The Hornbeam Tree (12 page)

Katie looked at her with tired, haunted eyes. ‘You’re right, of course,’ she said. ‘I’m too afraid of everything these days … I never used to be like this …’

‘Stop being the victim,’ Judy gently chided.

Katie’s eyes closed and after a few moments she started to shake her head. ‘It scares me half to death, but … I don’t know. I’m glad she’s here, and I don’t actually want her to go …’

‘Then talk to her. Find out why she lied, listen to what she has to say without going off the handle, and try to remember, this was the kind of intrigue you used to thrive on in your heyday, so go and start living again, girl, because, not to put too fine a point on it, you’re going to be a long time dead.’

Michelle was sitting at the kitchen table when Katie returned, her face bloodless and strained, her whole demeanour showing the turmoil she was locked in.

She looked up as Katie came in, bracing herself for another onslaught of anger, but Katie merely came and sat down opposite her, bunching her hands on the table, and fixing her with eyes that were still wary, but a lot less hostile than before she’d stormed off.

‘Are you OK?’ Michelle asked.

‘Yes. Are you?’

Michelle nodded. ‘I want you to know,’ she said,
‘if
I thought for one minute that I posed any kind of risk to you and Molly I wouldn’t even dream of staying.’

Katie swallowed and nodded to show that she appreciated the words. ‘Then tell me what that was all about,’ she said. ‘Why did you lie?’

‘Because I didn’t want them to think that we know anything about what Tom’s involved in. It doesn’t concern us …’

‘But what
is
he involved in? Just what are we covering up here?’

‘All I know is that someone we’ve long believed to be a CIA operative passed him some documents that, considering the fuss they’re causing, must be classified. I don’t know what’s in them, Tom wouldn’t tell me because he doesn’t want us to get dragged in.’

‘So Wilding and his federal friend. Who were they, exactly?’

‘Wilding’s badge was from the Metropolitan Police, so he could be anti-terrorist, Special Branch, or MI5 using the badge as a cover. And the FBI agent is presumably London based, because he was calling himself a legal attaché. That’s the term they use when they’re stationed outside the US.’

‘So do you think Tom really is missing?’

‘I don’t know. He could just have gone underground for a while. There are people I can call, or email. Without my computer … I can go into town and find an Internet café if you’d rather I didn’t use yours.’

‘You can use mine,’ Katie told her.

Michelle looked at her uncertainly. ‘Are you sure? I mean, I don’t want to …’

‘Don’t argue, I’m as keen as you are to know he’s all right, so just use it.’

As Michelle typed in her emails Katie sat with her, wishing there was someone she could contact too to help in the search, but it wasn’t a part of the world she knew. So she reconciled herself to being a sounding board for Michelle, as she ran through the list of those who were most likely to know where Tom was.

By seven that evening Michelle had tried just about everyone she knew from Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, even the camp at Shamshuta, but no-one had heard from Tom in the last few days, not even Sajid, his fixer. This was alarming her more than anything, for he rarely went anywhere without taking Sajid, or at least informing him of where he was going.

‘I am very sorry,’ Sajid was telling her now, speaking to her for the fourth time in as many hours. ‘I try hotel in Karachi again, and someone say he is leaving without paying the bill.’

‘Then he must have left in a hurry,’ Michelle cried, unable to stop herself running with the implications of that.

‘I go to Karachi to learn truth.’

‘Yes, Sajid, do that. Please do it,’ she told him, ‘and call me as soon as you can.’

As he rang off she looked at Katie across the table, then buried her face in her hands. ‘I’m sorry about this,’ she murmured, ‘I’m really, really …’

‘Stop it,’ Katie chided, glancing at her watch. ‘It’s important to know he’s safe, so I say we give it until morning, and if we still haven’t managed to find
out
anything by then, you should call our federal friend who left his card, to ask for an update.’

Michelle nodded and wiped her hands over her face. ‘Shall I pour us some wine?’ she said, as Katie began packing up her laptop. ‘I think we could both do with it.’ Then, remembering Katie probably wouldn’t be allowed to have alcohol while on so much medication, she winced and said, ‘Sorry. That was insensitive.’

Katie looked startled. ‘Why? I’d love a glass,’ she responded, ‘but we’ll have to save it until later, because I’m supposed to be at a parish magazine meeting in less than five minutes. If I weren’t this quarter’s editor I’d trade their front page for what seems to be taking shape in our kitchen, but I can’t let them down. I’m afraid I’ll have to take the computer with me too.’

