Schemer (58 page)

Chloe chuckled at her pal’s turn of phrase. ‘Well, best she start eating dog shit then.’

Tyler was sitting in the lounge with Brad when his mother came running in like a bat out of hell. ‘Where are they?’ she asked in an anxious, breathless voice.

Guessing his mum was referring to the photographs, Tyler handed her the envelope and shut his eyes. He was dreading hearing her reaction, let alone watching it.

Stephanie thought her mind was playing tricks on her as she stared at the first photograph. The guy was looking to his left and, at an angle, he reminded Steph of Barry bloody Franklin. Hoping there was a clearer shot, so she could get a better idea of his age, Steph moved onto photo number two. That was blurred, so she immediately skipped to the third. Gasping with shock at what she saw, Stephanie collapsed to her knees with the photo still in her hand. She stared at it again just to be sure. There was no doubt about it. It was definitely him.

Tyler and Brad both nigh on jumped out of their skin as Stephanie let out the most deranged-sounding scream that either boy had ever heard.

‘I think I’d best wait in your bedroom,’ Brad whispered, when Stephanie began to make a strange howling noise, which reminded him of a badly injured dog.

Tyler gestured that it was OK for his pal to escape the madness, then crouched down next to his mother. He felt quite scared himself. He had rarely ever seen his mother cry, let alone howl and scream like a loony. ‘Everything will be OK, Mum. I know the man looks old, but perhaps he’s younger than he looks. Please stop crying. I even found out his name for you. It’s Barry,’ he said, awkwardly trying to hug her.

Pushing her son away from her, Stephanie grabbed the onyx ashtray that she kept on the coffee table.

‘What you doing, Mum? Please stop it, you’re frightening me now,’ Tyler begged, as Steph began repeatedly smashing the ashtray against the photos that were now scattered over the carpet.

Steph ignored her son’s plea and carried on with her frenzied attack. ‘I will kill you, you fucking cunt. I swear to God, I will fucking kill you,’ she screamed.

Pam was in the kitchen dishing up her beef stew when the phone rang.

‘It’s Tyler. He sounds like he’s crying,’ Lin whispered, handing the phone to her sister.

‘You all right, boy? What’s the matter?’ Pam asked anxiously.

‘You’re gonna have to come over, Nan. Mum’s gone off her head and I don’t know what to do. She’s just smashed the glass coffee table with the ashtray,’ Tyler said, his voice trembling with fright.

‘Oh my gawd! Why did she do that?’ Pam asked, horrified. The coffee table was brand new and had cost Steph a bloody fortune.

‘Because I took some pictures of Danni’s boyfriend and he’s really old.’

Pam felt the colour drain out of her face as she heard the words ‘really old’. ‘I’ll ring a cab right now. I won’t be long. You be a good boy and look after your mum for me till I get there, OK?’

‘OK,’ Tyler said, wiping his eyes with his sweatshirt. He was angry with himself for crying because in his eyes only nancy boys cried. Tyler ran back into the lounge and was relieved to see his mother had now calmed down and was sitting on the sofa with her head in her hands. Tyler sat next to her and put both his arms around her. ‘I’ve rang Nanny and she’s on her way over. She’ll know what to do, Mum. Let her speak to Danni instead of you doing it, eh?’

Steph lifted her dejected head and stared into her son’s sincere blue eyes. ‘You don’t understand, Ty. I know who the man is in them pictures, and he is pure evil. He isn’t wooing your sister because he likes her. He is only wooing her because he holds a grudge against me.’

Tyler was confused. ‘But why would he do that?’

Bursting into tears again, Stephanie held her son tightly. ‘Believe me, Ty, Barry Franklin is the devil in disguise.’

Unaware that her mother now knew the truth, Dannielle was lying in Barry’s bed with her head on his chest. They had just finished making love and Danni adored the manly smell of her man when he was all hot and sweaty. ‘What do you think happened to my dad, Barry?’ she asked out of the blue.

Surprised at such a question being thrown his way, Barry propped himself up on the pillow. He needed to be careful how he answered this, so chose his words cautiously. ‘Why have you asked me that, darling?’ he replied, stroking Danni’s hair at the same time.

‘I dunno really. I was just thinking it would be much easier for us to tell my mum we was a couple if my dad was still around. I think she gets lonely and I think Dad going missing broke her heart. Perhaps that’s why she always wanted me to concentrate on my career. She has often warned me against having boyfriends, you know.’

‘Look, it’s obvious your mum is gonna find out about us one day, sweetheart. But, when you tell her is up to you. I love you and it’s your call, babe.’

