The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper(44)

“Everyone has a good story to tell, Arthur. If you’d have told me last night that I’d have an adventurous old bloke kipping at my house for the night, I’d think I was going mad. But here you are. You’re all right, Arthur, for a posh pensioner,” he teased.

“And so are you, for a bit of a scruffbag.”

The two men laughed.

“I am rather tired now,” Arthur said. “Do you mind if I go to sleep?”

“Not at all, mate. The bathroom is at the end of the hallway. You have my bed and I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

“I won’t hear of it. I’m absolutely fine on here and it looks as though Lucy will be joining me.” The little dog had curled up beside him and gone to sleep.

Mike left the room and returned with a green woolen blanket that smelled a bit musty. “This will keep you warm.”

“It certainly will.” Arthur laid it over his legs.

“Good night, then, Arthur.”

“Good night.”

Before he went to sleep he tried to phone Lucy again to tell her where he was and about her little furry namesake. But there was no reply. He stuffed his mobile under the cushion on the sofa. He lay down and his eyes began to close straightaway. The last thing he saw was the paint palette charm glinting, catching the light from the streetlamp outside.

*

When Arthur woke the next morning, Lucy was gone. He yawned and glanced around Mike’s sitting room. His eyes slowly fell upon the coffee table. There was nothing on it. The charm bracelet was no longer there. It no longer glinted in the light.

His eyes widened and he sat bolt upright. A wave of nausea hit him in the back of his throat. Where was it? He was sure he had left it there. Standing, he nearly fell back over. His knees had locked and his back was curved. He slowly eased himself upright. Mike couldn’t have taken the bracelet. He trusted him. This was his flat. But then he wondered if it really was. There were no personal possessions. He remembered how Mike had tensed when he had mentioned the books.

“Lucy?” he called out. His voice sounded hollow and he listened for the sound of her nails clipping on the floorboards. All he could hear were a couple shouting in the flat next door. He called her a lazy git. She called him a fat loser.

He dropped the green blanket to the floor, then stood and walked around the flat. Again, all the furniture was functional. There were no photo frames or ornaments. In the bathroom there was an empty tube of Colgate on the sink. He opened the fridge and there was only half a pint of milk inside. He was alone. There was nothing here.

He sank back onto the sofa and held his head in his hands. Pulling out his phone from under the cushion he saw that Lucy hadn’t returned his call. He should never have started on this journey. His boring life felt like a luxurious comfort now compared to this roller-coaster ride of emotions and events. Then he remembered his backpack. Had that disappeared, too? He had put his wallet in the front pocket. How the hell could he get across London with no money? He didn’t even know where he was. “I’ve been an absolute pillock, Miriam,” he said aloud. He would have to do whatever he could to get out of here and get back home.

It wasn’t possible for his heart to feel any heavier when he heard a key in the front door. His heart leaped. “Mike?” he called out. “Mike. Is that you?”

“That’s my name. Don’t wear it out.” The front door slammed shut. Lucy scampered toward him. She leaped up at his legs and he rubbed her neck.

Mike dumped a carrier bag on the sofa. “I’ve been out to get a few supplies. I can’t afford much but I got bread and some butter for toast. I couldn’t afford milk and the stuff in the fridge is off, so black coffee only.”

Arthur couldn’t help himself. He stepped over and hugged Mike. The young man’s body stiffened. “Er, is everything okay?”

“Yes.” Arthur nodded with relief. His eyes flicked to the coffee table.

“Ah. You’re wondering where your bracelet is. You woke up and saw it was gone and I was gone. You thought I’d done a runner.”

“I’m sorry. It crossed my mind. I’m not very trusting at the moment.”

“I can understand that.” Mike walked over to the bookshelf and slid out a dictionary. He took out the bracelet. “I got robbed last month. I don’t leave anything valuable hanging about—not that I have anything any longer.”

“Did you lose something important?”

“My dad’s watch. It was a gold Rolex. Jeff offered me a fortune for it, but I couldn’t let it go. I’d prefer to starve than to sell that watch. It was the only thing of his I had left. I sold the other stuff to pay for drugs. I really regret it now. He died when I was three.”

“I’m sorry.”

“The thing is, I reckon I know who it was. Those bastards next door. They know when I go out and come back. I kept the watch in a box in my kitchen cupboard. One day I got back from my pitch and the door had been forced. I knocked on next door and the bloke acted too friendly. He’d never had the time of day for me before but this time he offered me a cup of tea. I asked him about the watch and all the time his eyes were moving about, sly-like. I’m sure he’s got it. It had my dad’s name engraved on the back. Gerald.”

Arthur could offer little comfort. He knew how much an item of jewelry could be invested with emotions and memories. “I’m sorry to hear that. You must let me give you some money for letting me stay.”