LITMIR.BIZ

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know, love, and I feel so helpless. It’s been six days since Eric went missing and police seem to have exhausted all their enquiries. Now everyone’s back is up about the way they’re treating the Hanwells.’

      ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘They keep questioning them, and have talked to the neighbours. They’ve asked what sort of parents they are, if there were any signs of mistreatment, and have spoken to the teachers at Eric’s school. Pearl, surely they don’t think that Frank and Lucy had anything to do with his disappearance?’

      Pearl placed her hand on his arm. ‘I’ve only lived around here a short time, but I’ve seen Frank with Eric and it’s obvious how much he loves his son.’

      ‘Yeah, and as far as I’m concerned the police are barking up the wrong tree.’

      ‘Oh, Derek, where can Eric be?’

      ‘I dunno, love, but I hope to God some nonce ain’t got hold of him.’

      ‘A nonce. I don’t understand.’

      ‘Christ, I keep forgetting what an innocent you are. It’s another word for a paedophile.’

      Pearl shook her head. ‘I still don’t understand.’

      ‘They’re sick bastards who like sex with children.’

      ‘No!’ she cried, but then something she remembered from the orphanage fell into place. When she’d been about ten, a girl of the same age had been fostered out, but after only a month she came back, a sad, pale shadow of the pretty girl who had left. She hardly spoke and lay curled on her bed for hours, but whispers went around the dormitory. The older girls said she’d been interfered with by the foster parent, a man who liked children. Pearl hadn’t understood, but now it all made sense. ‘Oh, Derek, that’s terrible.’

      ‘Look, don’t get upset. I’m probably wrong.’

      ‘Oh, I hope so.’

      A customer came to the stall, and with a small, sad smile, Derek said to Pearl, ‘I’ll see you later, love.’

      Pearl walked away with a sick feeling in her stomach. With her head down she didn’t see Kevin until she walked into him. ‘Oh, sorry,’ she blurted.

      His hands gripped her arms. ‘What do you expect when you walk around looking at the pavement?’

      ‘Yes, sorry, I’m afraid I was thinking about Eric Hanwell.’

      ‘Everyone is talking about his disappearance. I wonder what happened to the poor little tyke.’

      ‘I don’t know. I just wish the police would find him.’

      ‘Yeah, but he’ll probably turn up dead.’

      The colour drained from Pearl’s face. ‘Oh, don’t say that!’

      ‘Look, he ain’t the sort of kid that would run away, so what other option is there?’

      ‘Derek said that a nonce might have got hold of him.’

      ‘If that’s the case, the poor little sod would be better off dead.’

      Pearl found herself gawking at Kevin, and then with a small sob she ran to her bedsit. Eric was such a beautiful boy with the face of an angel. Surely nobody would harm him?

      As Pearl got ready to go round to Derek’s that evening, she suddenly paused as a noise came from upstairs. Unused to hearing anything these days from Mr Bardington, her ears pricked. What was that faint sound she had heard? Was it a cry? Was the man ill?

      She stood absolutely still, but there were no further sounds and, relaxing again, she continued to dress. It seemed strange to see so little of someone who lived on the same premises – in fact she saw more of his mail. Pearl never received any letters, but there were often large brown envelopes delivered for Mr Bardington. If Pearl saw them she would pick them up and place them on the bottom stair, and they always disappeared. If it wasn’t for that she wouldn’t know the man lived there.

      Ready now, she picked up her handbag and was soon on her way to Derek’s. She had become very fond of Connie’s cooking, and with the extra meals she was having Pearl was putting on weight. Her few outfits were getting tight, but thankfully Mo had told her about a shop that sold second-hand clothes. Paint, brushes and paper were always top of Pearl’s wish list, but realising there was no choice but to buy new clothes, she decided to take a look at the shop the next day.

      The evening soon passed, and after a huge dinner of steak-and-kidney pudding, they sat playing cards.

      Derek suddenly smiled across at Connie. ‘I’ve got a nice surprise for you.’

      ‘Have you now. And what’s that?’

      ‘I’m going to buy a television.’

      ‘And where is the money coming from?’

      ‘Don’t worry, Gran, it ain’t new, but it’s in good working order.’

      ‘A television. My, ain’t we coming up in the world, Pearl?’

      ‘We certainly are,’ Pearl agreed, loving being included as part of the family.

      ‘That’ll be one in the eye for her next door. She’s always bragging about her television. If I hear one more word about some geezer called Dixon of Dock Green, I think I’ll go mad.’

      ‘Who’s he?’ Derek asked.

      ‘Oh, it’s some sort of programme about a copper. Someone called Jack Warner plays him, and her next door is mad about it.’

      ‘Well, Gran, now you’ll be able to watch it too.’

      ‘Yeah, I will, won’t I?’ she said, smiling widely.

      ‘I’d best be off,’ Pearl said as the game of rummy came to an end, Connie winning as usual. Pearl leaned down to kiss the old lady on the cheek. ‘I think you cheat.’

      With a look of indignation she said, ‘No I don’t, you cheeky mare.’ Connie then smiled, patting Pearl’s arm. ‘Go on, get yourself home and we’ll see you tomorrow.’

      Derek walked her to the High Street as usual. As they stopped outside Pearl’s street door, he took her into his arms, neither seeing Kevin Dolby watching them from a doorway on the other side of the road, a scowl on his face.

      Kevin waited until the coast was clear before he moved. He’d been looking out for Nobby Clark, but there was no sign of him. Money was really tight and he was growing frustrated, so much so that despite the last cock-up, he was ready to do another job.

      Once again he scowled. That Derek was a jammy git. Pearl had blossomed lately, her figure filling out, but it was Derek who tasted the goods. Blimey, what was wrong with the girl? How could she fancy that ugly bugger?

      He looked up at her window and, seeing the light go on, he crossed the road. Without money in his pocket there was no chance of a trip to Soho. Maybe it was time to give Pearl Button a try.

      Kevin looked up and down the High Street. Seeing nobody about, he rang her bell, a smile plastered on his face when she opened the door. ‘Hello, Pearl. I was just wondering if you’ve seen Nobby Clark.’

      ‘Er … no.’

      ‘I was supposed to meet him here at the shop,’ Kevin lied, ‘but so far he ain’t turned up. Do you mind if I come in and wait?’

      ‘But it’s after ten o’clock. Why would you be meeting him at this time of night?’

      ‘Now then, Pearl, you know better than to ask questions. Come on, girl, let me in,’ Kevin insisted as he pushed his way past her.

      Pearl’s eyes were rounded as she stared at him, but Kevin made for the stairs. ‘Your room is on the first floor, ain’t it?’

      He didn’t wait for her answer, or look

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