Page 100 of Loving Netta Wilde

Netta’s kitchen was full. Everyone was here, including her mum and dad, Neil and Chris, and Merrie. They’d all been sucked into Operation Reclaim. No one could remember who’d given it that title, but it had stuck. If it had been up to Netta, they’d have gone to the police, but Colin didn’t want them involved unless all else failed. She supposed she could see why. Involving the authorities might end up in court battles and Colin had been humiliated enough already. So here they were, devising a plan to get his house back and get rid of Arianne.

‘So, I’m thinking I can call at the house to ask her about the garage conversion,’ said Doogie.

‘My studio, you mean? Arianne wouldn’t know anything about it. It was done before Netta moved out. It was Netta who paid for it.’ Colin looked a little shamefaced. Good. Netta had forgiven him, but it didn’t hurt for him to be reminded of the man he used to be.

‘Yeah, but I won’t know that, will I?’ said Doogie. ‘I’ll tell her I’m moving in around the corner and say I’m looking for someone to do mine. We’ve said hello a couple of times in the street now, so she’ll think I’m from around there.’

Netta’s dad slapped Doogie on the back. ‘Oh that’s very clever. What happens then?’

‘I’ll force my way in once the door’s open.’

Colin shook his head. ‘No, she’ll probably do you for assault. Believe me, she wouldn’t hesitate. I can’t have that hanging on you, it wouldn’t be right. But there might be another way. All the windows and doors are kept locked. When she’s at home, she usually keeps the keys in a key cupboard in the kitchen. But the old pantry at the back of the house has a dodgy window. The catch has broken. You can’t tell from the outside but all you have to do is lift it up. I’ve been meaning to get it fixed for months but never got round to it.’

‘You don’t think Arianne might have got it repaired?’ said Frank.

‘Highly unlikely. She doesn’t know about it. I use the pantry to store paint and canvasses. She never goes in there. It’s in between the doors to the kitchen and the studio, but it’s an L-shaped hall, so as long as Doogie keeps Arianne talking at the front she won’t see anything.’

‘Grand. So if Doogie distracts Arianne while Byron’s out at work, I’ll climb in through the window and let you in by the back door,’ said Frank.

‘The window’s too small. It’ll have to be someone slim. I’ll do it,’ said Colin.

‘Sorry, no. You’re not going into that house on your own when she’s in there. I can’t allow it. I’ll do it,’ said Liza.

Colin moved his head slowly from side to side. ‘Thank you, Liza, but I’m not letting you take the risk of being alone with that monster. I’m going in.’

Netta’s mum put her hand up. ‘Well I’m the smallest. I should go in.’

Everyone looked horrified, not least, Netta’s dad. ‘I don’t think so, Gee. I’m afraid my foot is firmly down on this one.There could be all sorts of dangers in there and I don’t like to harp on about age, but climbing through a window at your time of life could result in a broken hip. Or worse.’

‘Oh for God’s sake, I’ll do it,’ said Netta. And before anyone could protest, she slapped the table. ‘Discussion over.’

The room went quiet. Everyone looked either straight ahead or at the two cakes sitting in the middle of the table. One chocolate, one coffee. Her mum had made them to help with the planning process.

Frank broke the awkward silence with a cough. ‘Just to recap then. Byron goes to work. Doogie distracts Arianne. Netta climbs in through the window. What’s next?’

‘I’ll creep into the kitchen, quiet as a church mouse, get the keys from the cupboard, and let you, Colin and Liza in through the back door,’ said Netta. ‘Merrie will keep watch from the street. Mum and Dad, Chris and Neil will be waiting in their cars, out of sight. We confront Arianne, bundle her out the door and Chris will change the locks.’ Netta clapped her hands together. ‘All done and dusted.’

Colin turned to Chris. ‘You can do that, can you?’

Chris nodded. ‘It’s not difficult. My dad’s a builder. I’ve learned stuff even if I didn’t want to. I’ll fix that window as well. Don’t want anyone else climbing through. So when are we going to do it? It’s just that the holidays are almost over, and I’ve got a couple of teacher training days next week.’

‘Tomorrow?’ said Colin. ‘That’ll be quite fitting as it will be exactly four weeks to the day, she threw me out.’

‘Tomorrow it is then.’ Netta’s mum stood up. ‘I’ll get the plates, and we’ll have some cake. Extra-large slice for Colin. Extra-small slice for Frank.’

Colin threw Frank an apologetic look. ‘Sorry, mate.’

Frank waved away his apology. ‘Don’t be. Geraldine knows what’s best for both of us.’

Netta got up to help with the plates, just in time to hear her mum whispering in her dad’s ear: ‘You were very masterful then, Art. You should try it more often. It made me tingle all over.’

It sounded like her dad was going to find out what was best for him tonight. At least someone was getting it. It might have been four weeks since she and Liza had rescued Colin, but it was slightly longer since she and Frank had had anything remotely resembling carnal relations.

‘Mum, have you got a sec?’ Liza pulled her into the study.

Netta closed the door behind them. She had a feeling this was going to be something monumental.

‘I might move back in with Dad for a bit if we do manage to get in tomorrow. I don’t want to leave him there on his own.’

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