Part 9 (2/2)

It was the third time a female had complained to him about Grayson's unwanted advances. The other accusations had come from members of staff. Sandra in Toys and Deirdre in Shoes had sensibly let the matter drop following a hint that a scandal might result in them losing their jobs. Mr Thorpe had had a discreet word with the store walker following those incidents and been a.s.sured by Grayson that his friendliness had been misinterpreted.

Mr Thorpe had had his doubts and now regretted not having sacked the man sooner. A frolic with a female a.s.sistant was one thing but there was an uncontrollable hazard in outsiders getting touched up by one of his employees. He felt sorry for Grayson but he'd have to go.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

'Gonna drop me off home then?'

Jenny's cheeky demand earned her a sour look from David. He'd waited till they were outside the store before giving her the good news that she wasn't to be prosecuted for shoplifting. Her surprise had transformed into triumph, leaving her chuckling gleefully.

'How did you pull that one off?' he casually asked, unable to curb his curiosity.

'I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, Officer.' Jenny exaggeratedly batted her eyelashes. 'I've been falsely accused by those nasty men.'

'You were going to pay for that little haul, were you?' David suggested sarcastically.

'Who knows?' Jenny answered airily.

'Turn out your pockets ... let's see what you've got on you then in the way of cash,' he ordered.

'You arresting me after all?' Jenny's impudence vanished. She'd thought she was home and dry moments ago.

David slanted her a glance from beneath the brim of his helmet. She was quite attractive in a common way, especially when seeming vulnerable, as now.

'Give us a lift, David,' Jenny wheedled. 'I know you're heading my way. Kathy would want you to,' she added slyly. It was time one of them owned up to the fact they had a mutual friend. 'We're almost family ... aren't we?'

'Shut up. You don't know anything about me and your sister.' David pulled out his notebook, flicking officiously to and fro through the pages.

'That's where yer wrong, see,' Jenny teased. 'Kathy 'n' me are close and talk about things, you know.' She flinched from the sudden anger darkening his face. He might be a copper with a conscience he knew she'd had a lucky escape and he didn't like it but she reckoned pus.h.i.+ng him too far, even in jest, might be a mistake.

'You fancy your neighbours knowing you've been in trouble, do you? They will if I pull up outside your place.'

'I haven't been in trouble, have I?' Jenny could tell he was almost swayed to give her a lift. 'Anyhow, don't care what any of me neighbours think. The nosy cows can all get stuffed, 'cos I'm innocent.'

'Innocent, are you?' David snorted, approaching the police car parked at the kerb. 'I'd lay money that's one thing you're certainly not.'

Boldly, Jenny opened the back door and slid onto the seat. She leaned forward so their gazes were clas.h.i.+ng in the rear-view mirror, daring him to order her out of the vehicle.

David could see just her eyes, realising that they were similar to Kathy's in colour and shape. But Kathy's gaze was clear and direct, whereas her sister's brimmed with artfulness.

'Take me home, Officer, and you can show me your truncheon ... and your handcuffs, if you like.' Jenny slumped into the seat, throwing back her head to guffaw.

David turned the ignition, head lowered to conceal a half-smile. He hated himself for liking women with dirty laughs and knowing eyes.

Kathy listened to the baby's heartbeat and gave the expectant mother a satisfied nod. 'All as it should be, Mrs Castell.'

The woman had miscarried her last two pregnancies some years ago and had confided in Kathy she despaired of giving her husband the son he wanted. She was considerably older than he, but at thirty-six there was no reason why she couldn't deliver a healthy baby, and Kathy often told her so.

It made a pleasant change for Kathy, doing her rounds amongst the impoverished, to come across people who positively yearned for a child rather than dreading the prospect of another mouth to feed.

'Is it a boy, do you think?' Mrs Castell asked, straightening her clothes.

'Oh ... I don't know.' Kathy smiled. 'I'd be a rich woman if I could charge expectant mums for correctly guessing their baby's gender.'

'I'd give you a bob to know what mine is. If I end up only ever having the one, I'd like a son,' Mrs Castell said wistfully. 'My mother says she thinks it is a boy. I'm all out the front, y'see.' She gave her distended belly a pat. 'If I was carrying weight on my backside then it'd be a girl, so Mum reckons.'

'I've heard that said.' Kathy confirmed knowledge of the old wives' tale while packing away her things. 'My mum says that a son is a son till he gets him a wife, but a daughter's a daughter all the days of her life ...' She recited one of Winnie's proverbs. Her mother often used it when Tom was driving her up the wall and she wanted some support from Kathy. 'So some people reckon having a baby girl has big advantages.'

'That saying's true 'n' all.' Mrs Castell stuck her hands on her hips. 'Me mum sees nothing of our Roland, even though he's the oldest. He leaves it all up to me and me sister to fetch Mother in her shopping 'n' so on.'

'Married, is he?' Kathy asked, chuckling.

'Oh, yes!' Mrs Castell's grim tone spoke volumes about her opinion of her sister-in-law.

'Well, I'd better be off.' Kathy clicked shut her case. 'I've a postnatal to do round the corner in Thrawl Street on my way back to the surgery.'

'I'll come to the clinic next time, save you a trip.'

'I'd appreciate it ... I'll introduce you to the nurse who covers for me when I have days off. She's the doctor's wife and very nice.' Kathy wished she could praise Eunice more enthusiastically.

Kathy was walking briskly, enjoying the suns.h.i.+ne warming her complexion, when she saw her boyfriend behind the wheel of a car. It was so unusual a sight David rarely got allocated a vehicle to get about in that Kathy actually stopped in her tracks and waved to attract his attention. She wouldn't have done so had he been with a colleague but he was the only person in the vehicle. She was sure he had seen her but he carried on without an acknowledgement. She realised she must have been mistaken; although he'd glanced her way he'd obviously been too preoccupied to notice her. If they did catch sight of one another during working hours David always went out of his way to intercept her so they could have a chat.

Kathy made a mental note to ask him about the car when she saw him on her day off on Sunday, and carried on in the direction of her next appointment.

Arriving back at the surgery hours later, Kathy found Eunice in a flap over some patients' notes that had gone missing.

'Are you sure Dr Worth hasn't already got them on his desk?'

'If he'd got them on his desk he wouldn't be asking me to fetch them in to him, would he?' Eunice snapped while scrabbling in a drawer by the telephone.

Kathy sighed. Eunice could be a right misery at times. 'Just trying to help,' she said, heading towards the side door that led to her annexe. She'd only popped into the surgery to let her colleagues know she was back from her rounds.

'Sorry ...' Eunice muttered; she held up some manila folders. 'Found them under this lot ...' she thumped a pile of telephone directories with the palm of her hand.

'Right ... good.' Kathy smiled faintly.

'Still got that bike in the shed, have you?' Eunice asked, c.o.c.king her head to one side, following Kathy towards the exit.

Kathy simply nodded a reply. Eunice had been grating on her nerves, constantly probing about the bike. It was nothing to do with her or Dr Worth what she did with the d.a.m.ned thing. They hadn't offered to pay for it. If they had she'd have pa.s.sed the money to Lottie and would be gladly using the bike to save shoe leather.

'Mr Raven hasn't come back for it, then?'

'Not yet ...'

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