Beyond Life (13 page)

‘It sounds to me like there’s a battle between good and evil going on in her world,’ said Jim. ‘So she can’t be in heaven yet, can she?’

His brother was thinking exactly the same thing and none of it yet made any sense to either of them.

*****

Marion was on the train to London on her way back from Yorkshire. She’d contacted
People Against Poverty
during a quiet moment at the hotel and had initially spoken to Gail. Gail had carried out the volunteer training for Marion and Val and both women were now friends with the easy-going trainer. Marion hadn’t meant to share her worries with Gail but once she’d started telling her concerns about Daniel, all the other stuff had come out and by the end of the call, she’d felt relieved that she’d been able to share her problems and that Gail hadn’t thought she was making something out nothing. Marion knew deep down to trust her own instincts but Val’s reaction had made her doubt herself. Gail had obviously trusted her judgement as Marion had just hung up on a call asking that she and Val visit the charity HQ the following day at 10 am. They must be very concerned she thought, to respond to her call at 7pm and convene a meeting for the next morning. She wasn’t looking forward to calling Val to tell her about the meeting, but they had to try and sort something out soon thought Marion, if they were going to work on the orphanage project together in Romania.

*****

Carl had made them tea before retreating to the pub and Val had thanked Libby for the flowers. The two women now sat opposite each other, Val on the green leather settee, and Libby on one of the matching armchairs. She took a deep breath.

‘I don’t know how many more times to say I’m sorry. I didn’t expect you to be so upset especially when you knew I didn’t want a big wedding.’

They’d been around this buoy already but Libby felt the need to repeat herself.

‘You are my only daughter, Libby. I wanted to show you off to all our family and friends at your wedding, so that everyone knows how proud I am and how much you mean to me,’ she wiped away the tears with the back of her hand. ‘And now I’ll never have that chance.’

‘Oh, Mum.’ Libby put down her mug and moved to her mother and hugged her.

‘But why didn’t you tell me this when we talked about weddings?’

‘Because I didn’t want to say I thought I could talk you round. As you didn’t have a serious boyfriend at the time I...’ They were quiet for a moment while Val gathered her thoughts.

‘I expected you to meet someone and come home one day and say it was serious. Then get carried away with me about planning your wedding and then you’d change your mind and say you wanted a big do, a dress with a long train, reception, the works. Your father and I have been putting a bit away for years for yours and Carl’s wedding you know.’

Libby wasn’t aware of their wedding funds and up until a few minutes before hadn’t realised that she could actually feel guiltier than she already did.

‘I’m so sorry, Mum,’ now they were both crying and hugging. ‘It would have been hard without Dad there to give me away too. Please say you’ll forgive me?’ This wasn’t the time to tell her mother about the message from her father, perhaps there would never be a right time.

Val wiped a tear from her daughter’s face and pulled her to her. She stroked her hair and Libby enjoyed the closeness to her mother, which she hadn’t had for ages.

‘I do feel hurt, Libby, but I’ll get over it. Especially if you and Tony do decide to have a proper blessing and invite lots of friends and family, have a reception, a beautiful dress, maybe a piper and some beautiful photographs...’

Libby laughed. How could she deny her mother this after seeing how upset she’d been?

Now that the bridge between mother and daughter had been fixed, Val was keen to tell Libby about some of her experiences in Zambia. Libby already knew a little of the country from the tales her mother had told her the first time she’d gone away with Marion. Val gradually added Gary into the anecdotes and Libby noticed her mother’s eyes sparkle when she talked about this new mystery man.

‘Ooh, he sounds interesting. Is he good to you?’

‘Very.’

‘And is he good looking.’

Val laughed, embarrassed. ‘Very,’ she turned serious. ‘Do you think it’s too soon, Libby? It’s platonic up to now but that may very well change.’

Libby wasn’t used to seeing her mother blush and tried not to show that she’d noticed. ‘Mum, Dad’s been gone for just over two years now. You loved each other but I’m sure he’ll understand.’

‘You mean he would have understood?’

‘Yes, that’s exactly what I meant. You have to be sure that it’s what you want though, Mum. I don’t want you to be hurt by this man.’

