Dark Rooms

Chapter Thirteen

Jason Thorpe held a small bunch of flowers, with the photograph album he had been so eager to have back tucked under his other arm.

‘Miss Thompson... Emily,’ he said, with a smile. ‘I’m just about to leave for Australia. I know it’s a trifle late in the afternoon, but was wondering if I could just see my aunt for a few moments?’

‘Oh, it’s perfect timing,’ she said, returning his smile. ‘We haven’t served tea yet. I’m sure your aunt will be delighted to have a visitor.’ They shared a complicit look, both perfectly aware that Helena Lanark never showed the slightest reaction to anybody coming to see her.

‘Let me sign you in and show you through, Mr Thorpe.’

As they passed through the glass double-doors into the corridor, he touched the small of her back in a familiar way. Emily Thompson knocked gently on Helena’s door before opening it.

‘Miss Lanark, you have a visitor... your nephew. He’s brought you some lovely flowers.’

Helena was sitting in her wheelchair, looking out through her bay window into the garden. Jason handed the flowers to Miss Thompson. ‘Perhaps you’d be kind enough to find a vase for these?’

‘Yes, of course, Mr Thorpe, I’ll get one of the girls to do it.’

Jason crossed to his aunt and placed the photograph album on the desk. He leaned forwards and kissed her powdery cheek. She turned, almost in slow motion and looked at him with her icy-blue, vacant eyes. A small glob of spittle formed at the corner of her mouth, as he opened the album at the last page. Before he said anything, there was a light knock at the door and a carer brought in a vase with the flowers.

‘Good afternoon, Ms Lanark... aren’t these pretty?’ She placed the vase on the desk next to the album.

‘I’ll be serving tea soon, sir, so would you like me to bring an extra cup and perhaps a slice of sponge cake?’

‘That is most kind of you, but I won’t be here for more than a few moments.’ The girl smiled sweetly and left the room as quietly as she had entered.

Jason stood up and walked over to the window, loosening the catch.

‘Do you not find it stuffy in here?’ he asked without looking at his aunt, before pushing the window open. He then began to search the drawers in the desk.

Ten minutes later Jason passed Emily Thompson in the reception as he left.

‘She seemed very tired and I can’t really stay longer if I’m going to catch my flight.’

‘Did the girl bring her flowers?’

‘She most certainly did, and my aunt was delighted.’ They exchanged the same complicit look as before.

‘Have a safe journey,’ Miss Thompson said, pleasantly. Jason Thorpe gave her a charming smile and walked out.

Jane was impressed with the Colefax & Fowler selection of wallpapers, despite their cost. She came away with a glossy catalogue, then drove herself to Pam’s salon. There was a CLOSED sign on the salon door, and Jane had to knock several times before a disgruntled Pam unlocked the door and let her in.

‘I’ve had a day from hell,’ she said immediately. ‘You just can’t please some customers. One bloody woman complaining her perm’s too curly... another one saying it’s not curly enough... they drive me to distraction. And I’ve got juniors who are incapable of following the simplest instructions. I asked one of them to sweep up the hair and she just left it in a pile in the middle of the salon.’ Pam was on autopilot as she talked, and quickly had Jane sitting down with a plastic cape around her shoulders, whilst she started mixing the bleach and arranging the tin foil pieces on a small wheelie tray.

‘How blonde do you want to go?’

‘Not too blonde... just highlights. And maybe a trim?’ Jane looked at herself in the mirror and saw Pam’s reflection glaring back at her.

‘Do you want one or two inches off? Or shorter? It’s up to you, but I think we should cut maybe two inches so it’s just below your chin.’

‘Fine... OK, yes, let’s do that.’ As Pam got to work, Jane was forced to listen to more complaints about her customers, her husband, her children, and then, inevitably, on to the fact that Jane wasn’t pulling her weight in terms of seeing their parents. Jane said nothing until Pam suddenly changed tack, asked if she was working on anything interesting.

Jane told her she had been working on the Stockwell murder investigation. ‘Oh my God!’ Pam exclaimed. ‘I think I read about that at the weekend — all about the girl who was starved to death, isn’t it?’ By this time Pam had completed a full head of foils and was washing up the plastic pots and brushes. ‘Did you find her body?’

‘No, but I did have to go in there,’ Jane told her. ‘It was really tragic, because her father had been trying to get her off drugs and had taken her to the shelter to go cold turkey.’

Pam tutted. ‘Drugs! I’ve got a customer whose daughter has gone all hippy and went to a concert by this group called the Animals and never came home... turns out she’d gone off with her boyfriend who was selling marijuana. Right, come on... over to the wash basin.’

It never ceased to amaze Jane how her sister could always make any conversation end up being about her and her customers. But on the bright side, it did mean that Jane didn’t have to go into details, and two hours later she had to admit that Pam had done a good job with her highlights, and her newly cut and blow-dried hair actually looked very stylish.

They then had the usual battle, with Pam insisting she didn’t want to be paid, but eventually accepting Jane’s proffered money — even the tip. As she was leaving, Pam asked her if she was seeing anyone.

