Josephine Cox 3-Book Collection 1: Midnight, Blood Brothers, Songbird

‘She’s brought her case,’ said Mal. ‘Looks to me like she means to stay. It’s your own fault, matey. I expect you’ve been skipping the rent again, spending it down the pub.’

‘Don’t be daft.’ Though Brian looked worried all the same. ‘I pay my rent by standing order and, as far as I know, I haven’t missed a payment – well, not for a while, anyway.’

‘Don’t take any notice of Mal,’ Molly reassured him. ‘You know what he’s like.’ Then she asked pointedly, ‘Are you going to offer me a drink, or what?’

Sensing that Molly needed to talk with her brother, Mal leapt in with the offer, ‘Coffee, tea – or something stronger?’

Brian had a better idea. Folding up the plan, he said, ‘Look, why don’t we give this a break and pop across to the pub for an hour? We could get a snack. And Molly can tell me why she’s turned up with a suitcase in one hand and a face that would turn milk sour.’

He could see by her subdued manner that she’d had some kind of upset, which he deduced as being a row with the ever-patient Jack. Brian knew his beloved sister had strong opinions, and right or wrong, she was a woman who liked to get her own way. Normally, Jack took it all in his stride, but Brian suspected that this time, the big guy must have refused to be pushed around.

‘You and Jack have had a falling-out, and you want to stay here for a while,’ he speculated. ‘Am I right?’

‘Well . . . yes. But only for a day or so, until Jack sees sense,’ Molly answered.

‘So this time Jack stood up to you. Good for him!’

‘Whose side are you on?’ Molly could do without his comments. ‘Look, am I welcome here or not? If not, I’ll leave you to your building plans and go to Mum and Dad’s.’

‘It’s your house,’ said Brian, ‘so of course you can stay here!’ He gave her a cheeky wink. ‘But only if you make breakfast.’

‘In your dreams!’ she said, laughing. Her spirits were always lifted when she was with her brother. ‘I’ll throw you out on your ear if you mess with me.’

‘She will too!’ Mal chipped in. ‘She’s a strong woman, your sister. We belong together, me and her. But will she listen? No, she won’t.’ He grinned. ‘She does fancy me, though – I’ve always known it.’

Everyone laughed at that. But Mal meant every word. He really did love Molly. She only had to say the word and he’d marry her tomorrow.

When Molly was about to retaliate, Mal teased her, ‘No! You can’t deny it. You’ve left Jack to be with me – that’s the truth, isn’t it?’

‘As if!’ joked Molly. Although she would never admit it, she was fond of him really.

Mal was also staying the night, but happily agreed to sleep on the living-room couch. ‘Anything for you, my beauty,’ he said, giving Molly a knowing wink.

Molly ignored his teasing and went about her business. It took her just a few minutes to unpack the necessary items from her suitcase – pyjamas, toothbrush, toiletries, and a complete change of clothes for the morning.

She switched on her mobile and tucked it into her jeans’ pocket in case Jack thought to call her.

She half-regretted running out on him, but he just wasn’t giving her a fair say. He was determined to change his entire life, just so he could go chasing ghosts from the past. It was a recipe for disaster. Why did he have to be so damned stubborn?!

She put most of the blame on that psychiatrist, for planting the idea in his head that the nightmare was not part of his imagination, but something more sinister.

Taking the last garment out of the case, Molly threw it onto the bed, wishing she’d never persuaded Jack to see that bloody shrink! Look what it had led to!

She felt wronged. ‘What the hell is he thinking? All he has to do is stay put and attend the clinic. But no – he wants to dump me, after all I’ve done for him!’ Though if she had stopped to think about it, she’d have realised what she’d actually done for him didn’t really amount to much.

Sliding her pyjamas into the drawer, she then slammed it shut. She didn’t intend staying here long. Just long enough for Jack to come to his senses. Turning to the mirror, she smiled at her reflection. ‘It’ll be all right,’ she told herself. ‘Jack will give in. He’ll see it my way.’

In the past, he always had.

Later, the trio walked across the street and along the path to the pub.

‘What are you two working on?’ Molly asked. She now felt more relaxed, though her mind continually went back to Jack.

‘We’ve bought a derelict barn,’ Brian replied. ‘Mal caught sight of it on his way back from a costing job, the other side of Leighton Buzzard.’

Mal took up the story: ‘You could hardly see it through the trees. It sits in a beautiful setting, though. Well away from the main road.’

‘It’s an investment,’ Brian explained. ‘Ripe for development.’

On entering the pub, he gestured to the far corner. ‘Right, you two – sit yourselves down. I’ll get the drinks.’

Mal led Molly to a table in the corner by the window. ‘This is the best spot,’ he said, pointing to the garden. ‘Some of the flowers are just beginning to blossom.’

Molly looked out the window. ‘Oh, it’s really lovely!’ The fence was dressed with wicker hanging-baskets, dripping with colour. The border around the lawn was alive with masses of dahlia blooms.

Molly was on edge because Jack hadn’t even rung her mobile to see if she was all right. She was tempted to ring him, but he would need to make the first move, because she had no intention of going along with his radical plans.

Brian was soon back with the drinks, which he placed on the table. ‘A pint of the best for Mal, and a light shandy for you.’ He pushed the glass of shandy in front of her. ‘When you’ve had that, I’ll get you another, and another, and when your tongue loosens, you might tell me what’s been going on.’

When Molly merely shrugged, Mal decided to change the subject and told her more about the barn. ‘It’s smack bang in the middle of a field. The bank is sloping, and when you follow it down, you come to this brook. Oh, I don’t mind telling you, Moll, the location is as pretty as a picture – just like you.’ He leaned forward and lowered his voice: ‘It’s the perfect place for you and me on a lazy day – and maybe a dozen of our offspring playing round our feet.’

Molly laughed out loud. ‘That’ll be the day – I don’t think!’

‘You’re a cruel girl, Molly Davis. In fact, I don’t think you even deserve my affection.’

‘That’s all right,’ she quipped, ‘because I don’t want it. Well, not in the way you mean.’

Collecting the menus from the bar, Brian threw them down on the table, ‘We’ve got to be quick. They’re closing the kitchen soon. Fish and chips, that’ll do me!’

‘Me too!’ That was Mal’s favourite meal.

Having lost her appetite since the upset with Jack, Molly chose a baked potato with salad.

Mal was open-mouthed. ‘That’s not even enough to keep a sparrow alive!’

‘Well, it’s enough for me.’ Molly closed her menu.

A short time later, when the food was before them, Molly opened the conversation: ‘About this barn . . . have you already bought it?’

Mal swallowed a chip. ‘Lock, stock and barrel.’

She asked her brother, ‘So, did you get it for a good price?’

Brian nodded. ‘Not bad, but it wasn’t dirt cheap either. It’s virtually derelict, so it needs a lot doing. And, as we’re naturally looking for a profit, we’re having to count our pennies.’

Molly thought the setting of the barn sounded lovely. ‘What are your ideas for it – I mean, in terms of size and that?’ Never having had much interest in broken-down buildings, she had no idea of what it might entail, but she hoped to stop Brian fishing for an explanation as to why she was there. Unfortunately, her little ploy didn’t work, because it wasn’t long before the conversation shifted to Jack.

‘So what’s been happening between you two?’ Brian asked as he put his empty glass on the table. ‘If you don’t mind me asking.’