Spider Page 4

  Beth took out her phone and Googled London Echo. That was the place where Petra said Macy Shaw worked. It wasn’t far away. A thirty-minute drive.

  Maybe, just maybe, Macy would help find out what happened to Lara.

  Then Beth would be able to find some peace within herself, and maybe she wouldn’t want to die anymore.

  SIX

  Arriving home from her cleaning job the following morning, Beth walked into the house and heard the noise of drawers opening and closing in her parents’ bedroom. She went upstairs to investigate and saw their bedroom door standing open, and Alison searching for something in the wardrobe. The drawers in the dressing table looked like they’d been turned over.

  Steven lay on his side, asleep. His arm was flung over his face as he belched out old alcohol fumes. He’d be in no fit state to take care of Alison today, and Beth’s heart sank. The pub was closed, but Wednesday was her regularly scheduled day off. Even though she usually spent the day with her mum, today she’d planned on heading to London Echo to find Macy Shaw.

  ‘I’m looking for my new shoes for our day together today,’ Alison said.

  Beth’s heart dropped further still. ‘What new shoes?’ she asked. Alison hadn’t shopped for something nice for a long time, so these ‘new’ shoes wouldn’t be very new. Suddenly, a thought hit Beth. ‘Mum, how about a shopping trip?’

  Alison straightened up with a single sandal in one hand. Her face brightened. ‘Oh, yes, I’d love that!’

  Beth smiled to herself. Her shopping trip had expanded to drop her mum off at a hairdresser’s while she wormed her way into London Echo. In Beth’s imagination, her story would make Macy so appalled that she would immediately pull up all her Jelvian contacts and leverage her investigative skills to help Beth.

  Alison began tidying away the mess she’d made, humming happily to herself. Steven grunted in the bed behind her and Alison hummed louder. Beth frowned. Was her mum making noise on purpose to wake her dad? Beth had always thought Steven’s drinking went over Alison’s head.

  ‘Have you had breakfast?’ she asked her mum.

  ‘No. I wanted to make toast, but Steven doesn’t like me to use the toaster without him.’

  ‘I’ll make us some. That and coffee. Want breakfast, Dad?’ she asked as Steven rolled onto his back.

  ‘What I want is a bit of peace and quiet!’ he shouted, pulling the duvet over his head.

  ‘And what I want is a sober father,’ she retorted and left her parents to go down the stairs.

  Alison laughed, which made Beth smile. Despite the reason for Alison’s laughter, it was always good to hear.

  ◆◆◆

  Shepherd’s Bush, a suburb west of London and the location of the London Echo headquarters, was a good thirty-minute drive. When they arrived, Beth and Alison wandered around a few shops, just window shopping. Money was tight, and charity shops were Beth’s selection of shop, out of necessity rather than choice.

  A few minutes from London Echo, Beth ‘came across’ a hairdressing salon.

  Alison was capable in places she was familiar with, such as the local park or shops and the hospital unit she attended for her condition, but in new places or unfamiliar settings, Alison was quick to become confused and upset. The one exception was the hair salon. She loved having her hair done.

  In this salon, Alison was in her element and would be safe alone for quite a while. Beth whisked her inside, and after giving the receptionist her mobile number, she left Alison happily leafing through glossy magazines and sipping a latte.

  Beth had already researched London Echo, but she hadn’t realised how big the headquarters building was. She eyed the reception area with dread but, sticking to her plan, she put her phone to her ear and marched inside as if she owned the building.

  ‘Yes, Macy. I’m here,’ she said to her silent phone. ‘Macy Shaw, how can you say such a thing!’ Beth forced a laugh as she glanced at the unconcerned receptionist behind the desk. ‘Yes, Macy. It’s all in the bag.’

  Beth headed towards the door at the end of the reception area, but as she approached, her heart dropped. It had a security lock on it. She slowed her pace, the mobile still clamped to her ear, as she continued to ‘chat’ to Macy. A man overtook her, a pass card poised to swipe over the panel on the door. Beth picked up her pace and hurried after him.

  In the end it was too easy as he held the door open for her. Beth smiled her thanks, and took the opposite path to him and, when she thought it safe to do so, she slumped against the wall and let out a long breath. Her heart was thudding and her legs were shaking. But she was jubilant.

