Mother’s Only Child (56 page)

‘You’re right, of course,’ Martha said. ‘I would so hate for one of mine to think badly of me. Maybe they’ll never need to know.’

‘Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Just now I am so grateful that Greg and I have another chance. I can hardly believe it.’

‘Your trouble,’ said Martha, ‘is that you never expect happiness to last.’

‘You know,’ Maria said, ‘I really think you are right. It seemed to me that every time I really longed for something to happen, something else would get in the
way to stop it. I am almost afraid to be happy, or get excited about anything.’

‘Listen, Maria.’ Martha covered her hands with her own. ‘This time you have nothing on God’s earth to worry about. You and Greg will go on to have a long and happy future together.’

Maria sighed. ‘Of course we will,’ she said. ‘I am just being silly.’

That night Maria and the children were all staying at Greg’s. Boxing Day was a Sunday, so there would be Mass again in the morning and Greg had a pantomime booked for the afternoon. There was plenty of room. Greg’s house was very large, with five bedrooms on the first floor and two further bedrooms on the second. That night, Greg showed Maria to the room he had prepared for her. ‘Is it all right?’ he asked anxiously, as Maria said nothing.

‘It’s lovely,’ Maria said. ‘And such a pity it won’t be used.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Oh, Greg,’ Maria said, laying her hand on his arm. ‘What do you think I mean? We have waited long enough, Greg. Years, in fact.’

‘Oh God, I never dreamt, wouldn’t let myself hope…Oh, darling, I love you so,’ Greg said. He held her in his arms and the kiss left her longing for more. She wondered what had come over her, for never had she done such a forward thing before, but she felt as if a furnace was burning inside her and she so longed for fulfilment with Greg, she could wait no longer.

Greg took her hand and led her down the passage
to his room. Once they were inside it, he sat her on the bed, turned her to face him and looked into those green eyes that had haunted him since the day he had left her. ‘You are sure about this?’ he said.

‘I have never been more sure about anything in my life,’ Maria replied, and began slowly and seductively to unfasten her blouse. Greg watched, mesmerised, as she shrugged her blouse off and undid her brassiere so that her breasts were exposed.

Even in their earlier courtship, Greg had never touched any part of Maria inside her clothes, but now she took his hands and cupped them around each breast and she felt no hint of shame. Now he took each breast in his hand. An explosion was happening inside Maria. She was in a frenzy of desire, and she began to tear the clothes from Greg and herself in a passion. Neither of them could wait, they were both fully aroused, and though their lovemaking was as rapturous as Maria had known it would be, it was over in minutes. Then however, Greg began again, awaking Maria’s passions, but slowly this time.

He kissed her lips, her throat, her neck and her breasts while his hands stroked, fondled, caressed and teased. Maria’s breath was coming in short gasps and, greatly daring, and to please Greg, she reached out and touched him. When she felt his throbbing member and held it in her hand, she thought she would die in an agony of lust for this man if he didn’t satisfy her, and soon.

‘Quickly,’ she begged, but Greg gave the low laugh she so loved.

‘Not yet,’ he said. ‘Have patience.’

He began kissing her again, this time over her
stomach while his hands slid between her legs. Maria gave a long moan and let her fingers trail all over his body. When she felt she really couldn’t stand any more, when she was almost crying in despair, Greg entered her and she groaned in ecstasy.

Afterwards, as Maria lay in bed, listening to Greg’s easy breathing, she told herself there had not been word written to describe the lovemaking they had enjoyed that night. And that is what it was—lovemaking, not just sex. This was different entirely from the sex she had endured and sometimes enjoyed with Barney. This time, she’d given herself freely and completely to a man whose one desire in life was to please her and not himself. She felt deliciously warmed by his love and almost healed of fear and uncertainty. She was definitely not afraid of the future any more. She kissed Greg gently on the lips, curled herself around him and fell into a deep and blissful sleep.

Had Maria been able at that moment to look across the Irish Sea to Dublin, she wouldn’t have been so complacent. As the anniversary of Barney’s death approached, Seamus was furious that he had allowed himself to be fobbed off by what that Sean of a one had said to him about his brother’s murder.

He must have been in a state of shock just to have accepted it the way he had. He couldn’t just leave it there. As one of the gang said, if it had been his brother, he’d not rest until he would find out who was responsible.

