‘Malcolm looks like he went ten rounds with Tyson and then got run over by an ice road trucker, but he’s fine in himself. Feels like the bigger man for not contacting the police. His sister is in The Den with him. She’s given me an earful for allowing this to happen but she’s mildly appeased by the fact that Shane’s not here anymore.’
‘Already?’ Alex was surprised but also pleased.
David held his arms open. ‘He left during the night. I went to wake him early to talk to him and his room had been cleared. I’ve left him a couple of messages but he’s now switched off his phone.’
‘Oh David, I’m so sorry. I know how much you liked him.’
‘Poor kid’s got no one. Never had a break in his life. I really thought we could help him.’
‘He’s a grown man. He has to make his own decisions. It’s possible that he just couldn’t face Malcolm and thought this was the best way. At least you don’t have to ask him to leave.’
‘Hello Dougie,’ she said, without turning. ‘Don’t you ever get bored of following me around?’
He shook his head and shuffled from one foot to the other. She opened her mouth to say something and then closed it again. There wasn’t even any sport in being mean to Dougie. She liked her adversaries to have possession of at least one brain cell.
Alex took the plates through to The Den.
Ray, the oldest resident, was sitting on one of the sofas enduring another uncomfortable silence that frequently occurred between him and a daughter that he barely knew.
Ray was the epitome of what Jeremy Hardwick had in mind when opening the House. When Ray left the free world in 1986, a computer hard drive had filled an entire room. A mobile phone came with a battery the size of a suitcase and the founder of Facebook was two years old.
She approached the two of them with a plate. She wished she didn’t have to waste her time with such trivialities but appearances were important. They both took a cake and thanked her, eager for the distraction.
Malcolm sat in the far corner, looking sheepish and intimidated by his austere younger sister. Malcolm would have made a domineering woman a very good husband. He accepted his place well. Alex offered him a secret smile and then lowered her eyes.
She started to look around the room when a voice sounded behind her.
‘Err … excuse me, you’re the doctor, aren’t you?’
Alex was surprised to find Malcolm’s officious sister glaring up at her. She was an unfortunate-looking woman with buck teeth and small squinty eyes.
‘My name is Alexandra Thorne and I …’
‘So, you’re the woman who talked my brother out of calling the police?’
The hands were resting on the hips and the pock-marked jaw had thrust forward. Alex stopped herself from laughing. The height difference between them made Alex want to reach down and pat the woman on the head. If only she didn’t have to waste her time with such inconsequential people.
‘Would you like to explain to me why you would do such a thing?’
‘I don’t feel I need to explain anything to …’
‘Just look at the state of him.’ She gestured towards Malcolm, who looked mortified and yet remained seated.
‘How could you let that bastard do this to him and get away with it?’
‘It was Malcolm’s decision not to call the police.’
The woman harrumphed in a manner way beyond her years. ‘Yeah, I’ll bet it was.’ She looked Alex up and down. ‘You with your Vicky Beckham jeans and high heels; he’d sacrifice his own nieces if you asked him to.’
On cue, two girls zoomed past, catching Alex’s left thigh and she briefly considered putting that theory to the test.
People were beginning to look their way. And Alex’s boredom threshold had been reached.
Alex lowered her voice. ‘I did not persuade your brother to do anything. He is a fully grown man with a mind of his own.’
‘Aha, thought so. I know your game.’
Alex seriously doubted that but she smiled tolerantly anyway. ‘And, what would that be?’
‘You’re after him. That’s what this is about.’
Oh yes, of course that was it, Alex thought, almost laughing in the woman’s face.
‘You’re trying to get him all dependent on you so you can trap him into marriage.’ A drop of spittle from the woman’s mouth landed on her cheek. A step too far.
She gently guided the woman into a corner and placed a smile on her face for the benefit of onlookers. She spoke quietly.
‘Okay, you stupid, ignorant bitch, I encouraged Malcolm to leave the police out of it and you should be fucking grateful that I did. Shane was making all kinds of accusations about Malcolm molesting your two little demons over there.
‘Any attending officer would have been obliged to investigate such claims, which would have resulted in painful, humiliating physical examinations for your little darlings – not to mention the distinct possibility of them being removed from your care.’
Alex was gratified that the woman’s mouth had dropped open far enough to dry any remaining droplets of spittle.
Alex continued to smile. ‘So, I suggest you keep your vicious little mouth shut and continue visiting with your brother and stay away from what doesn’t concern you.’
A very slight nod was the response.
Alex turned away and took a deep breath. Now, back to the real reason for her visit.
THIRTEEN
Alex spied Barry sitting in the furthest corner reading a magazine, alone.
She stood before him, the plate offered and her game face back on. ‘Apple turnover?’
‘Is that an offer or some kind of request?’
‘Take your pick.’ Alex took a seat beside him. ‘How are you doing?’
He shrugged in response and returned his gaze to the magazine. His head was freshly shaved and his body more toned and muscular than she remembered. Barry had been a semi-professional boxer before going to prison; a fact that hadn’t helped him at trial.
Alex stretched her legs before her and crossed them at the ankles. She chuckled tolerantly as the irritating little girls ran to the table, grabbed a cake and ran off again. Had she been on her own she would have raised a leg and sent them tumbling to the ground but she stopped herself.
‘Aren’t they adorable?’
Barry didn’t look at them. ‘Are you still here?’
‘Yep. You appear to be the only person here without a visitor so you get the consolation prize of me.’
‘Woohoo.’
‘Now, now, contain your excitement. I can tell that you’re thrilled on the inside and you’re just choosing not to show it.’
Honestly, these boys were so sensitive. First Shane had reacted badly to her rejection and now Barry was giving her the cold shoulder for the same thing. No matter. She’d get him back.
‘Yeah, that’ll be it.’
She tipped her head. ‘Not in the mood to talk to me today?’
Barry laughed out loud. ‘That’s rich. You haven’t spoken to me for months.’
Alex worked the angle. ‘I know, Barry, and I’m sorry. But the thing is there are people that needed my help far more than you. You seem to be through the worst of it now.’
He grunted and Alex stopped herself from smiling. She knew full well he wasn’t even close to being through the worst of it. Her plan depended on that fact.
She nudged him sideways. ‘Come on, I thought we were friends. Why so pissed off?’
‘I’m sure David has already filled you in.’
‘No,’ she lied. ‘I’m not here in an official capacity so he doesn’t divulge histories to me. That’s up to the individual.’ What she really wanted was for Barry to tell her himself so she could gauge where his vulnerabilities were. David had given her the facts but she wanted the emotional triggers. She had already deduced that Barry couldn’t look at the two little girls. They reminded him that his own daughter was being cared for by another man. His own brother.