The Faceless Ones

Chapter Thirty. Beryl

Beryl Edgley was a busy woman.

She really didn't have the time to take in and feed abandoned waifs. But that being said, when Melissa Edgley had asked if she would take care of Stephanie while she jetted away to Paris for the weekend, Beryl had of course accepted the challenge graciously.

Her niece had always been a stubborn and willful child, with a sharp tongue and an attitude that Beryl found quite distasteful. Although even she had to admit that over the past couple of years Stephanie had seemed to become a lot more subdued. Beryl liked to think that this new, quieter Stephanie was a result of her own hints and tips to Melissa and Desmond about raising well-behaved children. Beryl's twins, Carol and Crystal, were not perfect by any means, and they had both been losing far too much weight lately, but at least they didn't drink or smoke or hang around with loutish boys like so many of their friends.

The family, plus Stephanie, ate lunch at the kitchen table without speaking. Fergus's eyes were glued to the television, and the twins were picking at their food without enthusiasm. In fact, only Stephanie seemed to be intent on eating what Beryl had placed before her. Which was surprising, given what had happened to her earlier that day.

The doorbell rang, and Beryl went to answer it. There was a young woman standing on the doorstep, smiling. She had tousled blond hair and was wearing a brown leather outfit that was far too tight. The poor girl was practically falling out of her top.

"You must be Beryl," she said in an English accent. "I've heard so much about you."

Beryl didn't trust new people. Ever since they had sold the gigantic boat that Fergus's brother had left them, she'd had a niggling suspicion that everyone wanted their money.

"And you are?" Beryl asked, standing with her back straight so she could look down her nose.

"Name's Tanith," the young lady replied. "I was wondering, is Stephanie about?"

"She's having lunch."

"Could I talk to her for just a moment?"

Beryl frowned. "She's having lunch, I said. She's eating. She cannot come to the door while she is eating."

The young lady, Tanith, looked at Beryl for a few moments and then she smiled again.

"Maybe she can stop eating, come to the door, I'll be really quick saying what I have to say, and then she can go back to eating. That sound good to you, Beryl?"

"I would prefer it if you called me Mrs. Edgley."

Tanith took a deep breath that threatened the integrity of her top. "Mrs. Edgley, be a dear and get Stephanie for me, will you?"

"I don't like your tone."

"I don't like your shoes."

Beryl looked down, wondering what was wrong with her shoes, and Tanith moved in and around her. Before Beryl realized what was happening, Tanith was walking into the kitchen.

"Bloody hell ..." came Fergus's whisper.

"Stephanie," Tanith said, "could I have a word?"

Beryl stormed in after her, outraged, as Stephanie stood up from the table. The twins were looking at the young lady curiously, and Fergus was staring at her, his eyes wide and full of wonder.

"Stephanie, you are not leaving this room!"

"This is a private matter," Tanith said.

"And this is private property! Fergus, call the police!"

Fergus just kept staring at the intruder.

"If this has anything to do with what happened earlier today," Beryl said, "the police will certainly want to talk to you!"

Tanith frowned. "What happened earlier today?"

Stephanie opened her mouth to speak, but Beryl took control of the conversation. "Three hours ago, Alan Brennan came to my door and told me he had been attacked by a man who had been chasing Stephanie. Attacked! In Haggard!"

"Who was the man?"

"I don't know," Stephanie said. "I don't remember much of it. I think I must still be in shock.He probably thought I was somebody else. After he attacked Mr. Brennan, he went away, and I returned home."

"We found her hiding under the bed," Beryl said, and Carol and Crystal snorted.

"Have you seen Val?" Tanith asked Stephanie, ignoring Beryl completely. "Do you know what happened to her? "

"She was supposed to come back." Stephanie shrugged. "But she never did."

"Who is this Val?" Beryl asked, confused. "What has she got to do with anything? There is a dangerous lunatic on the loose, claiming to be a policeman!"

Tanith's eyes narrowed. "He said he was a cop?"

"Mr. Brennan said he told him he was a detective."

"Crux ..."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I know this man." Tanith nodded. "And you're right, he is a lunatic. Have you called the police?"

Fergus spoke up at last. "They, uh, they said they'd stop by this afternoon...."

"Tell them not to bother. This man has a history of psychiatric problems. He just forgot to take his pills this morning, that's all. I'm his doctor."

"What kind of doctor dresses in brown leather?" Beryl asked suspiciously.

The young lady flashed her a quick smile. "The kind who looks good in it," she said. "Thank you for your time. You all have a good day now. Good-bye, Stephanie."

"Good-bye," Stephanie said, and sat down to finish off her lunch.

Beryl followed Tanith to the front door, her mind overloading with questions, but Tanith just kept walking and didn't look back. She got to the road, and a dreadful purple car pulled up and she got in. Beryl tried to catch a better look at the driver, but all she could see was a man in a hat, and then they were gone.

Beryl frowned. The man in the hat seemed awfully familiar...