Dannielle lifted her head and grinned at him. She adored it when Barry told her he loved her. It made her feel happy, secure, and gave her a warm tingle inside. ‘So, what do you think did happen to my dad? My mum always told me you were with him on his stag night when he disappeared. Was he really drunk or acting weird or anything?’ Danni asked, genuinely interested.

‘It weren’t just me there with him; there was a few of his other mates there as well. Your dad left the club before me and what happened to him afterwards is one of life’s mysteries, I’m afraid … Now, I dunno about you, but because we never ended up having lunch out, I am now bloody starving. How about a nice Chinese takeaway? You up for that before you go home?’

Dannielle nodded. It had been her suggestion that they just went out for a quiet drink earlier instead of going to a busy restaurant, and she was now ravenous herself. ‘Can we have crispy duck? And I’d really like some prawn crackers as well.’

‘Go downstairs and get the menu then, babe. It’s on the side by the phone. Your legs are younger than mine.’

When Dannielle skipped happily out of the bedroom, Barry flopped back on the pillow and smirked. He knew exactly where Dannielle’s father’s six-foot frame was currently residing, but he couldn’t tell the poor unsuspecting girl the truth. It would break her fucking heart.

Tyler was relieved when he saw his nan pull up in a cab outside. For the past half an hour or so, his mum had been curled up on the sofa in a foetal position, weeping, and although Tyler had tried his best to comfort her, he hadn’t really known what to say or do. What he did know was that there was stuff about this Barry Franklin that his mother wasn’t telling him. Like, why did he hold a grudge against her, for instance?

‘Where is she? You been looking after her for me?’ Pam asked Tyler as she walked into the hallway, followed by Lin.

‘Yeah. I’m gonna go upstairs with Brad now,’ Tyler said, thankful to make his escape. Seeing his mother in such a state had made him feel extremely uncomfortable. He was livid with his stupid sister for causing all this upset in the first place.

‘Put that beef stew in the kitchen, Lin,’ Pam ordered her sister. She had brought a container full with her because she was worried about her daughter not eating again. She walked into the front room. ‘Sit up, darling. Mummy’s here now,’ she said, sitting on the edge of the sofa that Steph was curled up on.

‘Mum, it’s Barry Franklin. It’s him who’s got his claws in my baby,’ Steph sobbed, clinging to her mother like a child.

‘What you talking about? What’s Barry Franklin got to do with Dannielle?’ Pam asked, bemused, as Lin walked in the room.

‘Barry’s her secret boyfriend, Mum. Look at the photos. They’re a bit screwed up now, but you can still see it’s him.’

Pam and Lin were both astounded as they recognized Barry immediately.

‘The dirty fucking pervert,’ Lin spat.

Pam shook her head in disbelief. ‘I’m sorry, Steph, but I cannot believe our Danni would fancy a man of Barry’s age. She’s only a baby, and a wet-behind-the-ears one at that. What’s the betting they’re just good friends and Danni’s frightened to tell you in case you disapprove? She’s never really had a father figure in her life, has she? And I bet Barry has filled that gap.’

‘Don’t be so ridiculous! Danni doesn’t even come home of a night any more. If he was just her friend, or a bloody father figure, she would hardly be sleeping in the noncy cunt’s bed, would she?’ Steph screamed hysterically.

‘I agree with Steph. It’s sick. I think we should ring the Old Bill and get the pervert locked up. Either that, or pay a hitman to shoot the bastard,’ Lin suggested.

Pam glared at her younger sister. ‘Let’s not start with the silly talk now. For a start the Old Bill ain’t gonna do sod all. Danni ain’t twelve, she’s sixteen, for Christ’s sake. Anyway, before we do anything, we need some proof that they are actually an item. I know for some strange reason you don’t like Barry Franklin, Steph, but you can’t go around accusing the man of stuff like this without any evidence. For all you know, Dannielle might have a little boyfriend of her own age and Barry’s just giving her parental type of advice or something.’

Her mother’s stupid comments were like a red rag to a bull to Stephanie. ‘You really don’t know what you’re fucking talking about, do you? Barry has enticed my baby girl into his bed for one reason and one reason only – for revenge. He has no feelings for Danni; he has done this because he hates me,’ she yelled.

‘Oh, don’t be so bleedin’ daft and dramatic. That man was so kind to you and the kids after Wayne went missing, you’re forgetting all that, Steph,’ Pam reminded her daughter.

