Cold Death (3 page)

Callum looked sad for a moment then leaned back against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest as if to hold himself up or away from the pain the words would cause. “It seems that Maria was going to die that night, whether someone came along and murdered her before she died or not. Which is rather confusing, isn’t it? So much for me being mysterious.” He gave a rueful grin before continuing. “Right, it seems Maria had overdosed on heroin. She was already dying when she was hit over the head.”

“What?” Milly exclaimed, not believing Callum. She’d never known Maria to use such dangerous drugs. Party drugs, yes, everyone knew Maria loved those but not heroin.

“Yes, it’s quite true, Milly. It’s one of the reasons I ended our relationship, she had started using heroin a few months back. She refused to go to rehab, refused to stop or seek any kind of treatment. I couldn’t handle life with a junkie so I broke it off with her.” Callum said, looking ashamed for some reason.

“I had no idea, Callum. How awful for both of you. Drugs are so insidious and ruin so many lives. I’m glad she didn’t drag you into that world but how awful and what a heart-breaking decision you were forced to make. Well, I suppose in the end Maria made that decision didn’t she? Suddenly the words Callum had spoken a few months ago about their friend Davina, who had accidentally been killed by a jealous wife, came back to Milly.

Callum had said Davina’s death wasn’t her own fault but she’d made the decisions that had led to her death. They made more sense now that Milly knew what Callum had been dealing with. Sometimes you have to own up to your choices and fix what you can, before it’s too late to do anything about them. Even when those decisions are hard. The tenderness she felt for Callum grew as she tried to imagine Callum quietly handling such a big responsibility. You couldn’t do something like that alone and now this, poor man. She took his arm in a friendly manner and led him out to the shop floor.

“Well, I’ve made a chicken pie for tea so if you’re hungry go get scrubbed up and round Jake up and we’ll eat.” She told him, leaving the rest of the conversation for later, and perhaps a glass of the wine she’d picked up from the shop next door.

They were all fed and Jake had gone back over to the shop flat to go to bed, Edgar following along behind him, while Callum and Milly shared a glass of wine.

“You’re free for now then?” Milly asked.

“Yes, they couldn’t really charge me with anything. I provided proof I’d gone into the city with a receipt for a purchase I made. The time stamp shows I wasn’t in the area at the time Maria died, according to their calculations of when that time was. They tried to use an email I sent to Maria months ago as evidence I’d been threatening her and that I was upset because she’d started to date someone else but it wasn’t that at all. I’d just grown tired of the lies and told her if she kept on the path she was on she was going to get what she deserved. She also refused to return my ring. I don’t know why she had it on her when she died but maybe she’d planned to sell it. I assumed that’s why she refused to return it in the first place, that she’d already sold it off somewhere.”

“That makes sense. We all knew in the village that you couldn’t do something like that; you just don’t have it in you. That still doesn’t answer who killed her, however.”

“I sat in my cell thinking about it and I can’t come up with anybody. She knew so many different kinds of people, and with the drugs involved, well, we all know what kind of people that draws. It could have been anyone really.” Callum finished, an air of defeat in his words.

“I’m sure we can figure it out, somehow, Callum. You have the support of all of us, we won’t let you go back to jail; I can promise you that for nothing.” She smiled, knowing the promise was true of everyone in the village.

Milly woke the next morning with a slight headache. Callum had left soon after they finished that first glass of wine but she’d carried on to a third. She’d never been much for drink but she wanted to sleep and thought the wine might help her sleep. Gathering up the animals she pondered how well she’d slept versus the headache. Maybe not such a good idea, after all. At least it was Sunday and she didn’t have to open the shop today, she told herself.

Walking along the hills she enjoyed the scenery, as usual. The sun was hidden behind clouds today but you could still see the sheep on the distant hills, gnawing their way around the terrain. At least the cat didn’t find a body or a bloody shirt this morning, she thought as she walked back to her shop. She did, however, spy Jake making his way into her shop via the backdoor. Wondering what the boy was in such a rush about, Milly picked up her pace and was soon in the shop and saw Jake hovering over a book of some kind. Now why would he come over here to read, Milly wondered.

“What have you got there then, lad?” Milly asked, sitting a cake and tea in front of Jake.

“Maria’s diary.” He said when he looked up, then went back to reading.

