CHAPTER 5

Dee smiled. Just recently she smiled every time she came through the front door. From there she could see the reflection of the understairs cupboard door centrally placed in the hall mirror and most importantly her mother did not know. She walked back past her mother who snarled and suspended counting money to sharply say, “Did you see them all drooling, especially that smooth talking Dexter Cramichael. I know what you’re doing and it does not wash. Wear something more appropriate.” Then to emphasise, knowing Dee would not be expecting it, added, “Please,” with a neat half smile. 

 Dee paused, looked at her mother, shrugged and went down the hall to start clearing tables. As she entered the dining room Jimmy looked up from reading a newspaper. She nodded at the sign but he just smiled so she ignored him. 

“What’s up sweetness?” he said. 

“I’ve told you before. Don’t call me that,” she snapped. 

“But I’ve known you for what? Fifteen years, I think… You used to call me uncle.” 

“That was how you were introduced, ‘This is nice uncle Jimmy,’ she had said. You must remember that. I scowled even then. Then I grew up and got wise.”  

“I’m so sorry… look, I don’t want to argue. How about I simply call you Dee then?” 

“Whatever. Just not sweetness or any of your other slimy remarks.” 

“Fair enough… Where’s your mother?” 

“Where do you think? Where else would she be? She’s counting the cash, of course. She’ll be here in a moment. I’ve told her you’re waiting.” 

“Coffee?” 

“There’s a fresh pot. She’ll get it.” Dee walked around the tables clattering plates and bashing salt pots onto her tray. She looked at him, saw him watching her so she flung her head back and stormed into the kitchen with a full tray. 

When she returned, Jimmy said, “I saw you talking to that tall man with the heavy case. He gave you a good look over but I’m not surprised given what you’re wearing.” 

“So, I talk to a lot of the guests and I wear what I want,” she said sharply. 

“You seemed particularly friendly though.” He could tell she was not interested, so said, “Anyway, has the boarding house had a good month?” 

“Ask her. She’s the money whizz. I just do all the dirty work. But I suspect you know we have, don’t you? We’re always full but how that works is most certainly a mystery.” 

“It's the only place in town. It’s as simple as that and it’s the cheapest.” 

“And the worst. Anyway, that’s why you’re here, isn’t it? To collect the cash.” 

“Sometimes. Not all the time though. There are the other things to sort out as well, aren't there? And, of course, I also come to see your mother.” 

“For old time’s sake?” 

“No, we… we get on. But you know that, I’m sure.” 

“Don’t remind me. It’s disgusting. You know the floors creak, don’t you? Your room’s below mine… How about you wife? Does she know?” That made Jimmy go quiet. He rubbed his moustache with his thumb and forefinger. Dee knew all about that. He did it when he was thinking. Mostly when he was trying to decide what to say. She carried on gathering up plates and cups. Almost slamming them onto her tray. 

“You know this is secret, don’t you?” 

“What investing the money? What’s so secret about that?” 

“You’ll be surprised. Some of it’s very secret. But you know what I mean, don’t you?” 

“Sure, and it’s sordid… So, what do you think? Maybe there’s a price for my silence.” 

Jimmy’s mind was churning over now. Dee saw the look on his face. The scowl. He had lost his smile. “What price would that be?” he half muttered. 

“I’m not sure… Yet.” She smiled, picked up the tray and was into the kitchen before Jimmy could say any more. 

When she returned her mother was sitting opposite Jimmy, slouched close, deep in conversation. There they go again. Making plans for sure. Then Gloria spotted Dee and said, “Be a darling. Can you bring that coffee when you come back? Oh, and the bacon sandwich. Ask Derek if he can do two. Jimmy thought breakfast was awful.” 

“That’s a surprise. I would have thought the two of them went well together… Anything else?” Thinking she might need to be nicer, she said, “Would you like ketchup, Jimmy?” Gloria looked at her with confusion on her face. Was about to say something when Jimmy touched her arm as he said something and laughed. She opened her mouth looking at Dee. Thought about it but then just nodded and turned back to Jimmy smiling. 

Finishing the tables Dee helped Derek wash up and clean the kitchen. They talked. She liked Derek. He was such a harmless, quiet man. He was a bit slow but actually had a lot of interesting things to say. He did not deserve her mother but she seemed to have changed that. For now at least.  

 

Now though there was no slacking. Time for the real work to begin. First she cleaned and prepared the two downstairs rooms. She frowned at the two bars of soap, scrubbing brushes and tin of polish in Tolly Parkin’s room. Hmm,  knocker’s stuff carried in a beezer. What’s the story with Tolly Parkin then? This Mr Tolly Parkin is not all he seems and that’s a fact. 

By nine she was progressing up the stairs. Changing beds ready for the next batch and making them for those who had booked an extra night. Before leaving each floor, she cleaned the bathroom. An easy task. It had been a long time since a bath had seen any hot water. But that was good as far as Gloria was concerned. The whole purpose of the high charge was to deter, to keep the bills down. No soggy towels to launder. No wet floors. No damp stains on the ceilings below. The benefits far outweighed the loss of income. On the second floor she ignored Jimmy’s room. She had heard him climb the stairs a few minutes before and knew he was booked for additional nights. 

