A Place of Hope (23 page)

Emily shook her head. ‘He helped me a little, guessing I was going to try to escape, but he was adamant that he didn’t want to be a whistle blower, said his career would never recover from that.’

‘Sadly, he could be right,’ Chad said. ‘But it might be worth tracing him and trying to persuade him to reconsider.’

Oliver made another note. ‘I’ll be frank with you. It’s not going to be easy to prove your case unless the handwriting expert provides some evidence in our favour.’

Emily stared at him, disappointment surging through her. ‘That settles it. I’m going to phone my former boss and ask for his help.’

They looked at her in surprise.

She could feel herself flushing. ‘I used to work in – um, let’s call it one of the government’s security units. I was only doing research and clerical work – well, most of the time – but Leon is still in charge and he’s a very clever man. I’m sure he’ll help me if I ask him.’

‘Security?’ Chad said. ‘You were working in MI5 or something?’

‘Or something. It was a small unit that wasn’t in the public eye. It was interesting work, though of course I can’t tell you about it.’

‘Why do you think this Leon guy will help?’

She couldn’t control her blushes. ‘Because he and I were . . . well, we were involved at one stage. It didn’t work out. He’s wedded to his job, has already had two failed marriages. I wanted more than that from a partner. But we didn’t split up in an acrimonious way and we’ve remained good friends. I’m sure he’ll help if he can.’

She let out a huff of laughter. ‘We had an argument once and I swore I’d never ask him for help. But I’ll do whatever I have to, to save this house and stop George controlling me. Leon will crow about that.’

She saw Chad’s face and stifled a sigh. She hadn’t wanted to reveal details of her past affairs; no new lover liked that. She turned towards Oliver again. ‘Please don’t say a word about this. I wasn’t supposed even to mention my former job to anyone.’

‘We won’t. But if you think Leon can help in any way, you should definitely contact him.’

‘I’ll do that straight away.’ She left the room and went into her bedroom, using the telephone to ring a special number she’d never forget. It rang three times and a mechanical voice said, ‘Number received. You will be phoned back shortly on a more secure line.’

She put the phone down and waited. Two minutes later it rang. She wasn’t surprised at how quickly they’d got back to her. He unit was nothing if not efficient.

She was surprised that it was Leon himself calling. ‘Emily?’

‘Yes.’

‘Are you all right?’

‘Yes. What had you heard?’

‘That you were in a coma. They said you had brain damage. Your nephew wasn’t very optimistic about your recovery. We checked with the sister in charge of the unit and she said much the same thing, in medical jargon. We were all a bit upset. You’re sure you’re all right now?’

‘Positive. George didn’t want me to recover so that he could take over my finances. Don’t believe a word he says. And the sister in charge of the unit was working with him to keep me sedated.’

She heard a low, soft whistle of surprise. Leon didn’t question what she’d said, though. He knew she’d not lie to him.

As she was trying to work out how to ask for his help, he chuckled. ‘You never did like asking for help, Emily Mattison.’

‘No. But now I really need it.’ She summarized the situation. ‘I know this isn’t job related, and I’m not with the unit any longer, but I’m desperate. Can you help in any way?’

‘Definitely. I’ll take charge of helping you myself . . . for old times’ sake.’

‘There’s just one thing . . . I’m involved with the guy who escaped with me.’

‘I’ll tread carefully.’

She heard rustling sounds, then what sounded like keys clicking on a computer keyboard. He’d be checking his schedules.

‘Give me two or three days to sew up the current project. Unless things become desperate, in which case you should call the emergency number straight away.’

‘I don’t think anything that desperate is likely to happen. We do, after all, have a lawyer working with us, and Chad and I are away from their control now. Once we’ve sorted out my problems and got George off our backs, maybe you can find some way to help Chad recover his lost identity. Then I’d know . . . if he’s free.’

‘You sound very taken with him.’

‘I am. He saved my sanity in that place and . . . we’re comfortable together.’

‘Then I wish you both well and I’ll help in every way I can. Take care. And Emily . . .’

‘Yes?’

‘I’m glad you rang, glad you’re not incapacitated. Really glad.’