“Pardon? Maria’s diary? How on earth did you get that then?” Milly asked with astonishment.

The boy looked sheepish for a moment, a hint of his uncle’s grin showing through his own, and cleared his throat. “Well, the police left a door unlocked, didn’t they? And while you and Uncle Callum were talking last night I ran over to see if I could find anything that would put him in the clear. I found this hidden on the top of a wardrobe.” He held the diary up and then handed it over to Milly.

Milly took the diary, seeing that the first entry was 10 years ago. Maria hadn’t written in it very much until the last year. Perhaps the heroin had opened up her mind to writing? She’d heard similar excuses for drug use. Looking in the book, not really wanting to invade the dead woman’s privacy but wanting to help Callum, she saw pictures inserted between pages, tickets for derbies, and various mementos woman usually kept. She looked up as Callum came in an hour later, looking for Jake, and they both explained what Jake had found.

“Well, I really shouldn’t let Jake stay here and he should also be punished but this isn’t something I think he’d do under normal circumstances. What have you learned then?” Callum asked, looking sternly at his nephew.

“Maria was very sad, Callum. I’d even say depressed. She had far more insecurities than I’d have ever imagined a woman as lovely as she was would have had. She wanted plastic surgery and to run away and couldn’t decide which was better. Do you know who this “A” person was by any chance?”

“A? No, I’ve no idea. We didn’t spend a lot of time together the last couple of months we were together, and rarely since we parted. Why?” He asked curiously as he drank his tea.

“Seems she’d developed quite a passion for him but felt she wasn’t good enough. Though she doesn’t use gender-specific words, just ‘they’ or ‘them’, things like that. I have to wonder if it’s actually a couple. I forgot but I found this, or Edgar did rather, and I don’t know either of them, do you?” Milly asked, handing him the photograph Edgar had managed to produce. 

Callum looked at it closely but then shook his head. “No, can’t say as I do. It’s hard to tell who they really are.”

“I’ve seen the woman once or twice; she’s familiar but I can’t remember why.” Jake said, looking over Callum’s shoulder.

“In any case, I’ll hand it over to the police. Maybe it will help.” Callum said, standing up. Just as he was turning to get more tea something came shattering through the window and fell to the floor in front of him.

Milly jumped for Jake, thinking only to protect the boy, as Callum dived for both. The reactions were instant, no real thought went into either action but both resulted in the same thing, Jake being tackled by both adults in the room. A few minutes passed and Milly looked up at Callum, wondering what had just happened.

Callum finally let go of both Milly and Jake and bent down to pick up the object on the floor. A brick covered in a letter. Milly had to suppress an urge to giggle at how childish the whole thing was. A brick through her front window, how very original, she thought, realizing hysteria was setting in. They’d all been through a lot over the last few months and the last few days had been extreme. Now this. Who wouldn’t be a little hysterical? She checked Jake one more time then took the piece of paper Callum handed her, a worried look on his face.

“Remember the line about the cat? Missing anything? Give back what you took!” The note stated.

“What? I don’t get it. What cat?” Milly asked before screaming for Edgar.

Callum and Jake ran to their flat and Milly checked hers but Edgar was nowhere to be found. He wasn’t out back; he wasn’t on the roof; he wasn’t at Callum and Jake’s; he wasn’t anywhere in either of the shops either. He was gone.

Milly sat in her living room, staring out the window, a crumpled facial tissue in her hands that she was busy shredding. Tears streamed down her face and sobs could occasionally be heard. Callum had even put on one of her favourite rap songs, though she didn’t realize he knew anything about her music, but then realized he’d probably heard it when she was jamming in her kitchen, and that did raise a smile.

“We’ll find him, Milly, I promise. I think they somehow know we have the diary and they want it back. I bet we’ll hear from them again before the night is over. Where’s your copy scanner? I want to make a copy of everything in this diary before we hand it over. Because if they call, we will be handing it over, we’re getting your cat back.”

The text came in at 3 am on Callum’s phone. He and Jake were asleep in the spare bedrooms and Milly heard the phone going off. She ran into Callum’s room to find him speedily pushing buttons and swiping screens until the message came up.

“Leave it in the bin beside the bus shelter. You’ll have your cat back by morning.” The number didn’t show, the display simply said ‘unknown’ but Callum saved it, in case the police could do anything with it.

