Page 12 of Blame
Frankie could feel the blush of her skin as she nodded. ‘Never been more serious in my life. So, what do you say? I’ll understand if you can’t or–’ she was interrupted by Jed.
‘When? I mean, yes, how soon would you want me to come? I’ve booked a week off in August but I’m not going anywhere, so yeah, I’d love to.’
She could see he was pleased and a bit spluttery in his answer, which made her laugh. ‘I was going to invite you over anyway, once I’d got settled in. I hope you know that. We’ve joked about it but I’m serious, Jed, I really would like to see you even when I move away and I don’t want this, whatever it is, to come to nothing. Oh God, did I really just say that out loud?’ Frankie placed her hands on her cheeks and wondered what had come over her.
‘Yes. I believe you did and I’m glad because now it saves me begging and crying when you leave next week. I can act all manly now, so I appreciate that.’ Jed winked and took a gulp of his tea. ‘Right, fetch that laptop of yours and we’ll have a gander at flights. Or do you reckon I should come over on the ferry like you?’
Frankie put her hands on her hips and gave him a look. ‘Er, don’t you think my grand invitation deserves a kiss, at the very least, you cheeky sod?’
At this Jed sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes, then pulled her to him. ‘I suppose so, just a quickie mind, I’ve got a ticket to book…’
Frankie whacked him hard, grateful for a bit of levity in what was quite a big moment because she’d made a huge, unexpected leap, and moved things on.
* * *
There had only been one other unexpected moment, this time one hundred per cent more awkward than the first. They were lying on the sofa at hers, trying to choose a film and Jed had been telling her about where he lived. Their family home was on one side of the builder’s yard and on the other was a large workshop and above this, was Jed’s self-contained loft apartment. It was convenient, rent-free and best of all saved him the embarrassment of admitting he still lived with the parents. Not a good look at thirty-three. This led to him inviting Frankie over. She could say a very quick hello to his mum, otherwise they’d never get away. Knowing her she’d bring his baby photos out and then insist she stayed for tea.
Frankie said she didn’t mind and laughed along, until he mentioned her parents and asked when she’d be going over to Derbyshire to say goodbye. Whether he was hinting or not Frankie tensed, he felt it and the silence that followed, while she battled with what to say did nothing to help lift the mood.
‘Have I put my foot in it, you know, talking about parents? I can tell something’s wrong.’ Jed stopped channel hopping and rested the remote on the back of the sofa.
Frankie was in a dilemma. Should she tell him all about Elkdale and the murder and have him think she was a jinx, or a weirdo magnet? She had no desire to rake it all up. She could so easily blame her lack of visits to her birthplace on globetrotting parents with wanderlust. The thing was, it would come out eventually, somewhere down the line. Sometimes life was so sodding complicated and Frankie was sick of it, so once again she took a leap of faith and chose the truth.
Sitting upright, she swivelled around and rested her legs on Jed’s. ‘Okay. Cards on the table time. You know I said my parents are away at lot?’
Jed nodded.
‘Well, that’s not the only reason why I hardly ever go back to the village. I prefer it if they come here. We’ve been going away for Christmas in recent years. Mum flipping loves it because she doesn’t have to cook and Dad gets to choose somewhere on his bucket list. Last year it was four days in Norway and the food was to die for – not to mention snow everywhere, like a proper Christmas should be…’ Frankie paused: she was waffling. ‘Sorry, I’m getting away with myself.’ At this point she was touched that Jed reached out his hand, maybe sensing there was a reason for her edginess so she clung on, grateful for the gesture.
‘When I was seventeen something awful happened in the village – not to me, not directly anyway – but it’s such a small community that even when it was all over, the whole thing rumbled on. It was like nobody could forget it. Teenagers can be cruel and believe me, in the sticks any bit of gossip gets blown out of all proportion. That’s why when I got the chance to go to university, I took it. My mum and dad missed me loads but I think they were relieved too, that I was away from it all. They stayed though. My dad’s a stubborn bugger and they love their house and I’m glad they did because otherwise I’d have been more bitter than I was about how some people treated me and my friends.’
‘Shit, what happened? Are you sure you want to tell me? Because I’ll understand if you don’t. I can see it still bothers you.’
Frankie took his hand in both of hers and gave it a squeeze. ‘No, it’s fine. I really want to tell you now because making excuses is draining. I’ve had it up to my ears with it, and after going to great lengths to avoid the Serbian nutcase I have hardly any friends. That’s my choice, by the way, because I can’t risk anyone slipping up on social media or giving away my new name. It helps that I work via the agency now, or through recommendations and word of mouth but my professional name is nothing like my real one. Mum and dad will come and visit me in France when they can so all being well, nobody there will ever wonder why I don’t go home.’
Jed appeared to take the statement well until his next comment, which made her feel sad.
‘So you really are cutting all ties with the UK?’
Put like that, it sounded so final but Frankie had to admit that’s exactly how it was. It was for the best. ‘Yep, I’m ready to start a brand-new life and hopefully this is the last time I’ll ever have to tell anyone about Elkdale. I just hope you understand, once you know what happened.’
Without replying Jed lifted his arm, signalling that she should move closer and when she did, he sighed. ‘Whatever it is, I promise you I won’t judge. Just tell me, okay?’
Frankie nodded and before she took them both back to the Elkdale of her youth, said a silent prayer that when Jed made a promise, he kept it.
8
Elkdale 2007
Frankie, Bea and Scarlet watched in silence as the scene below played out. Everyone in the village knew the car that had pulled into the yard. It belonged to Herbert the Pervert, as some of the kids called him. To them it was just a cruel nickname attached to a single, rather odd man with half-moon specs who stared you out if you were loud in Sunday school, or if he caught you playing hide and seek in the churchyard. But to Frankie the name meant so much more. He had always given her the creeps. There was a bad vibe about him and as much as she’d wanted to tell her mum what he’d done that time, she thought nobody would believe a kid against a grown-up. She couldn’t prove it, so had kept quiet.
Now Frankie knew she was right about him as she and her friends shuffled forward and crouched behind the privets, trying to get a look at who else was in the car. The passenger was definitely doing something, facing forward but there was motion in the car.
It was Scarlet who said it out loud. ‘Oh. My. God. She’s giving him a hand job, isn’t she? Ew, the dirty little man. That’s so gross.’
At this they all sniggered, still drunk but not so bad they couldn’t tell what was going on.
Bea: ‘Who do you think it is? Do you recognise her?’
