Living in the Shadows Read online

  ‘Bugger off.’ Charlie shrugged his shoulder forward, knocking Jack off balance so he fell against the kitchen unit, rattling all the crockery inside.

  There was a cry from upstairs. Charlie dithered, glanced upwards as Jack rebounded from the unit onto him. William dived towards them.

  William wasn’t sure how it happened but the hard thump told him enough. He staggered back, holding his shoulder. Blood seeped through his fingers. He tried to find the wall to hold him up. He kept his eyes on Jack, but his cousin’s face wavered and blurred as he buckled and slumped awkwardly to sit on the floor, his head between raised knees.

  ‘Oh, hell,’ Jack cried out. ‘Get something! Towels or something!’ he shouted at Susan.

  She pulled so hard at one of the drawers it came off the runners, and towels cascaded to the floor. Grabbing one she shoved the table out of the way. ‘Bastard!’ She spat the word at her husband and dropped to kneel at the side of William, pressing the cloth on the spread of blood. ‘We need to call for an ambulance. Go to the telephone-box at the end of the road.’

  Neither of the two men moved.

  ‘It wasn’t me, it was him.’ Still holding the knife Charlie swung round to Jack. ‘You bloody pushed me, you idiot.’ There was a sheen of sweat on his top lip. ‘And it wouldn’t have happened if he,’ he shook the knife at William, ‘hadn’t tried to play the bloody macho man.’

  ‘Get an ambulance,’ Susan yelled.

  No one moved.

  William saw the terror in Jack’s eyes. He blinked against the waves of pain that filled his body. He coughed, gritting his teeth to ward off the agony the sharp movement caused. ‘No. No ambulance.’

  Charlie Pearson collapsed on one on the chairs staring at the knife in his hand. Through the sweat that dripped into his eyes, William saw Jack prise the man’s fingers open until the knife dropped. He could hear Susan sobbing, feel her hands holding the towel to his shoulder. Feel the hot rush of blood on his chest.

  ‘Jack,’ his voice was a croak. ‘Jack.’ There was no response from his cousin; his eyes stared blankly at William. ‘You need to go and get Linda. D’you hear me?’

  ‘Huh?’ Jack’s tongue protruded slightly between his teeth. ‘What?’ He didn’t move his gaze.

  William’s legs were weak, his head swam. He wanted, needed to lie down. To sleep. ‘I said, go get Linda. You always wanted a bloody go on my bike,’ he whispered, ‘now’s your chance. Get on the bloody thing and go to Henshaw Street. For Linda. And you’d better bloody pray she’s not on a shift.’

  Chapter 56: Victoria Schormann

  Ashford: Sunday, October 12th

  Victoria watched Melody being systematically ostracised by the rest of the group. No one spoke to her. They whispered about her and, when she approached or came close to any of them, they turned their backs on her. But, wherever she went, one of them followed her.

  Victoria didn’t understand why they wouldn’t let her just leave.

  ‘She’s not allowed to go until the Master says she can,’ Amber explained. ‘He talks to her at night.’

  ‘At night?’

  ‘All night. He’s trying to make her understand how she won’t fit in on the outside anymore.’

  Seth’s brainwashing her, Victoria thought, horrified. He’s trying to break her spirit. It made her stomach twist inside her.

  Despite all her efforts to avoid any of the groups, all of them had tried to involve Victoria in the exclusion.

  ‘You can’t sit on the sidelines, Summer, it’s too dangerous,’ Amber said, while they were sitting around the table at suppertime.

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘She means we are a family, Summer.’ Chrystal stood behind them. ‘We all rely on each other; for our food, our clothing and,’ she spread out her arms and looked around the dining room, ‘our shelter.’

  ‘It doesn’t seem fair, Chrystal. When you take our meditation sessions, you preach good vibes.’ Victoria deliberately said the word. She thought back to the last time the woman had gathered them together: yeah, preach was definitely the right way to put it.

  Still, she made her face impassive when she saw Chrystal bristle.

  Victoria looked across at Melody. Sitting on her own at a table that she’d been led to the day after her outburst, she was upright, arms folded. The meagre amount of food on the plate in front of her was ignored.