‘It’s OK,’ Michelle assured her. ‘It’s past midnight over there anyway, so it’s unlikely there’ll be any more news tonight. Shall I make some dinner for when you come back?’

‘We ate an hour ago,’ Katie gently reminded her.

Michelle shook her head and laughed dryly. ‘Of course,’ she mumbled. ‘What about Molly? Shouldn’t she be home by now?’

‘She sent a text from Allison’s saying she was doing her homework there, but could I record
EastEnders
.’ She rolled her eyes and chuckled. ‘That’s what I love about my daughter,’ she commented, ‘she has this unfailing ability to focus you right back on everything that’s trivial and tosh, and make it seem like the most important thing in the world, which to her, I suppose, it is.’

*

Uncertainty was quivering in Molly’s smile as she turned from the computer screen and looked up at Allison.

‘You know the rules,’ Allison told her tartly. ‘If you want to go on being a Daughter of Lilith you’ve got to meet someone off the Internet. Everyone else has done it, we’re just waiting for you now so we can all move on.’

Molly still looked hesitant.

‘For God’s sake!’ Allison exclaimed. ‘You’re only in because I really stuck my neck out for you, so don’t let me down now. You want to go out with Brad, don’t you? Well, no way are any of us going to help you if you don’t do this.’

Molly turned back to the keyboard.

‘All you’ve got to do is meet him!’ Allison cried when she didn’t start typing. ‘You don’t have to do anything else …’

‘Why don’t I give him your email address?’ Molly suggested, referring to the boy they were instant-messaging.

Another message started coming through.

Are you still there, Sexxy? Have

you got any clothes on?

Though shocked, Molly joined in Allison’s shriek of laughter.

‘Tell him no,’ Allison demanded.

‘No way am I going to arrange to meet him if I do that,’ Molly told her.

‘All right. Just tell him anyway.’

Feeling off the hook for meeting him, Molly immediately went to it:

I am totally naked. Are you?

The reply came back:

Completely.

‘Oh wow!’ Allison shouted. ‘Tell him to send a picture.’

Molly typed it in, and the message came back:

What’s your email address?

‘Oh my God, he’s going to send one!’ Molly gasped, turning hot and shaky.

‘Give him your email. Give him mine too. I’ve got to have this.’

Without thinking Molly did as she was told, then waited for a reply.

Check your email.

‘Out of the way!’ Allison cried, pushing her off the chair. ‘He must have sent a picture,’ and opening her inbox she found the message, complete with attachment.

Both girls’ eyes rounded like saucers as the picture started to download.

‘OH MY GOD!’ Allison gulped.

Molly just stared at it, speechless.

Allison turned to her, brimming over with excitement. ‘Do you think it’s his?’ she said. ‘He could have cut it out of a magazine.’

Have you got it yet?

Feverishly Allison turned back to the keyboard, and carried on as though she were Molly.

Yes. It’s HUGE!

It’s all yours, Sexxy. What are you
going to do with it?

‘Allison! Is that you up there?’

‘Oh shit, it’s my mother,’ Allison gasped, and right in the middle of the reply she shut the computer down. ‘Yeah, it’s me,’ she shouted back. ‘I thought she was going to be out all evening,’ she hissed to Molly. ‘Make out like we’re doing some homework or something.’

‘Oh, you’re busy studying,’ her mother said, coming in the door. ‘Good girls.’ Her bloodshot eyes moved to Molly. ‘Hello dear,’ she said, taking a sip of heavily spiked tea from the mug she was holding. ‘How are you?’

‘Fine thank you, Mrs Bond. How are you?’

‘Oh, you know,’ she sighed.

‘Can you leave us alone now,’ Allison said. ‘We’re trying to finish this.’

Janice took another sip. ‘I thought you might like to know that Toby’s asked to have a party the weekend of his birthday,’ she told her. ‘I said we could make it a combined one, for both of you. He’s got some very handsome friends,’ she added, winking at Molly. ‘Might find yourself a boyfriend.’

‘Muuum!’ Allison pleaded.

Janice smiled at Molly. ‘How’s your mother, dear? I saw her the other day, she’s looking
splendid
. Do you know if she used the Atkins diet? I’ve been thinking about it myself …’

‘Shut up!’ Allison snapped.

