Page 34 of Loving Netta Wilde

Frank nodded.

Liza tutted. ‘I thought he’d gotten over all that. That’s what he told me.’

Netta’s attention shifted to Liza. So they must have discussed it then? At some point in the last few years, Liza and Colin must have had a conversation about her and Doogie. She wondered what had prompted that. She saw that everyone else was watching Liza too. Perhaps they were all thinking the same thing.

‘He probably thought he had, but it can be harder than you think to get over stuff like that.’ The communal focus shifted to Doogie. This time, Netta was sure they were all thinking thesame as her. What made him say that? Frank looked like he’d already decided the answer to that question, and he didn’t like it.

Her mum pulled them back to the matter in hand. ‘Right, so we know Colin was okay when he left the allotment on Tuesday night, and no one saw him again until yesterday evening when he got back to Frank’s. So that leaves the rest of Tuesday night and yesterday unaccounted for.’

‘I’ll ask Ursula when he left the allotment. Thinking about it, she might be able to get more information out of him. I think they had a good chat the other night.’ As if catching the surprise in the room, her dad added: ‘She’s that kind of person. Not an enemy in the world.’

‘You do that, Arthur,’ said her mum. ‘Let’s get him back to the allotment then. Liza, that’s where you come in. When we’ve finished here, go round and talk to him.’

Liza raised her hand in a salute. ‘I get it. Turn on the emotional blackmail.’

‘Exactly. Now then, I think while he’s in such a vulnerable state he needs minding properly. Frank, you can do that while he’s in your house, can’t you?’

Frank looked like a rabbit who’d only just realised the headlights were almost on top of him. ‘I guess so.’

‘Lovely. Doogie, the other part is where you come in.’

Doogie frowned. ‘Me?’

‘Yes, love. You. I know you like a bit of gardening yourself so it shouldn’t be too much of a hardship to keep an eye on Colin while you do it.’

‘Er—’

‘Mum, we’ve just established that Colin’s still harbouring a grudge over Doogie,’ protested Netta.

‘Yes, I know. So Colin needs someone to guide him through that. And who better than the man he hates most?’

Doogie looked unconvinced. ‘I really don’t think that’s gonna work.’

‘You did say you wanted to help.’ Her mum gave him one of her sweetest smiles. She’d backed him into a corner, probably of his own making because he must have been stupid enough to offer assistance in one of their little chats.

‘Yeah but?—’

‘But?’ A Geraldine Wilde eyebrow was raised and it was pointed at Doogie Chambers.

Doogie took the hint. ‘Okay then.’

With the meeting concluded, Frank was on his way out the door. Netta followed him into the front garden. ‘About last night.’

‘It’s forgotten,’ he said, when clearly it wasn’t.

‘Okay. Where are you off to?’

‘The Hope and Anchor.’

‘Lovely. Do you want me to come with you?’

He shook his head. ‘It’ll just be college talk, and you have your visitor to entertain.’

That was a bit too snidey for Netta’s liking. ‘Right. Well you go then.’ She did an about turn and marched back inside the house, muttering under her breath: ‘And fuck you.’

21

THE AVOIDANCE OF SHAME

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