She put the phone down and sat for a moment or two, remembering Leon. How much had he changed in the couple of years since she’d retired? Not much, from the sound of it. How much had she changed? A lot. She’d hoped at one stage that they’d stay together . . . but she’d gradually realized Leon would never give any woman the sort of love she wanted, and she would never settle for less. Which was why she was unmarried. Too idealistic, her mother used to say. Too picky.

Would Chad be able to give her that love? She wouldn’t know till they found out about his wife – ex-wife, she hoped – and until her business affairs had been settled.

How complicated life could get!

She went to join the others in the bar. ‘Help will be with us in two or three days. I doubt anything serious will happen before then.’

‘From this Leon fellow?’

‘And the unit. He doesn’t work alone. He has . . . resources at his disposal that we couldn’t match.’

The following morning at nine o’clock there was the sound of a car drawing up outside The Drover’s Hope.

Rachel immediately went to look out of the window. ‘Damn! It’s that Corrish woman again. She’s sitting in her car. Why isn’t she getting out? I bet she’s waiting for someone. Hey, Toby!’

He came out of the kitchen.

‘You’d better go and hide. Mrs Corrish has just turned up again.’

He gulped and tears filled his eyes.

Emily hated to see how he changed at the mere thought of his house supervisor. ‘Go and hide in the secret room, Toby. She won’t find you there. Here. Take a packet of biscuits with you.’

He grabbed the biscuits and dashed off towards the rear of the house.

Oliver came down the stairs just as Toby rushed through the bar. ‘Where’s he going in such a hurry?’

‘Avoiding madam.’ Rachel pointed out of the window.

‘Ah. I’ll go back upstairs and join you after they come in. Good thing I don’t know where Toby is right now.’

She went back to watching their unwelcome visitor, standing behind the dusty old curtains and keeping up a running commentary. ‘Ah. Here’s another car. Two men getting out of it. One has “council official” stamped all over him. The other is a plump guy and he looks unhappy about something.’

When the doorbell rang, Emily went to answer it. She didn’t open it wide, just stood in the narrow gap and said curtly, ‘Yes?’

‘I’m from the local council. We have reason to believe that you’re concealing a runaway lad who is in care. We need to speak to him at once.’

She didn’t hurry to answer, wondering what best to say. As she opened her mouth, she heard someone coming towards her and turned as Chad joined her.

‘Do you have ID?’ he asked the visitors, his voice cooler than she’d heard it before.

Both men began to fumble in their pockets.

Chad waited beside Emily, his face expressionless, his arm round her waist.

‘You’re just wasting time!’ Mrs Corrish snapped. ‘You know perfectly well who I am and you must have realized I’d bring back people with the right to search for Toby.’

Emily studied the men’s IDs and nodded. ‘Do come in.’

They entered the hall, but Chad stepped in front of Mrs Corrish, barring the way. ‘You haven’t shown us any ID yet, nor do we know what right you have to enter this house.’

Her face went bright red. ‘That must be obvious. I’m Toby’s carer.’

‘So you say. I thought you were the group supervisor.’

‘It’s the same thing.’

‘It doesn’t sound the same to me. And we still want to see some form of identification.’

‘I don’t
need
to produce ID since you know who I am.’

‘We’ve not seen any official proof of the position you claim to hold.’

Oliver came down the stairs and walked across to join the group. His words showed he’d been listening. ‘You do need to produce some ID, Mrs Corrish. My client doesn’t take kindly to people pushing their way into her house, as you tried to do last time.’

She fumbled in her handbag, muttering to herself, then went through the bag again. ‘My ID card is at home. Kevin Hansford will vouch for me.’ She indicated the worried looking man standing in the hallway.

‘That’s not good enough, I’m afraid.’ Oliver smiled at her and closed the door in her face, ignoring the yells, the sound of the doorbell and then the knocker. He turned to the two men. ‘Mr Hansford. Mr Pointer. Nice to meet you again.’

He offered his hand and they could do nothing but shake.

‘I think it’d be better if Mrs Corrish joined us,’ Pointer said. ‘She is, after all, Toby’s carer.’

‘Supervisor, not carer,’ Oliver corrected. ‘He seems to me to be functioning at a high level for someone with Down syndrome and I’m sure he looks after himself physically.’

‘You know him?’

‘I’ve met him here a few times. Miss Penelope used to have him round to tea.’ He looked at Kevin. ‘Toby was always very hungry, and sometimes upset by the way Mrs Corrish had been treating him. As his social worker, I’d have expected you to do something to change his situation.’