  ‘She is backsliding into temptation. There is nothing we can do for her now, Summer. It is up to the Master.’ Chrystal put her hand on Victoria’s shoulder. She clenched her stomach muscles, tried to shut out the drone of Chrystal’s voice. ‘If she goes she will leave without his blessing. She is rebellious, disobedient. A castaway…’ Now she was leading Victoria towards the door and it was as though there was nothing for it but to go. ‘We have been watching your struggle over the past few days. We see your compassion for Melody. But it is misplaced.’ She leaned towards Victoria, her voice soft. ‘You need to decide where you loyalties are. With her, or with us, with our Master. He needs to know, Summer.’

  Victoria glanced over to the top table where Seth sat alone. He was watching her.

  Chapter 57: Linda Booth

  Ashford: Sunday, October 12th

  ‘Linda. Is Linda in?’

  Jack pushed past Ted, shouting for her.

  ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’ Linda ran down the stairs, pulling on her cardigan over her uniform. ‘I thought you were going back tonight.’ It looked as though he was; Jack was in full uniform even if he wasn’t as smart as usual.

  ‘You have to come.’ There were tears ready to spill over. He passed his hand over his short hair, agitated.

  ‘What’s wrong? I’m due in work in an hour.’

  ‘It’s William, he needs you.’

  ‘William?’ In the lounge, Ellen twisted around on the settee. ‘Our William! Why? What’s happened?’ She stood up.

  ‘There’s been an accident.’ Jack was tugging at Linda’s arm.

  ‘Whoa, steady on, lad.’ Ted put his palm on Jack’s chest. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘William got in a fight.’

  ‘Never.’

  ‘It wasn’t his fault.’ Jack wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘It just happened.’

  ‘Where is he?’ Ted went into the hall and took his jacket from the stand.

  ‘At his girlfriend’s.’

  ‘Which is where?’ Looking up at Jack, Ted shoved his foot into his shoe.

  ‘I told you to find out where he’d gone!’ Ellen jumped up, screaming at Ted. ‘I told you!’

  ‘Be quiet, Ellen. And turn that bloody thing off. I don’t know why you’re watching it.’

  ‘I like Stars on Sunday.’ Ellen muttered, crossing to the television where Jess Yates’ face filled the screen.

  ‘You’re arguing about a TV programme at a time like this?’ Linda stared at them; she’d never heard her father speak to her mum like that. She turned to Jack. ‘How is William hurt?’ she asked. ‘I‘ll need to know what to bring.’

  Jack looked from one to the other. He gulped, swallowing. ‘He’s been stabbed.’

  ‘What?’ Ted straightened up.

  ‘Oh, my God!’ Ellen slumped onto the settee.

  ‘How bad?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Jack touched his shoulder. ‘Here. He’s bleeding.’

  Ellen gave a loud wail.

  ‘Okay,’ Linda said, ‘I’ll get some things.’ She opened a cupboard in the sideboard and took out a box. ‘This is only a first aid kit, though. We’ll need to get him to the hospital.’

  ‘No! No hospital!’ Jack shouted. ‘William said we hadn’t to call for an ambulance. No hospital.’

  ‘Why?’ Linda was hurrying to the door. When she looked at him he bowed his head, shamefaced. ‘It’s you he had the fight with,’ she said, thinking she understood.

  ‘No.’

  She turned from him. ‘Get the van, Dad.’

  ‘I’ve got his bike,’ Jack said, ‘
William said for you to get there on his bike. It’s faster.’

  Linda was astride the bike and holding on to Jack as Ted slammed the front door of the house.

  ‘What’s the address?’ Ted asked.

  ‘Two Bridge Street, Bradlow. Same street as the new supermarket, Payless,’ Jack yelled, opening the throttle. The bike lurched and wobbled before he regained some control of it and rode cautiously away.

  ‘I’ll follow in the van,’ Ted shouted after them, watching which way they turned onto Shaw Street.

  ‘I’ll come.’ Ellen had flung open the door and was on the step shoving her arms into her coat.

  ‘No, Ellen, you stay here. And ring Patrick and Jean. Jack was supposed to be reporting back to his regiment tonight. They’ll need to know he hasn’t got there. Though what they’ll tell the Army I wouldn’t know.’ He stopped to put his arms around her. ‘I’m sorry I shouted at you, love.’ He gave her a quick kiss on the mouth.

  ‘Bring him home safe, Ted. Bring our son back to me.’

  Chapter 58: Linda Booth

  Bradlow: Sunday, October 12th

  ‘A flesh wound. Messy but not as bad as I thought it was at first. Think it’s mostly shock you’re in.’