His solicitor had got all the Birmingham newspapers running the story at the time, but Seamus had been too upset even to look at them. But he had packed them carefully when he left prison and now he spread them out in the bedroom of his mate’s house where he was staying.

He read everything there was to read about it and then folded the papers and put them away. He knew who had killed his brother and that was Maria. It said in the paper she had been in hospital having a baby,
so she had not been able to do the deed herself, but he just knew she had been behind it. She had been the ruination of Barney, from the day that he had been duped into marriage with her, and he was gong to make her pay for killing his brother.

He arrived in Birmingham on Wednesday, 5 January and found lodgings in Erdington. He discovered first where Maria lived and saw Nocks Brickworks, where his brother’s body had been found, a little way away. He actually went in there for a look, but he didn’t go far, for it was dusk and he could see little. He thought justice would be done properly if he could have killed Maria there.

But, no matter, the important thing was to murder the bitch as she had had his brother murdered. He kept a watch on the house and was further incensed to find that she had another man in her life. Jesus, he thought, she hasn’t wasted any time. But then, he thought, maybe he was the reason Barney was killed; maybe Maria had been carrying on with him all along. Then, he thought, Christ, I bet he was the one who beat Barney to death.

Well, neither of them would get away with it. Withdrawing the knife he’d equipped himself with from its sheath, he rans his finger along the blade, but gently for it was razor sharp. They’ll both get carved up and that would be just revenge for them both.

He knew he had to bide his time; he wouldn’t take on the two of them together, even armed with a knife. There seemed lots of children too and he wanted them well out of the way, or they’d start screaming and could alert people.

It was hard to arrange a night out with so many children to see to, but Greg wanted to take Maria out to celebrate their engagement and
South Pacific
was showing at the Alex.

‘Look,’ said Patsy, when Maria mentioned the problem. ‘Mom doesn’t mind having all the girls stay with her after dancing, and Andrew and I will come and mind the boys for you. You do deserve a night out.’

‘You don’t mind?’

‘No, of course not. Why should I?’

And so it was arranged.

That Saturday, when Seamus had been in Birmingham for three days, he watched Maria arrive home from Erdington alone. Greg, who had been at work that morning, had stopped at his house for a bath and change of clothes before calling for her in the car.

Maria was so excited and she wanted to get the boys to bed early and take a leisurely bath. The fire had been on all day so the water would be lovely and hot. She had made herself a new dress in dark blue velvet and she was dying to try it on and see what it looked like.

Unfortunately, the two boys were totally uncooperative that night and Maria began to wonder if she would even have time for a bath at all by the time they were settled. Eventually, all was quiet and she glanced at the clock. Less than half an hour till Patsy and Andrew get here, she thought, and Greg will be arriving before that. God, I could have killed those boys tonight, playing me up like that.

All thought of a leisurely bath fled and she knew it would have to be a quick scrub, which was all she
usually had time for. She went into the bathroom and turned on the taps. Outside, Seamus watched the house fall silent. He waited ten minutes to be sure and then began moving stealthily. He knew there was a back way in, for he had had a good look around one day after he had seen Maria leave.

Maria had left the gate unbolted and the back door unlocked. Seamus was in the kitchen in minutes and stood listening. He heard the sounds of washing and Maria humming one of the songs from her homeland and he licked his lips malevolently. It must be a bathroom and the stupid cow was having a bath. Better and better, he thought, and he withdrew the knife and moved forward.

‘We will be ridiculously early,’ Andrew complained, as they neared the house.

‘Yes I know,’ Patsy said, ‘Maria won’t mind; she might be pleased. All I know is, on the fairly rare occasions that Sean and Martha went out, Deirdre always played up. It’s like they sense it, or something, and if either or both of those boys are giving Maria a hard time then she’ll welcome an extra pair of hands.’

They pulled up outside the house and as they had a key, they let themselves in the front door. ‘All quiet on the Western Front,’ Andrew whispered, his finger to his lips.

‘Seems so,’ Patsy agreed, and then they heard the scream, the sort of scream that turns the blood in the veins to iced water. They both sprang towards the sound.