‘If you knew him you’d know he’d never hurt me, Libby. I really miss him and can’t wait to see him again.’

‘When’s that likely to happen?’

Val explained that Gary had been in touch and was hoping to do some business in Europe. He was trying to arrange his dates so that it coincided with her break, halfway through her next tour in Romania, or at the end of that tour. The phone went and Libby listened to her mother’s discussion. She got the impression that it was Marion but still didn’t know her mother’s reason for their falling out.

‘What’s happened between you two?’ Libby asked as soon as her mother had rung off and Val explained that Marion was jealous of her new relationship with the charming and good-looking Gary.

‘Ooh. I never knew Tony’s Mum was like that.’

Val explained that she had doubts about whether they could work together in Romania and told Libby about the meeting at the charity HQ the following morning.

‘I really want to do this job in Romania but they’ve said they want us as a package. So I’m going to be grown-up and try and put what happened in Zambia behind us. I don’t want Marion to know when and I where I’m meeting Gary though, that part of my life is none of her business.’

Libby thought it was sad that there was a tear in the friendship and hoped that it could be mended. It was a shame as they had been inseparable before their latest tour to Zambia and that closeness had meant that Carl and Libby worried about their mother a lot less than they used to. She wondered if she were being selfish in hoping that her mother and mother-in-law would regain that close friendship again in the not too distant future.

Tony came to pick Libby up a little later and she wondered why he hadn’t seemed really pleased that her relationship with her mother was almost back to normal.

‘Are you okay? You seem preoccupied.’

‘Can we wait until we’re home and then we’ll talk?’

He hadn’t said that everything was fine and Libby didn’t have a good feeling about what was to come later.

‘There’s no easy way to tell you this, sweetheart,’ he pushed her gently into the lounge and she sat down.

Libby knew that nobody had died, but Tony looked so solemn and worried, she was scared.

‘Whatever it is. Just tell me!’

‘Your mother’s seeing someone new, and that man...’

‘Oh, I see. You’ve been talking to your mother and she’s told you her version of events. My mother said your mother’s jealous of her new bloke and that’s why they’ve fallen out. Apparently he’s really good looking and charming and is kind and thoughtful as well and...’ her words trailed off and she stopped when she saw the look on her husband’s face. ‘What?’

‘Do you want a drink?’

‘I just want to know what’s going on here?’

‘Libby. The man your mother is falling for is the one who kidnapped my step sister.’

‘WHAT!’ this time it was a scream. ‘Don’t be ridiculous, his picture was all over the papers, she’s been in Zambia, not on another planet. Has your mother told you that?’

‘I don’t know why you keep talking about my mother, this is nothing to do with her...’

‘But I thought she told you, nobody else knows about my mother seeing this man called Gary.’

‘He’s changed his name to Gary Jamieson, Libby. He used to be known as
Big Ed
and has had cosmetic surgery to change his appearance. He’s a murderer and grooms young girls to have sex with older men. He’s evil, Libby and we have to protect your mother.’

‘Oh my God,’ she put her hand over her mouth finding it difficult to take in the information. A few seconds later she realised something didn’t quite ring true. ‘Hang on a minute. How do you know all this? Who told you if it wasn’t your mother?’

Libby saw the look on her husband’s face and realised what must have happened. ‘So she came to talk to you when you were with Jim?’

‘Yup.’

Before she’d received a message from the Medium Michael Gray, Libby didn’t believe that their dead sister was really communicating with them. She thought it was their way of handling the grief. Now she was in no doubt that the departed could contact some of those on the living plain, but still found Tony’s revelation a bit of a stretch.

‘So let me get this right. Your sister has been to Zambia watching your mother, sorry, her mother as well, and my mother. And, even though that guy has apparently had cosmetic surgery, she recognised him as the man who kidnapped your stepsister and murdered another woman. Is that about right?’

‘Hmm, hm.’

‘So, sorry to state the obvious, but how did she recognise him?’

Tony could see her point and wished they’d asked Claire more questions.

A gust of wind blew the curtains and they billowed as if someone big was standing behind them trying to hide.