By eleven Dee was opening the door to her domain. Thirty minutes rest before the trip to the wholesalers to replenish their depleted larder and organise delivery. Then to the butchers to pay their bill and order next week's meat such as it was. Today though her rest would be shorter. She intended to change her bed and clean the room after her guest. She looked at her dressing table that fitted so neatly into the bay window. Saw the brick sitting on its side in the centre with the little heart shaped note on top, and smiled. A nice reminder of a job well done. At the same time a piercing scream drifted up the stairs. 

 

It was her mother. She could tell by the exaggerated tone. Finishing with a little extra half octave. Her mother was good at that. Fake screaming with the extra bit for dramatic effect. Dee did not rush down. Besides, she knew what the problem was and unfortunately it was not because her mother had accidently cut her own throat. It was something far worse than that. And that scream: for once that most definitely was real. 

 

As Dee had left the first-floor landing and was trudging up the next flight of stairs, Gloria had left Jimmy finishing the coffee and returned to her desk. Sorting the copy invoices she put them into two piles. Stamped and unstamped. Today only two remained unstamped. Screwing them up she threw them into the bin and divided out nineteen shilling and ten pence for two room rates without coffee. Unlocked the top left-hand drawer and removed a small but thick black book with narrow lines. She added the two room sum in a code of jumbled numbers to a list spanning almost the entire book and a good many years. The code was unique. If anyone opened the book they would have no idea what they were looking at. 

Jimmy Raynott did not count. He was ex gratia. That left eight stamped and fully paid-up invoices with consecutive numbers filled in and with today’s date. These she entered into the boarding house income ledger. Her handwriting as neat as any convent school educated girl should have. The book, a large, scuffed leather bound affair with lined and columned pages. Each entry with the date, guest’s name and sum paid. Ending up with two piles of cash on a small tray. One for eight rooms plus one penny for coffee and one for the two unstamped rooms. 

Unlocking the top right-hand drawer she removed two brass padlock keys. She had no need to be suspicious so she did not notice the slight scratch marks around the brass escutcheon.  

Checking the immediate area she moved to the understairs cupboard. The door was clearly extra thick and secured with a stout iron bolt and two padlocks. She checked again up and down the hall then turned the two keys, drew the bolt and pulled the door wide open. Immediately inside stood a tall, iron safe, with a combination lock and a big handle. Huge bolts secured it to the floor. Gloria flicked the dial backwards and forwards searching for the code. Finding it a difficult process she went back to her desk and collected her glasses then started with the dial again. She could not see but, behind her, the dial’s motion was clearly visible in the hall mirror. A click quietly echoed within the cupboard. She pulled down the handle and swung the heavy door wide. It was then that her deafening scream swept throughout the building and flew out of open windows to be dispersed by a gentle breeze.  

 

First to arrive was Derek with wet hands holding a mop. He had been scrubbing the kitchen floor and saw Gloria in a distressed state but to him she seemed unhurt so he offered tea. But a swish of her hand with the violence of a striking cat’s paw and a deep throated growl dismissed him. Her perm had collapsed and her hair cascaded down her face and neck smothering her shoulders. The tears in her eyes could understandably be mistaken for pain, or sadness but the fact was they were pure anger. She was shaking. Stamped her foot and kicked the heavy door shut with such force the resultant crash again rattled all those loose sash windows.  

As Dee reached the second-floor landing Jimmy Raynott appeared from his room with a questioning frown. “You heard it, then?” he said. 

“Most of the town probably did,” replied Dee. There was no concern visible anywhere on her face. Although to Jimmy she appeared quite pleased. 

 “It sounds like she’s really hurt herself,” exclaimed Jimmy with his frown deepening, maybe feeling that someone should show a degree of anxiety. 

“Only financially and badly judging by the pitch.”  

Reaching the first-floor landing Dee and Jimmy heard the crash and felt the vibration along the bannisters. 

“What on earth was that?” exclaimed Jimmy. 

“Fury at its finest.” replied Dee. The light in her eyes suggested she was about to laugh. 

Stepping down the final flight Jimmy saw Gloria slumped in her chair, her fist thumping the desk. Hair hiding her face. She was muttering something about people dying.  

“What’s she doing? Is she all right?” he said. 

“Not really. If you ever wondered what mortified might look like, now you’ve just found out,” replied Dee laughing out loud. 

Jimmy jumped down the last couple of steps, flung his arms around Gloria intending some attempt at consultation. Instead, she threw him off. Stood. Stared at Dee, shaking with the familiar fire in her eyes and announced, “I’ve been robbed.” Then, seeing Dee laughing, took a step and standing within an inch of Dee’s face, yelled, “What’s so damn funny? Some bastard’s stolen all my money and I mean all of it. Not just the takings. They’ve cleared out all of the…” But stopped short, suddenly managing to control herself before she let slip a secret that she did not think even Jimmy should know.