CHAPTER 11
"It's because he's Canadian you see," Francesca waved one hand in the air for emphasis and picked up another slice of cherry cake with the other. "They don't display their feelings like we do." She took a bite of the cake, her second slice so far today.
"I see," replied Edie York, sounding unconvinced, "but you and he have talked about it?"
"Of course we have," laughed Francesca, "I know he loves me, he just can't show it, especially not in front of other people. I think that Inspector Thatcher has a lot to do with it too, I've seen the way she looks at him. Well she can't have him, he's spoken for. He has to keep her happy though because she's his boss, but otherwise our relationship would be out in the open."
Edie frowned. That wasn't the impression she'd got from Fraser at all when they'd spoken about Francesca. She picked up a slice of cake herself, studying the consistency. I didn't mix it enough, she thought to herself. "Well, he does seem like a lovely young man," she said, eager not to upset Francesca.
"Oh he is," gushed Francesca, "he's so handsome of course, but he's so brave too. I always feel safe when we're together, he'd risk his life for me, I know he would. Do you know, he once dived into a stinking lake to drag my stupid brother out of the trunk of a car."
"The car was in a lake?" asked a slightly puzzled Edie.
"It was a stolen car, Ray thought getting in the trunk was a good idea," explained Francesca, "what an idiot. Thank God Frase was there, I did everything I could to help of course..." she realised that wasn't entirely true, but her mind wandered back to that night and as the images filled her head, the little white lie seemed perfectly acceptable. "Benton looks so good when he's dripping wet..." her voice was distant and she couldn't really speak any more, instead she just sighed.
Edie giggled, she remembered what it was like to see a handsome young man and think about what it might be like to be with him. She'd been exactly the same the first time she'd seen her future husband. Harry York had caught her eye the first time she'd seen him and she remembered how smart he'd looked in his suit and hat. She missed Harry so much. He'd looked good wet too...Edie remembered getting caught in a storm once on the way back from the picture house and he'd given her his overcoat so by the time they'd got back to his car, he was soaked to the skin. "I think I know what you mean dear," she said to Francesca.
The two women sat there for a few minutes in silence, thinking about things that Edie hadn't thought about for a long time. Francesca on the other hand thought about things like that often, every time she saw Fraser and then when he wasn't there she used her imagination. Suddenly their thoughts were interrupted by a noise. "What was that?" said Francesca, getting up from the sofa and crossing to the window.
"It sounded like something falling over," replied Edie, struggling to her feet with her walking stick. "Is it very windy out there?"
"I don't think so," said Francesca squinting into the darkness. She turned to see Edie hobbling across the room. "Edie, you shouldn't have got up," she scolded, "Benton said I was to make sure you rested. I've already let you stand up for far too long baking that delicious cake. If he finds out, he'll have to punish me..." Francesca had drifted away from reality for a moment again and she let out another sigh. Edie was a little shocked, but then the two ladies caught each other's eyes and both giggled a slightly dirty giggle as they realised what they were both thinking.
"You are a naughty young lady aren't you," smiled Edie.
Francesca feigned offence. "Naughty? Me? But I'm a good Catholic girl," she smiled, tugging her lower lip into her mouth and capturing it with her teeth. Just then another crash snapped them both back to reality and Francesca turned back to looking out of the window.
It had been raining and the ground was wet, rain was dripping from trees and lampposts and the sky was still a swirling grey. Francesca saw the Police patrol car drive past, it had been doing circuits of the neighbourhood and she knew it wouldn't be back for at least half an hour now. Edie joined her at the window. "There," she said, pointing at Lisa's house, "there's someone in there."
"Where?" Francesca was amazed at the old lady's eyesight. She squinted into the gloom and possibly saw something moving in the house, but maybe it was a trick of the light. She looked out at the road, hoping Ray's GTO was parked out there and he and Fraser were back searching the house for some reason, but there were no cars outside. "We should call Ray," Francesca began, turning back, expecting to see Edie still standing behind her, but she wasn't there. "Edie?" Francesca called out, then louder, "Edie? Where did you go?"
Then a movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention. She spun back round to look out of the window and was stunned to see Edie York half running across the path to Lisa's house. Her walking stick was clattering on the concrete with each step and her face gave away the amount of pain it was causing her to move so fast, but she wasn't going to let anything stop her. "Oh hell," mumbled Francesca and ran out after her.
xXx
Why is there so much junk in this house, Josh Reitman thought to himself as he rummaged through another door. His leg hurt. He looked down and balked at the amount of blood soaking through the leg of his jeans. Maybe he shouldn't have kicked that window in, if only he hadn't lost the key he'd taken from Lisa...maybe he should have tried to pick the lock instead? No, he didn't have time for that, he knew the cops were after him, they thought he'd done all these terrible things on purpose, so did that social worker, even though she'd started off being nice to him, she was lying to him too. He knew he'd never be able to convince anyone of the truth so this was the only choice he had now. It was his money anyway, not the kid's and he really needed it now. That money was rightfully his, it wasn't his Dad's to give away, so he wasn't really stealing from a little kid, he wasn't some kind of lowlife.
