Chapter Thirteen

“And your friend’s certain?” Ruth asked, her arms wrapped tightly around Bobby, who looked as if he thought his mistress had gone mad.

This was the third time in as many minutes she’d asked Grace this question, as if the mere act of asking could change the answer. Grace had hurried around, straight away she’d knocked off from work, to give them the results. Though what they’d all expected, it still came as a shock to hear it confirmed—someone had indeed tried to poison Bobby! They’d all been around long enough that they’d accepted Ruth’s diagnosis on trust when she’d found the piece of meat, but it didn’t make it any easier to hear when put into as near official words as they were likely to get.

“If I get hold of these bastards…” Ruth began to say, absently beginning to twist poor Bobby’s ears between her fingers.

The cocker spaniel at the center of events let out a little squeal, and Betty reached out and firmly stopped Ruth’s none-too-gentle ministrations. “You may want to stop that. Bobby’s not too happy.”

Ruth immediately glanced down and realized what she was doing, instead taking her dear companion between her hands and bringing him up to head level so she could kiss him on his furry forehead. “I’m sorry, Bobby.” Then she hugged him to her chest before telling the room again, “Just leave them to me, promise?”

Everyone was quite happy to nod agreement—everyone except Lawrence, that is, who after a moment’s thought told her, “In all honesty, Aunty, I would love to accommodate you as it’d save our overstretched justice system some work.” He shook his head. “But no, I know I promised to keep this on the quiet, and I will, for as long as I can, but things are already getting out of hand. What so nearly happened to our Bobby”—who’d now fallen asleep with his head tucked into Ruth’s neck—“could only have been done by someone close, someone who obviously knows where the two of you live.”

Ruth and Betty both blanched at this statement, which didn’t go unnoticed by the policeman.

“Good.” He nodded. “I hope you both know I didn’t mean to scare either of you, but you needed it spelled out. You all do!” he told everyone in the room, raising his voice a little to make certain he had their attention. “Look, you’re all very smart, that goes without saying, but sometimes being smart isn’t enough. I think it’s fair to say this person—or persons, since it could be more than one—is dangerous. If they’re desperate enough to send that note, and then try to poison Bobby…well, anything could happen. I want you all to promise me you’ll be careful, more careful than you’ve ever been in your lives!” He leant forward, dug into the inside pocket of his jacket, and handed everyone a card. “My number’s on it. Don’t be heroes. If you need to use it, use it. If I’m not there, speak to Terry. You can all trust him. I hope you know that.”

Somewhat timidly, Grace put up her hand. “I almost hate to ask, but,” she said, when Lawrence smiled and nodded at her, “does this include me?”

Grace promptly went the same color as her friends as he nodded and replied, “I reckon so. Whoever this is has to be watching at least this and Betty’s places. It’s safe to surmise they’ll have seen you coming and going as well.”

Summoning a smile, which she flashed around the room, Grace said, “I knew you lot were trouble, the moment I made the mistake of letting Bobby onto the ward.” She then quickly added, when at least Betty and Penny looked like protesting, “But I wouldn’t have it any other way, so don’t worry about me. I’ll be careful, I promise, Lawrence.”

“Sorry to veer off the subject,” Penny said, leaning over and giving Bobby a huge fuss around his much-maligned ears, “but unless my ears were deceiving me just now, Grace, you told me and Betty off, even though I was behind you! How? Has your hearing come back?”

Grace had half-turned around to face Penny and now made a point of staying in that position. This time, genuine joy was behind her smile. “Not completely, but enough so I can hear most of what’s been said behind me now.”

Before she knew it, Doris had thrown herself at her nurse friend and gave her a huge kiss on the cheek. She was rapidly followed by Mary, Ruth, and Betty, with Bobby waking up in time to join in the celebrations. Lawrence waited until he had some space and then added his own congratulations before retaking his seat, this time with Mary plonking herself down upon his lap.

Finally, Penny was able to give her friend a big hug. “I’m so pleased for you! That must make things so much easier for you at work, too.”

Grace nodded enthusiastically. “You have no idea!”

“How does Marcus feel about it? Come to think of it,” Mary added, “when did it start to come back?”

