have gone to a doctor sooner, you know. He and Mum kept having rows about that. They were always arguing towards the end, except when they weren’t speaking to one another.’

‘That must have been hard for you.’

He nodded, his throat suddenly feeling too full to force any more words out.

‘And your brother? How long has he been acting up?’

That was easier to talk about. ‘Years. But when I was little, he mostly ignored me and hung out with older boys. He only started being really gross last summer after he got in with a new crowd, grown-ups mostly. He looks like a grown-up too, he’s so big, but he hasn’t grown up inside his head. I don’t think his friends know he’s not eighteen yet. And … I think they’re dealing in steroids or body-building drugs of some sort. He always needs money and it doesn’t last.’

Paul looked at a poster on the wall opposite, which was just a blur because of the tears brimming in his eyes. ‘Those guys seem to hate women, from the rubbish William’s been spouting ever since he joined them. He’s been really rude to Mum and he won’t help in the house. He won’t even pick up his own clothes.’

When Sally made an encouraging noise and continued to look interested, Paul went on talking, feeling relieved to be telling someone.

‘William’s been punching me sometimes, not where it’d show. He used to take my lunch money till I started hiding it in my shoe. He’s way out of control. My parents argued about him as well, because Dad wouldn’t even try to sort him out and Mum couldn’t. And then—’

‘I’m sorry to interrupt but I think they want us,’ she said gently. ‘We’ll go on talking later.’ She led the way to the desk.

The woman there asked him all sorts of questions about his father, most of which he couldn’t answer, then she turned to Sally. ‘We need an adult member of the family to deal with this.’

‘Do you know where your mother is?’ Sally asked.

Paul hesitated, then nodded. ‘I’ve got her mobile number. Should I ring her?’

‘I think you’d better.’

‘If she’s at work, she may not answer.’

‘In that case, we’ll ring the library.’

But his mother did pick up the call. The sound of her voice made him want to weep in relief. ‘Mum, it’s me and I—’ It was a moment before he could continue, then he said in a rush, ‘Dad’s in hospital and they need to speak to an adult about him.’

‘
What?
’

He lost it then and as tears started rolling down his cheeks, he handed the phone to Sally, wiping away the tears with his sleeve and trying in vain to stop more leaking out.

Nicole listened in horror to what Sally told her. ‘I’ll come straight away.’

She switched off the phone and looked at Kieran, wondering if she dared ask him to go with her. ‘It’s Sam. He’s in hospital and he’s not fully conscious. There’s only Paul there, so I have to go.’

‘I’ll drive you. You’ve still got a blinding headache, haven’t you?’

She’d learnt by now not to nod. ‘Yes. And those painkillers make me muzzy-headed. Are you sure you’re all right to drive? I could get a taxi.’

‘Of course I’ll drive you there.’

They travelled in silence. She had a pillow behind her head to soften the impact of any jolting around, but the movement of the car as it stopped and started, turned
corners and slowed down still hurt. When they got there, she was relieved to find they could park close to the entrance, in a disabled bay.

As they walked into the hospital, Kieran looked at her in concern. ‘You’ve not got a vestige of colour in your cheeks. You’re not going to keel over on me, are you?’

‘No.’

They were ushered into a little side room and Paul jerked to his feet at the sight of his mother.

As he was about to rush over to her, Kieran put out one hand to stop him. ‘Don’t jolt her. She’s got a bad cut on her head and any sudden movement hurts.’

Nicole tried to smile reassuringly at her son, clasping his hand and giving it a squeeze. ‘Sorry, Paul. Consider yourself hugged.’

‘I didn’t realise he’d hurt you so badly. Me and Dad heard about William attacking you and we came to the hospital, but you’d left, so I thought you must be all right. Only you weren’t at your flat. Where were you?’

‘In a spare bedroom at my place,’ Kieran said. ‘She was afraid to go back to the flat in case your brother turned up again. Sit down, Nicole, before you keel over.’

She sank down on the seat next to her son and reached out for his hand to give it a quick squeeze. Paul introduced Sally, who then took over and explained the situation.

‘Now that you’re here, Mrs Gainsford, the doctor wants to talk to you about your husband.’

