Chapter 20
Her hands shook. At first she imagined it was because she hadn’t been sleeping. Then she ignored it, or rather did not allow the thought to rise high enough in her mind to become unavoidably conspicuous. Then came acceptance: it wasn’t because she was tired or because she was ill, it was Mark Turney; he had got to her. She had held out with Felicity’s help through those early weeks when he had stalked her but now, though he was invisible or maybe because he had successfully made himself so, she had succumbed.
She knew Felicity must have noticed. When she brought a cup with tea or coffee to the table there was an unmistakable rattle. And, when she made the effort to stop the liquid from slopping over the rim, it rattled even more. She had heard of the same thing happening to people – old people – she had to put a stop to it.
Felicity had the night off. When she was out at the club and that was most nights, it was worse. There were bars on the windows and locks – lots of them – but Amanda still sat and shook until she felt she had to be in bed, not to sleep but to be there when Felicity returned. Felicity was keeping them, they both needed her to work but it couldn’t go on. This night they sat together on the sofa and then, instead of hiding her hand or sitting on it as she often did, she held both hands out towards her friend. They both watched the tremor that danced along her fingers. Felicity lent towards her and grasped her wrists. They sat and looked at each other and Amanda knew that the vibrations of her fear could be felt by the other through their clasp.
‘We must do something,’ Felicity said.
Amanda nodded.
‘I’ve been watching you. It can’t go on like this.’
‘The police?’ Amanda knew what Felicity’s reaction would be.
‘They can do nothing. They couldn’t save my sister and they can’t save you. Mark Turney is the devil. We have the right and the duty to get rid of him.’
‘How?’ asked Amanda.
‘We must kill him.’
Amanda had known she would say that. But it wasn’t what she said but the determination with which she said it that caused Amanda’s hands to stop shaking. Felicity let go and Amanda’s hands feel peacefully on to her lap. It was better now. She was calm. Felicity would know what to do and she would follow. The waiting was over.
‘He wants to come here. He wants to get into our stronghold, our home. And we must let him.’
Amanda nodded back. Yes, it was their fortress and, in it, they were under siege. They were not safe even though it seemed so for the moment. Every fortress can be breached and given time Mark would do just that.
‘We mustn’t make it too easy for him and we are going to have to accept some danger. Can you face him?’
Amanda tried to imagine it. She looked across the room and faced him. She stiffened as she saw him advance towards her with those hands.
‘I’ll have a knife and so will you. He won’t know I’m here. Can you do it? You’ll have to stab him too.’
Amanda had no doubts about Felicity. Her friend had such hate for the man. She imagined Felicity had longed for the moment that she would sink a knife into the man’s back and that she had dreamed about it until it was almost real. Had she worked it out and had been waiting for Amanda to speak?
‘He expects me to go out at night. I’ve seen him when I’ve driven round the block before going into town. He’s waiting for us to become slack. Maybe he’ll knock and pretend to be a delivery boy or a tradesman.’
‘But that won’t do,’ said Amanda. ‘He mustn’t choose the time. It’s us who must do that.’
‘Yes,’ said Felicity, ’you’re right. We have to know where he is what he does during the day. We can’t sit and wait any longer.’
Felicity drove Amanda to the police station the next day. Fielding was willing to see them. Anderson was not yet back on duty.
‘Officially I can’t tell you anything,’ she said, ’the man has not been found guilty of any crime.’
‘And this is a very official sort of place,’ said Felicity, looking around her.
‘Yes,’ said Fielding.
‘Ever feel you want to enjoy the delights of night life again?’ Felicity asked.
‘Is that an invitation,’ said Fielding.
Felicity smiled and held out her card. ‘Why don’t you ask for me tonight. Amanda is coming too.’
Later, at the club, during one of Felicity’s breaks the three women sat at the bar and sipped their drinks.
‘He’s around all right,’ Fielding told them, ’he has been seen by officers outside Chief Inspector Anderson’s flat.’ She stopped.
Amanda wondered whether it would be right to ask but Felicity had no such inhibition.
‘Is that where Turney’s wife is living?’
Fielding waited before answering. ‘Yes,’ she said, ’but don’t tell anyone I told you so.’
‘Do you know where he is living?’ asked Amanda.
‘We have an idea,’ said Fielding, ’but I can’t tell you.’
‘Why not? We have a right to know,’ said Felicity.
‘You might do something foolish.’
‘And that would worry you?’ asked Amanda.
‘Turney would win either way. First he might be able to harm you in self-defence and secondly if you succeeded in harming him, you’d go to prison.’
‘It might be worth it,’ said Felicity.
‘No,’ said Fielding, ’he’s not worth that.’
The next day Julian came. They clutched at the straw he offered. They had no other plan.