Birds Of A Feather Episode 07
“Your mother brought nothing but trouble to this family!”
Shauna’s angry words rang in Jess’s ears while the tarnished letter-box still rattled from the force with which the door had been slammed in her face.
What was all that about?
Her hand shook as she raised to knock again.
“I wouldn’t if I were you, love.”
It was the man who’d spoken to her earlier.
“She can be a bit feisty when the mood takes her, can the missus. Truth to tell, the mood takes her most of the time.”
A soft laugh came from underneath the van as a second man hauled himself up.
He was younger and thinner with a narrow face and sharp blue eyes.
“He’s not kidding,” he said. “Got a tongue on her that would cut shoe leather, has Shauna.”
“No call for that sort of talk, Sam.” The older man glared at him, then turned back to Jess. “Look, I’m not sure what all that was about.
“If you’d like to leave your name and address, I’ll give it to her when she calms down. I expect she thought you were from the council.”
“Or the law.” Sam sniggered. “Only you don’t look like the law to me. You’re too pretty.”
Jess took a step back. She wished she hadn’t been so quick to turn down Harry’s offer to come with her.
Was this man with the shifty eyes and mocking laugh the younger brother, fresh out of prison, that Harry had warned her about?
“Would you give her this for me, please?”
She fished in her handbag, took out a business card and gave it to the older man who, she remembered from what Harry had told her, was called Eddie Weston.
“Jessica Langton. Bespoke Jewellery. Very posh.” Eddie’s voice was every bit as mocking as his brother’s now.
“I don’t think Shauna’s in the market for jewellery, bespoke or otherwise.”
Jess flushed as she heard Sam laugh.
“Oh, I’m not trying to sell anything. My address and phone number’s on there, if she’s interested.
“Please tell her I won’t bother her again. I’m sorry for disturbing you.”
“You can disturb me any time you like, sweetheart.” Sam’s leer sent a shiver down her back.
She turned and hurried away down the narrow lane and didn’t relax until she reached the noise and bustle of the high street.
She sat on a bench by the church and forced herself to calm down.
She wanted to go home, but she had an hour to kill before the bus to Little Billington.
She had just decided to get a coffee when her phone rang.
She hoped it was Ben. Should she tell him about Shauna?
But it wasn’t Ben. It was Harry Manvers.
“Jess,” he began. “I’m going to be in your neck of the woods tomorrow. I could take you to Glastonbury, if you like.”
“It’s very kind of you,” Jess replied, “but I’m actually in Glastonbury now. I’ve just been to see Shauna.”
There was a pause.
“How did it go?”
“It went OK. She was surprised to see me, but on the whole it was fine,” she lied.
“Well, you’ve got my number. Don’t hesitate to call if you have any trouble.”
“Thank you, but I’m sure I won’t.” Jess swallowed hard as she remembered the fury in Shauna’s eyes. “Like I said, she was just a bit surprised. It must have been a shock.”
But that wasn’t how it happened, a voice inside her head said.
“I know exactly who you are,” Shauna had said.
Did that mean that the family knew Joe and Kathryn had a child but hadn’t wanted to acknowledge her after the accident?
“Are you still there?” Harry’s voice broke into her thoughts.
“Yes. Thanks for the offer anyway,” she replied.
“As long as you’re OK, there’s no harm done. It’s not as if they know where you live.
“These people have a habit of turning up in convoy. Once they get on your land, you can have the devil’s own job getting them off.”
He paused and Jess was in no hurry to fill the silence.
“You didn’t tell them where you lived, did you, Jess?”