Different (7 page)

Tom opened the door to admit them and then closed it. “We'll go into the living room,” he said.

The room was comfortably furnished and Mrs. Williams gestured for them to take a seat. Ben sat on the sofa and Cassie, after carefully placing her camera on the floor, came and sat beside him.

Tom stood next to his wife by the fire and she looked at them curiously.

"Perhaps you'd best tell us why you're here,” she said.

Ben decided to be honest with them. “You'll have heard about young Sophie Anderson who was involved in a road accident on Friday."

Tom nodded and then Ben saw the realisation in his eyes. “You think it was Jay who healed her and covered her in that blue light, or whatever it was?"

"Yes. She did it again tonight,” Ben said, “and someone recognised her. His son goes to Jay's school."

"I don't understand,” Mrs. Williams said. “Why would the police be interested in Jay healing people?"

Ben explained about the fight and how Jay had helped both her boyfriend and the lad with the cuts from the glass. “It's unlikely in my opinion but the police might want to press charges against her for GBH or assault."

"You can't report any of this,” Tom said. He became agitated and started to pace around the room. Finally he came over and gripped Ben's arm. “Don't you understand? If any of this gets out then she's going to become hounded by people wanting her to heal them or their loved ones. She'll be presented as some kind of freak. It might make good television or newspaper headlines but what will it do to her?"

Ben looked the old man in the eye. “Cassie and I reached the same conclusion, but we're reporters and it's our job to report the news.” He held up a hand to stem Tom's reply. “However, we're as concerned about the affect of the story on Jay as you are, and this is what I think we should do. We do an anonymous interview with both of you and Jay in such a way that there's no way anyone can identify your family. That way the story's out in the open and if necessary we can take out a court injunction to stop any other news agency from identifying or harassing you or Jay."

"Can you do really do that?” There was a glimmer of hope in Tom's eyes.

It was Cassie who answered. “Once the story has been published the other reporters can't claim that releasing your details is in the public interest. The courts don't take kindly to young girls being harassed. As for the fight, I think we could make a good case for self defence, especially as one of them had a knife."

"But it has to be your decision,” Ben said. “Will you trust me and Cassie, or not?"

Tom released Ben's arms and turned to his wife. “I think we should, Anna. What about you?"

Before she could answer the door opened and a girl, who Ben guessed was Jay, walked in.

She looked apprehensively at him and Cassie. “Who are you and what do you want?” she asked.

There was only one of the gang still detained in the hospital and all of the others had said they didn't want to make a complaint. The boy in the hospital denied that he'd been thrown through the shop window.

"I tripped and fell,” he said, “and you can't prove that I didn't. I've never seen that girl before."

Rebecca could have told him about the film from the security camera but she didn't. If he wanted to pretend it was an accident that was fine by her. It would help to keep the crime figures down, and besides for some reason, reasons she couldn't quite understand, all her instincts were screaming at her to protect the girl.

On the way back to their car, Rebecca paused. “Hmmm, I've been thinking, perhaps she had some kind of adrenalin rush. You know, like those women you hear about who've actually lifted up cars to free their kids."

Shaun nodded in agreement. “That must be it,” he said, “otherwise we'd have come across her before. Someone who can do what she can would be front page news, but what about her healing power?"

"I've been thinking about that myself. I'm wondering if these incidents are the first time she's had to reveal herself. Perhaps she's been deliberately keeping a low profile, until now."

"She'll wish she had stuck to that policy if the press ever finds out about her,” Shaun said. “She'll be besieged with people begging her to cure them.” Shaun nodded, “I'll get on it, though I'd love to know who she is."

Mary was lying with her head resting on Carl's shoulder and with her arms wrapped around his naked torso. He was asleep and remembered the erotic feel of his body rubbing with increasing urgency against hers with only the thin sheet separating them. She examined the silver ring on her finger, a reminder of her vow to remain a virgin until she married. Carl had respected her for that and shown her there were alternatives to penetrative sex. She's learned a lot about him and a lot about herself too over the past couple of hours. She was growing up.

