Beyond Life (6 page)

Ron tried to work it all out. ‘First of all your father seems to have turned into Arnold Schwarzenegger and secondly, I think that was his ex Carol on the phone who last I heard didn’t want anything to do with him?’

‘Time’s a great healer, Ron as you well know. Now come on.’

They followed Graham who arrived at Carol’s house a little later. His daughter gave him a hug and a kiss as a normal greeting Claire noticed, and not as if they hadn’t seen each other for a while. Graham pulled Carol into an embrace and kissed her on the cheek. Claire noticed the look between them and concluded that they were having a physical relationship.

‘I wonder why they’re hiding it?’ asked Ron and Claire assumed it was for Melanie’s sake.

‘Perhaps they want to take it slowly until they’re certain it’s what they both want. Mel’s had enough trauma and upset in her life and they’ll want to protect her feelings.’

Ron couldn’t imagine how he would have felt had Libby been kidnapped and put through the terror that Mel had encountered. She’d also had to come to terms with the fact that her father had another family and both parents had kept this from her for most of her young life.

‘They seem to have forgiven your father and it all looks very cosy.’

They watched as the family sat together to eat their dinner with an amount of food on Graham’s plate that Claire thought would feed a third world country for a week. Shortly after Graham and Mel said goodbye to Carol then left in Graham’s car. They eventually pulled up outside a house, which Ron didn’t recognise.

‘You remember one of Mel’s school friends? Well this is where the one called Alice lives.’

‘One of the girls who was abused by Big Ed and his cronies?’ Ron’s voice turned to steel. The man had groomed the girls and arranged their deflowering as well as murdering his accomplice, and had escaped justice.

They watched as Alice’s mother answered the door and let them in. Cups of tea were passed around amidst polite conversation and Alice used the excuse of wanting to show Mel some new clothes to get them away from the adults. She closed the bedroom door.

‘So how are you really?’

‘Still having nightmares and so is Drew, but the therapy’s working for both of us and look.’ Alice rolled up the sleeves of her blouse and presented her arms to her friend. Mel lifted them one by one and inspected both inside and out. There were some old scars, but nothing new.

‘Well done, Alice. You’re getting there.’

‘It’s not easy.’

Mel pulled her friend into a hug and both girls cried. She was so glad that Alice had stopped self-harming and hoped that she was on the road to a proper recovery.

They broke loose and dried their eyes. ‘How about you?’

‘I’m all right and the police think he’s left the country now. Daddy’s competition earnings means he can employ security staff as he likes to call them for when he’s not with us, so at least that gives us peace of mind,’ she sounded much older than her seventeen years to Ron and Claire, but that was expected after what she’d been through. ‘But none of us will be able to move on properly until that evil bastard is caught and punished.’

‘Hmm. I hope they castrate him.’ Alice nodded.

‘And men in prison have their wicked way with him,’ said Mel and the girls giggled as they exchanged ideas for what would be the appropriate punishment for the man they knew as Big Ed.

When all ideas had been exhausted Mel resisted the urge to talk about Sandy’s involvement in her escape. To her Sandy had been a heroine and she was still saddened at her violent death. But to Alice and Drew she was a villain and almost as bad as Big Ed. They’d trusted her and she’d drugged them.

The conversation got onto safer ground and the girls talked about fashion and boys at Mel’s dance class and Alice’s badminton club. Graham called that it was time to leave and they hugged again and Mel left. Both girls felt better knowing that the other was on the mend.

Satisfied that her father and stepsister were as well as could be expected, Claire was ready to accompany Ron and to catch up with his wife and her mother.

