Living with Brian was to live in fear. And I was forced to make a decision which would effect the rest of my life...
Chris’ face was drawn and pale when he came home that morning. He brushed aside my offer of breakfast and took my hands in his.
“I’ve got something to tell you, Vicki,” he said, his voice low and serious. “And it can’t wait.”
My heart began to pound with fear. When Chris had phoned the night before to tell me there’d been a train derailment at the viaduct and he had to stay on duty I didn’t think too much about it. After living with a policeman for seven months I was used to that, but this time was different...
“Vicki, I’ve got some bad news,” Chris went on. “It’s Brian... I’m afraid he’s dead.”
My whole body went numb and I couldn’t take his words in.
“What...what happened?” I whispered shakily.
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Monday, 28 March 2011
Monday, 14 February 2011
On Hallowe'en
Who in their right mind would actually volunteer to spend Hallowe'en in a haunted house miles from anywhere...
“You can count me out!” I said quickly, before the discussion got any further and I was drawn into a situation I wanted nothing to do with.
“Oh, Helen, don’t be a spoil sport - it’s only a bit of fun.”
My husband, Tim, squeezed my hand. “And I’ll be there to protect you...”
I looked across the table at Tracy and Brian.
“Come on, Helen,” Brian said enthusiastically. “We can’t let a challenge like this pass.”
“And it’s just for one night,” Tracy put in.
“Yes, and what a night!” I retorted. “Hallowe’en - you must be crazy. Who, in their right minds, would actually volunteer to spend Hallowe’en in a haunted house miles from anywhere?”
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“You can count me out!” I said quickly, before the discussion got any further and I was drawn into a situation I wanted nothing to do with.
“Oh, Helen, don’t be a spoil sport - it’s only a bit of fun.”
My husband, Tim, squeezed my hand. “And I’ll be there to protect you...”
I looked across the table at Tracy and Brian.
“Come on, Helen,” Brian said enthusiastically. “We can’t let a challenge like this pass.”
“And it’s just for one night,” Tracy put in.
“Yes, and what a night!” I retorted. “Hallowe’en - you must be crazy. Who, in their right minds, would actually volunteer to spend Hallowe’en in a haunted house miles from anywhere?”
Read more...
Saturday, 25 September 2010
Once A Crook
...always a crook. Stan had paid his debt to society and gone straight ever since. At least that's what Zoe thought...
As Stan stared at the policemen his face was a white mask, the small muscles in his jaw working furiously as he clenched his teeth together. Outside the panda car was waiting, another policeman leaning carelessly against it.
“Get your coat, Mr. Harris,” the policeman said wearily. “We’ll finish this off down the station. There’s a lot of enquiries to make and we’re still waiting to hear if the caretaker will recover.”
“Look, I was nowhere near that warehouse, and I didn’t beat up that old man!” Stan told him for the umpteenth time. “I was here - at home.”
“Maybe you were,” the policeman replied. “But your wife can’t verify that. If she was out till midnight and the robbery was just after eleven - that gives you time to do the job and get home. Which means you haven’t got an alibi.”
Stan glared at him, his eyes cold.
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As Stan stared at the policemen his face was a white mask, the small muscles in his jaw working furiously as he clenched his teeth together. Outside the panda car was waiting, another policeman leaning carelessly against it.
“Get your coat, Mr. Harris,” the policeman said wearily. “We’ll finish this off down the station. There’s a lot of enquiries to make and we’re still waiting to hear if the caretaker will recover.”
“Look, I was nowhere near that warehouse, and I didn’t beat up that old man!” Stan told him for the umpteenth time. “I was here - at home.”
“Maybe you were,” the policeman replied. “But your wife can’t verify that. If she was out till midnight and the robbery was just after eleven - that gives you time to do the job and get home. Which means you haven’t got an alibi.”
Stan glared at him, his eyes cold.
Read more...
Friday, 10 September 2010
Demands Of Love
My sister had always been bossy, but this time she seemed determined to put my whole future in jeopardy...
The phone call from my sister, Jenny, came just as I was leaving work. Her voice sounded harsh and over loud,yet there was pain in it, too.
“Angela, I’ve got something awful to tell you,” she began. My heart started to beat furiously at the tone in her voice. “Mum died this afternoon, just after three...”
Her voice broke on a sob, and there was silence for a moment.
“Jenny, what happened?” I gasped into the phone.
Mum had been fine last time I went home to see my parents, just six weeks ago. Surely death couldn’t come so quickly - without me knowing, being aware of it.
“They said there was nothing they could do,” Jenny went on tearfully “She’d been ill a long time and didn’t know - then it was too late. Angie, you must come home...now. You must!”
“Of course I will, Jenny,” I told her quickly. “I’ll take time off... Catch the first train tomorrow...”
Read more...
The phone call from my sister, Jenny, came just as I was leaving work. Her voice sounded harsh and over loud,yet there was pain in it, too.
