If She Doesn't Scare You

Chapter 8- 1953- The Wife

There was a knock at the door. Rodger leapt out of his seat, not that he had really been in it since the phone call, and rushed to answer the door. It was amazing just how much more he could be bothered to do things when he stood to gain something in the situation. No doubt he would find a way for Cruella's news to be all his idea. Anita shook her head. She wasn't a cynical person and didn't want to start now. She should be grateful he was so keen to gain from this- maybe it would make him more accepting of her friends in the long run. She stood up when he came back into the room with Cruella. She really was splendidly dressed. A long silk dress with lace embroidery, red heeled shoes that must have been agony on her toes and a bolero made of beaver fur- complete with red cuffs to match her hair band and earrings. She could never look understated Cruella- even in her less dignified moments.

"Anita!" she looked over to her friend, smiling like a Cheshire cat. "How are you love? Rodger said you were quite distressed a while ago?" She was looking at her in quite a detached way- likely due to Rodger, who was hovering around beside her with anticipation.

"Oh Cruella, that was simply because of Nanny." Fresh tears sprang from her eyes as she thought of the once cheery housemaid, now reduced to nothing more than a body on a slab in a morgue someplace. She deserved so much more than that.

"Yes, of course" said Cruella, lighting up a cigarette. "She was so unfortunate with her timing. Being present when those two men entered" Anita was slightly taken aback. She knew Cruella wasn't a sentimental person, but she was acting as if she had just popped over to borrow a packet of sugar, not discuss the brutal attack and death of a close friend. She didn't have time to ponder about it any longer, because Rodger started going at his questions at 60 miles a minute.

"So what do you know? Is about the thieves? The dogs? For god's sake would you tell us what you're here for?" He was still going, but Cruella was calmly smoking away by the window, looking not the least bit interested in anything around her. Anita went to lay a hand on her husband in an attempt to calm him. He fell silent at last and she said,

"Please Cruella. Tell us what you know. We just want our pets back." There was a hush that fell over the room. Cruella stubbed out her cigarette, not finished, and fixed them both with a stare that could burn through wood.

"I can't tell you" came her voice, not much more than a whisper. "But I can show you." It wasn't a question. Rodger went off on one, saying they should leave now, in their car or hers- do whatever they could to find their beloved pets. Anita was a little less easy to turn so quickly on her words. She gazed back at Cruella, wanting to decipher her words through her stare. She was the one to break the glare first though, turning away to rub her eyes. When she looked back, Cruella was answering Rodger's questions.

"We'll take my car- It's more spacious in the back."

"You mean you know where they are? Then tell us woman! We have a right to-"

"Oh Rodger please! I know what I'm doing. Gather up a few things and your coat and let's get moving. You don't want to delay this- I assure you." She seemed so sure of herself, so totally in control of everything she was saying- it made Anita worry. She hadn't known anyone, least of all Cruella, that could come up with such intense leads in such a short space of time. The front door had opened and Rodger was already following Cruella out to the car.

"Rodger wait!" she said, hurrying after him. "What about the puppies?" Rodger stood still, trying to contemplate his answer. On the one hand, she knew they couldn't survive without any assistance- they were only a few weeks old. But on the other, how long would they really be gone for? They both hovered, unsure of what to do. In the end, Anita quickly ran over to next door- where Mrs Lucy May lived with her husband. He was out at work all day and she was only too happy to keep an eye on them for her. Anita supposed it gave her something to do. It reminded her of when she was in that role; a wife and nothing more.