*****

With the front seats extended well into the rear of the vehicle, Val and Gary tried to get some sleep. Val was both thirsty and uncomfortable and had only slept fitfully. Every time she’d managed to nod off a primal cry somewhere in the distance had shaken her fully awake and the last one had sounded too close for comfort. Gary had appeared to have been sleeping and had not jumped at the noise. However, he’d reached for his rifle, opened his eyes and the window and fired off a shot into the air. They’d heard some scurrying and all the other noises since then had been further away. Feeling slightly more relaxed but unable to sleep they’d started chatting. After she’d told him about her husband dying, Gary told her that his partner had died suddenly the previous year and that he’d been at a loss about what to do next. Val sensed that he didn’t want to talk about her death so remained silent. Gary said he’d eventually decided to help those worse off than himself but still had to make a living. His company reduced their prices for charities and that way he earned enough to live on but was still able to do make a difference. Val felt a bond between them due to their shared experiences. She didn’t know if it was their closeness in the vehicle, their intimate chat or the fact that they were at one with nature but their long kiss seemed like a natural progression. Gary’s hand crept inside her top and Val realised that is was too soon for her. She pulled back.

‘No, please stop.’

He withdrew his hand and as she opened her eyes, she thought she saw a flicker of frustration on his face, but put it down to the heat of the moment and her imagination.

‘I’m sorry. I thought that was what you wanted?’

‘No, I’m sorry,’ she righted her clothes. ‘I thought it was too, but it’s too soon. I hope you understand?’ she didn’t want him to think she’d been leading him on.

‘Of course, Val,’ he took a hand and squeezed it reassuringly. ‘You take as long as you like, this isn’t a one night wonder.’

So he felt something too and he was willing to wait. Val was glad the Land Rover had broken down and they were stranded in the middle of nowhere. She wouldn’t mention anything to Marion just yet as she hoped her friend would eventually come to like Gary, or at the very least, be happy for her.

They ate the last of the snacks as they watched the magnificent rise of the sun, and it wasn’t much later that two of his staff turned up in another Land Rover to take them back to what passed for civilisation.

Ron and Claire watched as the vehicle approached the orphanage. The rescue vehicle had towed the Land Rover back. It was slow going and Val had opted to sit in the passenger seat while Gary steered the vehicle. They laughed and chatted during the journey and Val felt like she was at a party that she didn’t want to end. She didn’t notice the two police cars and Marion who appeared to be having an animated conversation with a uniformed officer. Gary did but chose to ignore it for the moment. He applied the handbrake and got out of the vehicle. He walked around to the passenger door, opened it and offered Val his hand. She accepted the gallant gesture even though she was perfectly capable of getting out of the Land Rover unaided. Gary pulled her into a hug and gave her a long, lingering kiss. Marion’s conversation with the police sergeant stopped abruptly.

‘I don’t flaming believe it!’

‘Madam?’ said the sergeant relieved that the mad English woman had something else to focus her temper on.

Marion ignored him as she marched over to the Land Rover like a five year-old leaving a sweetie shop when told she can’t have any goodies.

‘What the hell?’ seeing his wife being kissed so passionately was a total shock to Ron and he looked at Claire in confusion. She tried her best to keep her mouth shut and not to stare, completely agog at the scene before her. Something wasn’t right. Not only was this public display totally out of character for Val, as soon as Claire had seen the man, alarm bells had started ringing and she knew that he was a bad one. Claire was surprised to see some evil souls hovering around him and knew that her and Ron would have to keep their guards up. There was something strangely familiar about the man and Claire scanned her memories but couldn’t come up with a name. He certainly didn’t look like anyone she’d encountered during her lifetime, but she was determined to find out more. Ron was too preoccupied for them to discuss the presence around the big man...

‘Claire!’

‘Sorry, sorry. I guess she’s been able to move on,’ oh Christ. Had she really said that out loud? ‘What I mean...’

‘I know exactly what you meant, Claire,’ he folded his arms and she could see that it would take a lot of time and effort to make things right between them.

‘I’m really sorry, Ron. That just slipped out. I didn’t mean...’ the words hung in the air and she forced herself to shut up before she did any further damage.

He unfolded his arms and stared at the scene below him, shaking his head. He looked distraught and she moved toward him and put an arm round his shoulder. Tears trickled down Ron’s cheeks, slowly at first and then in a great torrent, accompanied by huge sobs.

‘I miss her so much,’ he stuttered between sobs and Claire hugged him, trying to hide her surprise. Because he’d considered moving to heaven for eternity no less, Claire had definitely not expected this reaction. She thought it best to keep quiet and she held him until the tears subsided.