Mary looked at her watch, it was only nine-thirty and she decided to make them both a cup of coffee. Slipping out from underneath him, she eased herself out of bed and put on her bra, studying the love bites Carl had left on her breasts. She'd have to make sure she kept herself covered up for the next few days until they faded.

She put her coat over her underclothes and leaving Carl's bedroom she made her way downstairs and towards the kitchen. The living room door was ajar, Julie and Alex were sitting on the sofa drinking from cans of lager and watching the news. Mary slipped past the room without being noticed and once in the kitchen she busied herself making the drink.

A few minutes later carrying a mug of coffee in each hand Mary was walking past the open living room door when Alex said, “Bloody Hell!"

Stepping into the doorway she saw that Alex and Julie staring at the TV. A local news bulletin was on.

"...and Bill Harris is outside of the hospital now,” the newscaster said. The scene changed from the studio and Mary recognised Conway's General Hospital.

Bill Harris the reporter was standing with his back to the main entrance. “According to a hospital spokesman, the man was covered in exactly the same kind of mysterious blue light as the girl who was admitted on Friday, and just like the girl, the man who had fallen through a shop window is making an almost miraculous recovery."

"Do they know who or what is responsible for the phenomena, Bill?"

"Yes, according to eyewitnesses the blue light shot out of the hands of a young woman who went to help the man, but she'd disappeared before the police and ambulance arrived. They say that the girl was with a young man who was set upon by a group of young men, including the one in hospital, and..."

Mary listened to the rest of the report in stunned disbelief. “On no, Jay,” she cried. “Not again!"

"Jay? Is it Jay Williams they're talking about?” Alex leapt up off the settee and grabbed her wrist and she realised she must have spoken aloud.

She shook her head. “Of course not. Don't be stupid."

"Stupid am I?” He twisted her wrist hard and Mary cried out in pain as the hot coffee poured out of the upturned mug and over her bare legs. Alex took the second steaming mug out of her other hand and held it over her head. “Are you going to tell me the truth or do you want a coffee shampoo?” He tipped the mug slightly causing a small stream of the scalding liquid to fall onto her head and she screamed in pain.

"Last chance, Mary,” he said.

"No,” she cried. “Ok, you're right, it was Jay."

He grinned at her in triumph, released her wrist and handed her the mug of coffee. “Oh, what a shame you seemed to have spilled the other one,” he said. “Now get lost. I've got things to do."

Jay listened apprehensively as Ben explained why he and Cassie were there and when he'd finished he turned to Tom.

"Tom, you and Mrs. Williams were about to decide whether or not to trust us. Now, we have to ask Jay the same question and we may not have much time. The other reporters will be tracing and talking to the eyewitnesses of both Friday and tonight's incidents in an attempt to identify Jay, and identify her they will, eventually."

Ben's mobile and the house phone rang simultaneously. Tom picked up the house phone and Ben answered his mobile. Tom slammed down his phone and Ben spoke curtly into his and then got to his feet.

"That was the press wasn't it Tom? I just got a call from the studio. Someone's tipped them off about Jay."

"They'll be on their way,” Cassie said, grabbing her equipment. “I suggest the three of you come with us. We'll get you out of town and book into a hotel while you decide what you want to do."

Tom hesitated but his wife snatched up her handbag. “Come on, Tom,” she said. “Let's go before they get here. It's for the best, Jay."

"Don't worry about packing,” Cassie said. “We'll stop at an all night superstore and pick up anything you need."

Jay looked bewildered and upset but didn't argue. “What's going to happen to me?” she asked, as they all piled into Cassie's car. “Why can't I just be like everybody else?"

Ben gently squeezed her arm in a reassuring gesture. “Why can't you be like everyone else? My wife's been asking me that for years."

His quip was greeted by laughter that broke the tension and Cassie sped away from the house.

Carl found Mary crying in the kitchen and holding a cold compress to her scalp. She told him what happened; he erupted and rushed out of the kitchen and into the lounge.

She went after him in time to see Alex being slammed against the wall. Mary, who had never seen Alex looking scared before, didn't blame him for looking terrified now, because Carl had him pinned against the wall by his throat. Carl's other hand was fisted and he drew his arm back preparing to smash his fist into Alex's face.

