Suzy, Gary L Beer [story reading txt] 📗

would have brought trouble straight to you.”
“To me, how do you work that out?”
“The daughter, the Girl Guide would have told the police all about our conversation and you would not be sitting here.”
“Yes, I see what you mean, but Lewis did not do it because he was scared.” replies Suzy angrily.
“Why does that upset you so much? Whether he was scared or not he was still brave enough to help you when you needed it.” says Sharon reflecting Suzy's anger.
“My nerves are shot to hell with all of this and when he told me, I just felt so angry at him.”
“Sounds like you have fallen in love with him; the way you and Doug have been all these years maybe the only way you know how to express love is with anger.”
“You are the one who has lost it; you think that after Doug I want to get involved again with someone else?”
“There is a thin line between love and hate and when you get stressed the two become confused.” says Sharon with a certain amount of bitterness to her voice.
The way you say that it is as if you are talking from personal experience? I always wondered why you have stayed on your own.” replies Suzy appearing to return to her normal self.
“People are strange,” answers Sharon with a distant look in her eyes; “you go from being happy and of almost one mind when you first meet. We used to know what each other was thinking and it hurt to be apart. Then over the years you drift apart, the love dies, and you seem to end up hating each other.”
“Well, where I am concerned anyway, he told me one morning that he wanted us to split up as he hated me; and for years he had hated me and I never knew because I loved him. I never saw the hatred, yes, we used to argue, but it never used to get nasty. As they say love is blind and I used to see the good and ignore or adjust to the bad.”
“Is that why you stay on your own, so that you will not get hurt again?”
“In the beginning it was but now things are different and I stay on my own because I like it.” says Sharon with a smile; “What are your plans? I think you have blown it with Lewis.”
“Like you I do not want to get hurt, I tried my hardest to make Doug happy and I do not want to try anymore, with anyone.” Suzy replies sounding tired.
“What are you going to do about Lewis?” asks Sharon.
“I told him to meet me near Skinner's Alley tonight at eleven.”
“Knowing Lewis he will not show, especially after what you had to say to him.”
“You are probably right, did you notice the police when you came here?” asks Suzy with a coy smile.
“Thinking about it I do not believe I did; I just assumed they would be there. It is good news if they have stopped watching you, apart from giving them the run around a couple of times you have behaved normally. They will be back, maybe in a week or so, as long as Doug is not discovered.”
“Lewis was very nervous about that which is why he is going to meet me later.”
“It is a shame you have got no money to bet with, I could take all your money off you as he will not show tonight.” smiles Sharon.
“I have got five pounds I can bet with.” Suzy replies confidently.
“I will not take your last five pounds, talking about that what are you going to do for money?”
“I have got an interview down the Jobcentre tomorrow, maybe they will have something to offer as the newspaper has not got anything.”
“If not you should be entitled to some money, has this place got a big mortgage?”
“No it is mine.”
“What do you mean it is yours; with no mortgage?” exclaims Sharon.
“It was left to me by an Aunt.”
“Before or after you married Doug?”
“Before, but I was already dating him and Auntie had a clause put in the Will that I would be the sole owner, even if we got married.”
“Surely Doug would have had to agree to that? As I thought once you became married you both would have owned it?”
“He did, as we were already married when she died, he was not happy about it but if he did not sign I would not inherit the bungalow.”
“At least he got to live rent free then apart from the council tax and the utility bills, what did you do for money?”
“In the beginning all I had to do was ask Doug and he would give me what I needed. The past six to nine months he has not given me anything. He still paid the bills but I was not allowed to go shopping on my own.”
“What food shopping or clothes shopping?” asks a horrified Sharon.
“Any shopping, he said I was not allowed to go out on my own, only with him.”
“Why did you let him treat you like that?”
“He scared me and said he would kill me if I ever left him; and he meant it!”
“I am sure he said that just to frighten you, once you give in to a control freak the more they want to control you; as you found out.” says Sharon with disappointment in her voice, as she thought Suzy had a much stronger character.
“It sounds worse than what it was, yes he used to hit me sometimes but it was not all the time and he could be so nice when he wanted to be. It was the past few weeks where he became constantly violent and was convinced I had slept with someone else.”
“Yet when you first got together that thought would not have entered either of your heads. See what I mean, the love and trust seems to go so quickly.” replies Sharon with real regret in her voice.

Closing the garage door behind him Lewis switches on the light and walks to the back of the garage. Pouring some bottled water into a kettle he plugs it in and turns it on to boil. Picking up a mug from the wooden bench he wipes his finger around the inside to remove the dust and cobwebs.
Spooning in coffee, sugar and powdered milk he waits patiently for the water to heat up. Turning it off just before it boils he pours the hot water into the mug and stirs it briskly.
Looking at the van he decides the best thing is to change the colour slightly; the colour on the registration just says 'Blue' as it is currently a light blue changing it to dark blue would be no problem.
Lewis needed to hole up for a few days, he had no work until next week and painting the van would keep him busy; and out of the way. The only time he needed to go out was this evening to buy the paint and get some food and coffee. He had used household paint before when he had painted his Transit van using a radiator roller. Some of the paintwork had an 'orange peel' effect when seen in bright sunlight, but apart from that it looked a professional job.
Searching the back of the bench Lewis finds three sheets of 240 grade wet and dry rubbing down paper. Finding the bucket in the corner of the garage he realises he will have to go back to the flat for water.


Chapter Twelve

Malcolm sits on the bench in the darkness listening to the sounds around him; the noises are the same as last night, of shouting voices and slamming doors. A gentle breeze blows the sound towards him and he cannot help but smile when he hears a Dad being told off for eating the last packet of crisps.
The shouting continues as to how is he going to cure the problem of their son having no crisps to eat?
Hearing a front door slam and the sound of a car engine being started as the car door is slammed; Malcolm assumes 'Dad' is going to get more crisps. The car speeds along the road until the sound of its racing engine is lost in the distance,
Paris had told him exactly where the bungalow was where she had heard the two women talking about the Well. Deciding to take the day off work tomorrow he decides the direct approach is the best. The thought of having to look over his shoulder for the rest of his life held no appeal. With his thoughts whirling through his head he lights a cigarette; which makes him cough.

It was getting late and Lewis had done enough rubbing down; troubled by Suzy's attitude and regretting his involvement he had rubbed the shine off of just about all of the paintwork on the van.
The shopping trip to get the paint and food shopping had been uneventful and he had enough supplies to last until the end of the week. He had wanted Suzy to cut his hair but her change in attitude towards him would force him to go elsewhere. That would not be until the end of the week, as he had no intention of going anywhere else until then.

Suzy put her big coat on and the big felt hat Lewis had got her, looking in the mirror she adjusts the hat to a jaunty angle; “How do I look?” she asks Sharon with a smile as she keeps staring into the mirror.
“You are wasting your time and mine as he will not show.” replies Sharon impatiently.
“It is nice of you to offer me a lift but do not feel as if you have to stay.” answers Suzy still smiling at herself in the mirror.
“And be up half the night worrying if you got home safely going out this time of night? No thank you.”
“Lewis will give me a lift home, you ready then?” she asks as she walks to the front door.
“I will not wear my coat as we will not be getting out of the car.” replies Sharon annoyingly as she takes her coat from the hangar.
Suzy opens the door and walks along the path, hearing Sharon shut the front door she reaches the gate and looks up and down the road. All is quiet and it does appear the police have got better things to do. Opening the gate she stands beside Sharon's car and looks along the deserted road, feeling herself relax she smiles a thank you