Josephine Cox 3-Book Collection 2: The Loner, Born Bad, Three Letters

Annie linked her arm through her friend’s. ‘You don’t like the look of him, do you?’ she teased.

‘No, I don’t.’ Judy gave a shiver. ‘There’s something about him that gives me the creeps.’ A bit like your brother, she thought – but didn’t say so.

For a while the two girls just wandered and chatted, about this and that and nothing in particular, until Annie suddenly got very excited. ‘Look!’ She pointed to a spot on the other side of the river, surrounded by trees and away from the madding crowd; quiet and secluded, it was a favourite place with fishermen. ‘Isn’t that Lenny?’

Seated on a three-legged stool and lost in thought, Lenny didn’t see them. ‘Hey, Lenny!’ Annie’s distinctive voice sailed across the water. ‘Mind if we keep you company for a while?’

Looking up, Lenny waved them over. He had been feeling lonely, but the sight of the two friends brightened his day. He really liked Judy, though everyone knew she and Davie would be sweethearts one day. But now Davie was gone, and though he was sorry for what had happened to Davie, he was glad Judy was still here. And as she crossed the bridge towards him, his heart was lurching all over the place.

‘Is there really a need for them to shout like that?’ The woman and her son had heard Annie call out and their attention was drawn to Lenny. ‘Such vulgar behaviour!’

As the girls ran across the bridge and through the field towards Lenny, the man discreetly slowed his step to steal another look at Lenny.

Sensing the man’s eyes on him, Lenny raised his head. For an instant they exchanged glances until unnerved, the man quickly looked away.

‘Stuart?’ His wife’s voice cut through his thoughts.

‘What?’

‘Do you know that young man?’ She had seen him scrutinising Lenny from a distance.

‘Of course I don’t know him, Janette.’ The man was obviously irritated. ‘Why in God’s name would I know him?’

‘Do you know the two girls then?’ The woman’s intuition told her that something was untoward. She recalled various other unsettling instances, when her husband had given her reason to doubt his word.

He scowled at her. ‘What’s the matter with you? Sounds like a blasted inquisition! I don’t know that young man, and I don’t know those girls. All right?’

‘I expect so, yes. And there is no need to swear.’

‘Good. So now can we get off home?’

As they walked on, Janette Fitzwilliam gave the impression that she was satisfied with his answer. But she did not believe him. She knew her husband too well. She saw how the colour drained from his face when he looked across the water and suddenly, what had started as a leisurely Saturday afternoon stroll in the park now seemed a frantic rush to get away.

Twice the man discreetly glanced back; his mind alive with dark, intriguing thoughts. His wife had her suspicions, he was sure of it. But for now, what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

As they approached Lenny, Annie and Judy slowed their pace. ‘I really like Lenny,’ Annie confessed. ‘I’ve always liked him.’

Judy was not surprised. Annie fancied every single boy she ever came across.

‘Does he know?’ she asked.

Annie shrugged her shoulders. ‘Don’t think so.’

‘Why don’t you tell him then?’

‘I will,’ Annie retorted, ‘when the time is right.’

‘If you really like him, don’t leave it too long, or some other girl will snatch him from under your nose,’ Judy warned.

‘Hmh!’ Annie showed her a bunched fist. ‘Just let them try, that’s all.’

‘You like him now, but I bet you’ll fancy somebody else before the week’s out.’ Judy had never met anyone more flippant than Annie.

‘I won’t!’

‘What about Ian Lacey?’

‘What about him? Ow!’ Tripping over a stone, Annie picked it up and slammed it into the water. ‘Damned thing, I’ve stubbed my toe now.’

‘I thought you and Ian had taken a shine to each other?’

‘Naw.’ She made a grimace. ‘He’s not my type, and anyway, it’s you he’s waiting for.’

Judy smiled. ‘He’ll wait a long time then!’

‘You’ll see,’ Annie chuckled. ‘One of these days, he’ll start making his move.’

‘Then he’s in for a disappointment, ’cause I’m not interested in him, or any other boy for that matter.’

‘Except Davie, eh?’ Annie wouldn’t let it go.

‘Davie is my friend,’ Judy answered loyally.

Annie sighed. ‘All right, if you say so.’

‘I do say so, and I don’t want to talk about it any more.’ She loved Annie. If need be, she would risk her own life to save her. But sometimes, like now, Annie could be really invasive. She didn’t mean to be: it was just her way.

As they closed the gap between Lenny and themselves, Annie lowered her voice. ‘Just look at him,’ she whispered excitedly. ‘Isn’t he gorgeous?’ Her eager eyes appraised Lenny’s strong physique, and the way his thick mop of brown hair fell haphazardly over one eye as he bent to retrieve the keepnet. ‘Who wants Ian Lacey when you can have Lenny Reynolds?’ Annie said dreamily. ‘Lenny’s already finished with school, and he’s really ambitious. He’s already got his own fruit and veg stall on the market.’

She leaned over and whispered in her friend’s ear, ‘I’ve seen him on a Saturday morning. I hide round the corner and watch him. He’s really good at selling. The customers like him … they keep coming back. One woman said she’ll never buy her cabbages from anybody else, ’cause his are the freshest she’s ever had, and the cheapest into the bargain. Oh, Jude, I really do like him!’

Judy was about to giggle about the cabbages, but was glad she didn’t, for just then, Annie fell into a sudden dark mood. ‘Lenny is kind and decent,’ she said harshly. ‘Different from some people who don’t give a bugger!’

Her face contorted with rage, she quickly stooped to collect a handful of stones, which she then impatiently threw one after the other into the water, sending the ducks swimming away in all directions. ‘Some people love to hurt others. They don’t deserve to walk about free … don’t deserve to live!’ The last stone was hurled with such viciousness, it frightened the ducks into the air.

Reaching out, Judy took hold of her hand. ‘Annie, please don’t.’ She saw how nervous the ducks were. ‘There’s no need to take it out on them.’

When she looked up, she was surprised to see that the other girl was actually crying. ‘Who’s hurting you?’ she asked worriedly. ‘What’s going on that you can’t talk to me about?’

‘I’ve already told you – there’s nothing going on.’ Wiping her face with the cuff of her sleeve, Annie took to her heels and ran to where Lenny was collecting his fishing gear. ‘Packing up already?’ she complained. ‘I was hoping you might show me how to catch a fish.’

‘I might have done, but you’ve frightened them all away,’ he chided light-heartedly. ‘The ducks too, by the looks of it.’ Like everyone else he knew how unpredictable Annie could be. Added to that, she had a frightening temper, which was why she had few friends, except for Judy, who was always there for her, loyal and protective. ‘All right, are you, Jude?’ His eager smile was for her and her alone.

Judy returned his smile. ‘Yes, thank you, Lenny.’ Curious, she looked into his keepnet. ‘Did you catch anything?’

‘A few tiddlers,’ he replied. ‘Nowt worth keeping.’ At which he tipped the net into the water and watched the small fish swim away.

For the next half hour, the three of them sat and talked about Lenny’s market-stall, and his plans to open a shop one day. ‘I know how to buy cheap stuff and sell it out for a profit,’ he said proudly. ‘I learn summat new every day.’ He helped himself to a couple of leftover jelly babies.