‘Thank you for your help,’ Nicole said automatically.

Even as she spoke there was a tap on the door and a tired-looking man in a crumpled white coat came in. He looked at Nicole, frowning slightly.

‘I’m Mrs Gainsford.’

‘Didn’t I attend to you last night?’

‘Yes.’

‘How’s the head?’

‘A bit better but still throbbing.’

‘You really should have stayed in hospital overnight.’

‘I was afraid to.’

He picked up her wrist, took her pulse then shone a light into each eye in turn. ‘The concussion seems to have cleared up at any rate. I was going to suggest you continue to take it easy, but with your husband here and in such a serious condition we need you around.’

‘Shall I wait outside?’ Sally stood up. ‘You may want to be private for this.’

‘Don’t go!’ Paul said. ‘Please.’

Sally looked at Nicole, head cocked in a question.

‘Yes, do stay.’ She turned back to the doctor. ‘Have you found out what’s wrong with my husband, doctor? He’s been having these headaches for a long time and lately he’s started acting strangely. I’ve been trying to get him to see a doctor since last year, when it first began. I left him a couple of weeks ago, so I’ve not seen him since then. He sounds to have got worse rapidly.’

The doctor hesitated then said quietly, ‘It might have been better if he’d seen a doctor a while ago, but the outcome would probably have been the same in the long term. We think he’s got a brain tumour, a glioma this sort is called, and I’m afraid they’re inoperable.’

There was dead silence in the room, then Paul reached for his mother’s hand again.

She sat there numbly, feeling sick with horror. And guilt.
She’d left him – and he’d been ill. What sort of woman did that? ‘I thought he was having an affair.’ She burst into tears.

Paul hugged her, Sally thrust a tissue into her hand and the doctor glanced at his watch.

Nicole forced herself to calm down. ‘Sorry. It was the shock. Go on, Doctor.’

‘We’d like to make sure our diagnosis is correct. We’ve done a CT scan and we’d like to do an MRI scan tomorrow.’

‘How is he?’

He sighed and seemed to be bracing himself to speak, so she knew it wasn’t good news.

‘Only semi-conscious, I’m afraid. We suspect the cancer has metastasised and is now affecting both mental and physical functions.’

‘Can I see him?’

‘Yes, of course. But I’d better warn you that he probably won’t recognise you. He’s drifting in and out of consciousness at the moment. If you wait here, one of the nurses will let you know when we’ve got him settled in the ward. And perhaps you can bring him some things from home tomorrow? If he regains consciousness, he’ll be happier with something familiar to hand. We … um, are never quite sure how people will be affected when we get to this stage.’

She stared at him in horror at this further shock.
If
Sam regained consciousness?
If?

When the doctor had left, Sally asked, ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’

‘I don’t know. I can’t seem to think straight. Give me a minute or two to get my head round it.’

They left her in peace but she couldn’t seem to focus. She looked up and it was Kieran she turned to instinctively. ‘What am I going to do?’

‘Take one step at a time,’ he said gently. ‘It was the best advice I received after my accident, when I didn’t know if I’d walk again.’

‘Yes. You’re right. First I have to see him. I can’t do anything till I’ve seen for myself how he is. And then—’ She shook her head and winced at the jolt of pain.

‘Then you need to rest. Shall you be going back to live in your house now?’

Nicole shuddered. ‘No. I’m still afraid of William.’ She turned to Paul. ‘I have a spare bedroom in my flat. It’s not very big, but you could stay there with me until – until we see our way clear.’

He gulped and nodded. ‘Thanks, Mum. I was terrified of going back home. I’ve put extra bolts on the inside of my bedroom door, but William could easily kick it in.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me he was bullying you?’ Nicole burst out. ‘I’d have taken you with me when I left.’

‘It’s not the sort of thing you talk about. What a wimp I’d sound, afraid of my own brother. And really, he mostly left me alone. I didn’t have any money, you see. He used to take it out of your purse sometimes, boasted about that.’

She stared at him open-mouthed. ‘I just thought prices were going up quickly.’ After a moment she added, ‘I was afraid of him too.’

