Sleepwalk (33 page)

‘I…… I don’t think you will be seeing Ellie for some time. I think work will be the last thing on her mind right now.’

‘What do you mean?’ The voice had said. ‘What’s happened? I phoned her home number and David said she doesn’t live there anymore and gave me this number. What’s going on? Is this something to do with that police woman asking questions about her? Is Ellie all right?’

The voice had sounded almost desperate and had fired questions at her constantly and she knew she couldn’t answer them so she held the handset away from her ear momentarily until the voice became a distant squeak and then she placed it back on the receiver and hadn’t picked it up since.

The doorbell ringing shocked her into moving and she made her way hesitantly down the stairs, her hand trembling as she turned the catch.

‘Abi?’

‘Dad.’

He burst through the door with the first glimmer of recognition, wrapped his arms around her and held her so hard she thought he may suffocate her, then he released his grip and stood back and looked searchingly into her eyes. He smelled of designer clothes, elite after shave …….. and money.

‘Abi…… Oh my God it really is you………. I…. I thought I’d never see you again.’

‘I’m sorry Dad. I………’

‘Why Abi? Why did you do it? It’s been eight years. You were just a teenager and…. and now look at you……. you’re a grown woman.’

‘I……… I was stupid……. and ……. and stubborn.’

‘You always did have your Mother’s stubborn streak.’

He followed her into the dark sitting room that she shared with Ellie and they sat down.

‘I searched for you, you know. For three years I searched for you constantly. I hired a PI but they came up with nothing. Why now Abi? Why now………. after all this time?’

‘I…….. I guess…….. I don’t know. I thought you didn’t want anymore to do with me after the Ben thing.’

‘Words spoken in haste Darling; none of them meant. How have you managed? You look well enough.’

‘I’ve been ok. I……. I finished my course and I got a job. Not in design of course. Just kind of drifted between jobs you know; waitressing, bar work……. that kind of stuff. I got by.’

‘So…. Are you with someone?’

‘I was……. but now I don’t know……’

‘What’s his name? Tell me about him.’

‘
Her
name is Ellie. And I love her Dad……..’

Alistair Spencer’s eyes rolled so high in their sockets he thought for a moment they may never come back down and he may never be able to focus properly again.

‘I blame your Mother for this.’ He declared at length.

‘What?’

‘Your Mother. It’s her affluent European influence. I blame her. You were such a nice, gentle
normal
girl and then as you grew up she took you to too many places; showed you too much of the wrong kind of life……….’

‘Dad. This just isn’t going to work.’ Abi stood up and straightened herself. ‘I think you’d better go now. I should never have contacted you.’

‘Abi, you must understand………..when she left; it was like a part of me died. I couldn’t cope with it. And you were at that age……. You were so demanding……… I didn’t know what to do. And then Sheila came along and she
did
know what to do. When we sent you to that school we both thought it was the best thing for you………’

‘Sheila? She just screwed you for your money; you must know that. And she sent me to High Grove to get me out of the way because she knew I had her number. Look Dad, let’s just forget it. You go back to your high life and I’ll get on with what’s left of mine and we’ll see each other next time the whim takes us eh?’

He studied his daughter; her fine bone structure and her perfectly symmetrical continental features, her high tanned forehead, her Mothers dark mysterious Greek Cypriot eyes and her almost black hair which shone with health. Eight years had seen many changes. She was incredibly pretty…….. and with the right clothes and make up……

‘Pack your things Abi…….. I’m taking you home.’

It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.

‘Don’t you want to know about Ellie?’

‘It doesn’t matter. It’s all in the past. We have to look to the future. And wherever your future is; It’s not here……….’

‘Right. Now then Williams, do you have a current driving licence?’

‘Why?’

‘Because we are going to look at a car, and if you don’t have one then I have to get someone to pick it up for me. So; have you ever driven a car?’

‘Yes, but not for a long time…… I mean; I can drive but I never passed my test.’

‘Good. So you have a current provisional licence?’

‘Yes.’

‘Where?’

‘What?’

‘Where is it; this licence? I want to see it.’

Slim shrugged his shoulders and frowned. He seemed to be doing a lot of that these days.

‘In the box I guess…….. with all my stuff; at my mate’s place……. in his roof space.’

‘Well go and get it.’

‘Look Lady, I can’t just turn up like that out of the blue and demand to go in my mate’s loft. His old dear’ll hit the roof. The kids’ll be in bed and it’d wake them up and then they’d have a go at me and then I won’t be able to leave Bits there any more.’

‘They have children then, your friends?’

‘Two; Honour and Spike.’

‘Honour……. A beautiful biblical name for a little girl, but……… Spike?’

‘They’re both boys. Art says one looks like the judge who sent him down for a spell, so he calls him
Your Honour
and the other’s got spiky hair that won’t stay down when you brush it.’

Vanessa Gordon’s lips curled up at the corners then and he thought she was smiling but the creases vanished so quickly, maybe she wasn’t.

‘Well you’d better go there this afternoon and get it. You can bring your box here. You can keep it here if you want to, and Stephen?’

‘Yes?’

‘You can bring that stupid little dog of yours here if you want to. You don’t have to take him to your friend’s house anymore….
But
…….’

‘Yes…….?’

‘If he digs up my garden or does any damage….. or gets in the house even once….. ‘

‘He won’t Vanguard…….. I promise.’

She watched the boy skipping joyously up her garden path, the smile on his face so apparent her iron heart almost melted………..
almost
.

‘Flick I’ve asked Mum and Dad to have Ollie tonight. I thought it would be nice for us to go out.’

‘Oh. Ok. Out for a drink, or out for dinner……… or both?’

