When Sorry Is Not Enough (23 page)

‘I was present,’ Jenny stuttered, ‘but it was Jessie who … put an end to her. And it wasn’t her fault. You have to understand that if Stan Roper hadn’t brought Marie in to be number one then Jessie wouldn’t have needed to have sorted her out.’

‘But just a minute,’ interrupted Sally, ‘if you are also saying that Dove was got rid of by Jessie for the same reason, how can that be? It’s common knowledge that Jessie had disappeared before Dove arrived.’

‘Aye,’ sneered Jenny, forgetting she had now to appear a victim here, ‘we did come down here and asked her mother to take us in and we were going to go straight. Isn’t that right, Mrs Liston?’

Martha nodded.

‘But Jessie said we should go up and get our things and then come back and … repent … but as we arrived at the flat we met the lassie who was going to replace Jessie at the foot of the stairs and she asked us for directions to Stan Roper’s flat.’ Jenny laughed. ‘We never told her it was just one flat up and then not only did we direct her to Newhaven but we chummed her there.’ Jenny sighed before adding quietly, ‘And I thought we were just going to leave her there but Jessie lost it again and jumped on the lassie’s back and well … she did her in.’

‘Told you my seed was evil,’ sniffed Martha who had adopted a pained look similar to that of Mary as she witnessed the crucifixion of Christ.

Luke began to get a feeling of dread and quietly he asked, ‘And where is Jessie now?’

‘Just before you arrived she left to go down to the harbour. She always goes to sit there ever since … Well, that’s all past and in the past it should remain.’

Sally jumped so abruptly from her chair that it toppled over. Yanking open the outside door she began to run for the harbour. ‘Please God,’ she pleaded, ‘don’t let it be that the lassie …’ Fortunately when the harbour wall came into view, delief washed over Sally. There sitting with her legs dangling over the side sat Jessie.

Howerver, before Sally approached Jessie she thought back to her own childhood and how her mother’s behaviour had been such a blight on her life. How, she wondered, would she have coped with Martha Liston, the exact opposite to her mother? She further considered what effect this over-zealous Christian woman had had on her daughter and she conceded that Jessie, like herself but differently, had decided to survive one way or another.

Jumping up on the wall, Sally sat alongside Jessie and like Jessie she stared unseeingly out to the horizon. ‘Are you scared, Jessie?’ she whispered.

Sally just sat quietly until Jessie uttered, ‘Scared? No, when the scariest, saddest thing has already happened to you – dehumanised you – what is there to be frightened of?’

This answer unnerved Sally. What was it that had happened to Jessie to turn her into the uncaring wretch that she now was?

‘You know that your mum has talked Jenny into giving herself up but what are you going to do?’

Jessie laughed coarsely. ‘My mum didn’t talk Jenny into giving herself up … I did!’

‘You did!’

‘Of course. I’m not exactly a dummy. As soon as I dumped that lassie in Newhaven harbour I hightailed it back here. Knew I did that Stan Roper might have had his doubts about who killed Marie but when I convinced the polis, and they were happy to be persuaded, that I had seen Irish arguing with her he gave me the benefit of the doubt. But I should never have touched that other lassie.’ She turned to face Sally full on. ‘You see, I was so full of spite about being thrown out of the flat and having to punt for business on the street along with the others on the slide, I couldn’t see straight. And that coupled with that smartarsed lawyer that’s going to get Irish’s conviction quashed … well … Stan will come after Jenny and me, he would have to, can’t you see that?’

‘So you’ll be safer in prison?’

‘Aye and that won’t worry me. I have been doing time since I was fifteen.’

‘But surely Stan wouldn’t …’

‘Oh no, he wouldn’t kill us. No, no. He’s too wily for that but he would make sure we weren’t … how can I put it … anybody’s first choice.’

‘Okay. So come on. We’ll give you a lift back into the police station.’

‘Aye, but just let me enjoy the sunset for another five minutes.’

Looking at the blood-red rays of the sun dipping into the crystal-blue ocean, Sally wondered how someone like Jessie could wish to hold this picture in her mind, yet that same human being had so callously ended the lives of two young women.

Without really speaking to Sally and more to herself Jessie whispered, ‘It was on a night like this that I sat here on this wall. I didn’t really see the sunset because my eyes were awash with tears. I’d escaped from my mother’s house as I couldn’t bear to see my baby being taken away by my cousin. It was for the best, my mother said. Whose best? Not mine and maybe not my baby’s. She’ll be a young woman now. Brought up in Australia. My barren cousin wanted a bairn and as she was emigrating on a ten-pound passage … well.’ Jessie bowed her head and a long moan escaped from her.