"No, Carl!” Mary rushed over and grabbed his arm. “He's not worth getting into trouble over.” She could feel his trembling rage but then he looked at her, nodded, lowered his fist and removed the hand that had been clamped around Alex's throat.

"You're right, he's bloody well not. But I'm warning you,” he growled at the ashen faced Alex, “you ever touch Mary again and I'll feed your bollocks to my dog."

Alex gave a sickly smile and massaged his neck. “Look mate, I'm sorry, ok? I didn't realise you and Mary had become an item. But I'm still going to split the two hundred pounds, fifty-fifty with you."

"What two hund..."

"You didn't give me a chance to tell you about it, mate,” Alex said. “You know that blue light Sophie was covered in? Well, it was Jay Williams who did it, healed her, I mean. She did it again tonight to a bloke who fell through a shop window. It was on the news."

"That's why he split the coffee on me,” Mary said. “I was with Jay when she healed Sophie. It knocked Jay about really bad and she couldn't remember anything about it, and was terrified in case it ever happened again. When I saw the news on TV, Alex heard me say, ‘Oh Jay, not again.’ and well you know the rest."

Alex shrugged. “Of course I wouldn't have hurt Mary, if I'd have known..."

"You've already done that bit,” Carl said. “Now tell us about the money."

"Well, that's why I needed to make sure it was Williams,” Alex said. “No one knew who Williams was because the security camera film was so bad. So I phoned up the TV News desk and asked for the editor. Told him straight I did. It would cost them two hundred quid for her name and address. I should have asked for five, because he bit my arm off so fast..."

God, he'd told them who Jay was! The BASTARD!
Mary, the shy, quiet girl from chapel, had heard of righteous anger. But it was more of a righteous fury, like a stream of molten metal flowing down one of the cast-iron channels in the foundry where her father worked that fuelled her punch. It connected with Alex's nose with a solid, satisfying crunch that hurt her knuckles and sent him reeling backwards spraying blood.

He yelped and clamped a hand over his injury. “Oo've dwoke me duckin dose, ooh ditch!” he cried in shock.

"I'll break your fucking neck, you—you bastard!” Mary launched herself at Alex, wanting to smash him into a bloody pulp. Carl's arm hooked around her waist and swept her gently off her feet and swung her around him in an arc.

"You'd better get out of here while you still can, Alex,” Carl chuckled, “and take Julie with you. Go on, get out of here."

Without waiting for Alex's response, Carl ushered Mary into the kitchen and over to the sink. He turned on the cold tap and held her right hand in the flow of the water. “Hold your hand under there while I make a cold compress. Otherwise your knuckles are going to be badly bruised in a few minutes. Let's hope you didn't break any fingers busting Alex's nose."

"It would be worth it,” Mary muttered, as Carl placed a neatly rolled up napkin under the cold water. “I'll have to ring Jay in a minute and warn her."

Twenty-seven years earlier. England 1985

Seven-year-old Adam lay on his back in the darkness of the room he shared with eight-year-old Ben, and Eve who was also eight. Something had woken him, but he wasn't sure what. So he listened, and waited trying to work out what it was that had drawn him out of his dream.

"Hey, Adam, are you awake?” He looked to his left and saw Eve sitting up in her bed looking at him.

"Yes, something woke me up,” he whispered back, because Janine, their keeper, would be cross if their talking woke her. She slept in a small room just outside the locked door of their room, the key of which was fastened to her belt.

"Me too,” Eve whispered, “and Ben."

"We thought you were still asleep,” Ben hissed from Adam's right. His bed creaked slightly and then he was padding over to Adam's bed and sitting down on the end. “I thought I heard someone calling me from inside my head."

"That's what it sounded like to me too,” Eve said. “What about you, Adam?"

"I can't remember, but how can anyone call you from inside your head? And we don't know anyone except, Janine, the doctor and those men who come to see us sometimes, but they haven't been to see us for ages."

"Not since the doctor finished giving us those injections a couple of years ago,” Ben agreed. “That's when he told us there wouldn't be anymore, because his experiments hadn't worked."