‘A difficult situation,’ Sally said. ‘There is help available, you know. Grown-up children do bully parents, and if they have mental health problems it’s even harder for families
to deal with this on their own. One of your next steps might be to seek professional help.’

‘Mental health problems!’ That phrase again. She was finding it hard to come to terms with it. ‘The trouble is, William knows where I live. He followed me to the flat from the library last night.’

‘I’m sure the police will keep an eye on the flat.’

‘But by the time they get there, he could have … done anything.’

‘Why don’t you and Paul both stay with me, for tonight at least?’ Kieran suggested. I have two spare bedrooms and you’ll rarely be on your own there, because I don’t go out much.’

‘We can’t impose,’ she said automatically.

‘You need help.’ He looked at Paul. ‘Tell your mother it’s a done deal. We’ll make your flat more secure tomorrow, then you can go back if you want.’

‘He’s right, Mum. We can’t be on our own just now. William could beat up the pair of us with no trouble. You should have seen him today. He took the money out of Dad’s wallet while Dad was lying on the bed. Sally was standing there. She’ll tell you.’

‘I didn’t like to confront him, either,’ she said. ‘He’s – frightening. There’s a wild look in his eyes.’

Kieran nodded. ‘That’s settled, then. You’re both coming to stay with me. So that’s another step planned. After you’ve had a rest, you’ll be able to see your way more clearly.’

It was surprising how often she wanted to nod. She stopped herself and said, ‘Yes’.

A nurse poked her head into the room. ‘Mrs Gainsford?
You can see your husband now. Only five minutes, though.’

Paul and Kieran stood up, too.

The nurse shook her head. ‘Only one visitor, I’m afraid.’

‘We’ll wait outside his room,’ Kieran said. ‘Mrs Gainsford is in some danger at the moment from a – a stalker, and she can’t be left on her own.’

The nurse goggled at them. ‘What about Mr Gainsford?’

‘I think he’ll be safe, but don’t let his son William in to see him.’

‘Tell me that name again when we get up to the ward. I’ll write it down and warn the others.’

Nicole went into the room reluctantly, wishing Kieran was with her. It was all too easy to rely on him.

She stood by the bed looking down at her husband, only at the moment he didn’t look much like Sam. He looked years older, more like her father-in-law. Which reminded her, she’d have to get in touch with Sam’s parents and let them know their son was terminally ill. And tell them about William. She did hope the police would have caught him by then.

Tears welled in her eyes. The estrangement between her and Sam wasn’t only because of the changes associated with the tumour, but those changes in behaviour had certainly weighed heavily on her decision to leave. And she’d been so mistaken about him having an affair. Guilt sat like a heavy stone inside her chest.

And yet, how could she have known he had a brain tumour?

She bent over to kiss his cheek and he muttered something indistinguishable without opening his eyes.

Someone came to join her, another nurse. ‘He’s not in any pain, Mrs Gainsford,’ he said quietly.

‘How can we be sure?’

‘We’re pretty sure.’ He glanced at Nicole’s bandage. ‘Now, you look like you’ve been in the wars too and need your rest. Go home and take it easy.’

‘If my other son comes here – William – he’s dangerous. You should call the police. They’re looking for him. But I don’t think he will come.’

‘That’s partly what I came in to see you about. My colleague told me. What does your son look like?’

‘He’s about six foot tall, muscular, with dark hair and eyes, and a – a fierce expression, that’s the only way to describe it. The police are looking for him.’

‘Very well. I’ll put that in your husband’s notes.’

With a final glance back at Sam, Nicole left the room. She found Paul and Kieran outside, chatting in lowered voices. They both broke off, then Paul came forward.

‘How is he, Mum?’

‘Not really conscious. Shall I ask if you can see him, just for a minute?’

‘No. I don’t want to see him again, not like that.’

‘We’ll go to my place, then,’ Kieran said. ‘Do you want to go home first to pick up some clothes, Paul?’

He shook his head. ‘I’d rather do that with the police nearby.’

‘You’re that scared of William?’ Nicole was aghast.

‘I am now. You didn’t see him today. He was, like, Aggro-Man.’