It took a moment for Grace to reply. Obviously her friendship with Betty’s half-brother was progressing nicely. “I first noticed a few weeks after Christmas, but I didn’t want to say anything—to anyone,” she hastened to add, “in case I was wrong, you know, imagining things.”

“But you’re not?” Betty asked.

Grace shook her head. “Definitely not. The same doctor who looked at the poison has been testing me since I first thought things were improving.”

“And he’s certain?” Doris wanted to know.

“A hundred percent,” Grace said firmly. “He’s a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, but he knows his stuff so far as ears are concerned. He doesn’t think they’ll get much better, but what I’ve got back is far better than I ever thought would happen. I’ll take it. Oh, and before I forget, Marcus wants to know if he can kip down on your sofa on Thursday evening.”

“He’s coming over!” Betty exclaimed excitedly.

****

Leaving Mary to enjoy some quality time with Lawrence, everyone else said their good nights and made their slow way back along the dark track toward The Old Lockkeepers Cottage.

“You lot go ahead,” Jane said to Doris and Betty. “I need a quiet word with Penny, here.”

Doris and Betty exchanged looks before shrugging their shoulders and tucking their hands into pockets against the cold as they hurried ahead. “We’ll put the kettle on!” Doris shouted over her shoulder at the pair.

“Make certain Betty makes the tea!” Penny shouted back.

“Thanks a bunch! Useless Yankee clodhopper!” they heard Betty jokingly tell her friend.

“I don’t think Doris is going to thank us, if things go on this way.” Penny laughed, shaking her head.

Jane waited until Penny had stopped laughing before saying, “What excuse do you have for not seeing Doctor Barnes, then?”

Even in the dark, Jane would swear her friend had gone beetroot red.

“Ah, I suppose I’m being silly to think you’d let that drop, aren’t I?”

“Very.”

“And me trying to convince you my arm’s feeling a lot better wouldn’t help?”

“Not a chance,” Jane declared straight away. “Why? Do you fancy an arm wrestle?”

Penny’s hand immediately flew to cover her bad arm, answering Jane’s question for her. “You. Me. Tomorrow. Doctor. First thing. No arguments!”

Penny hung her head in shame, partially because in slapping her arm she’d caused a pain to flash before her eyes. Looking up, she saw only sympathy in Jane’s eyes together with concern. She gently reached out and tucked the hand Penny had placed upon her arm through the crook of hers. “Come on, let’s get home and see if Betty’s made a deliberate muck-up of the tea.”

As they opened the cottage’s gate, Penny stopped and said to Jane, “You don’t need to come with me in the morning. I promise I’ll go to the doctor.”

Jane squeezed Penny’s hand. “Humor me.”

****

“Well, well,” Doctor Raymond Barnes said in surprise, looking up from his first cup of tea. “This is a surprise,” he said, as Jane ushered an obviously reluctant Penny into his consulting room before her. “I’ve never known a station full of such healthy individuals, you know. Short of stitching up the odd cut, I seem to have very little to do.”

“And you’re complaining?” Jane asked, taking a seat by the door, just in case Penny tried to make a dart for freedom.

“Not at all,” he replied with a smile before adding and letting slip, “especially after what’s happened recently.”

“At least she’s still close,” Penny said into the silence which followed.

The doctor turned his head to look out the window, in the direction of the church. “That she is,” he added before putting down the nearly forgotten cup. “Now, what can we do for you, Penny?”

Jane got to her feet to intercept Penny and her move toward the door. Catching hold of her arm, she placed a finger directly over where her friend had been shot. “For the answer, Doc, press here!”

Penny snatched her arm away, shot Jane a most unsavory glare, and plonked herself down in the seat Jane had vacated. “Very bloody funny, I don’t think.”

Trying and nearly succeeding in keeping a grin under control, Doctor Barnes clapped his hands together. “Well, Penny, tell me what’s wrong.”

Knowing she’d get a flea in the ear from Jane if she didn’t speak up quickly, Penny hurried to tell him. “My arm’s been hurting me for a while now, and, well, Jane’s grounded me until it doesn’t.”

“That’s…helpful,” Barnes replied with a shake of his head. Obviously to give him some thinking time, he turned his head to Jane and asked her, “Whilst you’re here, any problems with yours?”