“Right, you ready then?” Callum said, getting out of the bed fully dressed. He looked down at Milly, also fully clothed, and realized they’d had the same thought. “I see you are, let’s go.”

They didn’t wake Jake and walked down the stairs quietly. Milly hadn’t engaged her alarm that evening, not wanting to set it off in the middle of the night if one of the blokes came down stairs, so she passed it by as she went out the door.

Callum kept Milly at his side as they stalked up to the bus shelter. There appeared to be nobody else around, the night quiet and still. They both looked around but saw no signs of activity. They dropped the book in the trash bin and went back to the shop, not knowing what else to do. Milly looked at her broken window, hoping the insurance would cover the replacement of this one so soon after replacing it only a few months ago, and started making mugs of tea for Callum and herself.

Milly’s green eyes filled with tears looking back over at the cardboard Callum had taped to the window. She’d never be able to keep Edgar in, if she got him back, with that up there. Hopefully it would be repaired tomorrow. She put the mugs down in front of Callum and eased down into a chair, hoping he hadn’t noticed her hands shaking. Now they only had to wait.

“How long do you think it will be?” Milly asked Callum. The poor man had no more idea than she did but she needed to fill the silence in the room or she’d run screaming out to the road, demanding Edgar back.

“I really don’t know but I’d think it wouldn’t be too long. I hope anyway.” They waited for an hour with no word so they went back upstairs and went to bed, expecting the morning would bring news of Edgar. Milly didn’t really sleep, she just dozed as she ran through life with Edgar. She’d brought him home as a kitten, curious and playful, and he’d slowly grown into a curious and very stuffy cat. He thought a lot of himself, that cat, and spent hours just grooming himself. But he was always there, comforting her when she cried, doing something silly when she needed cheering up, and before Jake came along, always at her head or feet as she slept, watching over her in the night. Sure, she could always get another cat but she couldn’t get another Edgar.

Milly finally dragged herself out of bed as the alarm went off, even the dogs Daisy and Mildred seeming subdued in the darkness of the early hour. They usually bounced around happily, eager to get outside but this morning they sniffed all over the flat, under the bed, in closets, under the couch, then they quietly went downstairs and sniffed all over down there, obviously looking for Edgar. Then Daisy perked up after sniffing around a cupboard then ran back up to Jake’s room, barking happily.

Milly chased after Daisy, trying to keep her quiet so Callum and Jake could sleep, but she was too late. Jake was awake already and he came out of his room with a smile spreading across his face, Edgar cuddled up warm and safe in his arms!

“Edgar!” Milly shrieked, and caught Edgar as he launched himself at her. He blinked up at her and rubbed his face against hers, purring loudly as if to say he was happy to be home. She didn’t even mind his sharp canines catching her nose, her kitty was home and in one piece!

She held him close, something he usually didn’t tolerate for long, and just stroked his silky fur, happy to have her baby home at last. Callum came out of his room not long after Milly shrieked and smiled happily as he saw her in the hallway hugging Edgar close. The cat appeared to be happy to be home and Milly looked ecstatic. Knowing they were all home at last, Callum went down to prepare some breakfast for them all while Milly took them all for their morning walk, Edgar following along happily, twitching his tail.

There was snow falling as Milly walked the dogs and she didn’t keep them out for long. Milly walked in through the backdoor and stopped as she heard Callum singing along to something she thought must be some kind of American country and western song, something about buying drinks on a plane, and he even wobbled around as he plated fried eggs and tomatoes. Milly tried not to laugh as he did a little dance back to the hob, even twirling around as he sang the song at the top of his scratchy, almost off-key but still somehow pleasant voice, his curly brown hair bouncing around his head as he came to a sudden stop upon seeing Milly. Instead of fumbling in embarrassment he just grinned right at Milly and sang more loudly, flicking his hand at her as if inviting her to join him.

When she just stood planted to the floor he did something even more unexpected and waltzed up to Milly, took her in his arms, and danced her around the kitchen while Edgar, Daisy, and Mildred stared at them, confused about this new strange thing their humans were doing. Because they thought of Callum as theirs now, he’d been there often enough lately.

Milly didn’t know the words to the song but she joined Callum in his dance around the kitchen, laughing with utter joy. Callum was home; Edgar was home; and all was well in the world. For now.