Scandal at Six(83)

“Hello? Lois Meade here. New Brooms. Is that you, Diana? Ah, nice to hear your voice again. Yes, we’re all well. Have you heard from Jamie? Oh good. Now, dear, I have a request. I wonder if you could tell me who wrote the story about Robert Pettison? No, it’s not idle curiosity! I do have a good reason for wanting to know. Ring me back? Fine. I’ll be here for at least another hour.”

The call came back after twenty minutes.

“Hi, Diana, nice of you to ring back. Yes, I’m all ears. Anonymous call, did you say? But surely you don’t print all anonymous stories from people wanting to cause trouble? Oh, verified by the hospital. Good heavens, what a mess. Oh, would you? That would be really helpful. Hear from you soon, then. Bye.”

Lois sat for another half hour, doodling on the back of an envelope and thinking. Then she put on her jacket and set out for the shop.

“Morning, Josie. All well? Has Matthew got rid of that cough?”

“Almost,” said Josie. “You look like the cat’s got the cream. What’s new?”

“Nothing, really. Not yet. Is the wicked Justin back in the flat?”

“Yeah, I think so. I told him I don’t want to see anything more of him than is necessary. He actually had the cheek to come in and ask to borrow gardening tools! Apparently, he intends putting the patch at the back down to vegetables, with a bit of lawn down the bottom near the pigsty.”

“Sounds like he means to stay.”

“I wouldn’t bank on it, Mum. I couldn’t trust him now, not after messing us about with the flat.”

“Ah, well, there could have been a good reason, I suppose. Still, as long as all is well now, and you make sure you remember to lock up out the back, so you’re safe in here.”

“Yep. Anyway, did you want a word with him? I’m pretty sure he’s in. Sometimes I think he’s got hobnailed boots, the row he makes!”

“Something to do with settling in, I suppose. I’ll not bother him. A clause in the tenancy document about security needs rewording. Just in case.”

But as she left the shop, she saw the nose of the Fiat edging out into the road. Justin saw her and immediately got out. “Mrs Meade, how are you? Looking a lot better than the last time I saw you! Can you ever forgive me?”

“No,” said Lois. “But, to change the subject, I need to see you sometime about the tenancy agreement. Needs rewording.”

“Right. Shall I give you a ring? Oh, and by the way, what do you think of the news? About Uncle Robert, I mean. It’s the talk of the town!”

“It could have been worse, I suppose. The hospital must be really furious. It puts them in a really bad light! They are being very cagey about it, but your uncle is said to have had a relapse. “

“Shame,” he said, and then smiled at her. “Must fly! Late already. Bye, and take care.” He revved up the engine and started off with a squeal of tires.

“What a dope,” muttered Lois. “He’ll come a real cropper one of these days.”



*



Justin was heading into Tresham. He passed the New Brooms office, and pulled up opposite Dot Nimmo’s house. After knocking at the Brierleys’ front door, he looked at his watch. Not lunchtime yet, so Ted should be safely down at his club. He knocked again, and it was immediately opened by Betsy.

“No need to knock the house down!” she said. “You’d better come in, I suppose.”

Dot, up in her bedroom getting ready to go over to her next job, saw the car, which she recognised, and made a note to have another look to see if it was still there when she went out. She strongly disapproved of Justin having the Farnden shop flat, and had said so forcibly to Lois. “Him being Pettison’s nephew is enough to have nothing to do with him,” she had said.

Inside the Brierley house, Justin sat down on a stool in the tiny kitchen, watching Betsy, as she continued hand washing a pile of frillies while he talked.

“I bet you don’t remember good sensible knickers required for handstands in the school gym?” he said.

“Blimey, I’m not that old!” she said. “And if knickers are on your mind, I’m not available at the moment.”

“No, certainly not,” he said. “I’m here on business. We need to decide what to do now the network is very likely to break down. God knows how much they’ll find out. You got any plans?”

“Oh, I shall have to carry on, if I’m able. There’ll be a lot of work to do, but it is lucrative, and we need the money. Whether Pettison will be well enough to get back into it is another matter. Also, there will be a lot of personal stuff to face. I must say I don’t look forward to it. But, as you know, it is difficult to see a way out without us incriminating ourselves. We’re in a bit of a limbo at the moment.”