“Angela, I’ve got something awful to tell you,” she began. My heart started to beat furiously at the tone in her voice. “Mum died this afternoon, just after three...”
Her voice broke on a sob, and there was silence for a moment.
“Jenny, what happened?” I gasped into the phone.
Mum had been fine last time I went home to see my parents, just six weeks ago. Surely death couldn’t come so quickly - without me knowing, being aware of it.
“They said there was nothing they could do,” Jenny went on tearfully “She’d been ill a long time and didn’t know - then it was too late. Angie, you must come home...now. You must!”
“Of course I will, Jenny,” I told her quickly. “I’ll take time off... Catch the first train tomorrow...”
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For Export Only
My past was nothing to be proud of and I’d done everything I could to bury it good and deep. But it refused to stay buried and now it was threatening to ruin my new life...
I was about halfway along the alley when I heard soft footsteps behind me. I forced myself to keep walking, not to look back. It wasn’t much further to the main road, then I’d be safe. I could just make out the reflection of the street lights beyond the growing shadows.
Suddenly the lights weren’t there any longer. The black silhouette of a man was standing in the archway, blocking the light.
The footsteps behind me came closer, and then I heard a voice that made my blood run cold.
“Hello, Janine.”
I spun around, fear knotted like a hard ball inside me as I looked into Rod Brookman’s darkly handsome face.
“Rod...” I gasped. “I thought...”
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I was about halfway along the alley when I heard soft footsteps behind me. I forced myself to keep walking, not to look back. It wasn’t much further to the main road, then I’d be safe. I could just make out the reflection of the street lights beyond the growing shadows.
Suddenly the lights weren’t there any longer. The black silhouette of a man was standing in the archway, blocking the light.
The footsteps behind me came closer, and then I heard a voice that made my blood run cold.
“Hello, Janine.”
I spun around, fear knotted like a hard ball inside me as I looked into Rod Brookman’s darkly handsome face.
“Rod...” I gasped. “I thought...”
Read more...
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Star Struck
It began with a request for a record on the local radio station. Then it became much, much, more...
“Not again, Karen!” Mike stormed at me. “I can’t take much more of this.”
“Oh Mike, come on, it’s only once a week,” I implored. “Be reasonable.”
Mike stared at me in absolute amazement, and when he spoke his voice was slightly mocking.
“Be reasonable - me?” he began. “For the last two months you’ve cut short every date we’ve had on a Friday, just so you can listen to that pathetic DJ. Karen...”
He stopped, lost for words, then sighed heavily and leaned back in the driving seat.
“I don’t know what to say,” he shook his head. “The whole thing’s crazy. It’s not even as though you know the bloke, and yet you moon over him... Oh, forget it. There’s just no reasoning with you any more.”
Mike slammed his fist against the steering wheel.
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“Not again, Karen!” Mike stormed at me. “I can’t take much more of this.”
“Oh Mike, come on, it’s only once a week,” I implored. “Be reasonable.”
Mike stared at me in absolute amazement, and when he spoke his voice was slightly mocking.
“Be reasonable - me?” he began. “For the last two months you’ve cut short every date we’ve had on a Friday, just so you can listen to that pathetic DJ. Karen...”
He stopped, lost for words, then sighed heavily and leaned back in the driving seat.
“I don’t know what to say,” he shook his head. “The whole thing’s crazy. It’s not even as though you know the bloke, and yet you moon over him... Oh, forget it. There’s just no reasoning with you any more.”
Mike slammed his fist against the steering wheel.
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Sunday, 15 August 2010
Chequebook Wife
Mark and I were so broke, and all because of the money we had to pay to his ex-wife...
“Please, Anna, we’ve gone over this so many times,” Mark sighed wearily. “There’s no point even thinking about it.”
“I can’t help thinking about it, Mark,” I cried desperately. “I want a baby!”
Mark’s eyes closed as though he was trying to shut out my words, and his shoulders slumped with despair.
“Darling, we can’t afford a baby,” he went on quietly. “I only wish we could, but...”
“...but we have to keep your first wife in the lap of luxury!” I interrupted crossly. “Mark, because of her we’re not living - we’re just existing, and sometimes we aren’t even doing that. There’s no way we’re ever going to have a normal marriage with her living off our backs the whole time!”
“Oh, Anna...”
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“Please, Anna, we’ve gone over this so many times,” Mark sighed wearily. “There’s no point even thinking about it.”
“I can’t help thinking about it, Mark,” I cried desperately. “I want a baby!”
Mark’s eyes closed as though he was trying to shut out my words, and his shoulders slumped with despair.
“Darling, we can’t afford a baby,” he went on quietly. “I only wish we could, but...”
“...but we have to keep your first wife in the lap of luxury!” I interrupted crossly. “Mark, because of her we’re not living - we’re just existing, and sometimes we aren’t even doing that. There’s no way we’re ever going to have a normal marriage with her living off our backs the whole time!”
“Oh, Anna...”
Read more...
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