The Legacy: Trouble Comes Disguised As Family (Unspoken Book 2) by T. Belshaw (the best books to read .txt) 📗

‘Jess, I know you think I’m trying to save my own skin, but I’m worried about your welfare too.’

‘Why? These people have no idea who am I and where I live.’

Bill pulled a face. ‘That’s not quite true, Jess. To buy some time I had to tell them about your good fortune. They know all about you.’

Jess scowled. ‘I thought you couldn’t get any lower than trying to force your wife into prostitution, but you’ve managed it. You’ve handed your daughter over to gangsters.’ Jess stepped back into the house and slammed the door, then leaning against it, she began to sob.

Chapter 19

Jess walked slowly through to the lounge and plonked herself down onto the old sofa.

‘Oh, Nana, I didn’t know it was going to be this difficult,’ she said softly.

She curled up her feet and wriggled her bottom in an effort to get comfortable but the saggy cloth and bent springs in the sofa made it impossible.

‘This has to go, Nana,’ she said aloud and grabbing her laptop she began to search for a new sofa. She had only looked at a couple when her phone rang. She ignored it, thinking it was her father trying to put pressure on her again, but when the phone stopped ringing then started again, she picked it up, glanced at the screen and held it to her ear.

‘Hello, Grandma.’

‘Jessica. I’m just checking that you’re all right.’

‘I’m fine, Grandma.’

‘He didn’t turn up with a grasping bookie in tow then?’

‘No, he came alone… Look, Grandma, I didn’t promise to give him money. I haven’t got any to give him.’

‘Good. He’s a nasty piece of work. I’ll never know what Nicola saw in him.’

Jessica’s voice softened. ‘He might not have been like he is now when he was younger… though, I can never remember him being any different.’

‘He was a charmer when he was young. Your mother fell for it. He knew which of her buttons to press. Take care, Jessica. Men are like that.’

Jess thought about how her relationship with Calvin had deteriorated and nodded without replying.

Martha’s tone suddenly sweetened. ‘When you agreed to sit down and talk to your father, it made me think that it’s about time you and I had a private chat. There always seems to be someone else around when we meet.’

‘That would be nice, Grandma, but it won’t change anything.’

‘We don’t have to talk about money all the time, Jessica. We seem to have drifted apart over the last few years and I regret that.’

‘I’d like a nice cosy chat. I wish we could have done it when Nana was still here.’

‘It was never going to happen when my mother was around,’ replied Martha. ‘We never saw eye to eye over anything, she was—’

‘Don’t, Grandma, please.’

‘We do have to discuss her sometimes, Jessica. You only ever heard one side of the story.’

‘I’d like to hear about your life, Grandma, I hardly know anything about it really.’

‘There’s a lot more to it than you could ever imagine. Mother had no idea what sort of life I had after I left home.’

Jessica was sympathetic. ‘That’s a shame, I think she would have been interested had you given her a chance.’

‘We never got on. She didn’t like me, even as a child, and the feeling was mutual.’

‘I think you’d be surprised, Grandma. You ought to read some of her memoirs. She worried about your relationship and did what she could to try to improve it.’

Martha was having none of it. ‘Miriam brought me up. My mother was hardly ever around.’

‘She had the farm to run, Grandma. That took up most of her day. She gave you as much time as she could, I promise you.’

Martha snorted. ‘I’d like to see what excuses she used to cover her guilty conscience.’

Jessica sighed. ‘Look, I’ve got to get ready to go out. Can we meet up in the week?’

‘Come to see me on Tuesday afternoon. I’ll send Marjorie on an errand for an hour, though she’ll almost certainly get lost.’

‘I’ll pick you up at eleven and drive you over here, Grandma. Marjorie can’t get lost if she’s left at home, maybe you could bring her with you? It would be nice to see you both.’

‘It would be better if she’s left out of it. She’d only get confused. She isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer.’

‘Oh, Grandma. Don’t be like that. Aunt Marjorie is lovely.’

Jessica heard her grandmother sigh.

‘Goodness knows what sort of life she’d have led if I hadn’t been there to look after her. You might think I’m harsh, but she needs a firm hand. She’d be lost without me.’

‘I don’t know much about Aunt Marjorie’s life either. Maybe I should have a sit down with her one day.’

‘Bring a pillow and a mug of Ovaltine with you when you do. She hasn’t lived the most exciting of lives.’

‘I’m sure there’s more to it than you’re letting on, Grandma… Look, I have to go, I have to get ready.’

‘Ready? Are you out on a date or something?’

‘I’m going out for lunch with Bradley Wilson.’

‘That solicitor fellow?’

‘Yep. We’re having a drive out to a country pub for a meal.’

‘Hmm, I can see the attraction, he is a professional man and not bad looking. You could do a lot worse.’

Jessica laughed. ‘I’m not out to marry him, Grandma. It’s only lunch.’

‘Well, he seems a better prospect than that worm of a boyfriend you just got rid of.’

‘I’m not looking for a new boyfriend either,’ Jess replied. ‘I’m still trying to work out how I let Calvin get away with what he did for so long.’

Martha was silent for a moment. When she spoke again her voice was almost conspiratorial.

‘Listen, Jessica. See if you can get him to find a way out of this trust thing. I’m sure—’

‘Goodbye, Grandma. I’ll see you on Tuesday.’

Jess hit the red button on the screen to end the call and leaned back on the sofa. Shaking her head at Martha’s attitude, she picked up her