Josephine Cox 3-Book Collection 2: The Loner, Born Bad, Three Letters. Josephine Cox

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СКАЧАТЬ laughed. ‘Oh, I see. You’ve been to see the new shop?’

      ‘Yes. And this is the first time I’ve seen it completely empty. I didn’t realise how much work needs doing. The storerooms upstairs are a disaster, and there isn’t an inch downstairs that doesn’t need attention – rotting wood, paintwork chipping, and in places it needs new floorboards. God knows what else I might uncover.’ He made a little-boy face. ‘I don’t suppose you could give me a few ideas, could you – being a woman and all that?’

      ‘What … you mean mop the floor and wash the walls, and then if I’ve time, check the plumbing and happen fix a new sink in the back? Will that do, sir? Or is there more?’ It was odd how her heart sang when she was with him.

      He mimicked her mood. ‘Well, we already know for a fact there’s more to do than mop the floor and get stuck into a bit of plumbing.’ He laughed. ‘Why don’t I let you renew the roof and rewire the entire place while you’reat it?’

      ‘All right then …’ Annie got serious. ‘What did you have in mind?’ Whatever it was, it was nothing like what she had in mind, that was for sure.

      ‘I just need to talk over my ideas with you, about colour schemes, shelving and layout – that sort of thing?’

      ‘Well, yeah, o’ course. I’d enjoy that. When were you thinking?’

      His face lit up. ‘If you’re not doing anything right now, I’ve got the key.’ Digging into his pocket he took out a long iron key and waved it under her nose.

      ‘Wouldn’t it be better if you asked Judy?’ Annie said carefully.

      ‘Not yet, not until it’s all finished. I want it to be a surprise.’

      ‘I see.’ She could come and do the donkey work, but Judy wouldn’t have to lift a finger. But Annie didn’t blame anyone. It was only what she might have expected.

      ‘So, will you come with me now and look it over?’ he said eagerly. ‘Can I steal a few minutes of your time?’

      Annie didn’t need asking twice. In fact, if Lenny wanted to ‘steal’ the rest of her life, it would be his for the taking.

      They spent a full hour in the shop. ‘You were right,’ Annie said, stepping over a jutting floor-board. ‘It is a disaster.’

      But the two of them had great ideas, and taking out a pencil, Lenny drew a plan on the wall. ‘I see it like this.’ He sketched out his ideas.

      Annie then sketched her ideas, and together they worked out the perfect layout for the shop. Afterwards he took her for a bite to eat and coffee at the nearby Wimpy Bar and the ideas continued to flow, until he walked her to the tram-stop, where they waved cheerio.

      With Annie safely on her way, Lenny went to the pub, where he continued making notes and plans, and before he realised it, the time had run away with him. In jaunty mood, grateful for Annie’s help and deeply satisfied with his day’s work, he made his way home under the stars.

      As he came up the street, yawning and ready for bed, Lenny saw the figure of a man climbing out of a car outside his home; in the lamp light, he recognised the tall man in the long dark overcoat. What was he doing here?

      Over the past few years – ever since he’d left school, really, he’d become aware of this man taking an interest in him. If they passed in the High Street, the man would nod and Lenny would acknowledge him. But they never spoke. It was strange, the boy thought. Almost as if he should know him, although he didn’t. Ron and Patsy (he no longer called them ‘Mam’ and ‘Dad’) had never mentioned him … Oh well, Lenny thought tiredly. It was one of life’s little mysteries. He had enough on his plate at the moment, to bother worrying about that.

      However, as he came further down the street, a deeper memory was triggered from his boyhood. This same man had called round to the house once. He could hazily recall his mother arguing with the man, and another time he had found them whispering downstairs. He remembered how nervous his mother became, when he asked her who the man was. From that day to this, he had never again seen the man at the house. Until now.

      Instinctively, he backed into the shadows. There was no mistaking him: it was the same man. Who was he? What did he want with the Reynolds family? Lenny’s curiosity was heightened. If he had come to see Ron, he would be unlucky. When the visitor was let into the house, Lenny carefully started forward. Ron was over at a mate’s house, helping him build a shed in the yard, and if he ran true to form, he wouldn’t be rolling home for ages yet.

      Suddenly, though he did not know why, it was important to Lenny to know why the man was here.

      Taking out his key, he slid it quietly into the front-door lock and turned it; with trepidation he pushed open the door and softly closed it behind him.

      Already he could hear raised voices coming from the sitting room. ‘You’d best give me what I’m owed,’ his mother was saying angrily, ‘or I’ll shout thetruth from the roof tops – and then what will you do, eh?’ She gave a low, harsh laugh.

      The man’s contemptuous answer was enough to stem the laughter. ‘You silly bitch! You can shout and yell all you like, and I won’t give a bugger!’

      ‘What are you talking about?’ Shocked by his defiance, she demanded, ‘I want my money. That was the agreement, and as far as I’m concerned, nothing’s happened to change it.’

      ‘You bloody fool, you’re not listening! Can’t you understand what I’m trying to tell you? She’s left me. Janette found the letters we exchanged and now she’s gone – and she’s taken young Charlie with her. Worse than that, she told her father and he’s pulled the rug from under me. He’s kicked me out of the family business, and taken back the house we’ve lived in all these years.’

      ‘You’re lying, Stuart. Now hand over my money!’

      Lenny heard a scuffle. Then: ‘LISTEN TO WHAT I’M SAYING!’ The man’s voice broke in a kind of sob. ‘I’ve got nothing – no family, no home and without references, no job. So don’t ask me for money, because thanks to you, I’ve got none!’

      There was the sound of another scuffle, and of furniture falling over. ‘GET OUT BEFORE I TAKE THE POKER TO YOU!’ Patsy roared. Her voice shaking with rage, she warned him, ‘You haven’t heard the last of this by any means. We had an agreement and by God, if you know what’s best for you, you’ll find what’s owed me. I don’t care where you get it. Just make sure you bring it before the end of the week.’

      ‘And if I can’t?’

      ‘Well, now …’ Her voice was slimy-wicked. ‘It isn’t just your wife and father-in-law who think you’re the worst kind of scum. There’s somebody else who might want to knock seven bells out of you when he knows the truth – or have you forgotten?’

      ‘No. I haven’t forgotten,’ the man called Stuart said tiredly. ‘In fact, that’s the other reason I’m here.’

      ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Lenny’s mother sounded suspicious.

      ‘It means I have to start again from scratch, and I don’t like the idea of doing it all by myself. And besides, I’ve been watching him. He’s a good strong fellow, with a clever head on his shoulders, and I understand СКАЧАТЬ