‘I’ve booked us a table at Louigi’s in the city. I hope that’s ok.’

‘Louigi’s? How very extravagant of you David.’

‘Felicity Breen you’re worth every penny. And anyway, it’s not like I can’t afford it. We can go on to a club or something afterwards if you want to.’

‘I’m not really into clubbing any more. A quiet pub where I can actu
ally hear you speak is more my i
dea of a night out now. I must be getting old.’

‘My kinda girl.’

She went into town that afternoon to buy a new outfit and was shocked to find an almost identical little black dress to the one she’d had before the fire but never had the nerve to wear. Felicity put it on in the changing room; stood back and looked in the mirror. It wasn’t exactly the same, but she liked it even more than the original. It was strappy, clingy and quite suggestive but a more respectable length than before. She almost died when she saw the price tag but told herself you can’t put a price on comfort and style and it showed off her figure in all the right places so with no hesitation she paid for it and went home. Later that evening she came down the stairs wearing her new dress and black strappy heels and David almost dropped his glass of wine when he saw her.

‘Jesus Flick; you look………. Wow!’

‘Do you like it?’

‘Like it? It’s ……. You look incredible.’

‘I had to buy it. I had one like it ……….. before the fire. I’d never worn it; never had the courage. But this one is more……. tasteful.’

‘It’s very sexy. I shall have to keep my eye on you tonight.’

Felicity had never been to Louigi’s. It was renowned as being one of the most expensive Italian Restaurants in the city and as they were shown to their table she could see why. It wasn’t just the décor and the light classical background music or the chic amber glow of the candelabra’s against the scarlet backdrop. It was the service of the Italian waiters who seemed to fall over backwards to please you. They were being treated like VIP’s and as the night wore on Felicity didn’t want it to end. Whenever her glass became less than half full the tall waiter with the sexy dark eyes was there in an instant to refill it. David had noticed how the male population of both staff and diners had been giving her their full attention throughout the evening and how the women had been giving her that green-eyed monster look. She did look incredibly sexy in black. He had noticed too, the speed at which the tall Italian waiter refilled her glass while a rather overweight blonde at the other side of the restaurant had managed to drain her glass twice without anyone even noticing. He had noticed also how they had seated her in the chair facing the kitchen so they could look at her and he couldn’t see their leering glances. When they brought the dessert she saw David nod to the tall Italian who rushed off to the kitchen and then the music stopped and a two man band appeared at their side, one clutching a guitar, and began to serenade them with a sad Mediterranean love song. Felicity didn’t know where to look. She was embarrassed. When they had finished, David took a small box from his shirt pocket.

‘Flick….’ He said aloud, ‘Being with you has made me so happy and now……….. I was wondering if you would make me the happiest man alive………. by agreeing to…….’

He didn’t do things by halves, this man. He had her full attention and everyone else’s as he left his chair and crouched down beside her.

‘Felicity Breen…..’ he said, as he opened the little box to expose the most beautiful glittering square chunk of diamond she had ever seen, attached to a small band of gold.

‘………..Will you marry me?’

Felicity’s face had become the colour of beetroot but she was wearing the biggest smile he had ever seen.

‘Oh My God………… David! …… Yes………… Yes, I will.’

The whole restaurant cheered and applauded them and if it was possible for her cheeks to get any redder; then at that point, they did. The applause gradually died down and was replaced with smiling faces all around them.
As the evening drew to a close the glow in her cheeks and the happiness she felt inside remained and as David led her to his room later that night, the emotions had built up in her so much she thought she would burst. It was as though all her inhibitions had been lifted; she felt calm and relaxed in his arms and yet filled with desire for him and then she showed him a side of her he had not yet seen. A wanton, fiercely passionate Felicity seized control of the moment as she kissed and caressed him gently all along his chest and down over his muscular tanned body until he could bear it no longer and then he took control; and she became like putty beneath him…….. Their love making continued long into the night and every night to follow. Felicity was hungry for her blue eyes. She couldn’t get enough of
him; couldn’t wait to get home to him at night and didn’t want to leave him in the mornings. Nothing else mattered to her except David and Ollie and what they had, and together they were blissfully happy. They had a life…… a wonderful life; with everything measured and in its place; the perfect balance of work, rest ..... and play. The latter being their favourite pastime. So when Felicity answered a knock at the door and found a very pretty dark haired, sophisticated but voluptuous looking young woman standing there asking for David she was surprised to say the least.

‘He’s not home yet.’ Felicity smiled awkwardly. ‘Can I help?’

‘No. No, I need to speak to David.’ The girl shuffled uncomfortably from one foot to the other. ‘You must be Felicity. I’m Abi, Ellie’s partner’. She held out her hand but Felicity didn’t accept it.

‘Look…. I know this must be difficult for you but……. can I come in and wait for him?’

‘I’m …… not sure that’s a good idea. He will have Ollie with him when he gets back. You really shouldn’t just turn up like this without asking him you know. I’m not sure you should even be here at all.’

‘Felicity please…….. listen to me……. Ellie is in court on Tuesday accused of something she didn’t do’.

‘I’m sure that’s for the court to decide.’

‘You just don’t have a clue do you? I……. I really need to talk to David. Now if you won’t let me in I’ll just wait here for him.’

The girl turned away from her and leaned against the wall of the little front porch then she turned to face her again.

‘Look Felicity you have to believe me. Ellie is a good person. Her heart is solid gold. She couldn’t have done these things. She is innocent……’

Felicity could see tears in the girl’s eyes as she pleaded with her……….. but this was wrong…… she shouldn’t be here. The court would see it as harassment surely…… witness intimidation or something.