Wolf In Shadow Snippet 4: Chapter 3(i) Frankie

Photo Source

CHAPTER 3

Frankie

The various editions of the A to Z are the Londoner’s bible. The pages

contain a comprehensive index and grid map to every street in the vast

sprawling city. Rhian used it to find a subway under the dual

carriageway and followed its guidance in the maze of streets north of

the tube station. Vernon Road was a cul-de-sac, which ran off a side

road that came off another side road in a sort of spiral. She followed

the roads around, taking the route that a car would have to follow. She

suspected that there would be a shorter footpath somewhere, but the

A to Z did not always see fit to show those.

Vernon Road consisted of rows of four-story terraced houses that

were at least a century old, Edwardian or maybe Victorian. They had

been originally built for the wealthy middle classes. The front door

was up a flight of steps, under which were what had been servants’

quarters. Of course, over the years the properties had all been

converted into small flats and blocks of bedsits. The wealthy middle

classes had long since fled the city and moved out to the rural bliss of

the Home Counties around Greater London.

She scanned the newspaper to remind herself of the exact address

and checked off the numbers on the houses as she walked down the

road. Number three was right at the end; there did not seem to be a

number one. The house was behind a handkerchief-sized, but neatly

cared for, front garden. Three-A was the basement flat. It had its own

Wolf in Shadows TPB 1st Pass_Layout 1 3/12/13 4:59 PM Page 17

front door at the bottom of a small flight of steps to the side of the

building.

Rhian knocked on an ornate and truly hideous brass knocker

shaped like a lion’s face. After a brief pause the door swung open,

decisively propelled by a tall woman in a long skirt and blouse in

autumn colors. They were cut in an “East European peasant style” that

had been fashionable a couple of years ago. She peered at Rhian

through large strong glasses that completely distorted her eyes. She

looked old to Rhian, almost as old as Gary.

“You must be the girl about the room?” the woman asked in a

middle-class southern English accent.

“Yes,” Rhian replied.

The woman cocked her head on one side, causing light brown

frizzy hair to drift across her face.

“I thought you were Welsh when I spoke to you on the phone,” she

said, looking at Rhian’s dark hair.

Rhian sighed. She had worked hard at losing her Welsh lilt in

exchange for a typical London accent, but everyone still identified her

as from the valleys after only a few words.

“That’s an interesting door knocker,” Rhian said, for want of

anything more intelligent to say.

She felt a strange aversion to the knocker that surprised her. Why

an inanimate object should bother her so was a mystery. Its blank

bronze eyes stared at her as if alive. She almost had a compulsion to

make her excuses and walk away.

“It’s a copy of the 1154 A.D. Norman sanctuary knocker from the

north door of Durham Cathedral,” the woman said, with the pedantic

precision of a scholar.

“I see,” said Rhian, who did not see at all. It was beyond her why

anyone should go to the trouble of fitting such a monstrosity.

“If you rapped on this knocker to request entry and confessed your

crimes, then you were absolved of sin and allowed to go free. Have you

any crimes that you wish to confess?”

“I don’t think so,” Rhian replied, smiling politely.

“Come in anyway,” said the woman.

Rhian’s air of unease evaporated as if an invisible barrier had been

removed, and the woman ushered her into a long corridor with high

ceilings. The knocker was just an inanimate lump of metal moulded

18 John Lambshead

Wolf in Shadows TPB 1st Pass_Layout 1 3/12/13 4:59 PM Page 18

into an unattractive shape. All the rest was her over active imagination.

Like most London properties, the house was much deeper than

wide, the layout allowing builders to cram in as many properties as

possible along the street.

“My name’s Francisca Appleyard. Everyone but my mother calls

me Frankie.” She held out her hand.

“I’m Rhian Jones.”

Rhian took the woman’s hand, consciously making herself squeeze.

A supervisor had once cruelly told her that she had a handshake like

a dead haddock. It was part of his petty revenge for being turned

down.

“Drop your bags here and I’ll show you around,” Frankie said. She

pushed open the first door on the left. “This is the lounge.”

The room was comfortably furnished with a sofa and a red leather

swivel chair. The furniture looked expensive but was showing signs of

wear. Light came in through a large window, which opened onto the

basement well at the front of the house. Looking up, Rhian could see

the small garden and the street. Net curtains prevented people on the

pavement from looking in, so the window was like a two-way mirror.

A bulky TV set stood in a corner away from the window. It had been

an expensive state-of-the-art device when new but was now obsolete.

Rhian had the impression of declining fortunes, or maybe Frankie had

bought second hand. Bookcases and cupboards lined the walls right up

to the ceiling.

“You would have free access to this room,” Frankie said. “I am the

only other person in the house. This is my bedroom here.”

She pushed open a door to a room at the rear of the house that was

larger than the sitting room. A double bed took pride of place in the

center. This room was lined with shelves carrying books and strange

objets d’art. Rhian was struck by an ornate mask carved from polished

dark wood.

“Nor’ombo chieftain’s death mask,” said Frankie, following Rhian’s

gaze. She clicked her tongue in the middle of the name. Rhian wasn’t

sure whether the woman was making a joke. Rhian put a polite half

smile on her face, as she didn’t want to appear stupid.

