All That She Can See(29)

‘You best be off now. It’s getting late.’ Velina stood and Danior pushed herself off the wall and stepped forward, back into the light.

‘No,’ Cherry said, wiping her hands down her cardigan.

‘No?’

‘Did she just say no?’ Danior hissed.

‘I came here to ask you something. About Chase.’

‘You can ask but it doesn’t mean you’ll get any answers.’ Danior turned to leave the room but Velina caught her arm.

‘Now, now Danior, now now.’ She nodded at Cherry.

Cherry’s mind was racing. Now that the moment was here, she wasn’t sure how to ask the question. ‘Is he… different? I mean… can he do anything like what you claim —’ Danior scoffed and Cherry redirected the question, ‘— anything like what you do here?’

‘No,’ Velina said bluntly. ‘Next?’

‘Are you sure?’ Cherry pushed.

‘Extremely. Why, do you think we don’t speak? He thinks we’re mad, we think he’s plain, ordinary,’ Danior said, yawning.

‘I see. That’s all, then.’

‘You can see yourself out,’ Danior said, brushing aside the beaded curtain to let Cherry through. Cherry ducked underneath Danior’s arm but Velina and Danior’s air of intimidation irked Cherry and made her feet pause and turn on the spot. ‘Respect your elders’ was something Cherry had been taught very early on in life, but as she grew up, she realised respect was something to be earned and sometimes wasn’t relevant to age or experience. Velina and Danior certainly hadn’t shown her anything closely resembling respect and so despite her wobbling knees, Cherry said,

‘Actually… I suppose there is one last thing.’

‘What now?!’ Danior stamped her foot.

‘You might want to get that cough seen to, Danior. It really gives you away.’ Danior’s eyes widened. ‘Oh, and learn how to make a decent cup of tea. Yours tastes like grass.’





12





Not Good Enough





Cherry had never liked mysteries. She was usually so full of anxiety that she often avoided anything full of suspense. However, now that she found herself inside of one, she found it far more intriguing than she thought it would be and far less worrying than when you’re watching from the outside.

‘They’re fraudsters!’ Cherry exclaimed when Sally came into the shop the next day. It was 12:45 p.m. and Sally was much later than usual. Margie had already been in at her usual time of 10:30 a.m. and Cherry had had to put some cling film over Sally’s walnut whip. ‘Where have you been?’ Cherry asked.

‘Nowhere special. Who are fraudsters, dear? Velina and Danior?’

‘Yes! They must be! Velina somehow knew about things I’d said like… like when I said what they did was just smoke and mirrors! She repeated the same phrase to me, like she wanted me to know that she knew, but then Danior coughed really hard and warned her off. Like this!’ Cherry hacked up phlegm from the back of her throat.

‘Lovely,’ Sally said drily, moving her plate away from Cherry’s coughing.

‘Don’t you see? Danior was coughing because Velina was getting too arrogant. She was giving away too much. She also said that she’d heard things about me. I bet you anything they’ve got this place bugged.’

‘Bugged?’

‘Yeah! Isn’t that what it’s called? When they hide those secret devices so they can record what everyone’s saying?’ Cherry had never watched much TV but with the internet now at her disposal, she’d found a love for crime shows. The thrill she got from fast car chases and close calls with death was far beyond anything she could ever imagine having in her own life.

‘Yes, that is what it’s called, but would they really go to that expense? Let alone that length?’ Sally dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand and picked up her walnut whip with the other.

‘Okay,’ Cherry conceded. It was a bit far-fetched. ‘Maybe they haven’t bugged my shop but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other ways of listening.’

‘Or maybe they really are just psychic?’ Sally said, shrugging.

‘You really think that?’ Cherry was surprised. ‘But yesterday you said that it was all guesswork masquerading as fact.’

‘I know what I said!’ Sally snapped, and then took a breath to calm herself. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap.’ She looked around to make sure the shop was empty. ‘They are fraudsters but you have to be very careful what you accuse them of, Cherry. Especially without any real evidence. They may be old but they’re a vital part of this community. Been around for years. You’ve only just got here and with the influence they have over this tiny bit of town, they could wipe you out. It’s best to just… leave them to it.’ Sally didn’t wait for Cherry to respond. She picked up her plate and went to her usual spot in the corner by the window.

‘Sally…’ Cherry said but Sally merely waved her attempt at an apology away. Cherry hadn’t realised she’d been touching a nerve and wished she hadn’t poked so hard. She made a mental note to whip her up something special to say a proper sorry later on. Now, however, she had other things to worry about. It was 12:50 p.m. and George hadn’t shown up. He’d been in every day for over a week at exactly 12:45 on the dot. She’d thought they’d become good enough friends that he’d let her know if he wouldn’t be visiting. Maybe he’s on his way and just bumped into a friend or something, Cherry thought. Cherry hoped. She hoped until 1:15 when the bell above the door rang and Cherry looked up eagerly but the face in the doorway wasn’t George’s.