Chapter Thirty-Eight: No Answers
Gabrielle was finally released on bail the next morning. Though she was under strict instruction not to leave the area and she was now put on the flight list. Though much to her embarrassment, she also had to wear an eletronic tag so they could make sure she kept to the area. She could be called back in at any time as they looked for Stephen and Audrey. Keeping in touch with the police in Toronto and beyond, thus she had to visit Coronation Street and beg for the spare key to 'Grasmere Drive'. Though she was met with a frosty reception as Gail opened the door to her.
"Oh...You're on bail now I see" Gail responded coldly while keeping the door as ajar as one could.
"I just want the spare key to Grasmere Drive. I can't go anywhere" Gabrielle told her.
"I don't remember that being my problem"
"If you want me to make a scene, I'm happy to. I got nothing to lose by this point so I can stand and knock at your door all day long until you give me the key. I got all the time in the world"
"You can have the key when you tell me where my mam is"
"Toronto. I told the police okay but I honestly no idea where they would have gone after the hotel. I only helped because he asked"
"Even after knowing he killed two or maybe three people?"
"I didn't know until the police told me-"
"Rubbish! I know you're lying to me, Gabrielle. You aren't as stupid and lovesick as you're making yourself out to be. If anything happens to my mum when she's out there with him, I will never ever forgive you. Now you wait there and I will get you the spare key" Gail hissed while shutting the door in her face.
The woman thus had to stand on the doorstep. She looked towards the factory and wondered if Sarah could help her out at all. She needed a laptop and a phone to sort out her business deals from afar. Sadly for her, she needed to just sell them and get some money from that as she wasn't capable now of getting to be the boss. Her only hope being she could buy them back in a few years or however long she's behind bars for. Gail came back to the front door and passed over the key before slamming it in her face for good that day. Gabrielle muttering "thanks" under her breath as she walked towards the factory to speak to Sarah. She opened the door and walked the factory, finding Sarah in the office with Carla and Michael.
"They let me out on bail. I need a quick word" Gabrielle told Sarah while ignoring Carla's scoff and glare of disbelief.
"Excuse me but you're not having a quick word while she's in a work's meeting. Seriously, who do you and your husband think you are? Jenny's in bits thanks to Leo being found. The man who your husband murdered...Do you remember?" Carla asked as she got up in fury.
Sarah having to get up too as she tried to calm the situation. She was between a rock and a hard place here. Gabrielle telling her she only came to ask if she could borrow her laptop and mobile as she had to leave hers with the police. She needed to sort out her business.
"I can't lend you my things. I'm sorry...Roy has a public phone in his cafe. Go and use that" Sarah suggested.
"I just need to sort out my business. I'm going to prison and I need to sell it, look it's fine. Don't worry. I'll go and find my own laptop. Just don't let this bitch talk down to you. You're better than that" Gabrielle replied.
"Bye Gabrielle. And good luck selling your business with your name attached" Carla piped up again on hearing the bitch remark.
Gabrielle squared up to her slightly on hearing her voice. She understood why she hated Stephen but she didn't think she had a right to talk to anybody else like this. The only thing stopping her from giving her a slap was the fact she had little time to do what needed to be done and couldn't waste it on trivial things.
"You're lucky I'm under police watch" Gabrielle hissed at her as she stepped back again.
"Is that a threat?"
"No. It's a reminder"
"Like I told you last time, get better taste in men. You're making a lot of effort for a man who has been sniffing around Jenny since he got here. And now he's gone to Canada. Leaving you with his problems and his crimes...What did you get out of helping him anyway? I don't understand"
"Cold-hearted cows like you never do"
"No. I'm not having this is all for love. You're just as ruthless as him...I don't know. Maybe he has something on you because this devoted wife act isn't working when you have been separated"
"Believe what you want. I haven't the time...Sarah, I am sorry about your gran but Audrey wanted to go" Gabrielle spoke as she looked back at her niece-in-law.
"She's too old to be on the run" Sarah said back.
