The Ladykiller (36 page)

This was said so low as to be virtually inaudible. Kate raised one eyebrow.

‘What did you say?’ Her voice was dangerously low and Dan should have heeded the warning in it.

‘You heard.’

She walked towards him, and he watched the bottom of her dressing gown flapping open as she walked. She’d always had good legs.

‘Listen, you, I’ve put up with you for Lizzy - but I warn you now, Dan, leave me alone! I mean it. You just keep out of my face.’

Dan laughed.

‘My God, you’re even talking like a gangster! You’re warning me? You’re the one who’s making a slut of herself. No wonder Lizzy turned out like she did, with you as an example!’

The record came to an end and the sound as Kate slapped his face was like a gunshot in the quiet of the room. Dan put down his glass. Kate could see he was trembling with temper. But she felt no fear. One thing in Dan’s favour, he would never raise his hand to a woman. Oh, he might break their heart, use them, abuse their trust, but he fancied himself a gentleman so would stop short of slapping her.

‘If you really cared about Lizzy, Dan, you would have seen more of her over the years. You would have tried to make her feel loved, secure and wanted. Lizzy is like she is because you drifted in and out of her life, building up her fragile hopes and then dashing them. I was to blame in as much as I let you. I let you come here and use us between women and homes. I thought it was good for her to see you.

‘But I tell you, Danny boy, if she asks me anything about you from now on she won’t get the nice rosy edited version, she’ll get the truth. I’ll tell her just what a tosser you really are!’

Dan put both palms on Kate’s chest and pushed her backwards with all his strength. She landed, winded, on the settee.

His face was twisted with rage but he kept his voice low.

‘And what about you then? What about marvellous Kate the Wonder Woman? You’re a ball breaker, Kate, that’s why I left you. You always wanted to own me. I always had to be what
you
wanted.

‘Well, listen and listen good. I always thought of you as a good woman but when I was told by an old friend you were on your back for Patrick Kelly, I finally saw you for what you really are! You’ll not drag my daughter down with you. When she comes out of hospital, I’m going to ask her to come to my flat with me. And when I tell her about Patrick Kelly, I think she’ll come without a backward glance.’

Kate sat up, stunned.

‘I don’t believe what I’m hearing.’

‘And what have your superiors got to say about it, eh? I’d like to know what they think about a DI running around with a bloody villain.’

Suddenly Kate had had enough.

‘I think you’d better go before we both say anything else we’ll regret. Lizzy is coming home to me for a short time. I’ve written to my brother in Australia to see if he will take her and my mother for an extended holiday. I think a change of environment and some sun will do her the world of good. What Lizzy needs now is an uncomplicated way of life, time to put all that’s happened behind her. If you try and shove a spanner in the works, Dan, I’ll dog you until the end of your days. I mean it. You’ll not ruin that child’s chance of getting well, I won’t allow it.

‘I’ll tell you what’s wrong with you, shall I? You’re jealous because you think I’m having an affair, a relationship. Good old Kate, who always waited for you in the past, has now got herself a man.

‘And believe me, Dan, he’s more man than you’ll ever be, in bed and out of it!’

The words were said in temper, in hurt, but the look on Dan’s face told her the effect that they’d had on him. Dan thought he was a gifted lover, a woman’s man; he lived his life for the pleasures of the flesh. Now his last hope of regaining a normal family life had turned sour on him. Kate felt a sneaking triumph at the way she had finally put him down, as he had put her down for so long.

‘So you’re sleeping with him then? It’s true?’

All the fight seemed to have seeped out of him. In the space of a few seconds Kate saw his body sag, saw the paunch that he tried so valiantly to hold in, saw the puffiness under his eyes from too much booze and too many late nights, saw the slackness of his jaw that was finally denoting his age. Kate saw him as he really was and it was the end of the line for both of them.

Years before Dan could conquer Kate all over again with a few sweet words, a few practised caresses. He realised now, with stunning clarity, that he had played tonight’s scenario all wrong.

