Underbelly (57 page)

Allan awoke with a start just after six and received a bigger shock than his nightmare when he looked and saw Grey sitting on a chair in the corner of the room.

“
Relax, Allan, remember last night,” Grey said, trying to calm him.

“
I remember. You’re not going to follow me to the bathroom, are you?”

“
No, but try not to be too long, if you can.”

When Allan returned from the bathroom he said, “Last night I was a little afraid but I’m not now, even though I’m starting to think I should be. The sun makes it impossible to be scared of anything.” His defences were down as he admitted that he believed Grey’s claims, his tone softer.

“
I was a soldier, only for a few months, and that taught me that bad things can happen at any time. It was light on the beaches on D-day and it was no comfort – I’d have preferred the cloak of darkness that a night-time assault would have given us, though I guess that could have affected our vision too.”

“
Maybe it wouldn’t have affected you though, as a medium.”

“
I can’t see in the dark, but yeah, my powers did see me through the war more or less in one piece. You probably just missed out on going,” Grey said, thinking of his age.

“
Mores the pity. I had training and then peace was declared. A lot of us were gutted – you lot who were there must think us stupid for feeling that way.”

“
No, I understand what you’re saying. I put on shows, showcasing my abilities, and I always make sure to say that I fought in the war because that gets me a bit of respect which I need when I’m stood up there. I tend not to say that I only served for six months and that half of that time was spent at a safe house.”

“
It’s still more than I can say. How old are you?”

“
20.”

“
I’m not that far off 20 myself. I’d have been better off dying for my country than waiting for two French demons to finish me off.”

“
For me it was never boring because I always had something going on with spirits or whatever and I only saw about six weeks of action on the front-line, but a lot of other soldiers saw it as mind-numbingly boring. My best friend who did see it through to the end called it 95 per cent tedium at uncharted levels with 5 per cent of terror, also at uncharted levels.”

“
So why did you only serve six months? Was it the tail end – no, it couldn’t be, you said you were there at D-day.”

“
Even mediums can’t ride their luck forever. I was injured. I’m lucky though because I’m all right now.”

“
If you try and protect me won’t they come for you too?”

“
They can’t touch me, which is why I’m a useful shield.”

“
I’m sorry for being off with you.”

“
I’m sorry for the pressure I’ve applied to you. We’ve got six days to spend together so let’s start again. Deal?” Grey said, extending his hand, which Allan shook.

“
Do you think I’ll get my dad back at the end of this?” Allan said, coughing to try and mask the emotion in his voice, which faltered.

“
If you do he might be different to how you remember him, and he will be going to prison,” Grey said, warning him not to expect things to revert to how they were. “I think after what he’s been through he can have a year with you here first,” Grey said, relenting a little.

“
Thank you,” Allan said, his gratitude heartfelt.

“
Don’t thank me yet, I haven’t done anything.”

Grey and Allan left the house at the same time, Grey going alone to see Germaine to tell her he wouldn’t be back for six days, which would be the longest they’d been apart since she’d gone to see him in the hospital in France, and they made the most of the short time they had together before Grey had to return to Allan’s house, expecting him back by eleven. Grey sat on his doorstep and grew agitated as the hours passed, Allan returning at six, having worked all day despite promising he wouldn’t. He apologised to Grey and said that they were snowed under and he couldn’t leave them in the lurch but that he would be off for the next six days, which pacified Grey.

“
I’m not mad about sitting out there all day,” Grey said, Allan misunderstanding why he was annoyed. “I used that time to try and find out a bit more about the Alieus. I’m mad that you put yourself at risk.”

“
I know, but they were already mad about me being off the next few days. I had to work today. I need that job.”

“
Okay, there’s no harm done. Give me a tab and I’ll forget all about it.”

Allan threw him a cigarette and said, “Do you ever buy your own?”

“
Things are a bit tight at the moment so I can’t waste money on them. I’ll be smoking like a chimney when I get back to New York. There’s a club that gives its members free cigars when they enter and I’ll be going there tout de suite.”

“
Say what?”

“
Nothing. Can I raid the cupboards for food and cook something up for us?”

“
Yeah, use the place as if it was yours. You’re saving me and my dad – you can have as much food and as many cigarettes as you want,” Allan said, throwing him his packet.

Grey threw him the cigarettes back and said, “It’s more fun to cadge them off you. Don’t reward me yet. I’m still in the planning stages. I’ve got a lot still to do.”

“
I’ve got faith in you. I’ll do the cooking, don’t worry.”

“
It would be safer if I did it. Your hands are still covered in oil.”

“
This? This is nothing,” Allan said, considering his hands clean and he cooked for them without setting himself on fire. While Grey kept watch over Allan, Germaine travelled to Audrey’s house, and, unlike her husband, was invited inside. Audrey was cordial and made her a snack, which Germaine accepted, Audrey sitting next to her on the sofa as she asked what brought her round.

