‘I’ve two, right over there,’ Jackie said, nodding over towards the diagonally opposite corner of the room.
‘Are they twins?’
‘Yep. One of each. Sophia and Wes.’
‘Christ, you’ve got your hands full.’
‘Don’t even go there. They’re a bloody nightmare. I mean, I love them to bits, but they make my life hell.’
‘It doesn’t get any easier, believe me.’
‘Thanks for that,’ she laughed. ‘You’ve other kids then?’
‘Two girls from my previous marriage. Fourteen and sixteen.’
‘I remember being sixteen.’
‘Me too. I was an absolute bitch. I know where my Tammy gets it from.’
‘Boys and cider, that’s all I was interested in. Couldn’t be doing with lessons and rubbish like that.’
‘How old are you now, if you don’t mind me asking.’
‘Twenty-four.’
That made Michelle feel old. She was half as old again. ‘And when did you move to Thussock?’
‘When I was fifteen. I tell you, I made my parents’ lives hell when they dragged me here. I was a little shit before I came here, understand, but this place brought out the worst in me.’
‘You’re not making me feel any better…’
‘I’m sure your girls will be fine.’
Michelle laughed. ‘I’m sure you’re right.’
‘Ah, Thussock’s not so bad. Nothing ever happens here, sure, and there’s bugger all for the kids to do, but it’s okay.’
Michelle watched George. He was lying down now, colouring in, more crayon ending up on the floor than on his paper. She was enjoying this conversation. She didn’t want to put her foot in it or say the wrong thing, but she couldn’t help asking. ‘You say nothing much happens here, but what about that murder?’
‘Terrible thing, that,’ Jackie said, her voice as hushed as Michelle’s. ‘Between you and me, I always had my doubts about that Potter bloke.’
‘I wouldn’t know…’
‘Never did anything wrong that I know about, it’s just there was sumthin’ about him… bit creepy lookin’. Dez says he never trusted him.’
‘Dez?’
‘My other half. Potter taught him at school.’
‘Oh, right.’
‘I’d never have had him down for a serial killer, though.’
‘A serial killer?’
‘Have you not heard? Dez says there’re two more deaths they’re pinning on him. Some fella last week, and a woman in the woods over last weekend.’
‘I saw that on TV.’
‘She was all cut up like that girl in his garden, apparently. One of Dez’s mates found the body. He does security up by that fracking place near Falrigg. Dez was with him just before he found it.’
‘How d’you know about the body in the garden? I didn’t think the police had said anything about how she’d died.’
‘Dez was talking to Alan.’
‘Alan?’
‘He works for Barry Walpole.’
‘So does…’
‘Your other half?’ Jackie said, surprising Michelle.
‘Yes. How did you know that?’
‘I thought it might be, didn’t want to presume, though. He said there was some new bloke from Birmingham started there.’
‘Redditch.’
She shrugged her shoulders. ‘Same difference. Everything’s south from here.’
‘Suppose. Scott’s pretty shaken up by it all.’
‘I’m not surprised,’ Jackie said. She watched Michelle and noticed that her demeanour had changed. ‘Sumthin’ wrong?’
‘No, it’s nothing.’
‘Come on, spit it out.’
Michelle sighed. ‘It’s just the way you knew who I was by default. I’m not used to living somewhere where everybody knows your business like that.’
‘It’s not like that here, honest. Thing is, you’re always gonna get a few folks who like to stick their nose in, and you’ll get that wherever. The difference here is that Thussock’s so small, people can’t help noticing change. No one’s watching you or spying on you, nothin’ like that.’
‘I think that makes me feel better…’
‘Look at it from the other side. My Dez starts talking about this bloke with a Brummie accent who’s just started working at Walpoles, then I find myself talking to someone else with the same accent here. No spying, just common-sense.’
Michelle relaxed. Slightly. ‘You’re right. Sorry. It’s been a big thing moving here, that’s all. We’re all on edge.’
‘Nothin’ to be sorry about.’
At the far end of the room, a woman wearing a shapeless smock-top and baggy jeans clapped her hands three times. The kids – all bar George – looked up, the oldest of them already starting to get up and put their toys away. ‘Is this us?’ Michelle asked.
‘Aye.’
Michelle pushed herself up from her seat and winced.
‘You hurting?’
‘Hurt my wrist last night. It’s nothing.’
She went to take her cup back to the kitchen. Jackie took it from her. ‘Here, let me take that.’
‘Thanks.’
By the time Jackie returned from the kitchen, having made a detour across the room to collect the twins, Michelle had George ready to leave. ‘Will I see you here again?’ Jackie asked.
‘I’m sure you will. George had a great time, didn’t you George?’ He tucked himself behind his mother’s leg, avoiding answering. ‘Thank you, Jackie.’
‘Thanks for what?’
‘For the chat. For not making me feel like a complete social leper.’
‘All I did was come across and start talking rubbish to you.’
‘That was more than anyone else has done. It was what I needed.’
‘I told you, I know what it’s like. And like I said, it will get easier.’
‘I’m sure you’re right.’
‘Listen, there’s another session here on Friday morning, maybe I’ll see you then?’
‘That’d be good.’
‘There’s a Thursday afternoon group too, but I don’t bother with that one.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘Don’t like the folks there. Bit strange.’
‘Stranger than this lot?’ Michelle whispered.
‘Believe it or not, yes!’ Jackie replied, also whispering. Michelle’s laughter filled the hall, her noise loud enough to warrant a few sideways glances.
‘I might see you Friday, then.’
‘Sure.’
She went to walk away, then stopped. ‘Listen, d’you fancy meeting up for a coffee some time?’
‘Yeah, definitely.’
Michelle hesitated. ‘Where exactly do people go for coffee around here?’
‘Usually Mary’s.’
‘Mary’s?’
‘Aye, Mary’s café in town. If you want Starbucks or Costa, anything fancy like that, then you’re lookin’ at an hour’s round trip.’
‘You’re kidding.’
‘I wish.’
‘Right, a date with Mary it is then.’
‘Ah, bugger the expense. Just come around to mine. I’m only five minute’s walk from the café, so if you don’t like my coffee, we can still go to Mary’s. Here, let me give you my number.’ Jackie scribbled her phone number and address on the torn off corner of a red gas bill, then handed it over. ‘I’m stuck at home with the twins most of the time. Dez has the car, so you’ve a good chance of catchin’ me.’
‘Excellent. Look forward to it.’
‘Aye, me too.’ One of Jackie’s twins yelled out, fighting over a toy with the other. ‘Got to go,’ she said. Michelle just smiled, scooped up George, and headed for the door.
8
Scott tried to keep on the road and away from the yard as much as possible, but it was a quiet day for deliveries. As well as himself, Barry Walpole and Warren, there were two other members of staff working today, far more than was necessary. A wiry-framed man in his fifties called Alan shifted slabs, and Chez, a streak of piss and wind who could only have been in his late teens or early twenties, helped. Alan, who Scott really wasn’t sure about, seemed to have an unhealthy preoccupation with the dead girl in Ken Potter’s garden. He kept pressing Scott to talk about her, and when he didn’t oblige, Alan just made stuff up instead. It wasn’t just him, they were all seriously pissing Scott off. He was glad when lunchtime arrived, though his relief was short-lived when Barry shut the yard and disappeared off with the truck. That move in itself took him by surprise. This is the twenty-first century, he’d protested, businesses don’t shut for lunch anymore. Then Warren made a point he found difficult to counter: they’d barely had any custom all morning, what were the chances of missing someone at lunch time? The others all went home to eat leaving Scott alone, stranded.