  ‘Still bloody painful, though.’ William screwed his face up as he sat back against a leg of the table.

  ‘I’m sure.’ Linda sat back on her haunches. ‘It’s stopped bleeding, but it looks as if you’ve lost a fair amount. Keep that dressing on. You really should go to the hospital and get checked out though. It looks like you need a couple of stitches.’

  ‘No,’ William said, ‘I’ll be okay.’

  ‘I am sorry, mate,’ Jack sat at the table, head in his hands.

  ‘It wasn’t your fault,’ William said.

  ‘Well, it wasn’t mine.’ Charlie cast a nervous glance at William and then glared at Jack. ‘If that stupid bugger hadn’t pushed me…’

  Jack moaned.

  ‘If you hadn’t had a knife in the first place…’ Linda stood up, her hands on her hips. ‘Anything to do with me, I’d call the police.’

  ‘No police.’ William shook his head. Looking up at her he said, ‘Help me onto the chair, Lin, and if you could just ask Susan for a clean shirt. She’s upstairs with Tim. I don’t want him seeing me like this.’

  ‘Because you care so much for my son,’ Charlie sneered. ‘My son.’

  ‘Well, one of us has to, because you don’t.’ William ground his teeth together as he hoisted himself up, with Linda’s arms around him. He waited until she left to go upstairs before saying, ‘I won’t report this if you just sod off now and don’t come back. You heard Susan earlier, she’ll tell you when and how you can see Tim. Owt to do with me and you’d be out of his life for good. You’re just a nasty bugger with a bad temper. And I’ll tell you this just once; come anywhere near Susan when I’m not around and you’ll be out of the Army quicker than you can spit. Get it?’

  Charlie shrugged. ‘Hey, soft arse,’ he gave Jack a nudge with his boot, ‘we should be getting off before we’re reported AWOL.’

  ‘We can’t just leave.’ Jack let his hands drop from holding his head. ‘Will’s my cousin—’

  ‘Shame you didn’t think that years ago.’ Despite the hot pain that was making William’s head spin he felt a vague pity for Jack; he must be terrified I’ll get him kicked out of the Army as well, he thought. He wouldn’t know what else to do with his life. And, to be honest his mother had enough to put up with living with Patrick. And for some incredible reason she adored Jack, a son who was foisted on her, if family folklore was anything to go by. ‘Just go, Jack, I’ll say nothing.’

  Jack came over to him. He held out his hand. ‘I’m sorry, Will, I really am.’ He faltered. ‘Thanks, mate.’

  William took hold of the proffered hand with his own left one. He gave Jack a crooked grin. ‘Go on, you heard Lin, it’s not as bad as it looks. Just be careful over there. From what it says on the news you’ll have a rough time of it in Belfast as it is. Just keep in touch with your mother. Okay?’

  ‘Okay.’ Jack nodded. He picked up his backpack and gave William a last uplift with his chin. ‘See you.’

  ‘See you.’

  Charlie waited until Jack had gone before slinging his backpack onto his back. He looked at William for a long time. William returned the stare. Neither spoke. Then Susan’s husband walked through the door, slamming it behind him.

  Chapter 59: Ted Booth

  Bradlow: Sunday, October 12th

  ‘I’m William’s dad. How is he?’ Ted said, stepping into the small porch of the terraced house and holding out his hand to the small woman who opened the door to him. He could tell she’d been crying and still looked shaken.

  He screwed his cap into folds and shoved it into his tweed jacket pocket, wishing for a moment he’d brought Ellen; in the right circumstances she was better at the ‘niceties’ than him. But then these weren’t what you’d call the right circumstances, he thought, and Ellen would probably have gone for the girl; she had a right tongue on her when she was upset. No, better he was here on his own.

  ‘Susan,’ she said, taking his hand, looking as uncomfortable as he felt. ‘And Linda says he’ll be fine.’

  ‘I’m sorry we haven’t met before. No, you first,’ he said as Susan held the door open for him to go through to the living-room. He followed her. ‘And I’m that sorry we have to meet like this now.’

  ‘I’m sorry, too. This is all my fault. William’s this way.’

  ‘We knew he had a girlfriend,’ Ted said as she opened another door. ‘But we didn’t know you were married before this last week.’ When she looked over her shoulder to him he saw the colour rise from her throat to her face. He heard the cry of a child. Looking up to the ceiling he said, ‘And with a bairn.’

