Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound Chapter 28

David parked up down from the Bungalow for some reason and indicated that I should go and persuade mum out.

'She doesn't know a thing,' I blurted out.

'What a bloody good time to tell me that one,' he ground out, sighing with frustration.

'She had too much to deal with, remember she's just lost her husband,' I shot back, instantly regretting it when I saw his etched look of grief. 'Sorry. I'll go and get her, somehow.'

I got out his car and walked with care but with speed back to the bungalow, where I paused to take in the familiar car parked there across the other side. Further on up I saw another car that I thought I recognised. I couldn't be sure though. I went on the steps and went to open the door to find it locked for one. I had to find the key to let myself in.

'Mum,' I called, as I closed the door behind me, locking it quickly.

'In here love,' she called back, much to my utter relief.

I made my way down the hallway and came to a sudden halt in the doorway of the living room. mum wasn't alone. Helen was stood there in the centre of the living room, holding what looked to be a rolling pin. From her I took in Auntie Connie, who looked a little shaken, ending with a woman who smiled at me, like she knew me.

'Cara, I don't know if you remember Liz Stevens,' mum announced, as I now remembered who she was but not why she was in mum's living room.

'Lizzy's mum, I believe,' I replied, moving into the room and taking in the mugs on the table, the stacked up cards and the coins scattered around. It looked like I had just come upon a regular gambling den but that didn't explain the why Helen was holding a rolling pin, mum's wooden thing that dad had bought her years ago, when she made reasonable pastry.

'That's right, how are you now, Cara,' Liz Stevens enquired, which seemed rather odd considering I felt something was out of sync here.

'Um...not too bad,' I heard myself reply while I cocked my head to one side because I thought I could hear someone or something groaning.

I took a few steps into the room and turned slightly towards the kitchen, where I did a double take at the body on the floor.

'What...' I began to splutter out, trying and failing to work out why this body was on the floor and going by the clothing it was a male.

'I can explain,' mum gushed out, while Helen held aloft the rolling pin like she might give the unfortunate male another rap over the head.

'Oh I think you'd better,' I snapped out, realising the man had been handcuffed of all thing.

'It's like this,' Liz Stevens injected.

'Very simple but shocking,' Auntie Connie added.

'I hit him,' Helen confessed, which didn't surprise me one bit after the cat fight in the thrift shop

'I then handcuffed him,' Liz Stevens added, like explaining that one would be fine. I could only assume she never went out unless she was carrying them. Being prepared came to mind.

'But...why?' I quizzed them all.

'Because I saw him the other day and he's a new comer,' Liz Stevens confessed, which confused me no end.

'I think I should explain,' mum offered, indicating that I should sit down in case I fell down with shock.

'I think you should, Gwen dear,' Auntie Connie agreed, looking like she could do with a swift one.

Mum took a deep breath then explained in what could only be described as going around the houses, to get to the here and now. Like Liz Stevens had confessed, she had see the said man on the floor lurking outside the church on the day of the funeral. Then she had seen him lurking outside the brown cow while the wake was going on. Later on that day she assured mum that she had seen him talking to Ethan Brockhurst, although, mum confessed, that he could have been getting some meat, as Liz Stevens said he'd gone inside and then come out again with something in his hand, but Liz Steven didn't trust our esteem butcher anymore than she did him being their local councillor. As she's injected, most councillors were bent, in there for the money, with their heads in the trough.