"I know but she insisted. Stephen must have asked her three or four times if she wanted to do it. He gave her the option of going home but she didn't want to go home" Gabrielle told her.
"This is messed-up"
"I know okay. But just one more thing, Sarah. I promise I had nothing to do with anything besides what you already know. Nothing"
...
"Give me a second, will you? I have to ask for a pen and paper" Gabrielle spoke later at 'Roy's Roll'.
She was using his public telephone but this was her third call and Roy's patience was wearing thin. She briefly pulled the phone away and asked him if she could have a pen and a bit of paper.
"This isn't an internet cafe. I can't just give out pens and papers while you sit here all day long" Roy responded.
"I'm really sorry okay but the police has taken my phone away. Look, I promise this will be the last call. I just need to write some stuff down and I can go bug somebody else, okay?"
"Last one?"
"Yes. And I'll pay the phone bill too"
"That won't be needed but thank you for offering" Roy replied as he went into the back to get her a pen and paper.
She gave a sigh to herself as she waited. Telling the potential investor that a pen and paper will be coming in seconds. Leanne and Toyah came in a few moments later as Roy passed her the pen and paper. She began writing down another telephone number and a few numbers of prices and whatnot. Gabrielle giving a loud sigh as she put the phone back down and declared she was finished here. She noticed Leanne (somebody she did get along with in 1999 when Nick and Leanne worked in Canada together as she and Stephen first met and got wed).
"Hi Leanne...How are you and Nick doing?" Gabrielle asked casually as she tried to keep some of the peace.
"Not great to be honest, Gabrielle. Nick's worried sick about Audrey...And that's thanks to you"
"Okay but she wanted to go. I keep telling everybody this...I don't want to fall out with you and Nick over something I haven't done. I didn't even want to steal from Audrey, Stephen made me and you know how that is"
"Yeah but the difference is I wouldn't have defended Nick had he done half the stuff Stephen did. And to be honest, I don't want to get involved with the Platt drama right now"
"Well neither do I. We use to love mocking them in Canada"
"Yeah well times change. Look Gabrielle, between me and you. Me, Nick, Sarah and Bethany don't blame you at all but because we don't want to upset Gail, Martin and David. We can't be seen talking with you"
"I understand but please don't think badly of me. My lawyer has already said there's nothing connecting me to Leo. I didn't even know who he was or that somebody had even died. Unlike your sister who-"
"Oh my god...Don't even go there" Toyah interrupted quickly as she felt her heart racing.
"I'm sorry Toyah but why should I get judged more harshy than you? Who actually did something much worst?" Gabrielle asked loudly.
The three women didn't realize how loud their chat had gotten and so felt like a pin could drop as the cafe looked over suddenly. Toyah just excusing herself as she made her way out. Leanne looking at Gabrelle with disbelief but she supposed she was protecting herself by any means right now.
"That olive branch that I was thinking of giving you is gone" Leanne hissed at her before following her sister outside.
...
It was already dinner in Toronto meanwhile. Stephen had managed to halt them for another day as he made a couple of fake calls to the bank. His old schoolmate William though was beginning to think his friend wasn't all there. As even though he was faking a smile and a making small talk. William could sense he wasn't acting general as he knew him for a long time. Audrey was clearly on edge too and she wasn't quite as good as hiding it. William's wife Olivia placed down the meal for them as she resigned herself to the fact they would be here another night. Audrey thanked her as she tried to make herself seem approachable.
"So when are you going back home then? No disrespect but there's only so many days I can put up with ya" William spoke with a small wink.
"Until my credit card is back up" Stephen answered back while sprinkling vinegar on the chips.
"Surely you can just get a new pin"
"There's a delay"
"Garbage, aren't they? The banks these days. Everything is just garbage...It's why I don't bother watching TV these days. I just watch my old videos and dvds, saves me a heap of trouble"
"Money is a lot harder to come by too. It will probably take a week or so" Stephen insisted as he tried to buy more time.