Kate had finally and unequivocally grown up. Up and away from him. Bluster and bombast would not work now because she wasn’t frightened of what he thought any more. The worst thing of all was the fact that she had never looked more beautiful or desirable to him, with her cheeks flaming and her long silky hair strewn around her shoulders.

He wanted to throw himself on top of her, felt an urge to take her there and then on the settee as he had in the past. Kate had never resisted when he’d touched her then. She would yield and abandon herself to him then everything would be fine, everything would be roses - until he felt the wanderlust again. The need for new pastures, for new faces, for a different life.

Kate heard a tap on the window and looked at him. Who could that be?

He walked across the room and peeked out of the curtain. He turned back to face her and she saw the fear in his eyes.

‘Who is it? It’s not someone from the hospital?’ Her voice was filled with fear for Lizzy. It was nearly ten thirty, who would be tapping on her window now?

‘It’s your boyfriend, come for a late night legover by the look of things.’

It took a few seconds for the words to sink in. Patrick? Here? She pulled herself from the settee and went out to the hallway. Dan pulled her back.

‘Don’t open the door, Kate, please. I’ll do anything you want - we can get married again, anything - but please don’t answer the door to him. If you do it will always be between us.’

Kate searched his blue eyes with her own dark ones. She saw the wanting in him, knew that this time she had the upper hand, what she had craved all her life with him - and it meant nothing. Patrick Kelly was nearby and he was what she wanted, for however long it might last.

Kate had never loved lightly, she had always loved one hundred per cent, and now Dan knew, looking into her eyes, that her allegiance to him had gone for good. He wasn’t really surprised when she pulled her arm free and, straightening her dressing gown, walked to the front door. With those few steps she finally severed any remaining ties between them.

Patrick stood on the doorstep perplexed. He had seen the light from the front room and wondered what was keeping Kate. He was sorry now that he had come round so late, but he had felt an overwhelming urge to see her. He had been sitting in his house alone, and Mandy had invaded his thoughts as she always did when he had nothing else to occupy him, and suddenly the urge to see Kate was so strong it was almost tangible. Taking his BMW he had driven himself to her house. Now it did not seem like a very good idea.

He saw her slim form walking down the hall and felt a surge of pleasure. As she opened the door he smiled at her crookedly.

‘I know it’s late but I saw your lights on . . .’ His voice trailed off.

Kate had never been so glad to see anyone in her life.

‘Come in, it’s freezing.’ He followed her down the hall and into the lounge. Kate was not surprised to find it was empty. She had heard the back door close as she opened the door to Patrick. Dan was a lot of things but brave was not one of them.

‘How about a drink? Tea, coffee, a brandy?’ She saw Dan’s glass where he had left it on the coffee table. It was still half full.

‘Coffee will be fine, I’m driving myself tonight. Where’s your mother?’

‘She’s in bed. I gave her a sleeping pill. All this with Lizzy has really hit her hard.’ Kate was amazed at how normal she sounded.

‘How’s Lizzy?’

‘Better. She seems to be thriving on being somewhere different. I know that sounds crazy but from what her doctor said, hospital can often be a stress-free environment. It gives people time to gather their thoughts, make decisions without any outside pressure. I only hope it works for Lizzy.’

She walked out to the kitchen and put the kettle on. The only light out there was from the tube lighting under the worktops. She left the overhead lights off. Patrick followed her out and slipped off his coat. He could see her body through the thin dressing gown and felt a stirring within him. Going to her, he slipped his arms around her waist.

Turning, Kate put her arms around his neck and pulled his face down to hers. Suddenly, she wanted him desperately. He was dangerous to her, she knew that. He lived his life taking what he wanted. He was a rogue, a villain, but he was also the most exciting man she had ever come across. She could ruin her career with this association, but at this moment she did not care.

He was there, he wanted her, and, oh God, how she wanted him. After the set-to with Dan, she wanted to be held, to be loved, to feel wanted and desirable.

He undid the belt of her dressing gown and rubbed her breasts gently. Kate moaned in his ear. After tasting the delights of Patrick Kelly, you found yourself willing to run risks.

