By
Jan
Chapter 10
Nikki
sighed as she replaced the receiver after talking to Helen. She had forgotten
what it was like to be with a partner she didn’t see almost every minute of
every day. During the nine years she had been with Trisha…apart from the time
she had spent in Larkhall…they had gone to work together and gone home
together.
Trisha!
She hadn’t thought about her for days and she hadn’t seen her since the night
of Sarah’s accident. She had phoned her and told her she needed some more time
off but it didn’t really seem fair to leave it all to her partner now Sarah was
on the mend. The truth was she didn’t want to spend every night at the club;
she wanted to be at home with Helen.
She
had to sort out some transport as well. It was alright to use Helen’s car when
she didn’t need it but she couldn’t rely on having the use of it on a regular
basis. Since they rarely went anywhere without each other she and Trisha had
shared a car but Trisha had sold their old car and bought a new one while she
was in Larkhall.
She
picked up the phone again and called a cab.
Trisha
was standing with her back towards her when she entered the club, talking to a
woman she recognised as a regular customer in the days before she went into
Larkhall.
The
woman gave Nikki a smile of recognition as she walked up to them. “We were just
talking about you.”
“Nothing
good I’ll bet,” Nikki replied jokingly. “Sorry, I recognise your face but I
can’t remember your name.”
“Fiona
Webster.”
“I’ve
just been telling Fiona you might want to sell your share in the club and she’s
interested,” Trisha informed her.
Judging
by the look on her face, Trisha was interested too…in Fiona, for purely
personal reasons, Nikki noted with a faint smile. “Great! Shall we go into the
office and talk business?”
It
was a delighted Nikki who left the club a couple of hours later. After looking
at the books, Fiona had agreed to buy her out for a very good price and when
she left was on her way to see her solicitor to have the contract drawn up. It
was a daunting feeling to know that within the next few weeks both she and
Helen would be out of a job but at least there was no rush for either of them
to find another one.
On
her way home she browsed around a few car showrooms and after spotting a couple
of cars that she liked decided she would leave it until Helen was able to go
with her before she finally made her choice.
The
bookshop was her final port of call. She had been visiting the little shop for
as long as she could remember. The musty smell coupled with the heady aroma of
the dishes of pot pourri Mrs Babbage, the owner’s wife, placed around the shop
was like a magnet to her nostrils.
Mr
Babbage came out of the back, alerted by the bell above the door. She hadn’t
seen him for over three years but he hadn’t changed. His hair, though streaked
with grey now, was as thick and wiry as it always had been. Always thin, he was
now skeletal in appearance but his eyes still twinkled mischievously and he
beamed when he saw who his customer was.
“My
dear, it’s been too long since we’ve seen you,” he said sincerely, taking
Nikki’s hand and kissing the back of it.
“I’ve
missed this place,” she responded just as sincerely and looked around in
wonder…this was her Aladdin’s cave. “It’s just as I remember it.”
“We’re
all just a little bit older, me and the books,” he replied, pleased that she
shared his passion.
“How
is Mrs Babbage?”
His
voice was quiet and sad when he answered her. “I lost my dear wife last year.”
“I’m
sorry, I didn’t know.” She indicated the dish of pot pourri on the counter. “I
see you still carry on the tradition.”
“It
helps to remind me of her, not that I need reminding, of course.”
Nikki
smiled wistfully. The Babbage’s devotion to each other had been obvious for
anyone to see and she wondered how he managed to exist without her. She knew
she wouldn’t be able to survive if anything happened to Helen.
“Do
you mind if I have a browse?”
“Please
do.”
He
went and sat behind the counter and watched Nikki as she took out volume after volume,
handled it lovingly then replaced it carefully back on the shelf. He heard the
tinkle of the shop bell and turned round to greet his customer but wasn’t
surprised to find there wasn’t anyone there. He picked up the framed photograph
of his wife standing by the till and smiled at it. “You’re right, my dear,” he
said softly. “She is the one!”
