THE BONDAGE OF LOVE (17 page)

In this case, however, both the nurse and the sister were mistaken, for it was less than half an hour later when Sammy again opened his eyes. He

blinked and his eyes moved from side to side while his head remained still.

This time the name was distinct, "Mamie!"

"She's ... she's all right, Sammy. This is me, Katie. You're going to be all right."

"Mamie!"

The policeman was hanging over him now, saying, "Yes, sir, Mamie is all right. Can you remember anything?"

Katie put out her hand and pushed at the policeman's shoulder as she hissed,

"Give him a chance. It'll come."

"He could go off into a coma again ... Can you remember any names, sir?" the policeman persisted.

"If you don't leave him alone," the nurse said, "I'll call Sister back right now."

The policeman straightened up, and he said stiffly, "Every word he says will mean something and could be a lead."

Before the nurse could respond, Sammy spoke again, "Ka ... tie," he murmured.

"Yes, dear?"

"Mr.... B."

The policeman was all ears now, saying nothing, but listening intently until Sammy said, "Mamie ... Bunch ... powder."

When Sammy closed his eyes, the nurse said, with some agitation, "Leave him alone, please! Let him rest."

They both straightened up and the policeman, after rapidly making some notes, said, "Well, that's a start," to which Katie stressed, "Mr. B is referring to my father."

Slightly disappointed, the policeman said, "Well what about Bunch? Did you recognise that?"

"No," said Katie.

"Sit down!" said the nurse to both of them, 'and be quiet, please. "

By eight o'clock that night, Bill had taken Katie's place and there was a different policeman sitting

there. When Bill had entered the room, the policeman introduced himself, saying, "Police Constable West, sir." Bill had nodded to him before turning to Katie and saying, "Your mother's waiting for you," and she whispered,

"Dad, he spoke. He said Mamie and another name that sounded like Bunch."

"Oh, yes? Yes?" He nodded at her, but pressed her towards the door.

In the corridor he said quietly, "He likely wanted to say something about that little bitch. I've got it in my mind that she's been the instigator of all this. She still won't speak except to say she wants to go to her

grandfather. I can tell you, she can't get there quick enough for me.

Anyway, don't let your mother come out again; Willie's coming to take over later on."

As Bill sat down by the side of Sammy's bed, the policeman said, "He's been knocked about... the young fella, hasn't he?"

"Yes. Yes, he has," Bill said; but when the policeman said, "You can't believe the things that happen these days," and went on to relate them, he wished to hell the man would shut up.

He sat back in his chair, and closed his eyes, only to jerk forward again at the sound of Sammy's voice, saying, "Mr. Bill... Mr. Bill."

"Yes, Sammy, I'm here. Take it easy now."

"B ... Bill."

"Yes? Yes, lad, this is Bill."

"Shop ... lift ..."

Both Bill and the policeman exchanged glances.

And the policeman said, "What did you say, sir?"

They had both heard what he had said, and when it came again, "Shop . lift,"

and then after a gasping breath, "Mamie lifting," the policeman repeated, "He said, shoplifting."

Bill had heard the words but was actually shocked by Mamie's name being associated with them.

Sammy had moved his head slightly on the pillow and now he looked at the face above him and said again, "Br ... Br ... Brunch."

"What did you say, sir? Brunch?"

Sammy's eyelids drooped, but as they did, he repeated, "Brunch."

At that moment the door opened and the nurse came in, and as she made for the bed Bill said, "He's spoken, nurse."

"Good." Her voice was noncommittal.

"But he mustn't be pressed. He wants sleep now, ordinary sleep, and then tomorrow he will likely be quite lucid." She now went through the procedure of taking Sammy's pulse, blood pressure and temperature; then said "I'll be back in a minute or so." Then, turning to Bill and her voice softening, she said, "Unless you'd like to stay in the waiting room as before."

"Yes; if you don't mind. Nurse, I'll do that."

"He won't do any talking until tomorrow, as I said."

But Sammy did. The door had hardly closed on her when the policeman, bending close to Sammy, said, "Is it the name of a man, sir, Branch?"

i74

"Bru ... Bru ... Brunch."

"It sounds like Brunch, not Branch," said Bill quietly.

Then his head moving slightly again, Sammy looked at Bill and said, "Garage, Bill."

"Garage, Sammy?"

