Deborah Crombie - And Justice There Is None

"Bryony, I'm sorry to show up so early without an appointment, but there's something wrong with Geordie's eye."

The dog cocked his head at Bryony, wagging his tail, and she could see that his left eye was indeed inflamed. "Well, let's get him inside, shall we?" she said, unlocking the door and switching on the lights. "Take him in Room One. I'll be there as soon as I find his chart."

"I feel like a mum with a new baby," Gemma said as Bryony came into the exam room. "I'd no idea whether or not it was serious, or what I should do, and I have to go to work this morning."

Bryony softened a little. "Don't worry. It's usually better to panic than ignore- just like with kids."

"Bryony…" Gemma fidgeted with the dog's lead, and Bryony saw that she looked tired and strained. "Geordie's not the only reason I came. I owe you an apology for what-"

"You were just doing your job. I understand."

"No. It wasn't my call, even though I understood Superintendent Kincaid's point. But I never doubted anything you told me."

"Not even the photos?"

"Especially not the photos. And the fact that Mr. Farley must have destroyed them when he knew we might search the surgery makes me very uneasy."

"Yeah, me, too," Bryony admitted. "But he's not coming in today, so that's something. After the morning I've had, I don't think I could deal with Gavin's sulking and bullying- or gloating because he thinks he's put something over on the police. That's the worst."

"What happened to you this morning? I noticed you were late."

"I lost my keys and had a major panic," Bryony explained as she lifted Geordie up on the table. "I found them again, but after the burglary here, having my keys turn up missing gave me a fright. What if I'd left them in the surgery door, or dropped them on the pavement for anyone to find?" To her horror, she felt her eyes smart with tears.

"Let's get your temperature, Geordie," she said briskly, turning away and reaching for the thermometer. "Has he shown any unusual symptoms, besides the eye? He's eating and drinking normally?"

"Yes, but now that you mention it, he did seem a bit dozy yesterday."

"His temperature is a little elevated. That would account for it. Now, let's see that eye."

After a thorough examination of the dog's eyes, ears and mouth, Bryony said, "He's got a slight infection, but it's only the one eye. Cockers are prone to this sort of thing, because their eyes are large and exposed. If they get a bit of foreign matter lodged under the lid, the eye gets irritated and bacteria can get a start.

"I'm going to give you some ointment and some tablets you can begin as soon as you get him home. Bring him back on Wednesday if the eye hasn't improved."

As Gemma collected her medications, she said, "How's Marc, by the way?"

"Fine, I suppose…" Bryony felt an unexpected urge to share what had been eating at her the past few days. "I haven't heard a word from him since Christmas."

"Well, sometimes the holidays take people that way. I wouldn't worry too much. Bryony… I know it's none of my business, but didn't you say that Gavin is always complaining about the surgery's profitability? I think you might want to visit him at home sometime."

Bryony groaned. "Are you saying that Gavin is cheating me?"

"I'm just saying he's living quite comfortably. And, um… you might want to check over the books. It seems he's had a bit of trouble in the past with the Inland Revenue."

At first Angel was determined that she would go to Nina's trial, to defy Karl even if Nina didn't want her support. But as the time drew near, she found she hadn't the strength to face Nina's hatred again.

And Karl had been more difficult lately, always watching her, checking up on her. He'd removed the ready supply of heroin from the flat, insisting that it was a precautionary measure against being searched by the police, and instead brought her just enough for each day. What he gave her was stronger than what she'd been using, and she suspected it grew a little more so as the weeks went by. If she kept this up, would she some day lose consciousness; perhaps die from an overdose? How very convenient for him- an easy solution to the problem of the girl who knew too much.

Once, as the summer faded into autumn, she tried to visit Evan. She found him playing alone in his grandmother's front garden, but when she knelt to hug him, the boy stiffened and pulled away from her. "You took my mother away!" he shouted at her. "It's all your fault! My granny says so."

She gasped. "Evan, no! I would never hurt you like that. I love you. Look"- she opened her locket- "I still have your picture."

For a moment, she thought she had reached him. Then he spat in her face.

The trials took place in October of 1969. The court showed no leniency; Nina went to one prison, Neil to another.

At first, Angel sent Nina a card every few weeks, but each card came back, unopened. In January, she heard from a mutual friend that Nina had been ill with a bad cold and cough. Then, a few weeks later, the friend rang to tell her that Nina had died. She'd had pneumonia, but the prison doctors hadn't diagnosed it until too late.

Angel was still grappling with Nina's death when, a week later, she heard that Neil Byatt had found a way to hang himself in his cell. Poor, melancholy Neil, who had doted on his wife to the exclusion of all else, even his son, had not been able to go on without her.

It was then Angel realized she had two choices. She could follow Neil's example- or she could leave Karl, regardless of the consequences.

The first was beyond her courage. If she chose the second, she would have to do it now, or she would lose her resolution. She stuffed a few things in a bag, including the few bits of her father's jewelry she'd saved over the years, then walked round the flat, thinking how little imprint she'd made upon it. It was Karl's- the decor, the furniture, the art- in the end none of her contributions had mattered. She was insignificant.

Then Karl walked in, home hours earlier than expected.

Her heart plummeted. "What are you doing here?"

"I felt like closing the shop. And I might ask you what you're doing?" His tone held the faint amusement that had come to characterize his conversations with her, as if it were unthinkable to take her seriously.

She was suddenly furious. "I'm leaving, that's what I'm doing. Did you know that Nina and Neil are both dead?"

"Of course. Are these two things somehow connected?"

"You bloody well know they are. You sacrificed them deliberately, to save yourself, and I can't live with that- or with you- any longer."

"You won't leave," he said, still with a trace of a smile.

"I will. Are you going to try to stop me?"

"No. But if you go, I promise you you'll regret it. You have nothing, and no one, and you can't go a day without a fix. And I have friends, connections, everywhere. I'll know where you are."

It was as open a threat as he ever made, and Angel felt the fear sucking at her like quicksand. "What happened to you, Karl? There was good in you, once. And you loved me- I know you did."

His gaze softened, as if memory touched him. Then he pinched his lips together and shook his head. "You can't allow sentiment if you're going to get on, Angel. You know that. There's no room for weakness."

"Isn't there?" A small spasm of pity stirred within her, but it was too late for that. If she didn't act now, she would be lost. She picked up her bag and walked out the door.

Having stopped at the house to leave Geordie in Kit's care, Gemma pulled the car up at the station, but hesitated before getting out. She had turned Ronald Thomas's name over to Sergeant Franks with a request to search the Notting Hill database- There was nothing more she could do on that front.