She abandoned herself to him, unaware that Dan was watching them through the kitchen window. As he saw his wife, as he still thought of Kate, put her long legs around Patrick Kelly’s waist, he felt pure hatred.

And now he had something to use against her. He would go and see the Chief Constable. See what he thought about the situation. He crept away from the window.

But he was already learning one thing: the prospect of revenge was not sweet at all. It left a bitter aftertaste.

Elaine and Hector Henderson had enjoyed themselves thoroughly and she tiptoed into the house at twelve thirty. As she heaved her substantial bulk up the stairs, George spoke to her from the darkness and she screamed at the top of her considerable voice.

‘Oh, George! You bloody fool! You nearly gave me a sodding heart attack!’

He clicked on the hallway light and saw a red and flustered Elaine sitting on the bottom stair, her hands over her heart. The wild red hair that she had backcombed earlier looked as if it had been set on end by an electric shock.

‘Sorry, my love. You’re very late.’

‘What were you doing sitting in the dark, waiting for me to come in? Are you checking up on me, George Markham?’

Elaine’s voice was dangerously low. Like most guilty partners, she found attack the best form of defence.

George looked at her long and hard. Surely she didn’t think he was jealous? By God, who would touch her, for Christ’s sake?

‘Of course I’m not checking up on you. I had one of my headaches, that’s all.’

Elaine squinted at him suspiciously, her old cantankerous self battling it out with the newer, more self-confident and laidback Elaine. As she stared at her husband it suddenly occurred to her that she didn’t even hate him any more. She didn’t feel anything at all, and wasn’t sure that wasn’t worse. At least while you were hating you were feeling something.

‘Shall I make you a nice hot drink, dear, and bring it up to you?’

‘OK, George.’ Elaine mounted the stairs. She was tired. George always made her feel tired and depressed. Thank God she had Hector.

When George brought her up a cup of Ovaltine a little while later, Elaine was sitting at the dressing table in her corset, taking off a pair of stockings. George placed the Ovaltine on the bedside table and watched her, surprised at just how much weight she had lost. Her legs were getting quite shapely! As she peeled off the stockings and waggled her toes George noticed some tiny red marks on her neck. His mouth set in a grim line. Elaine lifted her arms and unclasped her gold locket, the action causing her enormous breasts to rise up in the heavily underwired bra she wore. She moved naturally, as if after years of having her husband take no notice of her she was invisible to him. She glanced at him and jolted as she saw him watching her.

‘What’s the matter now, George?’ Her voice was clipped and demanded no reply.

He just carried on staring. She opened the jewellery box that held her few treasures and dropped the necklace into it.

‘Oh, by the way, George, here’s your tiepin. I nearly hoovered it up.’ She picked up a ring box from inside her underwear drawer and threw it to him. ‘I don’t know what possessed me to put it in my drawer. I meant to give it to you yesterday but I forgot.’

George caught the box and opened it. There was his tiepin. He grinned his widest grin. Going to Elaine, he put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

‘Here, steady on, George.’ She pushed him off in disgust but he was too happy to notice.

He had the tiepin.

It was not lost.

There were no clues.

He was free as a bird.

Kate awoke to a feeling of lazy euphoria that seemed to have started somewhere in her legs and had, during the course of the night, washed through her entire body. She could smell Patrick Kelly on her and pulled the covers back over her head and breathed in the scent of him deeply.

Emerging once more, she noticed that it was light. Her bedroom curtains were open about two inches and she saw the weak dawn and felt it was invading her privacy. She glanced at the alarm clock. Six fifteen. She could lie for a while in total silence and think about the night before. Not about Dan, he was gone from her now as surely as if he was dead, but about Patrick. Patrick Kelly . . . even his name gave her a thrill.

He was here, or at least she felt that he was, and at this moment that was enough for her.

She had lived in a vacuum. Now, at forty, she was finally finding out what life was all about. The love side of it anyway.

If she could just get Lizzy back to her old self life would be nearly perfect. She didn’t dare think completely perfect, because she knew that was too tall an order for anyone. But nearly perfect suited her right down to the ground.

The phone beside her bed rang.

‘Hello?’