Jane twirled and flexed the arm which had been broken in the crash landing, until the doctor gave a satisfied nod.

“And your head? No headaches, or any other problems?”

“None.”

“Flipping show-off,” Penny muttered, which was ignored by both the others.

“Right, Jane,” Barnes said, “you can leave now. I’ll send Trouble, here, on when I’ve finished, together with my recommendation.”

Hauling herself to her feet, Jane clapped Penny on the shoulder, immediately causing her to yelp in pain. “Oops,” she said, though the fact she couldn’t keep a small laugh in earned her another glare. “Sorry, but at least you know why I’ve grounded her,” she added to the doctor, scooting out the door before Penny could retaliate.

****

Being on taxi duty that week, Mary was lounging in the seat Thelma used to occupy in the ops hut when Jane came in. The mug of tea in her hands stayed its course toward her mouth when Jane came through the door, still laughing. “Care to share? I could do with a good laugh.”

Noticing the serious tone in Mary’s voice, Jane immediately asked, “Why? What happened?” and then hurried over and made a grab for her friend’s arms. She was about to lift up one of her friend’s legs when Mary stopped her by shoving her seat back until she was out of reach. “I’m okay, boss! There’s nothing wrong with me.”

“Don’t do that to me!” Jane said, then made her way into her office, where she dumped her coat, hat, and bag before rejoining Mary, who was in the process of putting on the kettle. “Now, tell me what happened that you need a laugh.”

Mary jerked a thumb toward the flight line. “Port engine packed up on me just as I lined up to land.”

“Bugger,” Jane swore, making a grab for the nearest phone.

“Don’t worry, boss, I’ve already got engineering onto it.”

“Is the other Anson serviceable?” Jane wanted to know.

Mary nodded. “All fueled up and ready.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “I take off in twenty minutes. Now, what’s so funny?”

Reminded of what she’d been chuckling about, Jane sat herself down before saying, “You know I was making sure Penny saw the doctor about her arm?” Mary nodded. “Well, I only wanted to wish her the best before leaving, so I gave her a friendly slap on the…”

“You didn’t!” Mary said, a hand flying to her mouth.

“I did.” Jane nodded, letting out a chuckle again. “Right on the spot.”

“Poor girl,” Mary said with a shake of her head. “Ah, well, serves her right for hiding this from us.”

“I don’t think I’ll repeat that last bit to her,” Jane told her.

“Knowing Penny, I’d very much appreciate that.”

A heavy rain began to fall as the kettle boiled. A minute later, Jane was nursing a nice hot cup of tea. She glanced outside before pulling the schedule toward her and running a finger down a column. She looked over at where Mary was slumped in her chair with her eyes closed. “If you’re tired,” she slowly said, “I can take this flight. I wouldn’t want—”

Mary cracked open one eye as she interrupted, “…anyone to get hurt?”

Jane didn’t say anything for a good minute. Finally, she met Mary’s eyes and asked, “Am I that transparent?”

Mary treated her friend to a smile she hoped was an understanding one before she drank deeply from her cup and gave a deep sigh of satisfaction. “Ah…only to your friends. Look, you wouldn’t be human if you weren’t worried about sending us out, especially”—she twitched her head toward where the rain was lashing down against the hut’s window—“when it’s raining cats and dogs.”

Jane followed her glance, and when she turned back, a single tear was running down her face. “It should have been me, you know,” she said. “I shouldn’t have let her overrule me.”

Mary placed her cup down and hurried over to perch on the edge of the desk beside Jane. She took one of Jane’s hands and lightly smacked the back. “Now, you stop that. You can’t let yourself think that way. We won’t let you. What’s more, Thelma wouldn’t want to hear you talk that way.”

Jane squeezed her friend’s hand, matching it with a small smile. “You may have to tell me that every now and then.”

“Here whenever you need me, boss,” Mary told her, taking out a semi-clean handkerchief and drying the tear on Jane’s cheek.

“Thank you,” Jane said. “If there’s anything I can ever do for you, just ask.”

“Funny you should say that, boss,” Mary replied, looking slightly embarrassed to say the words.