Page 27 of The Runaway Wives

Dee felt for her. She had seen it many times with the old folks she’d visited, they struggled on alone, not wanting to leave their homes, scared to ask for help in case they ended up in care. ‘Your son is driving down to visit you,’ she said, then wondered if Martin had wanted to keep it as a surprise.

‘After his inheritance I expect,’ Edna said bitterly. ‘I haven’t seen him for ages and now he thinks I’m about to keel over, he’s going to play the loving, dutiful son.’

Dee wasn’t sure what to say. She knew that there could be some truth in what Edna was saying, she’d seen it happen before, but she didn’t want to judge the man until she met him.

Babs leaned over and squeezed the old lady’s hand. ‘Well, he’ll be waiting a long time because there’s a lot of life left in you yet.’

Edna nodded. ‘There certainly is. Although that won’t stop him trying to sell my cottage and putting me in a home. But I’m one step ahead of him.’ She straightened her shoulders, looking a bit brighter. ‘Has anyone told my sister, Mabel? We talk to each other every week. She’ll want to know.’

‘I can let her know for you,’ Dee offered. ‘Can you remember her phone number?’

‘It’s saved in my mobile. Did you bring it?’ Edna asked. ‘It’s in my handbag.’

Dee shook her head. ‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise and your house is all locked up now. I’m afraid that the police had to break in to get to you and they’ve temporarily made the door safe.’

‘I’ve got a set of keys hidden. Can you get them, go in the back way and get some things for me, do you think?’ Edna asked.

‘Of course. Where are the keys?’ Dee asked her.

‘In the green watering can in the front garden. Thieves never think to look in a watering can. The larger key is for the back gate and the one next to it for the back door,’ Edna added.

‘Are you sure about this? You don’t know us and you’re giving us the keys to your house,’ Dee said.

‘I’m a good judge of character and I know who I can trust.’ Edna touched her nose with her forefinger. ‘Could you please get my handbag from the lounge, it’s by my armchair, and the phone charger is on the coffee table. Then go up to my bedroom, please, it’s the first one, and get a wooden box from the shelf at the top of the wardrobe. You’ll have to move some jumpers. Please do that as soon as you can. Martin will be here any minute and he’s probably intending to stay at the cottage. I don’t want him to find the box.’

She really doesn’t trust her son, Dee thought. ‘Of course. We’ll go as soon as we get home,’ she promised.

‘Thank you so much. And please bring the keys with you, I don’t want Martin letting himself in without my permission.’

‘We will.’ Dee handed over the carrier bag in her hand. ‘Meanwhile, we’ve brought you a couple of things from the corner shop.’

‘Bless you both. You’re so kind.’ Edna’s eyes filled up. ‘I’m so grateful. Do you think you could pop back later with my handbag, the box and my keys? I need to phone Mabel and get things moving as soon as I can.’

Dee promised they would.

* * *

‘We’ll go around to Edna’s first,’ Dee said as they left the hospital. ‘I don’t like the thought of her keys being available for anyone who might find them.’

‘Perhaps Martin knows where his mum keeps her spare keys and that’s why she wants us to go now, before he arrives.’ Babs frowned. ‘And I wonder what’s in the mysterious box she doesn’t want him to find?’

‘Maybe it’s her will…’

‘Could be.’ Babs eyes lit up. ‘Perhaps she’s left the house to the local cat’s home instead of Martin and she thinks he’ll be furious and try to talk her out of it.’

Dee thought her friend could be right, she’d seen situations like this before when adult children had tried to control their ageing parents’ lives. ‘I hope that he’s not as mercenary as Edna thinks, but unfortunately it does happen and she obviously doesn’t trust him. So, I think for now, until we know different, we have to take her word for it.’

As soon as they got back to Port Telwyn they parked up at the back of the cottages, checking to see if there were any cars that could possibly be Martin’s there. Not that they had any idea what car he drove but they had the impression it would be an expensive one. The parking space was empty apart from a dirty, dark blue van and a silver car that they’d noticed there before. So they went around to the front garden of Primrose Cottage.

Glancing around they saw the green watering can tucked up in the corner. Dee picked it up and turned it upside down, and out fell the keys. She grabbed them triumphantly, looking over at Babs who was keeping watch. ‘Let’s go!’

They hurried around the back and were soon inside the house, going straight to the lounge to get Edna’s handbag.

Babs quickly started checking down by the sofa and held up a large grey and black handbag. ‘Here it is,’ she said, picking it up. She checked inside. ‘Edna’s phone is in here too.’ She picked up the phone charger from the coffee table and popped it into the handbag. ‘Now, let’s find the wooden box and get out of here before Martin arrives. I know we have Edna’s permission to be here but I still don’t fancy her son walking in on us.’

‘You’re right.’ Dee headed up the stairs first, Babs behind her. Feeling a bit like an intruder, she opened the first door and stepped inside. It was a cosy, cluttered bedroom, a crotcheted multi-coloured bedspread on the bed, pretty flowered curtains, a large patterned rug on the floor, pictures all over the walls, many of them of Edna with a smiling, dark-haired man – Bert, Dee presumed – and some featuring a little boy of various ages – Martin.

A huge, dark-walnut wardrobe ran across the back wall.

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