Frankie drew back long ceiling-to-floor drapes at the back of the

bedroom to reveal French windows.

“The garden out there is mine as well, and you are welcome to use

WOLF IN SHADOW 19

Wolf in Shadows TPB 1st Pass_Layout 1 3/12/13 4:59 PM Page 19

it. I am afraid that the only way in is through my bedroom, but that

shouldn’t be a problem during the day. I like to sit out and read in good

weather, but I advise you not to sunbathe au naturelle. The old boy

upstairs has a pair of binoculars and is a bit of a perv. The bathroom

is over there,” Frankie said pointing to a door on the right. “There is

another door into it from the hall.”

She took Rhian back out into the hall to demonstrate.

“The kitchen is in here,” she opened the door on a modern

kitchenette with wall-mounted storage, “and this is the guest room.”

The spare bedroom door wouldn’t open fully because of the bed in

the way. Frankie had to slide round it, moving further in so that Rhian

could follow.

“It’s a bit small,” Frankie said, defensively, “but it’s warm and cozy,

and you’ve the run of the rest of the flat.”

The room was indeed small; the wardrobe doors couldn’t be fully

opened either because of the bed, but it was warm and freshly

decorated in bright, friendly colors. A window at the end let in natural

light and gave a pleasant view of the garden.

Something strange happened to Rhian in the little room. She saw

the world in color again for the first time in ages as if someone had

switched on a floodlight. No, that was not quite right because she had

recognized colors, distinguishing red from green, but emotionally they

had all been shades of grey. Her world had been shades of grey since

James—she bit down on the emotion—since the terrible night she lost

James. Something about the little room lifted her soul.

“The room is lovely,” said Rhian, genuinely pleased.

“Good! Let’s have a cup of tea and discuss terms,” Frankie said.

Rhian sat on a stool in the kitchen and watched Frankie go through

the English tea ceremony. She used a large china teapot shaped like a

country cottage.

“The rent is three hundred and eighty pounds a calendar month,

about ninety quid a week. Is that okay? It does include everything.”

Frankie said, anxiously, watching Rhian carefully.

Rhian considered. It would be tight, but the bar work would tide

her through until she could find a better job. She smiled at Frankie,

“That will be fine.”

“I’d like one month’s rent in advance as a deposit,” Frankie said.

“Oh!” said Rhian.

20 John Lambshead

Wolf in Shadows TPB 1st Pass_Layout 1 3/12/13 4:59 PM Page 20

She took out the envelope and counted the money twice. However

she rearranged the notes, she could not make the deposit.

“How much have you got?” said Frankie, sipping her tea.

“Two hundred and ten pounds.”

Frankie sighed. “And you will need something to live on until

payday. Give me ninety quid and we’ll call it quits.”

Rhian handed over a ten and four twenties, and helped herself to

milk. “Have you had many other tenants?” she asked, politely.

“One or two,” said Frankie, evasively. “Sugar? No? Is that how you

keep so slim, dear?”

Frankie shoveled two spoonfuls into her own mug. “I’ve been a bit

unlucky with lodgers,” Frankie admitted. “They tend to move on

quickly.”

“Have you lived here long?” Rhian asked, to fill a gap in the

conversation.

“My partner and I lived here for some years,” Frankie said.

“Ah,” Rhian said, neutrally.

“Don’t worry, dear. It’s all ancient history now. He announced that

he needed to find himself, so he went on a solo bus tour across North

America.”

“Did he find himself?” asked Rhian.

“I don’t know because I haven’t seen him since. According to a

postcard from Nevada, he did find a nineteen-year-old blonde lap

dancer called Suze ‘with an e.’ She thought that his English accent was

cute.”

Frankie said the last few words through gritted teeth. She looked

at Rhian and blushed.

“Well, maybe it is not quite yet ancient history.” She grinned at

Rhian. “Unfortunately I had resigned from my job at about the same

time to go freelance, so this household went from two reliable salaries to

one slightly dodgy income. So now, Miss Jones, I have need of a tenant.”

Frankie grimaced. “Sorry, what am I doing pouring out my woes

to a stranger? Do you have any personal disasters that you might want

to relate in retaliation?”

Rhian had a flashback. The doctors had warned her about them.

She wasn’t in Frankie’s kitchen any more but on a building site. James

lay still on the ground, head turned showing a terrible gash. His blood

was black in the moonlight.

WOLF IN SHADOW 21

Wolf in Shadows TPB 1st Pass_Layout 1 3/12/13 4:59 PM Page 21

She snapped out of it. Frankie gazed at her waiting for an answer.

“No,” Rhian replied quickly. She took another sip from her

mug. “Would your employer not have taken you back, under the

circumstances?”

“Probably, but I had already started up and I thought that I would

like to give running my own business a fair try. I was not entirely happy

with my late employer.”

Rhian waited, but Frankie did not elaborate.

“What do you freelance in?” asked Rhian, to keep the conversation

going.

“I’m a consultant,” Frankie said.