Saving Kitty - completed

Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"I've got your shopping, and I met a rather cute policeman." Aunt Martha was baking in the kitchen, there was a sweet citrus smell of lemons.

"Oh yes? Bet he wasn't as cute as my boy!" Phoebe's aunt winked rather dramatically which was slightly embarrassing, "speaking of James don't suppose you saw him did you?"

"No why?"

"Probably nothing but I just caught the end of the local news on the radio and it seems Jackie has disappeared. The family are appealing for help in locating her."

Phoebe remained quite still, this very interesting news, "really, James's Jackie?"

"Seemingly so, I only caught the end of it, but she's not been seen since yesterday and nobody can get hold of her. Local grapevines are buzzing my phone has been ringing all morning, nosy buggers round 'ere."

"They're panicking a bit aren't they? I mean it is only a day and she's a grown woman." Phoebe placed the bags of shopping on the kitchen table. "Probably off partying in the city or something."

"That's just what I thought however, they are a rich local family so there's always interest in what they're up to, and there's nothing like a bit of scandal for the newspapers. I'm sure she'll turn up, knowing how she likes the attention it wouldn't surprise me if she's doing it on purpose." The oven timer beeped, Aunt Martha left the washing up and dried her hands as she walked over to the Aga where she pulled out a steaming lemon sponge, it smelt so good. "Did you pop into the museum?"

"Yes, I did and there's something I want to show you, I found this yesterday, you know when I thought I heard that mouse" (it was only a little white lie) "well, I didn't want to get your hopes up but I think it's a letter from Kitty's lover Tommy?"

"You're kidding me!" Her aunt exclaimed excitedly.

"I wasn't sure, well... I was sort of sure but I wanted the lady at the museum to check it over, make sure it was authentic."

"And is it?" Aunt Martha placed the hot cake on top of the stove.

"By all accounts yes, here read it for yourself, Deborah, the lady at the museum, wanted to keep it, she wanted me to donate it to the museum, but I told her it wasn't mine to offer, here." Phoebe took out the envelope and handed it to her aunt. "You may want to sit down, it's not terribly easy to read, and it's very fragile." Aunt Martha took out the contents of the letter and placed them on the table.

Phoebe arranged the four pieces in the right order for her aunt. "Can you read it for me, I've left my glasses upstairs?"

"Of course," Phoebe read the letter, her aunt listened intently only making the odd gasp of surprise.

"Well, I'll be blown, would you look at that!" Aunt Martha, stared at the pieces, "and to think that was under the floorboards all this time. Are there anymore?"

"Not that I could see..." Phoebe sat at the table, she too stared at the contents of the letter.

"What do you think happened then? I'd always secretly thought Tommy had got cold feet and simply left... but now I'm not so sure."

"I know, the love he must have felt for her, something terrible must have happened to him, and if Kitty's ghost is still waiting for him, I doubt very much she knows either, maybe that's why she can't rest?"

"Maybe..." Phoebe watched her aunt gather the pieces, "maybe we'll never know, maybe some things are best left in the past, and let's not forget maybe she just doesn't want to move on?"