“
James has gone away for a few days and I don’t feel safe by myself in that place, and I wanted to try and get things solved. Do you mind?”

“
No, you can stay. That hostel is a dump. Where has he gone?”

“
I’m not sure. Something about looking into the Alieus,” Germaine said, unwilling to tell her the total truth about his whereabouts as she felt it would inflame her. “I am trying to make him move on, only it’s so hard.”

“
Surely if he is a medium he hears other spirits, poor souls who genuinely deserve his help?”

“
He does. I suppose the difference is that they’re already gone while the Whitlows can still be saved, so that’s his priority.”

“
Saving hateful, raping murderers is his priority? If he were my husband I’d be questioning my feelings for him.”

“
He looks past their crimes to the men who…”

“
How kind of him!” Audrey said sarcastically. “He must think badly of me for making a big deal of such trivial, forgettable things.”

“
It’s not like that,” Germaine said, feeling that she was being unfair.

“
I’m sorry to say it is. He can’t try and extend his sympathies to me and then support them. He has to choose a side, and I think he already has. You’re going to have to use devious means to draw him out of this. Pretend the stress is making you ill, ill to the degree where you believe that you will miscarry if he doesn’t back off. That should see him take you back to New York,” Audrey said, trying to help her.

“
I could not be that dishonest to him,” Germaine said, shaking her head. She changed the subject, asking Audrey if she could look around her home, Audrey happy for her to do so.

“
It’s unusual, but it’s really nice,” Germaine said once she’d seen all of it.

“
Expensive too, for such a small place. That’s because of the location. Black people aren’t supposed to have land and private, secluded homes. We’re supposed to live on top of each other in rundown flats.”

“
Why do you say that?”

“
Both of my grandfathers were slaves. Slavery might well be abolished now but the wounds are fresh and our positions haven’t changed that much. Men like Larry Whitlow do their best to try and revive the ‘good old days’.”

“
France has a history of doing bad things too.”

“
I doubt you have the tensions over there that exist here.”

“
I’ve never seen France since the war so I can’t even imagine how things are now. I know there was trouble for those who were Pro-Vichy though you don’t hear much now. I know things aren’t perfect but I do love my country still and I like what I’ve seen of yours so far. There are nicer towns in America than Lichwood, Audrey.”

“
I know that. This is still home. I have lived here all of my life and I will not move because of the ignorance of others,” Audrey said intransigently. Germaine found her sentiment admirable but it wearied her too as she realised that Audrey wasn’t going to back down. She would keep trying to talk her round, picking her words carefully, trying to make her examine her own actions and come to the conclusion that she was wrong without having to spell it out to her.

After two days with Allan, time in which they both got to know the other well, Grey received a message he wasn’t prepared for.

Protect my boy, please, protect my boy
, Larry said emotionally.

Of course I will. How are you holding up? I haven’t heard from you in a while.

They’ve finished me off. Three days of torture, removing my insides. It’s all over now – even she can’t bring me back from that. She told me she was bored with me now and wanted to kill my son, to see if he was better sport. Protect him, whatever you do.

I will, I promise
, Grey said.

Allan could see something was up from Grey’s pained expression and he said, apprehensively, “Who are you talking to?”

“
Your father. He’s gone now – he doesn’t want to distract me because we both need to be ready for what’s coming. I’m so sorry, Allan, your father is at peace now.”

“
They killed him!” Allan said, shocked by this, certain that Grey would save him.

“
I’m sorry. We’ll find his body and he’ll get a decent burial only that’ll have to wait because trouble’s coming our way.”

“
You’re going to beat them though, aren’t you?” Allan said desperately.

“
I hope so,” Grey said, almost as anxious as Allan.

While Grey and Allan waited for the Alieus they were heading elsewhere. Audrey and Germaine cooked together in the kitchen when Germaine noticed a concentrated number of maggots on the kitchen floor that hadn’t been there before and a swarm of flies by the windowpane. Before Germaine had chance to bring either matter to Audrey’s attention, Audrey said, her head bowed, focusing on the dough she was kneading, “Yes, I’m aware of the insects. That means they’re here.”

“
Not the Alieus?” Germaine gasped, feeling terrified.

“
Adelaide and Clemence if you don’t mind,” Adelaide said, walking through from the living room, truly the most beautiful creature that Germaine had ever seen. She was clad in a golden dress that shone, not unlike her bright hair, and she walked in with perfect posture unlike the creature that bowled in alongside her. It was hunchbacked and naked, female but not human, its skin blistered red, ridden with welts, black burns and bruises, its face uglier than any living creature. It had huge jaws that were badly out of alignment with fanged, canine teeth. It was bald save for a few long scraps of black hair that stuck to its head as though glued in place, and, unfortunately, was not the most horrifying thing on display. Looking closely at the strange thing that Adelaide held in her hands, Germaine realised what it was – if there had been blood she would have known instantly. Adelaide held an adult pair of lungs in her hands and threw them down at Audrey’s feet, a present.