‘But darling, I’d love to lose some weight …’

‘Just stop talking stupid and go!’ Allison raged.

‘I’m only saying, we girls need to make the most of ourselves, even at your age …’

Allison leapt to her feet. ‘If you don’t get out now, I’ll throw you out,’ she warned.

Janice’s eyes boggled. ‘Goodness, do you speak to your mother that way, Molly? I’m sure you don’t.’

‘She’s even worse than I am, if you must know,’ Allison yelled, ‘because you’re all the same, you stupid middle-aged cows, who can’t hang on to your husbands and get drunk on gin every day, and fall down the stairs and behave like total slappers. Look at you! Who can blame Daddy for never coming home, when you’re such a fucking mess! I’d never come home if I didn’t have to. I hate it here. All you ever do is drink and try to get off with Toby’s friends. You’re a fucking embarrassment, so just take your
tea
and get the bloody hell out of here.’

Janice’s face was white with shock. Anger was sparking in her eyes, though no words were forming as she swayed slightly and tried to keep focused on what her daughter had said. When she finally opened her mouth to respond a hiccup emerged.

Allison turned away in disgust, and continued to fume as the door closed behind her mother, and footsteps sounded on the stairs. ‘Can you believe that stupid cow?’ she hissed. ‘I hate her. I mean it, I
really
hate her. As soon as I’m sixteen I’m getting my own flat and I’ll never come back to this place again. You can come with me, if you like.’

Molly’s eyes were wide.

‘Oh for God’s sake!’ Allison spat. ‘I don’t know why I bother with you. You are like, so dumb and immature and if it weren’t for me you wouldn’t have any bloody friends, so learn to be grateful.’

‘I am,’ Molly assured her.

‘Then you’ve got to meet someone off the Net,’ Allison snapped. ‘If you don’t, you’ll be out and then you won’t be able to come to Toby’s party, and Brad’s bound to be there …’

‘I just don’t want to meet this creep,’ Molly said. ‘Not after all the emails and stuff. Can’t I meet someone else?’

Allison was going back online. ‘Suit yourself,’ she said, busy on the keyboard, ‘just hurry up and do it, or you won’t be one of the Daughters any more. Shit! I’ve run out of paper,’ she complained, leaning over to her printer. ‘I want to take that picture to school to show the others. You’ll get some cred for that, Molly, so print it out when you get home and bring it over tomorrow. And don’t let us down with everything else. You’ve got to the end of the week to achieve Step Three, or the wrath of Lilith will be upon you, and you definitely won’t be coming to the party.’

Michelle was wrapped in towels as she crossed the narrow landing from the ornate Victorian bathroom to the tiny box bedroom that was hers. Her suitcase was still taking up almost as much space as the bed, and what few things she’d
unpacked
were cluttering up the surface of the antique chest that had once belonged to her parents. It made her feel nostalgic to look at it, as did the photograph of Molly as a toddler on the window sill, where she didn’t appear very much different to how she was now, behind the make-up and scowl. Her niece’s need was so great, Michelle was thinking as she gazed at it, greater than she could even begin to imagine, for Molly had no idea of how to survive without her mother, and why should she? No-one ever did until it happened, and now it was going to happen to Molly, in a different way to the many other children Michelle had seen lose theirs over the years, but no less tragically. Molly’s impending loss was why Michelle wouldn’t leave, not even to try and find Tom. She and Molly needed all the time left to them now to forge a relationship that would allow Katie to go as peacefully as she deserved.

Letting the towel pool at her feet, she reached for her thin white dressing gown, and had just finished belting it when the phone started to ring.

Thinking immediately of Tom and those who had yet to call back, she ran into Katie’s room and grabbed the phone.

‘Hello! Is Sajid here,’ he said. ‘I am calling from Islamic Republic of Pak …’

‘Sajid. It’s Michelle. What’s happened? Where are you?’

‘In Lahore. I go to Karachi tomorrow, but I receive email from Mr Tom.’

‘When?’ Michelle cried. ‘What does it say?’

‘Few minutes ago. I check and there is email. Not earlier. Only now.’

‘What does it say, Sajid? Do you know where he is?’

‘He ask for money. He tell me to take money to a place.’

‘What place? How much money?’

‘One hundred thousand rupees. He say he will send me name of place tomorrow.’