Jane had a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she told her. ‘I am actually... he’s an interior decorator — he’s helping me do up the house.’

Pam looked predictably taken aback. ‘What about that architect you were seeing?’

‘Oh, that didn’t work out,’ Jane said breezily.

‘So, are you going to introduce this new boyfriend to Mum and Dad?’ Pam asked.

‘Perhaps... it’s early days, but I’m having a nice time with him.’

By the time Jane got home it was a quarter to eight and Eddie was waiting for her at the front door. ‘I thought you might have stood me up!’ he said, smiling. He looked smart in a white linen shirt and jeans, and Jane felt slightly embarrassed that she was still wearing her office clothes.

‘Wow! Your hair looks lovely,’ Eddie exclaimed.

‘Thank you. My sister Pam is a hairdresser. The reason I didn’t make it back to change is that she loves the sound of her own voice and tends to go on a bit!’

Eddie nodded. ‘I could leave the van here and drive us to my parents’ in your car? We should get a move on because Mum will be ready to serve up by five past eight.’

Jane handed him her car keys. ‘Well, I haven’t eaten since your delicious breakfast was delivered by your dad, so I’m starving.’

Eddie opened the passenger door for her and then had to push back the driver’s seat to accommodate his long legs.

‘We always try to have dinner together once a week,’ he said, starting the car. ‘Mum always used to put pressure on me to have Sunday lunch, but I didn’t always fancy it if I’d had a night on the tiles on Saturday. So now we tend to do it on Monday evenings.’

Jane started to feel guilty about not inviting her parents for a meal at her new house, but at least she had the excuse that there was still building work going on.

Eddie drew up into a garage forecourt, then quickly got out and picked up a bunch of flowers from the buckets outside the kiosk. Jane watched through the passenger window, feeling even more guilty that she hadn’t thought of getting flowers or a bottle of wine, as Eddie returned with both.

Eddie’s parents lived in Bonnington Tower, a 1960s high-rise block in Turpington Lane, near Bromley Common. It was eleven storeys high with fifty-four flats and was in surprisingly good repair, unlike many of the high-rises Jane had been obliged to visit in the course of her work as a police officer. There was a slightly rundown feeling in the large reception area, but the lift was in good working order and didn’t have the appalling stench of urine of so many council blocks.

Eddie pressed the bell on number 35, passing the flowers to Jane to give to his mother. Linette Fraser opened the door wearing a floral-print apron and sporting a perm even Pam would be proud of. Eddie gave his mother a huge hug, kissing her on both cheeks and putting his arms around her shoulders as he introduced Jane.

‘Mum, this is Jane Tennison, the lady I’m working for. Jane, this is my mum, Linette.’

‘He’s told me all about you,’ Linette said with a nervous smile.

‘Thank you so much for having me to dinner,’ Jane said as she rather sheepishly handed over the flowers, which had already begun to wilt.

‘Everything is ready to be served,’ Linette said, ushering them in. ‘So, you two sit down and I’ll pry Tony away from the TV.’ Jane could see the small dining room had been set out with great care, the table laid with cut glasses, lacy white napkins and a white lace tablecloth.

Eddie pulled out a chair for Jane to take a seat and held up the bottle of wine.

‘Get Dad to open the wine, would you, Mum?’

‘No, you do it, Eddie. You know what he’s like... he’ll either push the cork in too far or break it.’

Eddie crossed over to a sideboard, opened a drawer and took out a corkscrew. Jane looked around the room. There was a large fake coal fire and a pretty, tiled fireplace with a row of framed photographs on the mantelpiece, and a five-bulb modern chandelier lit the room brightly. She couldn’t help thinking it was all very neat and uncluttered compared to her parents’ house. Jane heard Linette calling out for her husband to come to the table and asked Eddie if she should go and help his mother in the kitchen.

‘Good God, no. That’s her domain. She’ll probably want to show off her new appliances after supper, though, especially her dishwasher.’

‘That’s me,’ Tony said, as he burst into the room with a grin. ‘Top bottle washer and dish dryer.’

‘Don’t be silly,’ Linette said, carrying in a tray of covered vegetable dishes. ‘Put these out, love.’

Eddie poured the wine, as Linette, now minus her apron, carried in the large roast chicken and sat down as Tony began to carve.

From then on the dinner was easy-going. Tony dominated the conversation with a barrage of funny anecdotes, mostly about when he used to run a market stall — and then became a window cleaner. Then he explained how he got into the home decorating business. By this time, the main course had been removed and Linette brought in a home-cooked apple pie and custard. Tony waved his spoon towards his son.

‘He’s the first in my family who went to college. Got a degree in electrical engineering.’

‘When did you start your business together? Jane asked.

‘As soon as he finished his degree, we became business partners.’

There were further amusing stories about their partnership, and it was not until coffee was brought in that the focus turned to Jane. Linette asked how she had got into the Metropolitan Police.

‘I read an article, I think it was in The Times, about the Met police recruiting more women... and I just somehow knew that was what I wanted to do.’