‘I’m going back, Claire. I don’t want to watch any more.’

It was probably for the best and he did look absolutely drained. She gave him another squeeze. No words were needed.

‘I’ll see you when you get back,’ and with that, he disappeared.

Val felt a sharp prod in the back of her shoulder as she broke from the kiss. If she had any doubts that it was Marion, the look of apprehension on Gary’s face confirmed the fact. Val sighed. The magical moment had died and reality was back with a big thud. She turned around preparing to give it to her friend with both barrels.

‘While you’ve been off gallivanting Mary’s disappeared,’ Marion’s statement stopped Val in her tracks. Hands on hips and frowning, her friend looked as if she were about to explode.

‘What do you mean disappeared?’ asked Gary.

‘I was talking to the organ grinder, not the monkey.’

‘Marion! Please.’ Val hissed. She would have words with Marion later about her rudeness to Gary but there were more urgent issues to deal with first. ‘Just calm down and tell me what’s happened.’

After the stress of the past 12 hours and little sleep the previous night due to the devastating news about Mary and worry about Val, Marion’s nerves were in shreds. Having seen Val kiss
that man
as if they both hadn’t a care in the world had tipped her over the edge, and she was now spoiling for a fight. Val’s reasoned calm was enough to deflate her and any thoughts of further confrontation. Her shoulders literally dropped.

‘Let’s go in and you can update me on everything,’ Val turned to Gary before walking away and he nodded in understanding.

‘I’ll go and see if Daniel needs any help.’

It was none of his business yet he was keen to help, thought Val as she walked to the orphanage with Marion. She’d tried to link her arm through Marion’s to show support, but although obviously very upset, her stubborn friend has still shaken her off and it was taking an enormous amount of willpower for Val to remain calm and rational.

Claire was torn. Should she go back and support Ron, listen to what her mother and Val had to say, or follow the guy that Val had kissed? The unsettling feeling returned when she thought of the familiar stranger and that decided her next course of action.

Chapter 6

Ron and Sandy were on the settee in Cherussola. He hadn’t meant to unburden to her but had been so upset.

‘So how long has it been?’ asked Sandy.

‘One year, eleven months and three days,’ he sighed. ‘Of course I want her to move on but it was such a shock to see them kissing passionately, in broad daylight too!’

Sandy knew she couldn’t say anything to make him feel better and he’d have to come to terms with his wife’s new boyfriend. But she liked this kind, gentle man and wanted to be there for him. She took his hand and smiled and they sat like that for a while. Ron taking comfort from his new friend who had listened without making any judgements, and Sandy enjoying the company of a decent soul without fear of being thrown into any dark pits and subjected to never-ending pain and torture.

The double whoosh broke the spell and they let go of each other’s hands to the amusement of Gabriella. She hid her smile as Raphael introduced himself to Sandy then got quickly down to business.

‘We have reason to believe that the man who’s seducing your wife is trafficking young girls.’

‘Oh, not another one,’ said Ron, remembering Big Ed. He forgot about Val for a moment as he recalled the circumstances of Sandy’s passing.

‘Are you okay?’ he took her hand not concerning himself with what the angels would read into it. She nodded her head as Raphael continued.

‘The vibes from the man are extremely bad and he has company,’ seeing their confusion he elaborated. ‘Evil souls are always with him. There’s no doubt about where he’ll go when his time comes, and he may even be groomed for advanced promotion down there.’

‘So there’s no hope for him at all?’ said Sandy. Ron ignored her comment. ‘And this is the man that my wife is seeing?’ Ron was very frightened. ‘We have to do something and damn quick.’

*****

Claire followed the man at a distance. The evil spirits accompanying him seemed too interested in his next move to bother with her, she wasn’t even sure that they were aware of her presence. There was something in the way he carried himself that was familiar but she couldn’t yet put her finger on it. Don’t think of it and it’ll come to you, she told herself as she watched him approach the office and close the door.

‘All went to plan then?’ Gary asked and Daniel nodded.