‘Tell her that the woman he murdered was with us,’ shouted Claire.

‘What the hell?’ screamed Libby.

‘Will you stop doing that,’ shouted Tony.

‘Tony, it’s freaking me out, what’s happening?’ she was visibly shaking and all colour had drained from her face. It was only Claire and Tony didn’t understand why his wife was so frightened until he tried to put himself in her shoes. Yup, he’d be crapping it too. He took her in his arms and held her until she’d calmed down.

‘It’s all right, sweetheart. Nobody’s going to hurt you. Umm, Claire’s discovered that she can do new things and she forgets that it frightens some of us.’

‘Claire, stop it now and calm down.’

It wasn’t a request and Claire momentarily forgot that she had the upper hand and automatically did what one of her big brothers told her to.

‘Right. If you frighten Libby again, you’re banned from visiting when Libby’s about and if you do, I will ignore you, no matter how difficult that may be.’

He’s talking to the ceiling again thought Claire who was hovering by the television.

‘Okay, sorry.’

‘She said sorry.’

‘This is effing weird,’ said Libby shaking her head.

‘Tell Libby that her father and Sandy, the woman Big Ed murdered, were watching her mother and Sandy twigged that it was Big Ed who was with her.’

The message passed, Libby accepted the information. ‘And is err, Sandy 100 per cent sure?’ Now she was talking to the ceiling.

‘Absolutely no doubt about it,’ Claire replied. ‘Our, umm, bosses double-checked and confirmed it.’

Claire sensed another presence and looked around. She was relieved to see it was Raphael and he was beckoning her with his finger.

‘I can’t talk anymore I’ve got to go. I’ll be in touch.’

Tony knew that she was gone as soon as she’d passed her final message and he took his wife’s hand and they walked to the kitchen. He got two glasses out of the cupboard and went to pour brandy into both.

‘I may have had a shock but there’s no way I’m drinking that stuff. It’s horrible.’

He breathed a sigh of relief. She was going to be okay. Mixing her usual poison of vodka and tonic they returned to the lounge to discuss what had happened, and what to do to protect her mother from the clutches of Gary Jamieson.

Chapter 10

They were coming in from different directions so Val and Marion had arranged to meet at 9am at a coffee shop in Victoria station, and walk the ten minutes or so to the charity HQ together. Marion had just finished her coffee and stood up as Val arrived. They hugged and although it was a little awkward, both women realised they’d missed each other’s friendship and company.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Marion.

‘Me too.’

They hugged again and this time it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

‘Have you spoken to Libby?’

‘Yes and they’re going to do the blessing but it’s going to be like a big wedding. They’ll make sure that it’s when we’re not away and she said she’d love my opinion on the arrangements.’

Marion smiled and acted surprised at the news, even though Tony had phoned her and told her about Libby and Val’s reconciliation.

They linked arms to cross the road, both comfortable again in each other’s company. Val decided that this was the way ahead and that they could get along just fine if she didn’t bring Gary into the equation. As long as Marion didn’t put him down, she would accept this. Gail met them at reception.

‘Hiya. Great to see you both. Wow, how much weight have you lost?’ She looked at them both with a beaming smile and Marion felt a huge surge of warmth for this woman. They kissed and hugged then headed for the lift. Gail turned serious.

‘Mr Donaldson is away on business. Funnily enough he’s in Eastern Europe overseeing the preparations for a number of new projects, including your next one.’

‘Who are we seeing?’ asked Val.

‘Sylvia, Mr Donaldson’s deputy and she’s asked me to sit in too.’

‘Sorry if you had plans for today,’ said Marion. ‘But I thought...’ Val gave her a look. ‘We mulled it over and thought it was important.’

‘No worries. I don’t have a life.’ They laughed with relief when they realised that Gail was joking.

The introductions over and coffee served – instant because Sylvia didn’t call her Secretary in at weekends – Sylvia asked for an overview of their tour. She noticed how the women finished each other’s sentences like an old married couple. They had done well and worked well together. However, Gail had told her about the disagreement and the presumed death of the girls and it was this that Sylvia wanted to discuss.