Maria had been transfixed by terror when she saw Seamus with the knife paused to strike. However, that
scream was the only sound she was able to make, for now he had her head back held fast by her hair, her throat exposed as he told her that he was going to slit it from ear to ear and watch her life blood drain away into the bathwater.

And then Andrew, followed by Patsy was in the door. Seamus took one look at them both and with a violent shove that sent Andrew falling backwards into the water, he was off. Andrew struggled out and went after the man. Patsy had her hands full with Maria, who was gibbering and yelping with terror, her whole body trembling and twitching. Patsy put her arms around her, helping her from the bath and covering her with a towel.

Greg was just about to ring the doorbell when the door opened and the man stood before him. ‘Stop him!’ Andrew cried, and automatically, Greg put his arm out. He had not see the knife but felt it power into his stomach. He gave a gasp, sank to his knees and crumpled unconscious to the floor.

Andrew hesitated when he saw what had happened to Greg, but he knew he had to catch this madman before he struck again. Maria, coming in that moment, supported by Patsy, seeing Greg lying still on the floor, gave a cry and flung herself on top of him.

‘Call an ambulance and the police,’ Andrew said to Patsy. ‘I’m off after the bastard.’

‘Leave it to the police, Andrew. The man has a knife,’ Patsy pleaded, trying to lift Maria from Greg as she began to keen and rock backwards and forwards in distress, seemingly unaware that the towel had fallen from her and that she was totally naked. But Andrew was gone out into the night.

‘What’s wrong with me, Patsy?’ Maria cried. ‘I must be jinxed and if I have lost this man for the second time, I will not want to live, for the pain will be too great.’

Patsy laid her head on Greg’s chest and when she heard the steady beat of the heart she nearly sobbed with relief, though she was worried by the crimson stain that had spread over his coat and begun to drip on to the floor. ‘He’s alive, Maria. Greg’s alive,’ she told her.

Alive! It barely penetrated her brain and Patsy went on, almost brutally, for she could see her cousin was in deep shock, ‘If we want him to stay that way, we need to phone for an ambulance. Have any of your neighbours got the phone in?’

‘Next door,’ Maria said, jerking her thumb. But first Patsy went to the bathroom and fetched Maria’s clothes, which she had laid ready.

‘Get dressed!’ she told her. ‘You’re shivering like a bloody leaf.’ As she stepped over Greg’s inert figure to reach the door, she heard the children, alerted by the noise, begin to grumble upstairs.

For a minute or two Andrew was undecided what to do, for he didn’t know where the man had gone. The night was as dark as pitch, except for the pools of light from the streetlamps. Suddenly, at the turn in the road, he saw a flash of the man in one of those pools and he was off after him.

Seamus was making for the brickworks, certain he could find somewhere there to hide away. He didn’t fancy tackling Andrew and he knew the darkness would make finding him nigh impossible.

Andrew hesitated when he got to the fence, not sure whether to follow the man in there or not. Though he had no idea who the man was, he had the idea he was more used to dark, sinister places than he was himself, and he knew he would be in further danger, following him in there.

Maybe it would be better to wait for the police at the entrance. But then, Patsy wouldn’t know where to direct the police and there was probably another way out of the quarry that he might know of. He was a madman of the first order certainly, and a very dangerous one. He needed to be apprehended and quickly. He pulled the buckled fencing aside and stepped over it to the frozen and muddy debris-ridden ground beyond.

A man in Holly Lane, just setting out for a pint, saw the furtive man run up the road and caught the glint of a knife in his hand as he passed under the streetlight, before he disappeared down the side of the brickworks with another man behind in hot pursuit. He went back into his house, very glad they had had the phone installed.

‘Something’s up,’ he told his wife. ‘And I think we should phone the police.’

A police car followed the ambulance into Westmead Crescent. Maria was more concerned with Greg and the ambulance men trying to staunch the blood before they took him away, but the police needed details about the attack. She didn’t want to talk in front of the children either, particularly Jack, who was already distressed enough. While Patsy had been next door phoning, Maria had been struggling into her clothes
so that she could go with Greg to the hospital. Jack had got fed up shouting and nobody coming, so he’d climbed out of his bed and went downstairs He saw Greg lying bleeding on the floor and screamed. ‘What’s happened?’ he said, eyes like saucers standing out in his head.