The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) T. Belshaw (management books to read .txt) 📖

Gwen nodded. ‘She said I deserved an explanation after asking me to burn the papers. Then, as I said, she made me promise not to talk about it. She still felt such a strong sense of shame. She was so proud of being seen as a strong woman in a time when all women were considered to be inferior to men.’

She looked up at the wall clock and gasped. ‘Is that the time? I’d better get home. Gareth will be wondering where I am. He’ll be hungry.’

‘Can’t he get his own dinner for once?’ asked Jess with more anger in her voice than she meant.

‘No, he’ll burn the place down, Lovely. It’s not that he won’t do it, more that he can’t.’

‘Nice excuse if you can get away with it.’ Jess wasn’t convinced.

‘He does other stuff, Jessica, things I can’t do around the place. And he runs all the errands, does the bins, decorating, that sort of thing. There are a lot worse, believe me.’

‘I’m sorry, Gwen.’ The two women got to their feet and hugged. ‘I’m not mad at your Gareth. I’m still stung by Nana’s confession about her mental state. I wish she felt she could have shared it with me.’

‘Pride, my dear. Don’t think bad of her. She kept her secrets right to the end, but it was to protect you, as well as her own reputation.’

Jess led Gwen back through the front room, reaching for her bag as she went.

‘There’s no need to put yourself out, Lovely. I can walk this time.’

‘Don’t be silly, Gwen. You’ve done me two big favours today.’ She thought for a moment. ‘I’ll tell you what. Do you think your Gareth could do without you for one night? I’d love you to stay over. We could have some wine, watch a little TV and have a proper chat about Nana. I’ll get a new bed for one of the spare rooms. Please say yes.’

‘I’d love to, that sounds like a really good idea, just give me a call when you can fit me in. I’m usually off on a Saturday night.’

‘I’m having a housewarming party soon. You and your Gareth have an official invite to that too.’

Gwen blushed. ‘Ooh, I say. A party. We don’t get invited to many of those.’

‘Well, you’re top of my list for this one,’ said Jess. She gave Gwen another hug and followed her out to the car, pulling the door shut behind her.

When she returned, twenty minutes later, she parked up the car and was just about to walk to the front door when the old bed and mattress she had left out for the council caught her eye. The plastic covering had been stripped from both the mattress and bed. The plastic bags of old bedding had been torn open and the bed had been made as though it was still in use. Jess opened the metal tube gate, pushed it open and pulled back the duvet to find two, small, straw, scarecrow-like figures lying pressed together underneath. On the front of each head, was a childlike drawing of a face, held in place with a thick elastic band. Between the two heads lay a sheet of paper onto which had been drawn a large heart. Written in thick marker across it, was a single word. US.

Chapter 23

‘Someone did what?’

‘Hang on, I took a pic, I’ll send it to you, Sam.’

Jess sent the picture of the made-up bed to their joint WhatsApp group.

‘That’s just creepy,’ Sam said after a few moments. ‘No need to guess who did it, is there? Have you phoned the police yet?’

‘Not yet. But I am getting a little bit concerned. Calvin was hanging around the farm the night I moved in and someone… I can’t say it was him… someone scratched a deep gauge down the side of Bradley’s beautiful old car when it was parked outside.’

‘Call the cops,’ said Sam, firmly.

‘I might just have a word with him first. I know he was a control freak but this doesn’t seem like him somehow.’

‘For pity’s sake, Jess. This is seriously weird. Promise me you’ll ring the police.’

‘I’m not sure, Sam. I want to know it’s definitely him before I accuse him of anything.’ Jess heard her best friend sigh.

‘Well at least get a security camera up on the wall so you can see who’s ferreting about. Tell me you’ll do that at least.’

Jess could visualise Sam’s frustrated face. ‘I’ll do that… Actually, I know just the man. He’s an electronics technician.’

‘So was Calvin. Be careful, they might be a type. You know, Technocreep Incorporated.’

Jess laughed. ‘This one is a broadband installer, though he’s a contractor and does all sorts of other stuff. He left me his card.’

‘Ring him as soon as you hang up this call,’ Sam demanded. ‘You need that camera up, ASAP.’

Jess rummaged in the drawer under the coffee table and pulled out Wade’s business card.

‘I’ll ring him now. He’s a bit of an oddball. He asked me out when he’d finished installing the broadband line.’

‘He what? You don’t half attract them, Jess. Listen, Missis, go to that electronics repair shop in town. At least he has a bricks and mortar business.’

‘Bits and Bytes? The man who runs it is Calvin’s mate,’ replied Jess. ‘I’ll go there if I have to, but only as a last resort.’

‘Do you want me to come over and stay for a few nights while you get your security sorted?’

‘That’s kind of you, Sam, but there’s no need. I’ll be fine, honestly.’

‘Well, the offer stands. All you have to do is call.’

‘Thanks, Sam. You’re a star.’ Jess blew kisses into the phone, then hung up.

‘This is Wade. I’m not here right now, leave a message.’

‘Hi, Wade. It’s Jessica Griffith’s you installed my—’

‘Hi, Jessica.’ Wade suddenly came online. ‘No problems with the broadband I hope?’

‘Oh, hello… Wade. No, the broadband is working fine. It’s just that… well, one or two things have happened over the last couple of days and I’d