"Johnny ... Johnny Hatter."

Bill straightened up for a moment.

"Garage? Johnny Hatter?" The name recalled a young fella whose name was Hatter, to whom Rupert had given the push some weeks ago. It wasn't

concerning his work, but that he took too many days off. He was always sick or there was some body in the house sick, if he remembered. Yes, that was the name.

"Drug ... drug."

"Yes, sir, that's what we want to know about, the drugs."

Sammy pulled in a long breath. Then as his head seemed to sink back into the pillow, he breathed the name again, slowly, "Brunch

It was at this moment sister came bustling into the room and, looking from one to the other, she said, "Would you kindly wait outside?"

"It's my ..."

Sister now stared at the officer, saying, "I know what you're going to say, constable; it's your duty. Well, he's not a prisoner, but he's a very sick young man and' - her voice dropping 'for your information, he's going to sleep. And hopefully, he'll be much better tomorrow ... hopefully, I say.

But if you choose to sit here all night, that's your business." She turned and looked at Bill, her glance saying, the same applies to you.

When the two men were in the corridor, the officer said, "She is a bossy boots, that one, isn't she?"

"Yes. But I suppose she's right."

"What d'y.ou make of the word Branch, sir?"

"I don't think it was Branch, but Brunch."

"Brunch?"

"Yes. Brunch. There's a little restaurant in town, called The Brunch.

Do you know it? A board outside says, "Come and have a brunch for your lunch." I think it's Americans who use the word brunch for lunch. "

"The Brunch?" The policeman's face had stretched now.

"Yes; yes, you're right, sir. And he said drugs, didn't he?"

"Yes." Bill nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, he did." And then he added to himself, he also said shop lifting. My God! Fiona will go round the bend if that's true. As for myself I'll want to take the skin off her if she's been the means of causing this business.

And I'll likely not be able to stop myself if anything happens to him .

"What did you say?"

"I said Johnny Hatter. He mentioned that name."

The policeman now took out his radio and spoke into it, saying, "Is the inspector there?" There was a pause, then he said, "Well go and get him, and put him on."

Presently, he spoke again, "Is that you, sir? The young fellow has spoken.

It seems that the name Brunch or Branch is connected with a restaurant in Fellburn. He also spoke the name of a man he must have recognised, Johnny Hatter. Apparently some weeks ago this man was dismissed from Mr. Bailey's garage. He also associated the girl Mamie with shoplifting."

There was a further pause before the policeman said, "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," before returning the radio to his pocket and saying to Bill, "That's given them a lead, anyway."

The next morning Sammy had come around somewhat, although he still imagined his father was with him and holding his hand.

"Da, I'm paining."

"Well, you would be, lad, wouldn't you?"

"But why?"

And his Dad had said, "You'll know soon enough, lad. Just rest easy."

"Da, are they going to kill me?"

"Well, they had a good try, lad. You'll hear all about it later."

When Davey's hand went to leave his, Sammy grabbed it, saying, "Don't go.

Da. Don't go. I'm ... I'm frightened. Da."

The hand left his; but another hand took its place and a voice said, "You awake, Sammy lad?" He opened his eyes and looked up into Bill's and on a whimper, he said, "Oh, Mr. Bill."

"Oh, lad, it's good to see you back." There was a break in Bill's voice.

"I'm aching, Mr. Bill; I can't move."

"You're bound to ache, lad, but you'll soon be better."

The da's been with me, Mr. Bill. "

"Well, you couldn't have a better man by your side, lad. Do you think you could talk to the policeman and tell him what you remember?"

"Policemen ... policemen?" muttered Sammy.

"They didn't come."

"No, but they're here now, lad, and you can help them."

Following Bill's pointing finger, Sammy's eyes slewed to the side to the face peering at him, and Bill said, "This is Inspector Mason. Can you tell him what you remember?"

Sammy sighed, as if trying to recollect what had happened. Then he muttered,

"Kitchen ... Thieves' kitchen. Table lit... littered."

As Sammy gasped for breath, Bill said, "Take it easy, boy," and he stroked the wet hair back from Sammy's brow, the while raising his hand, indicating to the inspector to go slowly.

However, the inspector said, "His every word, sir, could give us a lead. The Brunch information certainly gave us a start. There won't be any more

brunches there for a time. If you could have seen that cellar and the

camouflage, you would have been amazed. He's part Greek, the owner; but his subordinates are certainly not foreigners: lads from your own doorstep.

