Chapter Four: No More Wool

David drove Geoff back to his flat as promised that day. He then drove straight back to Weatherfield, passing his gran's house and then ending up back outside his own house. He breathed in before getting out and unlocking the door. Gail sitting in watching television...

"Did Geoff get in okay?" Gail asked simply without taking her eye away from the screen.

"Yeah because unlike Stephen. I actually cared enough to see" David replied.

"Oh drop it, David"

"No I'm not gonna drop it. There's something not right about him and I'm going to find out what. Well I know what actually...He wants gran's money. You know it yourself. And so did Sarah before he shut her up with 12 grand or however much it was"

"And what do you think he intends on doing to get it? Because he doesn't have to stick around if he doesn't want to" Gail insisted with her arms crossed.

"Well he does if he wants to keep his eyes on the prize. He's using us all, why can't anyone see it? He used Elaine for 20 grand and now doesn't glance at her, what does that tell ya?"

"I admit I didn't like what he did to Elaine but that doesn't mean he's going to swindle us"

"Like Lewis Archer?"

"He's your uncle!...He could have done it months ago if he wanted to. I'm sure" Gail replied as she finally turned towards him.

David however was not convinced. Stephen was acting too bizarre and he's seen people act that way before. Richard Hillman and Lewis Archer were big examples for him. Unlike the rest of the family, Stephen hasn't been able to pull the wool over his eyes. Not at all. Gail could see he was thinking and she too began to think. Though he was her brother, surely her own brother wouldn't do anything to the family. No way.

"He's got other people in mind first. I think that's why he hasn't struck yet but give him a few months. He probably will" David said with conviction.

"You're making him out to be some sort of nasty opportunist"

"Because that's exactly what he is. Geoff better watch his back is all I'm saying"

...

"Thank you for letting me come back in. David is a very disturbed man. I gave him so many chances when he was younger. We all did but it didn't do a single thing" Stephen was saying to Geoff back at the flat the following morning.

As the uncle and nephew had turned on one another in the last week. Geoff had given Stephen a chance to explain as promised. Disturbed man, was he? David seemed rational when he spoke to him was all he could think about. Though Geoff has to admit to himself that he doesn't know them from Adam. He was hoping yesterday would have been a starting block but it wasn't to be.

"I don't get what he was saying about you working under the factory and not on top of it? Were you lying about owning it?" Geoff questioned.

"I wasn't lying. I do own it...David has been bitter ever since I chose Sarah over him to work in Milan. This is the same lad who pushed his own mother down the stairs. I mean, his son is currently in prison for terrorism charges. Like father, like son I say" Stephen explained.

"That's what Audrey was talking about?"

"Yes. David has been in youth offenders himself for smashing the whole street. He's a danger. Yet we still gave him a chance after that despite him getting into scraps with the neighbours. The reason I chose Sarah over him for Milan was because we found out he was involved in drugs. He almost killed his niece when she was seven, Sarah's little girl almost died because of him" Stephen further explained.

Geoff seemed horrified as Stephen was painting a very negative picture. Not mentioning any of his redeeming factors or how being a father changed him. No, as far as he was concerned; David was still that same lad who smashed the street. Though Geoff still had so many questions as he was giving a brief history of the Platt family.

"Not on purpose of course? He didn't try and kill the little girl on purpose?" Geoff asked in shock.

"Oh no but he put the ecstasy in her dolls. That's what Sarah told me at the time. I mean, I don't think he thought about it but it doesn't change anything. What he said was just projection. He's the pathological liar. He sent cards pretending to be Richard Hillman as a teenager as well...He's lied dozens of times"

"Gosh. Well I had no idea...He seems well-adjusted now though"

"Well he's not quite as bad but the lying part is still an issue. He has problems with that but we try our best"

"You seemed really worked-up at dinner yesterday"

"I know but we all did as you probably saw. Years of David does that to a person. And I'm sorry for leaving you in the lurch. It's just been a lot of things going on in my mind. Business things"

"I understand"

...

The man in question however wasn't content with just words. As he drove to to his gran Audrey's that early afternoon. Audrey watching as her grandson parked his car outside and got out with a purpose. He gave her a door a knock however she didn't want to answer. He just scoffed as he got out the spare key and unlocked it himself. She really didn't want to see him right now, she can't stand to be around him when he's in this sort of mood. She refused to come out of her living room and turned away as if to prove a point. Though David wasn't here for Audrey as she heard his footsteps going up the stairs and the sound of the spare room opening. He was in Stephen's bedroom. This made the old woman get up suddenly as she could hear him searching up there like a sniffer dog. She forced herself up the stairs and towards the room...

"Get out" Audrey ordered with a scowl as she crossed her arms.

"I will when I done this. I'm sure your golden boy has something lying around here. He does like his paper and pens after all" David replied while looking under the bed.

Only a pair of shoes and a couple of books laid under there. He pulled out a small box and thought he was onto something but he sighed. It was just Stephen's passport and birth certificate. Audrey was not impressed by him snooping around his private things but what could she do? David would only shout her down and insist this was necessary.

"No rope and leather gloves?" Audrey asked with sarcasm.

"Not yet" David replied while making his way over to the wardrobe.

Once again though, there was nothing in there but suits, blazers, shirts, jumpers and trousers. David even went through the pockets but it came to no avail. He shut the wardrobe with a frustrated groan.

"I think you have been watching too many crime shows" Audrey uttered.

"I'm going to find something. Maybe not today but one day, he's gonna slip up. If he wasn't your son, you would think the same thing. Do you not think he's up to no good?"

"No I don't"

"You're smarter than this, gran. You know he's up to something"

"Don't insult me, David. I'll tell you what I think. I think you're in one of your downward spirals again and you're taking it out on the people closest to you as per usual"

"Maybe you're right gran but I felt like this about him for a while now. Look I don't wanna cause you distress. I just don't want you taken for a mug. Well he wouldn't be stupid enough to leave any evidence in here anyway" David concluded.

Walking over the floorboards where he briefly felt one of them wobble. Though he just shrugged it off and thought nothing about it. Not knowing that beneath one of the floorboards was a notebook and in that notebook was plans, ideas and thoughts that only Stephen knew about. Audrey giving David a gentle pat on his arm as he left. She shut the bedroom door shut again and the two of them made their way downstairs.

...

TBC