Tony nodded towards Eddie. ‘You’ll need to watch yourself, son! Better make sure you do a good job or she’ll have you in handcuffs!’

‘He works hard for everybody,’ Linette said, defensively. ‘You look around this flat. It’s not all down to his father. Eddie has done so much work here.’

Throughout the dinner, Eddie seemed content to let his parents dominate the conversation and was obviously proud of them.

‘My mum had it tough growing up,’ he said, turning to Jane. ‘She came from a really rough area in the East End that was flattened in the Blitz; the whole street she lived on was a bomb site.’

Linette smiled at him. ‘Oh, it wasn’t all bad, you know. In those days there was more friendliness with your neighbours. We were all in the same boat, and everyone helped everyone else. Nowadays, most people don’t even know who their next-door neighbours are — us included.’

‘Did you live anywhere near Stockwell?’ Jane asked.

‘No, we was near the sound of the Bow Bells, darling, but that area got badly hit too. Why do you ask?’

‘Oh, it’s just a case I’ve been working on.’

‘She’s on that murder you was reading about last weekend,’ Tony said.

‘Oh yes, what a shocking thing. That girl starved and then they found her baby.’

‘Actually no, that’s not quite true. The girl that was found in the old air-raid shelter had tragically died because we believe her father was trying to get her off drugs... but then he was murdered and nobody else knew she was there. Then we found the body of a newborn baby, but the forensic and pathology teams determined that it had been left there possibly thirty years ago.’

There was an uneasy silence around the table, then Linette reached over to take Jane’s coffee cup.

‘You know, when I was a young girl, there was quite a lot of that. There was such a terrible stigma if you were pregnant and not married. You know, there were these women doing illegal abortions because there wasn’t any healthcare like there is today. But families where I come from, if they found out you got yourself up the spout, all hell would break loose. There was a girl my mother knew, and she got herself pregnant by a GI and her dad beat the living daylights out of her. Is that what the father did to the girl you found starving?’

Jane shook her head. ‘No, no... they are two entirely different cases and there’s twenty-five years between them. What I’m trying to do is discover who killed the baby.’

‘What’s the point after all this time?’ Tony said. ‘Isn’t there enough crime going on right now for you to work on?’

Jane could feel her hackles rising. ‘Mr Fraser, I don’t think it matters how long ago it was. To extinguish a life is a crime and I believe that it deserves justice.’

Tony carried on regardless. ‘I tell you what I believe is justice... when you get garbage like Peter Sutcliffe, that Yorkshire Ripper, who killed at least eleven poor women and God knows how many more. Those victims deserve justice. But to me, some poor young woman who had a baby she didn’t want and couldn’t afford to look after it... she’s not a criminal. What good’s it going to do putting her in jail after all these years?’

Eddie stood up. ‘I think it’s probably time I took Jane home.’

Linette smiled at Jane, shaking her head. ‘Don’t mind Tony, dear... just don’t get him on to hanging. I’m very pleased to have met you, and I hope Eddie brings you to see us again.’

Jane looked over at Tony and gave him a warm smile to show she wasn’t upset by his remarks. ‘That would be lovely.’

Eddie ushered Jane into the hallway as Linette hurried after them, gently touching Jane’s arm. ‘Have you found out who did it?’

Jane shook her head. ‘Not yet, but I will. Thank you for a lovely dinner.’

In the car, Eddie started apologising for his father.

‘It’s fine, Eddie,’ Jane said. ‘Everyone’s entitled to their opinion.’

‘Well, he’s got strong opinions about crime because of his background. He didn’t mention why we got out of the East End — it was because all the villains he knew there were beginning to draw him into doing bad stuff. I was surprised he didn’t mention how well he knew the Kray brothers.’

Jane laughed. ‘Everyone born in the East End seems to have known them.’

Eddie gave her a sidelong glance. ‘No, he really did, and I think when he was a youngster a lot of his mates got drawn into a life of crime.’

They pulled up outside Jane’s house and, always the gentleman, Eddie opened the passenger door to let her out. He then locked the Mini and gave her the keys.

‘Do you want to come in for a coffee?’ Jane asked.

‘Can I take a raincheck on that?’ Eddie said. ‘I’ve got to pick up a couple of the guys early tomorrow to get them to work on time.’

Jane opened the front door as Eddie reached forward and cupped her face in his hands. He gave her a sweet, gentle kiss.

‘See you tomorrow.’

Jane closed the door, feeling disappointed to be ending the night alone. She put her briefcase on the stairs by the telephone and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She noticed that the folder she had put all the invoices in after her breakfast with Eddie’s dad was open and two of them were on the floor. She picked them up and put them back in the cardboard folder, then noticed that the back door was ajar.

She assumed one of Eddie’s guys had left it open accidentally, and made a mental note to tell Eddie to remind them to lock it in future, before closing it and pushing the bolt firmly across. By the time she headed upstairs to her bedroom, the warm feeling from dinner with Eddie’s parents had gone, replaced by a vague feeling of unease.