Nothing. There was nothing in this one either. He yanked the drawer from the unit and threw it across the room, smashing a picture that was hanging on the wall by the door. Now there was more glass everywhere. Just what I need, he thought, I'll probably cut myself and bleed to death and it'll be his fault, my Dad's fault, for trying to take away what's mine.
Where did they keep documents in this stupid house anyway? They must be in a desk drawer or a filing cabinet. Knowing Lisa I bet everything's filed in date order, or alphabetical, so what would be under? M for Mikey? T for Trust Fund? Oh why couldn't my Dad just give me my money and I wouldn't have to be wasting my time doing this? What does a nine year old need with thousands of dollars anyway, what's he going to spend it on?
Josh went into the kitchen and started opening cupboards. Perhaps they had a safe hidden in here, he wondered. Just then he heard a noise. It sounded like the front door opening? No, surely Lisa hadn't come home...she would still be at the hospital wouldn't she? Maybe it's Brett? A feeling of dread washed over him, he didn't want to face his brother now. Brett wouldn't understand, he'd blame him for everything just like their Dad always did. None of this is my fault, I just have bad luck. If people would just listen to me and do what I want then I wouldn't get into these situations.
He quietly walked out into the hallway to find the front door wide open with a key in the lock. His heart was beating faster now. What if the cops had a key? What if Brett had given them a key so they could come round here and ambush him? They could shoot him and say it was an accident. Maybe Brett has paid them to kill me? What am I going to do now?
Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement in the living room and now he was scared. He didn't want to go to jail for things that weren't his fault? No judge would understand him either...nobody understands me. He started to run out of the door, but then he realised he'd left his bag in the kitchen. He couldn't leave without that, everything he needed was in there. It was all that was left of his stash and he couldn't risk going back to his old dealer now so he didn't know how long it would be before he could get more stuff? He turned round but stopped dead in his tracks when he heard his name.
"Josh Reitman? Is that you? Stop right there you dreadful little man!"
Josh spun round and almost burst out laughing when he saw the old lady hobbling towards him, waving her walking stick in the air. "You're the old goat from next door!" He exclaimed. "Well I guess I should give myself up?" he continued, sarcastically holding his hands in the air. He took a step forward and tried to grab the stick out of Edie's hand, but she was having none of it.
"Oh no you don't you little toad," she said, "my Harry fought a war so that nice people like Brett and Lisa could live safely in this country and raise children. You're a disgrace to his memory."
Josh was a little shocked at her strength and determination. He shoved her back against the wall and ran for the front door again, but this time found his way blocked by a woman he'd never seen before. "Stay right there cheese bucket!" she said.
"Cheese bucket?" repeated Josh. What the hell was a cheese bucket?
"Get on your knees !" Francesca shouted louder this time. "I mean now, you piece of camel paste!"
"Camel paste? Who the hell are you?" Josh yelled back at her. "You're not a cop, you're nuts!"
"I'm not a cop yet," replied Francesca, "but I'm learning. Now get on your knees, before I kick you in the head!"
Josh started to get down on one knee, trying to convince this mad woman that he was going to do what she wanted, but before she could react he lunged at her legs, tackling her to the floor.
"Francesca!" exclaimed Edie and hit Josh across the back with her walking stick as he tried to make his escape.
"Aaahh!" Josh yelled as he fell back to his knees.
Francesca let out a moan. She'd hit the floor with quite a bang and it had knocked the wind out of her.
"I will not allow you to hurt anybody else!" shouted Edie at the top of her voice and wacked him again. "You kidnapped that lovely little boy and now he's going to be in hospital for months."
"Hey I got hurt too, look..." Josh parted his hair, just above his right ear to reveal a partly healed two inch scar. "I cut my head when I was climbing out of that car wreck."
Edie was aghast at his insensitivity. "You nearly killed your little nephew!" Another whack with her stick.
"But I did it for my brother!" he protested, "Brett would have been so pleased with me, he could have been with his son and away from that stupid bitch."
"You idiot," replied Edie, "Brett and Lisa want to be back together, they want to be a family again." She hit him again.
"Jesus!" exclaimed Josh, rubbing the back of his neck where the wooden stick had left a mark.
"And you will not blaspheme!" This time Edie jabbed the end of her stick into the man's ribs three times. He tried to scramble away, but Francesca was sitting in a heap right in front of the front door and the painful jabs just kept on coming.
"Will you get off me! You're both crazy!" Josh decided all he could do was curl up into a ball and cower under his hands.
Finally Francesca was able to get enough air in her lungs and found the strength to stand up. "OK, I've really had enough of you!" she said. She grabbed one of his hands and twisted his arm tightly behind his back. "I'm making a citizen's arrest."
At that moment Diefenbaker came running in through the door, closely followed by Fraser and Ray. Both men stopped in the doorway, stunned at the sight that met their eyes. Ray grinned at his buddy. "Looks like we're not needed here Fraser," he said.
"Indeed," agreed the Mountie.
"Don't just stand there Ray," said Francesca, sneering at him, "I could do with some handcuffs here."
Ray smirked. "Oh yeah, sure," he said and he and Fraser pulled Reitman to his feet.
Francesca was panting for breath as Ray cuffed him and read him his Miranda rights. She looked at Fraser and a huge smile grew across her face. "That was fun!" she exclaimed.
