Classic Bestsellers from Josephine Cox: Bumper Collection

‘Easy now. Take it slowly.’

With Tom’s kind urging, she continued, telling him how Samantha’s body had been discovered in the water. ‘She was wearing high heels – she always loved the latest fashions. She must have slipped on the wet stones and fallen into the harbour. They think she knocked herself out somehow – on the wall or a boat – and she … oh, Tom.’ Kathy could not go on any further.

Tom took her gently in his arms, his mind in turmoil as she wept softly. How could it be? Dear God! What a terrible thing to have happened.

While he was going over what Kathy had said, a frightening thought came to him.

Kathy had just described how Samantha had ‘grabbed my coat’ and gone out into the night … it was pouring with rain. My God!

Could someone have mistaken Samantha for Kathy?

He recalled what Dougie had said in those last few minutes. ‘I killed them … all.’ That’s what he’d said … ‘You had everything. I killed them … all.’

No, it was an accident. Tragic, but an accident.

‘Tom?’

He was startled from his thoughts. ‘What, darling?’

‘Are you all right?’ She had seen how pale and pensive he’d become.

‘I’m just sorry that you had to go through all that alone,’ he said, his voice sombre. ‘You should have told me!’

‘I know.’

‘What about Jasper? I’m surprised he didn’t let me know.’

‘He wanted to,’ she confessed, ‘but I asked him not to.’ She kissed him on the mouth. ‘But you’re here now, and that’s all that matters.’ Nestling into his arms, she asked gently, ‘What happened, Tom, back there?’

Wisely, Tom told her only as much as he thought she needed to know. About Dougie and the outcome of the police investigation, and what a stroke of luck it had been that the owner of the breaker’s yard should be selling up and discover the car. He explained how his own brother had been the one who drove them over that cliff-edge. When she reacted with horror, he took her back into his arms. ‘It’s over now,’ he said. ‘We have to look forward, you and I, together.’

Together. It had a wonderful sound, thought Kathy.

For her own sake, he told her just enough. He had to be strong.

The rest he kept to himself … about Dougie’s last words, and the fact that the son he had adored was not his son, but Dougie’s.

He did not tell her about Lilian’s obsession with him, nor that she was a sick woman in need of help. There would be time for all that in the future, when their lives were more settled.

When the clock struck ten, there came a knock on the door. It was Jasper. ‘Glad to see yer back, Tom, lad,’ he said, shaking Tom by the hand. ‘I was in the shop having a tot o’ the good stuff with my dear old friend, when I saw you get off the bus. I weren’t sure as to what you might be doing … whether you’d want the cottage warmed, or if you had any other ideas, like?’ He looked from one to the other, delighted to see the love light in their eyes.

‘Good to see you too, Jasper.’ Tom thought the sight of that old hairy face was reassuring.

‘Anyway, here’s the key. I’ve lit the fire and you’ll find a hot-water bottle in the bed … them sheets get icy cold once the weather turns.’

He smiled at Kathy. ‘All right, are yer, lass?’

‘I’m better now that Tom’s back,’ she answered. ‘Thanks all the same, Jasper.’

‘Aye well, I’ll not keep yer.’ Tipping his cap in his usual fashion, he gave a long yawn. ‘I’m off to me bed.’ He gave Kathy a wink. ‘I’ll see youse both tomorrer, eh?’

Tom thanked him. ‘If you call in at the cottage first thing, there’s something I’d like to run by you,’ he suggested.

Jasper nodded. ‘I’d like a chinwag,’ he said. ‘I’m sure we’ve a lot to talk about, you and me.’ He glanced at Kathy, comfortable in the crook of Tom’s arm. ‘But right now the two of youse will have more to talk about. You don’t need an old geezer like me standing on the doorstep.’

He tipped his cap at Kathy once more before ambling away, whistling in the dark, the tap of his boots echoing against the pavement.

An hour later, Tom asked Kathy if she wanted him to stay the night. Even though he knew she had been here on her own for the last weeks, he was worried about leaving her alone.

Sensing his concern, Kathy was tempted, but she decided against it. ‘Best not,’ she said. ‘You get back and settle into the cottage,’ she said. ‘Jasper’s lit a fire up there, anyway.’ And besides, ‘If the locals saw you coming out of here in the morning, there’d be tongues wagging all over West Bay.’ She chuckled. ‘Not that I’m too worried about that.’

‘And will you be all right … on your own?’ He hated himself for saying it, he knew how independent Kathy was, but he couldn’t help but be concerned, even now.

‘I’ve been safe up to now,’ she answered.

‘All right.’ Kissing her goodnight, he told Kathy to get a good night’s sleep, because he was taking her boating tomorrow. ‘We’ll go right out, where nobody can find us. Just you and me … out there, with only the wind and skies for company.’

It sounded wonderful, to him and Kathy both.

Liz and her son were outside in the garden when the postman dropped the letter through the letterbox. ‘Look, Mummy!’

Thrilled with his new dragon-kite, Robbie let it loose, laughing and leaping about when the sharp breeze picked it up and carried it high above the garden. ‘It’s flying!’

Liz came to watch, mesmerised like a child as she followed its maiden flight. ‘That’s wonderful!’ she cried. In truth when she bought it that morning she had never really believed it would take off, let alone fly through the air like that.

Dipping and diving, it soared above the rooftops, and for a moment seemed as if it would escape the boy’s clutch, but then he tugged it back, calling frantically for Liz when it got caught up in the top of a birch tree.

Taking her broom, she reached up, wrapping the handle round the string. She gave a hard tug; the string broke and Robbie fell backwards, disappointed but not beaten. ‘If you hold me, I’ll climb up,’ he said, so she did, and within five minutes the kite was safely back on the ground.

‘Bring it inside,’ Liz told him. ‘We’ll have to retie the string and mend that tear.’ The dragon had a gash right through his mouth.

‘He looks like he’s smiling.’ Robbie laughed, and Liz had to agree.

Once inside the kitchen, Liz took out her sewing basket and, with a few deft moves of the hand, she stitched his mouth and wove the string back together. ‘There!’ Presenting the boy with it, she declared proudly, ‘He’s as good as new, but if you let him escape into the trees again I might not be able to mend him so easily.’

While Robbie went back into the garden, she began making her way upstairs. ‘Best change the beds,’ she muttered as she went. ‘Going to the early market has made me late.’

Usually by this time on a Saturday she had the beds changed and the washing blowing on the line, but today she and Robbie had got on the eight o’clock bus to Leighton Buzzard, and now, what with the excitement of that kite and everything, she was way behind with her chores.

As she passed the front door she caught sight of the letter lying on the mat. Stooping, she picked it up. Straightaway she recognised Jasper’s handwriting: large and scrawling, it was peculiar only to that dear old man.

Tearing open the envelope, she began to read:

Dear Liz,

I hope you and the boy are well. I have two reasons for writing to you. Firstly, I would like to thank you for the wonderful time I had, and for the kind way you and Robbie looked after me.

The other reason for me writing is to tell you about a shocking thing that happened in West Bay.