‘It’s José,’ came a voice from the corridor. ‘May I come in?’
Bella picked up Linda’s breakfast tray.
‘Of course, it’s open, José,’ she called. She flicked a warning look to Linda as he entered. He smiled warmly and bowed toward Bella. Linda picked up some tissues and loudly blew her nose.
‘How’s our invalid today?’ He looked at the tray. ‘What’s this? You don’t like Anna’s cooking?’
Linda muttered that it was fine, but she just wasn’t hungry. That secret look flashed between José and Bella as José sat on the bed.
‘I have some news for you.’
Bella smiled brightly. ‘Oh, yes?’
‘Yes,’ said José. ‘The taxi at your villa — my chauffeur was able to make out most of the number plate. The police are sure they will be able to trace the driver.’
Bella tensed up. ‘I thought we’d agreed we didn’t want to take it any further?’
José got up, touching her lightly on the shoulder. He caught sight of the two plane tickets on the dressing table and picked them up. ‘What are these? Two tickets?’
‘Oh, I just hadn’t got round to telling you yet, darling,’ Bella said lightly.
He placed the two tickets very carefully back on the dressing table. ‘I see.’ With a thoughtful incline of his head, he walked to the door. ‘Excuse me.’ His manners remained impeccable, but there was no disguising the iciness in his tone.
The door closed softly behind him.
‘You’ll have to tell him, Bella.’
Bella banged the breakfast tray down and turned furiously to Linda. ‘Tell him what? We’re running back to England because we’re scared stiff Harry Rawlins is gonna nick our money?’
‘I didn’t mean that. You know I didn’t mean that!’
‘Then what did you mean?’ Watching Linda squirming, tears in her eyes, Bella thought that sometimes she could really hate her. ‘Well, come on, Linda. What? You want me to tell him about the raid?’
Linda shook her head.
‘Oh, that’s it. You want me to tell him about me. You want me to tell him what I was. He’s asked me to marry him, Linda! You think he would have done that if he knew what I was? A tart?’
Linda began weeping. ‘I didn’t mean that. I...’
José had no intention of eavesdropping, but when he heard Bella’s voice raised in anger, he couldn’t help it. He stopped and listened. What he heard was the voice of a stranger — coarse and grating — not the Bella he’d come to know at all. As he listened it grew even louder.
‘I’m telling you, Linda, he’s not going to find out about me. I’m not gonna lose him, not for you, not for Dolly, not for anybody! I don’t give a shit about the money. This is what I’m gonna do, Linda. And stop crying for Chrissake! I’m gonna tell him that we’re gonna go back because you wanna see your mother.’
José moved closer to the door, straining to hear every word. Linda murmured something about not having a mother, then he stepped back sharply as Bella’s voice screamed out, ‘Well, you bloody got one now, you stupid bitch!’
As shocked as he was bewildered, José decided that he had heard enough and quickly walked back to his room. Pausing in the doorway, he saw Bella emerging from Linda’s room, her face set in an ugly grimace. He closed the door.
Shirley Miller’s mother, Audrey, had a new live-in lover — one Raymond Bates. Five foot six, Ray was a rotund little man with strange, dark tufted hair all over his chest and sticking up on top of his head. But despite his odd looks, Ray was her man and she loved him. Most importantly, he was straight — he had his own business, a garage — and that made Audrey happier than she’d been in years. Which was why she felt a little nervous when she saw the cable lying on the mat. Cables rarely meant good news. She opened it and walked into the kitchen.
‘Our Shirley’s comin’ home.’
Ray looked up with a grin. ‘All right, is she?’
Audrey sat down at the table. ‘Well, that’s my holiday up the spout. I’ve really been looking forward to it. “Come to Los Angeles,” she said. I’ve only just gone out and got all that gear, all them summer clothes, and now...’ Her mouth began to tremble. ‘I’m not goin’ now, am I?’
Ray reached over, gave her hand a squeeze and picked up the cable. ‘What’s she comin’ home for? You think she knows about us?’
Audrey took out a crumpled bit of tissue and dabbed at her eyes. ‘Oh, yes, I’m sure she’s heard about us. Headlines in the News of the World, we are!’ Her expression turned serious. ‘Something’s wrong, Ray, I know it. I mean, why did she call us up one minute and say, “Come out, have a holiday,” say she’s sending me money, then I get a cable next minute says she’s comin’ home?’
Ray put the cable down. ‘Well, we’re gonna find out, aren’t we? What about you fryin’ us up another slice of that bacon?’
Audrey blew her nose. ‘Oh, Ray, love, you’ll have to fry it up yourself. I’m gonna have to lie down, I don’t feel too good!’ Audrey didn’t know what the matter was with her lately. She kept feeling sick all the time.
Ray went and picked up the frying pan. ‘It’s all right, darlin’,’ he said with a wink. ‘I tell you what, one day I’ll take you to Disneyland!’
Audrey gave him a sad smile and went to bed.
Dolly arrived at the clinic. The reception was all very tasteful — soft music playing, potted plants — but the soothing décor didn’t make Dolly feel any less nervous as she walked up to the desk, carrying her overnight bag with everything in it, even the dark glasses. The receptionist smiled at her.
‘It’s... er... Mrs. Rawlins. I’m, um, Mr. Jarrow’s patient.’ Dolly could hardly speak.
The receptionist did her best to calm her. ‘Ah, yes, we’re expecting you. Good morning, Mrs. Rawlins. Now, you’re going to be in—’ she turned the pages of her ledger — ‘room 4E. I’ll just call for a nurse to take you through. I’m sure you’ll really love this room; it looks over the gardens. Oh, Mrs. Rawlins...’ She reached beneath the desk and brought out an envelope. ‘This arrived for you two days ago.’
Dolly was taken aback. Mail? There shouldn’t be any mail for her — nobody even knew she was here. Dolly’s hand was shaking as she ripped open the envelope and read the cable inside. The receptionist was poised, pen in hand.
‘I don’t appear to have a forwarding address for you, Mrs. Rawlins. Would you...’ She stopped when she saw how shaken Dolly looked. ‘Are you all right, Mrs. Rawlins? Not bad news, I hope?’
Dolly hurriedly stuffed the cable in her pocket and picked up her bag. ‘You’ve had this how long? This cable?’
‘Two days, Mrs. Rawlins. You see, we had no forwarding address.’
Dolly was already on her way to the exit.
‘Please give Mr. Jarrow my apologies, I’m afraid I have to... I’m so sorry.’ And she was gone.
Harry was standing on the brow of a hill, looking down in to an orange grove. In a clearing he could see Tony leaning against his taxi, arguing with Jimmy, who was holding a handkerchief to his bleeding nose. The men were shouting at each other, but Harry couldn’t hear what they were saying.
He watched Jimmy turn on his heel and walk up the hill toward him. ‘He’s a cocky son of a bitch,’ Jimmy muttered as he reached Harry. ‘He’s only gone and butted me. Did you see ’im? He butted me one in the face!’
Harry’s mouth tightened. ‘Did you get the cash?’
Jimmy patted his bulging pockets. ‘There’s two grand. He said it’s all that’s left. He spent the rest. He’s also panicking. The police have been round asking questions, and his girl—’
Harry cut him off. ‘He tell them anything?’