  She let him pass her into the kitchen. ‘If you’ll excuse me…?’

  ‘You go, see to…’ Ted rubbed his hand over his mouth, embarrassed. He was relieved when he saw William, looking ashen but sitting on a chair at a table opposite Linda, They were drinking tea. ‘Son.’ He nodded at them. ‘Our Linda.’

  ‘Don’t judge, Dad.’

  ‘I’m not, lad.’ Ted fingered the scar on his cheek. It wouldn’t be him that judged; Ellen’s face flashed through his mind. ‘How’re you feeling?’

  ‘I’m okay.’ William touched his shoulder under the clean white shirt. ‘Lin patched me up.’

  ‘Where did you get to, Dad? We didn’t go that fast. I think Jack was more nervous than me on Will’s bike.’

  William gave a chuckle.

  ‘I thought you were right behind us?’ Linda said, standing up. ‘Tea?’

  ‘Please.’ Ted said. ‘I took a wrong turning and couldn’t get out of the one-way system. Stupid. I were that frantic.’ He saw the bloodied shirt in the sink. ‘Bloody hell, Linda, shouldn’t he be in hospital?’

  ‘I am here, you know, Dad,’ William said, ‘and no, there’s no need for me to go to hospital.’

  ‘I’ve told him.’ Linda said. ‘He won’t go. But I think he’ll be fine, so long as he rests for a few days.’

  ‘I can see Patrick liking that.’ William shifted on the chair and flinched.

  ‘It’s his son that caused this,’ Linda said. ‘So he can like it or lump it.’

  ‘Aye, she’s right.’ Ted took the cup of tea from Linda. ‘Thanks, love. Jack went then? Didn’t wait to face the music?’

  ‘There’s nothing for him to face, Dad. I’ll not be grassing him up to the coppers.’

  Linda pulled a face.

  ‘Your choice, lad.’

  The crying stopped. A minute or two later Susan came back into the kitchen.

  ‘How is he?’ William looked up at her.

  ‘He’s fine. Bad dream, that’s all.’

  ‘Sure?’

  ‘Sure.’ She smiled at him and then looked at Ted. ‘Won’t you sit down, Mr Booth?’

  ‘Ted, please. And no, lass, I’d better be off.
Let his mother know our William’s okay.’ Ted drained the last of his tea. ‘She wanted me to bring you home,’ he said to William.

  ‘No, Dad, I’m fine here.’

  ‘What if he … Susan’s husband comes back?’

  ‘He won’t.’ William set his jaw.

  ‘He’ll be well on his way to barracks by now,’ Susan added. ‘And he knows he’ll never be welcome here again.’

  ‘I’d better be off, then.’

  ‘I’ll come with you,’ Linda said. ‘I’ll be even later for my shift if I don’t get a move on.’ She hugged Susan, knowing already she was going to like William’s girlfriend. ‘I’ll call around after work tomorrow.’

  ‘You sure?’

  ‘Yeah. Need to keep an eye on my little brother. One of the nurses lives around here somewhere. I’ll cadge a lift with her.’

  ‘Dad?’ William caught hold of Ted’s sleeve. ‘I’ll be right. Honest. Everything will be all right. Tell Mum, won’t you, I don’t want her mithering. And then getting herself in a state again. You know what I mean?’

  ‘Aye, lad, I know what you mean.’ They exchanged looks.

  ‘I’ll keep an eye on her.’ Linda picked up her coat. Helping her dad to look after her mother would help to take her mind off her own problems.

  Ted stopped by the door. ‘And perhaps you’ll bring your young lady home – to our house sometime? With the little ’un, of course.’

  ‘Thank you Mr Booth … Ted.’ Susan hesitated and then gave him a peck on the cheek.

  ‘You look after him,’ Ted said, blushing. ‘He’ll eat you out of house and home, mind.’

  They all laughed. It released the tension.

  ‘Well then,’ Ted unfolded his cap and jammed it on his head, ‘I’ll be off. And I hope we’ll be seeing a lot more of you in future, Susan.’

  ‘You will.’ William grinned. ‘Thanks, Dad.’

  Ted nodded. ‘You be careful.’

  When Linda had settled into the passenger seat of the van, Ted stopped and looked back at the closed door of the house. It looked like they were all going to have to be careful in the future. One way or another. Seems they couldn’t help getting into trouble, not one of them.