  She thought she heard someone behind her and righted herself quickly, placing her mobile against her ear again to continue her ‘conversation’, but no one was behind her. She was alone in an empty corridor lined with doors whose inscriptions bore no resemblance to the person she was looking for.

  She pocketed her phone and continued to walk along the polished floor of the corridor. Someone rounded the corner in front of her and Beth panicked slightly. As the man came towards her, Beth offered a smile, but he barely looked at her and walked past with nothing but a glance.

  Feeling more confident, she vowed to stop the next person and ask for directions.

  She passed an open doorway that led outside to a courtyard. People were seated at several picnic tables scattered about, eating or chatting with each other on what Beth presumed was their break.

  She walked past them with no one noticing her presence. Then she stopped. In front of her was the door of the lobby she’d just swept through! As Beth stared, confused, someone burst through the door.

  ‘Coming through?’ he asked, holding the door open as she stood there thinking she’d been found out.

  ‘Er, no. I, er—’ She pulled herself together and said, ‘Can you point me in the general direction of Macy Shaw’s office? The receptionist gave me directions, but I think I’ve got myself lost.’

  The man allowed the door to swing shut. ‘They tend to forget to warn you the corridor runs a full circle. Hey, are you Courtney?’

  ‘I… yes, I’m Courtney,’ she said quickly, wondering who on earth “Courtney” was.

  The man grinned and stuck out his hand. ‘Thought so. Macy speaks highly of you.’

  ‘That’s good,’ she said, shaking his hand.

  He pointed forward. ‘Head to that door on the left. Through there and up the stairs—or the lift, that’s there, too—and it’s floor two. I’ve not seen Mace at all this week, though.’

  ‘No, she’s been, er, away. Anyway, thanks a lot.’ Beth began walking, in case the incredibly chatty man realised she wasn’t this mysterious Courtney. She was relieved when he went the other way.

  She went through the door and saw the lift and the stairs the man had promised her. Inside the elevator, she pressed the button for floor two. Finally, the doors opened to another corridor, but in front of her was a double door behind which she assumed she would find Macy’s office. Beth stepped out of the lift and pushed open the door. No one looked her way. It was busy in the office, with phones ringing and people beavering around or frantically typing on keyboards.

  She walked up to the nearest desk.

  ‘Hi, is Mace here?’ she asked using the name the man had said earlier.

  The woman looked up blankly. She’d been heavily engrossed in whatever she was doing. She pointed towards an empty desk. ‘Oh, but she’s on holiday.’

  Shit.

  ‘Do you know when she’ll be back?’

  ‘Not sure. Mace’s a law unto herself lately.’

  Beth pointed to a pack of Post-it notes on the woman’s desk. ‘May I leave a message?’

  ‘Sure.’ The woman handed Beth a slip of paper and a pen.

  Beth wrote her number and name and then added URGENT to the top of the paper. She handed it over, saying, ‘Please make sure she gets it. It’s important. Or maybe you could give me her phone number?’

  The woman narrowed
her eyes. ‘Who are you anyway?’

  ‘Courtney,’ she said quickly.

  ‘Then you’d have Macy’s number already,’ the woman said. She was beginning to look suspicious. She sat back in her chair and eyed Beth warily.

  ‘Oh, I do,’ Beth said quickly, realising her mistake. She forced a laugh. ‘It’s stored on my phone, but then I went and dropped it. The phone completely smashed, and parts of it went in all directions—including the sim card. Such a pain in the arse—I can barely remember my own number, let alone other people’s. Anyway, never mind, I guess I’ll have to wait until she’s back before I can speak to her,’ Beth said cheerfully, stepping away. She gave what she hoped was an airy wave. ‘Please give her my note in case you see her before I do.’

  As Beth rushed away, she glanced over her shoulder. The woman had gone back to her work. Beth blew outwards. Close. As Beth headed towards the door, she spotted a noticeboard with a caption JOLLIES and covered with postcards. ‘Jollies’ was slang for holidays, and didn’t the suspicious woman say Macy was on holiday?

