Secrets and Shadows

Chapter 2

He spotted her walking down on the opposite side of the road. Chloe! Chloe Macbeth, once his sister’s best friend, in and out of the house all the time, as if she lived there. Inseparable they were, almost joined at the hip, like Siamese twins..

He waited for a gap in the traffic then hurried across the road to intercept her. She looked different from the last time he had seen her, but that was 2 years or so ago in fact, not long after Julia pissed off down to London and started pumping that s**t into her arm.

He was 27, nigh on 28, about 5’10’’ in height and of slight build. His hair was thick and dark which he sometimes wore in a tight curl at the back of his head. His clothes, mostly jeans and sweatshirts, although clean were rarely pressed and he carried a permanent scowl across his face, a scowl that reflected his attitude in life, ‘If they don’t like it, tough s**t!’

If they don’t like it, tough s**t!’Chloe had her blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, which swayed from side to side as she walked. She wore a pale green roll neck sweater, jeans with designer rips to the knees and frayed raggedy bottoms and a pair of dark-red Converse shoes. He could see that she was oblivious to her surroundings, earbuds plugged in as she listened to music on her iPhone., her head nodding in time to whatever she was listening to.

He stood in front of her as she approached and held his arms out in greeting. At first, she did not notice him, too engrossed in her music. He waved his arms at her, trying to attract her attention. She looked up, saw who it was and tried to dodge away to one side, but he stepped in front of her to block the way. She swerved in the other direction, but again he got in front of her, forcing her to halt. Irritated, she pulled out the ear buds and glared at him.

‘David Jarrett! What do you want, I’m in a hurry?’

‘Just to say hello, for old times’ sake, you know. I’ve not seen you around in a while, is all.’

‘OK, hello David. How are you. How are your Mum and Dad?’ Chloe asked out of politeness, not that she felt any need to do so.

‘Total zombies if you want to know. Donald moons around, hitting the bottle hard. And Janet? Janet just goes to all these spiritualist meetings, you know, convening with the dead and all that shit.’

‘Well say hi to them’ but David still tried to block her way as she made to move on past

‘What’s the hurry, eh? Like I said, not seen you around for a while.’

At 5’9’’, Chloe was nearly as tall as David as she glowered into his face. ‘I’ve been away, now let me pass.’

But still he blocked her way, grinning at her as if it was a childish game they were playing.

‘Been away? Somewhere nice? What, sun, s*x and sangria in Magaluf?’

‘Askham Grange, if you must know. Not that it’s any of your business.’

‘Askham Grange? What that then when it’s at home? A fancy spa resort?’

‘Hardly. It’s a women’s prison. Now I really must go,’ trying once again to get passed him, without success.

‘Prison, eh? Cool. Waddya do?’

‘I stabbed this guy who pestering me in the street.’

‘Yeah, yeah, you always was a joker, Chloe. Look, why don’t you come around sometime? We could have some fun, just like we used to, you Julia and me, OK? For old times’ sake. What do ya say?

‘God, you are one sick puppy. Julia’s barely cold in her grave and here you are sniffing around like a dog over a pool of his own vomit. It’s pathetic, And sick. Now let me pass.’

Think about it, why not? Just think about it.’

‘It’s never going to happen. I’d rather go back to prison. Look, whatever happened, happened a long time ago. I’ve moved on. Not going back there.’ She dodged from side to side to try and pass but each time he blocked her way with his arms.

‘Look, don’t be hasty. I’ll give you a call, right? Give me your mobile number, I’ll give you a call. Fix something up?’

‘David. How can I say this politely? Just f**k off, right? f**k off!’

And this time she did get past him and hurried down the street, seething with anger. He stared after her.

‘b***h,’ he mouthed at her departing back , just as rain began to spatter down. He pulled up the hood of his black sweatshirt with a ‘Manifest Skateboards’ logo on the chest and hurried into Waterstone’s where he stayed until the rain eased up