Stephanie leapt off the sofa and glared at her mum. Her eyes were blazing, such was her anger. ‘Oh, I’ll never forget Barry cunting Franklin’s kindness, Mother. He was there for me all right. He played on my heartbreak and loneliness by making sure I fell for him. Then he slept with me, dumped me, and laughed in my face when I begged him to stay. Now, do you understand why I hate him so much? Apparently, he never got over me leaving him for Wayne, which is why he is now trying to ruin my life again by dating my daughter.’

Pam stood open-mouthed. ‘Oh, Steph. I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me all this before, love?’ It all made sense now. Stephanie refusing ever to talk about Barry, not to mention her hatred towards men in general.

‘Because I felt so ashamed that I was so stupid as to be led up the garden path like I was. I also thought everybody would think I was a right slapper if they knew I’d slept with Barry. My poor Wayne, God rest his soul, had only been missing a matter of months.’

Lin walked towards Stephanie and put her little arms around her niece’s waist. ‘Don’t beat yourself up, Steph. Grief does funny things to people. You were just lonely and gullible. We’ve all been there. We’ve all done stupid things in the past, me included.’

The act of kindness from Lin evaporated Stephanie’s anger, and as she sat back down on the sofa, she started to cry again. ‘Now I’ve told you that, I might as well tell you the worst bit,’ Steph mumbled, her voice trembling.

‘Get it all off your chest, love. You’ll feel much better for it,’ Pam said, gently rubbing her daughter’s arm.

With a fearful expression on her face, Stephanie turned to her mother. ‘Barry’s a murderer. It was him that killed Wayne.’

When her ashen-faced mother held Steph’s shaking body in her arms, Stephanie felt relieved that she had finally told the truth. What she didn’t realize was that her thirteen-year-old son had been earwigging outside the door and had heard every single word that she had said.

Dannielle ate her Chinese and then glanced at her watch. She was dreading going home to face the music, but she knew she couldn’t avoid it any longer.

‘I thought you was hungry, darling? You haven’t eaten much,’ Barry said, picking up a big lump of crispy duck and swallowing it whole.

‘I had two pancakes. I just keep thinking about going home, Bal. I’m really not looking forward to it, in case me mum kicks off again. I think I’ll switch my phone on now in case she has already contacted me. At least if she has, I’ll know by her tone what I’ve got in store for me.’

‘As I said to you earlier, babe, if it all kicks off, just ring me and I’ll come straight back and get you.’

Dannielle smiled, and then jumped as her phone alerted her that she had received an answerphone message. Danni put the phone to her ear and felt physically sick when she heard what her brother had to say. ‘Oh my God! I can’t go home, Barry, I can’t! My mum knows everything,’ Danni said, bursting into tears.

‘It’s OK, sweetheart. Please don’t worry because I promise I will sort it,’ Barry said, reassuringly. ‘She had to find out sometime, Dan, it’s just sooner than we anticipated. What did she actually say in the message?’

‘It wasn’t her, it was Tyler. He was really nasty to me. He said that I’d better get my arse home now because Mum knows all about you and he said she’s going mental. He even said your full name, so he can’t be lying, and he called me a stupid slag and said he’s never gonna forgive me for this.’

‘Sssh, it will all be fine,’ Barry said, kissing Dannielle on the top of her head. ‘Tomorrow, I will go and talk to your mum for you, OK? You’re sixteen, Danni, she can’t tell you what to do any more. Anyway, we love one another, and I will never let anyone take what we have away from us. Your mum’s just going to have to accept it, I’m afraid. You do really love me, don’t you?’

‘Yes, of course I do, but say she don’t accept it? I know she’s gonna think you’re too old for me.’

Wiping the mascara that had run down Dannielle’s cheeks with a tissue, Barry hugged her again and rested his chin on top of her head. ‘Your mum will get used to the idea in time, I promise you that,’ he said softly.

Unable to stop himself, Barry grinned broadly. His feelings for Danni were genuine but, even so, he was still looking forward to seeing the expression on that bitch Stephanie’s face when he knocked on the door tomorrow. In fact, he couldn’t bloody wait.

Once Steph had got the burden she had carried around for years off her chest, the anger started to kick in once again. She had to do something and she had to do something fast. The thought of her beautiful daughter spending another night in that murdering monster’s bed was far too much for her to bear, so it had been her idea to drive over to Mimi’s house. Mimi and Danni had been best friends for years and if anyone could tell her where that bastard Barry Franklin lived or what exactly was going on, then Mimi was that person. Stephanie had wanted to pay Mimi a visit on her own, but Pam had insisted that she and Lin should accompany her. ‘We’re just as worried about Danni as you are, and I don’t want you sounding off at poor Mimi. If you do, you might lose the only link we have to finding her at this moment in time. I think you should let me talk to the girl,’ Pam had urged her daughter.