‘I wasn’t aware till recently. But I’m working on it now, which is why I’m here. Um . . . you’ve seen him since she died?’

Emily spoke. ‘Rachel and I have. He was hungry and very upset when we saw him. We gave him food. But he ran away when Mrs Corrish came to the house. He seems terrified of her.’

‘You don’t know where he is now?’

‘Why should I?’

‘Mrs Corrish is sure he’s hiding here. We really do need to see him and get his side of the story.’

‘After which you’ll send him back to that woman while you look for new accommodation? He’ll only run away again, and I don’t blame him.’

Kevin sighed. ‘You know what it’s like.’

‘You two can look round the house, but not her,’ Oliver said.

‘
She
isn’t coming inside without a police warrant after her rudeness to me last time,’ Emily put in. ‘And I sincerely pity anyone in her care.’

‘She claims that you’re suffering from dementia and have also escaped care,’ Pointer said, staring at her as if it was true.

Emily looked at him in astonishment. ‘How would she know anything about me? I’ve only met her twice and until recently, I lived in the south.’

‘She says your nephew is looking for you because he’s worried about your safety.’ His eyes flickered to Chad then Oliver.

‘I can’t think how that woman ever got in contact with my nephew. I’ve certainly not told her anything about my family.’

Both visitors looked surprised.

‘You should ask her how she came by this information,’ Oliver said. ‘This is starting to look like harassment by the nephew. For your information, my client was in hospital after an accident that left her in a coma, but she is not suffering from dementia and never has been. She’s now fully recovered from the accident and—’

‘But—’

‘Let me finish. Fully recovered and in view of her nephew’s . . . concerns about her health, has voluntarily been checked by a geriatric specialist, who also found no signs of dementia.’

Kevin looked even more unhappy. ‘I’m sorry to be troubling you, then, Miss Mattison, and I do apologize for the misunderstanding.’

‘
Ms
Mattison.’

He smiled wryly. ‘Sorry.
Ms.
My partner prefers that form of address, too. I usually remember.’

‘What on earth does that matter?’ the official said. ‘We need to see Toby. Surely we don’t have to get a warrant to search the house for him?’

Oliver waved one hand in a gesture of encouragement. ‘No need for a warrant. Go ahead and look round.’

He looked even more suspicious. ‘Don’t you want to accompany us?’

‘Why should we? I trust Kevin and I’m sure he’ll keep an eye on you, Mr Pointer. I gather Miss Penelope showed you round once or twice, Kevin.’

‘Yes. It could be a lovely old place if it was looked after. That barn is wonderful.’ He looked at Emily. ‘If you’re sure it’s OK? Right then. This way, Mr Pointer.’

‘Shouldn’t someone go with them?’ Rachel worried once they’d left.

‘No. Let them fumble their way round. It’s a confusing house.’ Oliver grinned. ‘I don’t care if they get lost.’

‘Someone should keep an eye on Mrs Corrish,’ Chad said.

‘I’ll do it,’ Oliver said. ‘But I’d love a cup of coffee.’ He moved to stand by the window. ‘She’s on the phone. I wonder who she’s speaking to.’

‘Probably stirring up more trouble,’ Rachel sighed. ‘It’d be nice simply to settle down for a while and deal with this house. Emily and I both love those renovation programmes on TV. And antique shows.’

‘I have a few pieces of antique furniture. They belonged to my grandmother,’ Oliver said. ‘They’re in storage because my wife preferred modern stuff, but I couldn’t bear to part with them. I’ve been going to get them valued.’

‘I could do that for you and—’ Chad stopped, looking surprised. ‘I keep saying things that make me suspect I have some connection with the antique business. It’s as if I’m looking through a curtained window and the curtains are growing more transparent all the time. But I don’t feel I have a wife. Not now, at least. I don’t get the faintest sense of any emotional attachment to a woman in my previous life.’

‘Let’s hope you’re right about that.’ Emily smiled at him. ‘I wonder how our visitors are getting on.’

‘I should think they’re very hesitant to poke around too much without the Corrish woman to urge them on,’ Oliver said smugly. ‘Kevin’s a great bloke, really. Just a bit hamstrung by lack of facilities for someone like Toby. And his partner’s been unwell for months. She’s due to have a baby soon and there are complications.’