  As if on autopilot, Beth pulled off as many postcards as she could. She glanced over her shoulder as she pulled, but no one was paying her any attention. She took them all and then darted through the doors and back into the lift. As the doors closed, she looked through the postcards. One was from Macy.

  She turned the card over and looked at the picture of a stately home. The small words at the top read: Seagull Estate, Hayle, Cornwall.

  Beth had never been to that part of the world. Her dad had taken her and Lara to many holiday resorts outside the UK, but never to an English seaside resort. It was time she rectified that. Smiling, she jabbed the lift’s buttons to take her down and as it moved, she read the card:

  Losers,

  Having a fantastic time here in Hayle. Don’t listen to rival newspapers! I’m having a ball. And yes, this is where I’m staying!! Are you even more jealous? ROFL.

  See you soon.

  Mace.

  She shoved the cards in her handbag and stepped out of the lift as the doors opened. Feeling like a bank robber—or, at least, how she imagined a bank robber would feel—Beth walked quickly along the corridor and back through to the lobby. She didn’t pause outside, and it wasn’t until she was a few streets away that she slowed down and walked normally towards the hair salon.

  Inside, Alison was having her hair blow-dried, and Beth sank down on a sofa feeling shaky as the adrenaline left her body. She watched her mum chatting to the hairstylist. She looked carefree and happy—normal.

  The damage to her brain had left her memory greatly reduced along with alterations to her mood and behaviour, but the change of her personality, reducing her to an almost childlike state, had been the hardest to bear.

  Beth caught Alison’s eye in the mirror, and mother and daughter grinned at one another. Beth was furiously proud of her mum and deeply protective of her.

  With a new bouncy hairdo, Alison followed her daughter out of the salon. They linked arms and headed down the pavement.

  ‘Fancy a bite to eat?’ asked Beth.

  ‘Somewhere nice,’ said Alison. ‘Not McDonald’s.’

  ‘No, we can do better than McDonald’s.’

  ‘You used to love McDonald’s as a little girl. You and Graham,’ said Alison.

  Beth froze. ‘Do you remember?’

  ‘Bits. I remember Graham dropping his fries on the floor.’

  Beth remembered that outing. It had been a thirteenth birthday treat for Graham—a few months before he died.

  Tears pricked at Beth’s eyes. It was a tiny development, but remembering before the accident was a massive improvement. At that moment Spider, Macy Shaw, and the trip to London Echo all seemed irrelevant and unimportant.

  SEVEN

  Beth and Alison were heading back to the carpark after lunch when Beth saw Spider down the street. The shock made her freeze, and at first, she didn’t know what to do. Terror fogged her brain.

  He was there! There across the road!

  Heart pumping, Beth spun around as if to search for a hiding place.

  ‘What’s the matter—Oh!’ Alison said. She’d spotted Spider. She glanced at Beth with stricken eyes. ‘It’s a Jelvia!’

  ‘In here!’ Beth said and darted into a shop. Her thoughts were all over the place.

  He’d followed her.

  He’d seen her sneak into London Echo.

  He’d seen her clumsy attempt to find Macy Shaw.

  He’d seen her take the postcards.

  She clutched her head with both hands, trying to think.

  ‘Are you okay, love?’ someone asked.

  Beth looked up blankly. She focused on the face of the shop assistant who was looking at her in concern.

  ‘Do you have a back way out?’ Beth asked.

  ‘Oh, no, sorry, it’s for staff only—’ the woman began, but Beth suddenly realised Alison hadn’t followed her into the shop.

  ‘Mum? Oh, God! Mum!’ she yelled, racing to the front of the shop and peering out. Alison was already across the road and had called out to Spider, judging by how he was looking back at her.

  ‘Fuck! Mum… no!’

  With a strangled cry, Beth dashed from the shop and into the road. A car swerved and hit the brakes, but the driver, taking a quick look at Spider, didn’t stop. Beth had barely noticed; her eyes were all for her mum. When she reached Alison, Beth grabbed her arm to pull her back across the road.

  Beth glanced at Spider. She could see he’d recognised her.

  ‘Beth, no,’ Alison said, pushing her away. ‘We can ask him where Lara is.’

