was wrong between the two of them. But what? They had always seemed to him an example of how successful a marriage could be, in spite of three stroppy kids and a live-in Gran. Ah well, none of his business. He was hoping to have a quiet word with Lois about Enid, but hadn’t quite decided how to put it. He was sure the old thing was up to something, possibly to do with the Charringtons, her neighbours. And that dreary mill, with its overhanging trees and loony mother! He couldn’t think why Lois had hired the woman, when there must have been plenty of normal, cheery candidates for the job.
“All set, then,” Lois was saying. “Let’s get off to a good start for the New Year. Any problems, anyone?” She didn’t give them much chance to answer, and made it clear that the meeting had ended. All except Bill left the house and went their ways, but he hung back, hoping that inspiration would come if he could delay Lois for a few minutes.
“Something to say, Bill?” she asked, hovering by the door.
He nodded. “It’s private, really,” he said. He knew that Enid and Gran had struck up a friendship, and this was for Lois’s ears only.
“Sit down, then,” said Lois, shutting the door. “I’m in a bit of a dash,” she added, “so make it quick, if you can.”
“It’s about Enid,” he said.
“Enid?”
“Yep.”
“What about her?”
Bill was good at keeping to the point. He noticed that Lois suddenly snapped to attention when he mentioned Anna’s dog story. “In the woods, did you say? Near the mill stream? And the body of the dog disappeared?”
“Yep. Seb thinks Anna made it up. But there were these footprints, and then we found Enid and she was in a great old fluster.”
“You’re not suggesting Enid killed the dog!” Lois stared at him. Thoughts were whirling round in her head. A body seen, and then disappeared. She remembered with a shiver that night of the storm, the tumbling shape in the stream, the white face against the dam. A body seen, and then disappeared.
“Dunno,” said Bill. “I just know she was very upset. Shifty, really. Very anxious to get rid of Seb and me.”
“Well, she’s always nervous about people going down to the mill,” said Lois. “Batty old mum an’ that. I pity her, in a lot of ways. Funny old life, with not much fun. But I’d trust her…wouldn’t you?” Lois looked at Bill’s wide face, with its open, straightforward expression, and felt a moment’s doubt. Perhaps there was more to Enid than she knew. That brother, Edward, for a start. Why had she denied so quickly that they were twins? She still hadn’t asked Bridie, and must remember to do so. She knew what Derek would say. Keep to a business relationship and leave personal things out of it. But this was impossible in New Brooms. They were all close, good friends. That was the way it worked.
“You’ve seen a bit of Enid at jobs,” she said. “There’s never been any difficulty, has there?” None of the others had ever complained. The reverse, really. Enid got on with everybody. But, now she thought of it, Enid’s way of getting on was to keep quiet, make no impression. None of her colleagues had ever said anything against her, but no words of praise, either. Clients, yes, had often said how pleased they were with Enid. Her fellow cleaners accepted her well enough, but kept their distance. Perhaps were
Bill got to his feet. “No, Mrs M. It’s not about work, I suppose. Perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything. Just a feeling I had, and wanted you to know about. I don’t even know why. Sorry if I’ve wasted your time.”
Before Lois could get up from her chair, he had opened the door and gone. She sat and thought about Enid for a while, then made a note to remind herself about piano lessons.
¦
After lunch, Lois telephoned Bridie. Hazel answered the phone, and repeated her question. “You OK, Mrs M?” she said. Lois, aware that Hazel was still very much in touch with Cowgill, said that she was fine, and was Bridie there?
“Hi, did you forget something?” Bridie sounded concerned. For a second only, Lois had an impulse to tell Bridie all about her worries with Derek. They were old school friends, after all. But they were also employer and employee, and Lois stifled the impulse at once.
“I’m fine,” Lois said. “It’s just a small thing. You said a while ago that Enid and her brother were twins. I think a birthday’s coming up, and I don’t want to put my foot in it…you know, with Edward being a villain an’ that. She might not want reminding.”
It sounded lame, but Bridie answered cheerfully. “Not sure about twins, really. I know they were very close. There were rumours about them bein’ involved in dodgy deals. Him, mostly, though. Anyway, it was all a long time ago.”
Oh, my God, poor Enid, thought Lois, as she dialled the mill number. No wonder she’s so buttoned up. Plenty to keep quiet about, I reckon.
“Hello?” It was a gruff voice, and Lois said, “Is that Mr Abraham? Mrs Meade here. Is Enid there, please?” Piano lessons were on Lois’s list, but she had also not forgotten her task of finding out what Enid remembered of Alibone Woods. An uphill task, more than likely. Still, she had half-promised Cowgill, and she didn’t want him pestering. It was something to do with him that had made Derek so odd, she was sure of that. Inspector Cowgill, and Lois’s work for him, had been the only really big thing to come between them for years.
“Hold on, I’ll get her.” She heard footsteps receding on the stone floor. There was never any hope of a conversation with Walter Abraham, and Lois doubted whether it would be much use anyway. If Enid was buttoned up, he was doubly zipped.
“Yes? Can I help…did you forget something?” Enid sounded sympathetic, and Lois frowned. So they’d all noticed.
“No, it’s the piano lessons,” she said. “Did you mean what you said about Jamie? He’s really keen. Hasn’t stopped going on about it since Christmas! O’course, we’d pay you. Derek insists.”
“Goodness, yes, I always mean what I say!” Enid’s voice had brightened. “I’d love to teach him. Such a nice lad. When shall I start?”
All Lois’s suspicions, raised mostly by Bill, that Enid might not be what she seemed, were dispersed. She was surely a good woman, and had so much to cope with at home. “How about tomorrow afternoon? Now the Browns in Fletching have moved away, you’ve got a free hour. The kids get home about half past four. Could you come then?”
“Yes, indeed, I shall look forward to it.” Enid sounded as excited as if someone had invited her to a party, and added that she’d bring some piano books. “We’ve still got the ones we had when we were children,” she said. “Edward was always ahead of me, of course. Quicker at everything, really. But he wasn’t a sticker, and gave up after grade two! He could probably have…well, no point in that now…”
The collapse of Enid’s euphoria was very apparent to Lois, and she said quickly, “Good, I’ll tell Jamie when he comes home and he’ll be over the moon. Thanks a lot, Enid. See you tomorrow.”
Gran came into the room as she put down the phone, and her expression was serious. “Lois, I want a word with you,” she said.
“No, Mum,” said Lois. “I know what you’re going to say, and it’s none of your business. Derek and me will sort it out.”
Gran looked astonished. “What on earth are you talking about?” she said. She knew perfectly well, of course, but wasn’t going to admit it. “I wanted to tell you there’s a letter been shoved through the door, not by the postie. By hand. It’s the same handwriting as last time. Here,” she added, and held out a white envelope.
Lois took it gingerly. “Sorry, Mum,” she said. “Hey, you don’t think it’s a bomb, do you?”
“Not the kind you mean,” said Gran, and she wasn’t smiling. “There’s different sorts of bombs, if you ask me.” She was a sharp woman, in full possession of her marbles, and had noticed that it was after that first letter that Derek had turned against Lois.
“What d’you mean?” Lois knew her mother well enough to see that there was more to come.
Gran explained. She wondered if there had been others, ones that Derek had picked up without them knowing. “I reckon they’re poison pen letters, Lois,” she said. “You should open that one.”
“Open it! What – steam it open over the kettle? Oh, come on, Mum…you’ve bin watching too much