“Did
you just say you’d bought a bookshop?” Helen asked incredulously.
“With
your agreement I have,” Nikki replied with a broad smile.
“How?
Why?”
“I
went to see Trish as I thought I’d better make the effort and start working at
the club again and there was a woman there…I think Trish fancies her and she
definitely fancies Trish…and she’s going to buy my half of the club. On the way
home I had a look for a new car but decided to wait until you could go with me
then I went to the bookshop and Mr Babbage’s wife has died so he gave me the
book I was going to buy as a present…”
“Slow
down,” Helen ordered with a smile.
Nikki
took a deep breath and grinned. “I’m just so excited. One minute I’m out of
work and the next I’ve bought a business.”
“So
you’re serious about this?”
“Only
if you’re in agreement.” Nikki looked at her dubiously. “Don’t you think it’s a
good idea?”
“I
think it’s a wonderful idea!” Helen replied hugging her tightly. “You love
books so it’s ideal for you. Tell me what happened…slowly!”
“Mr
Babbage’s wife has died so he’s going to go and live with his son in Australia.
He didn’t want just anyone to have his shop so he was going to close it down
until I went in and his wife told him that I was the one he should sell it to.”
Helen
looked at her curiously. “I thought you said his wife had died.”
“Er…she
has but they have a kind of psychic connection and she rang the bell over the
shop door to let him know she’d chosen me.”
Helen
grimaced. “I think it’s great and I’m all for it but will you do one thing for
me?”
Nikki
dropped a kiss onto her lips. “I would do anything for you, just name it.”
“Take
that bloody bell out before I go in the shop!”
Nikki
laughed happily and gave Helen a hug.
“What’s
so funny?” Sarah asked as she came into the room.
“Wow!
Look at you!” Nikki exclaimed when she saw Sarah’s new short hairstyle.
Sarah
did a twirl. “Like it?”
“You
look fantastic!” Helen enthused. “Like a younger version of Nikki.”
“That
means I’m fantastic too, does it?” Nikki asked with a wink at Sarah.
“Goes
without saying,” Helen replied as she reached up and kissed Nikki’s cheek. “I’m
going to the hospital now to see Karen. Shall I pick up a take-away up on the
way back?” Nikki and Sarah nodded enthusiastically. “Okay then, you two, have
the plates warming and the wine chilling and I’ll see you later.”
When
Helen saw Alex sitting on the edge of Karen’s hospital bed holding her hand,
she couldn’t help but think whoever had attacked Karen had done them a favour
by bringing them together.
“How
are you feeling?” she asked breezily as she pulled up a chair.
“Fine,
thanks,” Alex replied solemnly then his lips twitched into a smile.
“I
don’t think she’s talking to you, idiot,” Karen retorted but was unable to keep
the happiness out of her voice. “I’m fine too. Thanks, Helen.”
Alex
kissed Karen’s brow then eased himself from the bed. “I’ll go and stretch my
legs. See you in a bit, Helen.”
Karen’s
eyes followed him until he disappeared out of the door then turned her
attention to Helen. “How are things at the factory?”
“Put
it this way, if I Sylvia Hollamby complains once more that she might as well
have a target pinned to her back, she’ll be in here too!”
“God
forbid!” Karen retorted. “Don’t you think I’m suffering enough?”
“I
don’t know about suffering. It looks like Doctor Gilbert is putting his bedside
manner to good use,” Helen teased.
“Yes,
I think I’ll soon be well again under his healing hands,” Karen laughed
suggestively.
“It’s
great to see you getting on so well,” Helen replied sincerely.
“When
I think I could have finished up with Jim Fenner!” Karen shuddered. “He and
Alex are poles apart.” It was funny but she hadn’t thought about Jim in a long
while and after all the things that came out about him after he had died she
wondered how he had managed to keep his real persona from her for so long. The
man had ruined everyone’s life he came in contact with and as hard as it
sounded Shell Dockley had done the world a favour when she had taken him out of
it.