  ‘Mum, we can’t,’ Beth said, grabbing at her mum’s arm again.

  Spider watched them dispassionately as they grappled.

  Alison pulled away from Beth and held out a hand towards Spider. It was an innocent gesture of sincerity.

  ‘Where is she?’ she asked.

  ‘Mum, he’s not—’ Beth began, but then noticed her mother’s face. It was pinched, and her eyes glittered with tears.

  ‘Please, I beg you. Where’s Lara?’ she asked, and Beth’s own eyes watered. How could anyone not be moved by a clearly distraught mother?

  Beth looked at Spider. He looked unimpressed. The tattoo spider’s legs wriggled on his face as his lips thinned into one hard, straight line. His long hair was tied back in a ponytail flat against his back.

  ‘My mum has brain damage,’ Beth said quickly and stepped between them. ‘Don’t hurt her.’

  Spider raised his eyebrows at her. ‘Like I hurt you?’

  Beth flushed, and Spider’s expression went from bored to amused. He began to turn away, but Alison shoved Beth out of the way and lurched forward. She dropped to her knees at Spider’s feet.

  ‘Take me. Take my life. Please, take me, let my daughter go. My Lara,’ Alison wailed.

  ‘Mum…’

  Beth was in shock. Her mother was acting so out of character. She looked up at Spider, expecting to see compassion on his face.

  Instead, he smirked. He literally smirked and then turned from them as if they meant nothing.

  Beth was enraged. She bounced forward, getting in front of him, and swinging back her hand. She felt it connect to his cheek with a satisfying slap. Her arm jolted, and the imprint of her hand on his cheek made her joyous at first—a feeling that lasted less than a second.

  She vaguely heard her mum cry out as Spider seized a handful of her hair. Beth was brought against his body until she could feel his breath on her face. He tugged her head back and forced her to look at him. His black eyes glinted as he looked into hers.

  Her mum screamed somewhere behind her.

  ‘Your sister’s still missing?’ he asked, surprising her.

  She tried to nod, but he held her head too tight. She winced, and his grip loosened. ‘S-she’s still missing,’ she affirmed.

  ‘Still missing and you still have a death wish,’ he said.

  Beth looked blankly at him, not
understanding.

  ‘You try to save a stranger, demand another to kill you, and run out in front of cars to protect your mother. That is a death wish.’

  ‘I guess it’s because my life sucks right now.’

  He stared down into her face for a moment, then he thrust her away from him. Beth stumbled back into her mum, and Alison grabbed her arm, looking frightened.

  ‘I don’t like him, Bethy,’ she said.

  Both Spider and Beth ignored her.

  ‘Like I said before, we didn’t take your sister,’ he said.

  ‘I don’t believe you,’ Beth said.

  Spider stared at her, his face unreadable, and his black eyes glittered. Remembering what happened the last time she crossed him, and knowing he’d probably not hesitate to drop to one knee and pull her over it for a scalding spanking like he did before, she stepped back several paces, pulling her mum with her.

  ‘Sensible action,’ he said. ‘But regardless of whether you believe me or not, I’m going to offer my services. I’ll help find your sister.’

  Dread filled Beth.

  ‘You will?’ asked Alison looking hopeful. ‘Oh, Bethy, isn’t that nice of him!’

  Spider looked from mother to daughter. His gaze rested on Beth. ‘At a cost.’

  Alison’s smile dropped from her face. ‘We don’t have a lot of money,’ she said, but Beth knew he didn’t mean money.

  He held out his hand. ‘Give me your phone.’

  ‘I… no, we don’t need your help—’ Beth began.

  ‘Bethy! He’s offering to help us,’ Alison said.

  Beth handed over her phone. She didn’t know what else to do.

  ‘I’ll let you think about my offer, and call you after the weekend,’ Spider said as he copied her number into his phone. He handed the mobile back, then walked away from them without a backward glance.

  Beth stared after him in shock.

  ‘Do we have savings, Bethy?’ asked Alison.

  Beth looked at her mother. ‘What?’

  ‘Savings. Do we have any?’

  ‘Come on,’ Beth said and pulled at her mum’s arm. Both women crossed back across the road.