The Distant Dead by Lesley Thomson (books for students to read TXT) 📕

Light strobed across the ceiling; engines revved as vehicles made way for whatever emergency vehicle it was. When the siren sounded again it was distant once more.

‘Sit there.’ Jackie motioned towards Suzy’s empty desk. Trying not to sound too placatory, ‘We’ve just made a pot of tea, we’ve got biscuits.’

Jack Harmon. Forty-two. Underground driver on the District line’s dead-late shift. Single parent of four-year old twins and, on high days and holidays, cleaning operative for Clean Slate. Not actually a sole parent, Justin and Milly lived with Jack’s ex. He’d been coming to Clean Slate every day, except yesterday which had raised Jackie’s hopes that he was mending. As if Jack was her third son, she hated to see him suffer. Stella was the love of Jack’s life and when she left, he’d lost his soulmate. They all had.

Jack ignored her invitation to sit. He flew about the office, touching the filing cabinets, flicking at the curling corners of cleaning product posters, pausing at the framed ISO 9001 accreditation certificate and new jobs whiteboard which was blank.

‘Jack, sit down.’ Beverly was sharp. To Jackie’s surprise, without a word Jack did as she told him.

Whereas Jackie and Beverly had been shocked by Stella’s move to Tewkesbury with Lucie May, Jack had become a ghost of his former self. He became his former self. Jackie was sure that after he’d stabled his train, Jack had returned to his old ways of stalking through London streets. Walking until morning. When Stella met Jack, he’d been hunting the man who, three decades earlier, had murdered his mother. Against great odds, he and Stella had caught her killer, and the hunting – haunting – seemed to have stopped. Now, without Stella, even Jack’s truly delightful children could not chase dark clouds from his sun. Stella had made it possible for Jack to love. Her leaving had frozen his heart.

‘She’s stopped answering texts,’ Jack wailed. ‘I was wondering if I should go there.’

‘Go where?’ Beverly looked fierce.

‘To see… to Tewkesbury. Check on Lucie. After that injury, we should monitor her.’ Jack bent and retied his shoelace. ‘I’ll give her an update on Endora.’

‘Endora’s fine,’ Jackie said. Endora, a budgie, had been given to Lucie by her nephew. The pair, irascible, constantly tossing nuts and figs about, were suited. ‘Gary said Endora’s enjoying her holiday back with him.’

‘Bad idea.’ Beverly was blunt. ‘If Stella wanted to see you, she’d have said. Instead she’s stopped answering your texts. Lucie keeping you up to date is doing you no good, although it does tell you that Lucie herself is just fine.’

‘Lucie thinks Stella might want to come back,’ Jack said.

‘Since when is Lucie May a judge of character?’ Jackie couldn’t help herself. ‘She judges everyone by their story-value.’ She gave Jack his tea. Stella was the younger sister Jackie hadn’t had and she loved her as she loved Jack. Yet she was clear-eyed about Stella’s flaws. Like her tendency to retreat when relationships got serious, and to bandy clichés from a bad drama. Stella had told Jack she needed space. At least, as Stella once had with another lovelorn man, Jack hadn’t been dumped by text.

‘She sent Justin and Milly Beatrix Potter books. That’s a sign,’ Jack said.

‘It’s a sign she’s thinking of them,’ Beverly barked.

‘I’m glad she’s keeping in touch.’ Jackie tried to catch Bev’s eye to go easy, Jack was a gentle soul. ‘It’s hard for four-year-olds to understand.’ No need to remind Jack how a small child handled loss. He’d been one when he lost his mother. Jackie reassured herself that Jack’s own children had a mother. Jackie knew Bella was cross with Stella. I said she’d leave them in the lurch.

Justin and Milly adored Stella and, to Jackie’s surprise as Stella had never wanted to be a parent, she adored them. Jackie knew about the Beatrix Potter books – out of the blue, Lucie had texted, Don’t let Jackanory get his hopes up. Lucie was Janus by another name.

‘Did Lucie tell you it was a sign?’

‘No. But surely Stella would cut all ties with them if she didn’t want me,’ Jack said.

‘That doesn’t follow.’ Beverly was glaring at the jobs board. Not stupid, she’d know her job was on the line, Jackie would have a word later. Stella couldn’t help having what amounted to a breakdown, yet Jackie wished she had taken refuge with Graham and her so they could administer love, care and fresh food with no ready-meals or takeaways. That said, Graham took Suzie Darnell’s view: never mind what Clean Slate offered customers, Stella deserved her own fresh start. What did he know? Sixty-one and in love with his new motorbike, Graham was in the midst of his own life crisis.

The phone rang and Beverly snatched it up. ‘Clean Slate for a fresh start… Sorry? Oh, I’m not sure… Oh, would you know, we’ve just had a cancellation. I can get a cleaner to you tomorrow.’

A real call. Jackie could have kissed Bev for not sounding desperate.

‘This woman’s letting her flat, she wants deep cleaning, including carpets.’ Beverly paused. ‘That was Stella’s favourite kind of job.’

‘Yes, Stella loved deep cleaning.’ Anxious, Jackie glanced at Jack who must see the deep-cleaning request as a portent, but his expression was granite.

He said, ‘Loves, not loved. Stella isn’t dead.’

A piercing police siren, this time from inside the room, made them all jump.

‘Lucie’s texted.’ Jack waved his phone. Lucie had installed her ringtone on Jack and Stella’s phones. At her most generous, Jackie had to admit the seventy-plus-year-old was a bit of a card. ‘This is crazy – Stella’s on the news. She found a body.’ Tea splashed on the carpet tiles as Jack leapt up. ‘Lucie says, “We have a new case! Jackeroo, this is your moment, get here now!”’

‘Maybe wait until Stella—’ Jackie was talking to a closing door as Jack’s footsteps clattered down the stairs to the street.

Chapter Sixteen

2019

Stella

Watery sunlight drifting between drab curtains glanced off foil cartons, two glasses and