‘Do you ever hear about her?’

‘No. After they took her, my life with my draconian mother was even more … Well at fifteen I thought I’ve had enough of being constantly shackled and a life selling myself to the highest bidder seemed preferable.’

* * *

It was a taciturn journey back from Port Seton. The car, driven by Luke, was leaving Musselburgh and heading for Portobello when Luke said, ‘I think it would be best if we made for the guest house and we can summon the police to come there to pick the women up.’

‘What?’ exclaimed Sally who was sitting in the back with Jessie. ‘No way will we do that. Go straight to Portobello Police Station.’

‘Why?’

‘Because, Luke, I do not wish my house to be associated with … well you know and more importantly Irish’s mother is my guest there.’

‘Oh,’ was all Luke replied.

‘Yes, oh. There is no way I would wish her to come face to face with Jessie and Jenny.’

‘What like is Irish’s mother?’ Jessie asked.

‘She is everything a mother should be. She has believed in her son’s innocence and she is all keyed up about him getting out … and after what you have told me today … it could be as soon as next week.’

When they arrived at the police station Sally took control. ‘Right,’ she said to the women, ‘out you get and you are on your own now.’ Luke made to move. ‘No, Luke,’ Sally ordered. ‘This is their problem and we stay out of it.’

The women were on the pavement when Sally came forward to grasp Jessie’s hand. ‘I wish you well. Albeit it, you should never have laid the blame on Irish but …’

‘Of course you’re right. Could you tell him and his mother that I am sorry, very sorry?’

‘I’m afraid not. You see, you destroyed his life and that of his mother, so you being sorry … well … will it give either of them back these stolen years that have changed them forever? Will it breathe life back into Marie?’

Jessie looked skywards before letting go of Sally’s hand. Turning to Jenny she said, ‘Okay. There’s nothing else for it, pal. Let’s go and face the music.’

Sally was just about to get back into the car when someone called her name. Turning, she was surprised to be faced with recently promoted Superintendent David Stock.

‘Hello Sally,’ he said in such a friendly manner anyone listening would have thought they were bosom friends, ‘were you in at the station?’

‘No. I was just dropping two people off.’

‘Police officers?’

‘No. Just two persons that will be welcomed by some police officers right enough, especially the CID. Mind you,’ Sally continued with a sweet smile, ‘your intended brother-in-law … well … he will wish that they’d continued running.’

The sun was still setting when Luke and Sally arrived home. So spectacular and soothing were the dying rays on the tranquil sea that they both stood on the doorstep to marvel at the sight.

‘Sally, will we tell Irish’s mother about what Jessie and Jenny … ?’

‘No,’ Sally curtly interrupted. ‘Sorry to be so abrupt, Luke, but it’s just in case anything goes wrong, I don’t wish her hopes built up.’

Luke nodded. ‘Now as far as we are concerned it’s finished. All I ever wanted was to see Irish released and Jessie and Jenny well … they have to sink or swim now on their own.’

‘Hmmm,’ Sally mused, linking her arm through Luke’s, ‘but brother, we’re not finished. We still have to find Benny’s sister.’

On entering the house Sally exchanged a quizzical look with Luke. Voices were coming from the downstairs lounge. Advancing into the room, Sally firstly saw Kathleen and she was entertaining a woman that Sally had never met before.

‘Ah,’ exclaimed Kathleen, turning to the woman, ‘didn’t I tell you they would not be long?’

The woman smiled and, rising, she advanced towards Sally with an outstretched hand. When Sally shook the woman’s work-worn calloused hand she knew that this woman was a hard worker.

‘My name is Jean MacDonald and I’ve come about the job. Saw your advert in the newsagent’s shop at the top of Bellfield Street, so I did.’

Sally was impressed. She had only put the advert in that shop window yesterday and here was a woman she thought could more than fill Maggie’s shoes asking to be considered for the post.

A quick ten-minute interview and Jean MacDonald, a mother of nine from Magdalene, was appointed to Maggie’s post.

Jean had just left when Kathleen tentatively asked, ‘Did you have any luck down at Port Seton?’