William just scoffing under his breath as he spoke about other things he deemed garbage. Audrey was slightly overwhelmed by everything and she missed her home comforts dreadfully. This wasn't how things were suppose to be over here but Gabrielle's already been caught. The condo would no longer be option and they had to think about going elsewhere.
"So you use to attend school together? How was that?" Audrey asked as she changed the subject.
"It was interesting and I had to save him from himself a lot. If you don't mind me asking, Audrey. You're not the same Mrs Reid I recall...What's the story here?" William questioned back.
"Adoption I'm afraid but I'm his real mother. Joyce wasn't-"
"No. Mom was my real mother in everything but blood" Stephen spoke up.
"Yes. Of course but I'm trying to explain who I am...He knows what I mean. Joyce was his mother of course but I'm his birth mother. I'm surprised you haven't explained this to him before" Audrey replied as she put her fork down.
"We don't discuss personal things, Audrey. Don't take it to heart" William chimed in to calm things down.
Though Audrey did take it to heart. She felt rather sad that some of his friends still think Joyce was his mother and he didn't bother correcting them. She wondered what else he told William and his other old friends back home. They ate the rest of the dinner in silence. Stephen's heart beating every time he thought he heard a siren or a shout outside. He excused himself from the table after eating half of it and went upstairs.
"What's really going on with him?" Olivia asked Audrey when it was just the three of them.
"Nothing" Audrey insisted.
"Come now...He's an old friend of mine and so I know what he's like. Thought he was a bit long in the tooth for his old tantrums though. What's the story this time?" William questioned further.
"He's stressed, isn't he? He lost his phone and his credit card...Anybody would be if they lost those things"
"That's all?"
"Yes"
...
Jenny and Daisy were sat together in Rita's flat on the couch. Talking about tomorrow and how Leo was to be buried peacefully at last. Only a handful were coming and it was heartbreaking for Jenny to see how little family and friends Leo had in the end. Paul (despite being in a bad state) was coming as was Ed Bailey. His two old builder mates.
"That's rotten. None of his rugby pals getting in touch...So it's just me, you, Rita, Daniel, Paul and Ed?" Daisy asked in a sad tone of voice.
"Yeah. Looks that way...Oh and Billy's coming but he's only coming because Paul needs somebody with him. So that's a great number"
"Listen. Leo knew you loved him and that's all that matters. You being there is what would have been important to him"
"I was just thinking...I erm...I was speaking to George this morning just to get the final details in order. I have to leave a space because the police think Teddy's dead, it's just a matter of finding his body. I have to leave a space for him" Jenny cried as she wiped away more tears.
This was dreadful and the fact that Teddy's dead was confirmed basically. Stephen has killed Teddy too is what the police were saying. They just haven't found his body but they knew it had to be true. Daisy put her arm around Jenny again as she watched her shiver at the thought of what that man has done. She was sick to her stomach that she was ever pally with him.
"They will be reunited now, won't they? No longer in any pain" Daisy tried to say.
"That only works when they have been ill, Daisy. They weren't in any pain until that man killed them"
"The police will find Stephen"
"He's miles and miles away now. In Toronto I heard...His wife Gabrielle helped him too. What sort of woman does that? And don't even get me started on Audrey, she's gone with him"
"Daniel said that Bethany and the family insist Gabrielle didn't know he killed anybody"
"That's rubbish and everybody knows it. Don't know why the Platts are trying anything. They better not try defending her to me otherwise I may flip out because I need to. Takes one person"
"She sounds like a right cow anyway. Stay way clear"
"When my dad died. I grieved right...Even though he did awful things to Rita. I still grieved for him and I had every right to do so. I'm not saying that the Platts or this Gabrielle should not be grieving the man they thought he was. We aren't robots, I get it. I just cannot for the life of me understand why they insist on insulting our intelligence by playing dumb. We all know what that man did and they know too"
"Daniel thinks they are in denial a bit. Not all of them..Just Sarah and Bethany really. Gabrielle too I suppose"
"Well Sarah and Bethany better stay out of my face then"
Daisy nodding in agreement. She seconded that, she doesn't think her or Jenny needs to put up with them two right now.
...
TBC