We've got one, but there must be others. And if he can only remember names

..."

Again Bill held up his hand for Sammy's eyes were open again and he was looking at the inspector.

"Polgar," he said.

"Yes, sir," the inspector acknowledged.

"She had been in the house, Gertie Polgar; at least, that's the

name she is going under now. She's got a record, that one, and she's as slippery as an eel, but we'll find her, because she's trailing her daughter with her this time. She's another one, that young lass. "

He looked across at Bill, but at this stage he was tactful enough not to make mention of the daughter's companion.

"Hatter and, I think ..." Sammy paused and drew in a deep, long shuddering breath before he said, "Breeze ..."

"Breeze? You mean wind?"

Sammy closed his eyes. He wished he could remember clearly. If only his da hadn't gone. Then he saw a man's face and another man going for him, and on a quick note he said, "Breezy. MM- Morley. Yes Morley."

The inspector now said eagerly, "Breezy? Oh, we know a Breezy. He's in and out like popcorn."

Sammy closed his eyes again: he wanted to go to sleep, for his da had come back, but he had hold of his hand and was saying to him, "Remember Pembroke Place? D'you remember that, lad; Pembroke Place and Mr. Campbell? Mr.

Campbell?"

He opened his eyes slowly and muttered now, "A man, Mr. Campbell; they were going there, or wanted to go there. Breezy said."

"Go where? Go where, sir?" The inspector's voice was urgent.

"Pembroke Place, I think." Sammy closed his eyes.

"Is that it. Da?

Then he said, "Pembroke Place."

"I... I think he's had enough." Bill again looked across at the inspector, and he, straightening up, said, "He's done splendidly to remember those names, because he's still rather concussed, I would think. By! He's had a narrow escape."

Turning now to the sergeant who had been taking down notes, he said, "Let's get on with the business. Campbell will take over," and turning to Bill, he added, "You never know what else he may remember."

When the nurse came in she looked from Bill to the new policeman and,

smiling, she said, "Those two look pleased with themselves." Then addressing Bill, she said, "Your wife has come. She's in the waiting-room with the young girl." She did not say 'that weirdy', because she was puzzled that such people could be associated with someone like her. Perhaps she was a friend of this young man. Yes, it was more than likely, because it was said that he had once lived in Bog's End in Fellburn, and she understood you couldn't get much lower than Bog's End.

In the waiting-room he greeted Daisy, "Hello, lass," he said.

She stood up, saying, "How is he?"

"Quite a bit better, lass. I'd go along now; there's nobody there except for the polis, as usual."

Daisy turned now and, looking at Fiona, she said, "Be seeing you," and Fiona answered in the same vein.

"Yes, Daisy; be seeing you."

As Bill sat down next to Fiona and saw her hands gripping the top of her handbag, he said, "What is it, dear? What's the matter?"

She looked up at him.

"It's ... it's her, Bill, Mamie. I... I can't have her back in the house; I wouldn't know a minute's peace. I went to see her this morning and she still lied barefacedly: she had never stolen anything in her life, and that when her grandfather heard of it, what he would do to us. And she wouldn't shut up; she went on and on, gabbling. Yes, she admitted she had been to Mrs.

Polgar's, but she still maintained it was only after she had been to the practice. Her story is that some men had burst in and they had tied her up and stuck a needle in her, and they had taken Mrs. Polgar and Nancy away with them. As for shoplifting, oh, that brought her to tears. I was so mad.

Bill, I shook her by the shoulders. We were in the side room by ourselves, but a nurse came in and upbraided me. You . you'll have to do something. I don't know what. But I'm not having her back. "

"Don't worry, dear. I'll do something, and I'll take a policeman along with me. I'll put the fear of God into her. She'll come clean or else.

In any case she has only two choices, that of going back to her grandfather, or into a home for wayward girls. Anyway, it's out of our hands now. How ever, I'll get on to her grandfather and get him here quick. He's made no move since he was told. " He bent down and kissed her, saying, " Come on, honey, don't waste your tears on her. You've wasted years trying to make something of her. It's all my fault, playing the big-hearted Bill, taking on somebody else's kid. " He now drew her to her feet, saying, " Come on now.