‘Possibly, but you see …’

The ringing door bell saved Sally from having to lie to Kathleen. She was just about to answer the fortuitous summons when Josie, followed by Angela and little Roy, entered.

Motherhood had been good for Angela. She had matured and there was a radiance about her now. Sally had just taken her into an embrace when she started taking the mickey out of her mother, Josie. ‘Aunt Sally,’ she began, ‘you won’t believe this but my mother is refusing to put Roy and me up. No room at the inn for poor little us.’

‘What?’ was Sally’s reaction as she turned to look accusingly at Josie.

‘Look. Of course I want her and darling wee Roy,’ Josie defended, ‘it’s just that I had to give my lodgers notice and they won’t move out for another four days.’

Sally immediately blurted, ‘There’s room here for you.’

Having heard the commotion, Luke, recently showered, put in an appearance. ‘Oh my darling niece,’ he expounded, grabbing hold of Angela and twirling her around. ‘The beautiful Angela and her offspring. Hello young master, I’m your great Uncle Luke.’ Turning back to Angela he asked, ‘Hope I will see some of you while you’re here.’

‘You will,’ interrupted Sally, ‘because she’ll be staying here.’

‘Good. Oh, by the way, that will be great because I have just invited Spring up next week to meet the family. And as she will need somewhere to stay …’

Sally’s face fell. The only vacant room she had was now to be occupied by Angela. ‘Luke,’ she quickly interjected, ‘I’m afraid I have to put you into an invidious position in that … I know you are an honourable man but if Spring is coming she will need to share your room. I will put in a put-you-up. Will that be okay?’

Not wishing to let Sally know that the situation she had just proposed would be more than ‘okay’ to him he pretended to be slightly put out and he just slowly nodded his acceptance but he also gave a sly wink to Josie.

* * *

The wedding plans were going better than expected. The date that was agreed was the Saturday that Luke would be leaving to return to Hong Kong. Nancy and Sally, who were having a meeting in Sally’s house, had just decided against tulle and lace. ‘I think ladies of our mature years …’

‘Here, Sally, is that you saying diplomatically that we’re over the hill?’

Sally ignored Nancy’s observation and went on, ‘Always look best if dressed by Alexon or Lerose. Jenners have a good selection of both labels. So that’s where we’ll go this week for our outfits.’

Nancy nodded. ‘Benny’s excited. Poor lamb.’

‘Here,’ wheedled Sally, ‘remember you said he had a sister. Any idea how old she is?’ Sally started to cackle. ‘And by the way what is his surname? I need it for the invitations.’

‘Turnbull, and his sister is three years younger than him so that would put her at about fifty-five right now.’ Nancy pondered before divulging, ‘And I think her name was Yvonne – I’m right she was an Yvonne Turnbull.’

Nancy got up and looked out of the window and up to her right. ‘Here Sally, is that house three doors up really for sale?’

‘Aye, it’s a tip. But know something, it would be well worth buying because it will go cheap and it could be made into something like this.’

‘You think so?’

‘Nancy, I know so.’

One of the first priorities for Sally was that the house must always appear to be a harmonious, welcoming place to the guest. With this in mind she waited until Maggie had done all her chores before she advised her that she had engaged her replacement.

‘You rotten bitch,’ Maggie spat. ‘You just couldnae wait to pull the rug from under my feet, could you?’ Sally just smiled. ‘Know something?’

‘Not ’til you tell me, Maggie,’ Sally sang.

‘I just ken you have waited all these years to get even with me.’

‘That’s where you’re wrong. Have you forgotten that I was the only one to offer you a hand up when you were in the gutter? And it was you who gave me the ultimatum last week. And see when it comes to ultimatums, Maggie, always take into consideration that the person will go a different way from what you think. Then ask yourself if they do just that – will you be able to live with it?’

‘Right,’ Maggie huffed. ‘I’m leaving today.’

‘So be it,’ replied Sally, who had reckoned that Maggie would walk out today and she had therefore engaged Jean as from tomorrow.

The delicious smell of frying bacon and sausages permeated through the ground floor of the house. Sally was feeling pleased with herself in that she was up and the breakfast for eighteen, with the exception of the eggs, was all ready.

Prompt on seven o’clock the doorbell rang and Jean, laden with the morning newspapers, entered.

‘Havenae read the full story,’ she announced, passing the bundle to Sally, ‘but the headlines are saying that they’ve got two women, would you believe women, for the murder of the lassie in Newhaven.’