“I
was only saying to Nikki that things had been quiet at Larkhall since Fenner
went so it couldn’t last forever,” Helen said cynically.
“How
are things between the two of you?”
“Good.
She wasn’t too happy when Stubberfield asked me to stand in for you but she’s
okay with it now.”
“Any
news on who did this to me?”
“The
police have drawn a blank even though they almost tore the place apart looking
for the knife handle,” Helen told her sardonically. “Sorry, I didn’t mean that
to sound callous.”
“No
offence taken. I just wish I could remember something that could be of use. I
can’t even remember who was near me, it all happened so quickly.”
“I’ve
had a word with Barbara Hunt and the inmates seem to be as in the dark as we
are. One consolation is, apart from Barbara’s cellmate, no one is currently due
for release.”
“Can
you arrange for someone else to move in with her; she can cope with her
claustrophobia if she isn’t in a cell on her own.”
“I’ll
sort it out, you just concentrate on getting well.”
“That’s
what I keep telling her but she will worry about Larkhall,” Alex said from the
doorway. “I don’t know what it is with you wing governors, you all seem to want
to take your work home with you.”
“Literally
in Helen’s case,” Karen put in slyly.
“I
don’t know what you mean,” Helen countered coyly.
Helen
looked up and smiled as Barbara Hunt was shown into her office. At least she
had one ally on the wing and felt she could trust the older woman implicitly.
“Sit
down, Barbara,” she said pleasantly. “When I spoke to you about Miss Betts you
said you hadn’t heard anything about who might have done it.”
“Because
it’s true,” Barbara returned defensively.
“I’m
not doubting you,” Helen put in hurriedly. “I’m sure if you knew anything you’d
tell me but I know the reprisals for lagging so I want to assure you that
anything you do tell me will be in the strictest confidence.”
“I
swear, if I knew anything I’d tell you, whatever the reprisals. Miss Betts is a
good wing governor and didn’t deserve what happened to her.”
“Good,
I’m glad you feel like that because I want to ask you a favour. I want you to
be my eyes and ears on the wing. We’ve got to find out who it is before anyone
else gets hurt.” She paused to let her words sink in. “I also want you to know
that you’re free to refuse because it could be dangerous but you’re the one
person I know I can trust.”
“I’ll
do it!” Barbara responded decisively. “And thank you for your confidence in
me.”
“I
should be the one thanking you,” Helen said gratefully.
“There
was something else, Miss Stewart. My current cellmate is being released
tomorrow so I wondered if Miss Betts had made arrangements for a replacement.”
“Don’t
worry, she did mention it to me so I’ll sort it out for you. It’s the least I
can do.”
The
two women stood up and Helen escorted Barbara to the door. “Thanks again,
Barbara.”
“My
pleasure. Give my love to Nikki.”
Helen
nodded as she opened the door and there was a relieved smile on her lips when
she closed it again. Hopefully now Karen’s attacker’s days were numbered!
Barbara
sat down at the table in her cell and opened her journal. Since Helen had ask
her to be her eyes and ears she had done just that and written down everything
she saw and heard no matter how insignificant it might seem. She had started up
casual conversations about Miss Betts with some of the other inmates but they
all seemed to be as in the dark as she was. She was beginning to wonder if one
of the PO’s had a grudge against her and was trying to throw the blame onto an
inmate. Pity Jim Fenner wasn’t still around then they would know exactly where
to look.
Her
cellmate had left that morning and she still didn’t know who her replacement
was going to be but she felt sure Helen wouldn’t let her down.
There
was only a few months to go to her own release date and it would be good to see
Nikki again as, during their time together in Larkhall, they had become good
friends and she looked on her as the daughter she’d never had. She wasn’t too
sure about the party Nikki had promised her though. She smiled…at a gay club of
all places. She looked up as the door opened and Reb Morgan entered.
The
young woman gave her a friendly smile. “Hi, Barbara. I’m your new cellmate!”