Sylvia explained about Oliver shouting out the name Rosie in his nightmare, and that he'd said it on their honeymoon, too, again while drunk. And that she believed he was seeing this woman called Rosie and had been doing so since before they had even met, which now explained why her sex life was such a fiasco. Sylvia saw how shocked Jane was with her news and knew that it was because Jane was sensitive and had such depth of feeling toward her, and had so since she'd first met her when she was fifteen. She really was the only person she could look to for comfort and it was confirmed now by the way she looked at her with those compassionate brown eyes.

  Jane got back her composure. She had sensed danger to herself through Oliver. She placed a hand on Sylvia's forearm. 'Look, sweetheart. You must still go to your grandma's party. You might well be interpreting this all wrong. You can't go thinking that what someone says in a dream can have any real substance in reality. A dream's just a dream!'

  'But he wasn't dreaming on our honeymoon, Jane. He'd simply got himself a bit drunk. And he called me Rosie!' Sylvia's eyes were moist. On the edge of tears. Jane was alerted still. She was not happy about Oliver. She reached toward Sylvia who came to her and let herself be held. Jane kissed her forehead as she'd done lots of times, but she was deeply worried. 'And you think Oliver may be with her today and not on a plumbing job at all?'

  'Yes! Same as Saturday night before we came to collect you to go to Annie's!'

  Jane cuddled her up closer, and Sylvia allowed it. Jane had definitely got a soft spot for Sylvia but it was not the way she usually saw a female. Not how she saw Pauline, or even Annie, for that matter. Yes, she strongly fancied Annie, but mainly because she seemed unattainable. She was too wrapped up in Bert. In that way she was a challenge. Apart from that though, she fancied her on a very physical level, more so than Pauline, even. But Sylvia . . . now something different had occurred over time here. Sylvia was still very baby like. Being so small probably contributed to that view. She didn't possess that mature, womanly sensual body as did Pauline and Annie. Jane still would like to take her to bed, but she felt that she would want something quite different from her, though she didn't know what. One day she would probably find out. Jane could never pass up any opportunities or challenges when it came to attractive females.

  'Look, Sylvie, I know things seem pretty much the way you've said. But it's not a fact till proved. I mean, don't you think we should find out for certain? We could probably easily find out!' Sylvia sat up straight and touched fingers to her mouth. 'Would you help me find out then, Jane? I really would like to know one way or the other.' Jane thought about it. 'But if you find that it's true, sweetheart . . . what will you do then? Leave him?'

  'Well there's no way I'd stay with him if he's been going with someone besides me all this time. I just wouldn't want to. I'd go away!'

  'You mean home to you parents?' Sylvia just shook her head sadly. 'I don't know where I'd go, Jane. I only know that I'd have to go somewhere, but I couldn't go home and face my mom and dad!'

  'You could come and live with me if things came to the worst. Would you like to do that?'

  Sylvia felt gratitude. The least she could hope for was that her best friend would offer her a place to live. 'But wouldn't I get in the way of your life style?'

  'Not so long as you didn't object to who I brought home. It wouldn't bother me, if it wouldn't bother you!' Sylvia squeezed Jane's hand. 'Thanks Jane! If the worst happens then, I'd appreciate you letting me live with you for awhile. Till I could find somewhere.'

  'All right, well I'd best go now. If Oliver is cheating, one certain thing he'll do is be on time where possible for anything he's promised. He wouldn't want to rock any boats. We'll go for a ride out somewhere on Thursday where we can really discuss it. Keep everything to yourself for the time being. Don't confide in anyone but me!'

  Oliver was driving home worn out and exhausted. He'd failed miserably. He'd actually been physically sick twice. He needed the strength of Jane to help him as she did with Rosie in Southend. He'd moved all their belongings into the garage with Ken's car. But he couldn't go any further with the horror that faced him in the bathroom. Starting Monday, with Jane's help, he'd have the whole week to get everything sorted.

  As Oliver turned left into the road where he lived, and began to pick up speed, he saw Jane's car come out of his driveway. He instantly flashed his lights and pulled over to her side of the road and stopped. Jane pulled up in front of him and wound down her driver's window. Jane had as serious an expression on her face, as Oliver had on his when he walked up to her.

  'We've got some serious talking to do Oliver!' He looked at her, a bit taken aback.

  'Why have you just been to see Sylvia?' He looked and felt dog rough.

  'Because she phoned and sent for me! She thinks you're having an affair!'

  Oliver was completely baffled. 'I don't understand! Where would she have got hold of a thing like that?' He scratched into his already dishevelled hair.

  'What have you been up to? This plumbing job till all hours? You at the house today loading tea chests in the van . . .'

  Oliver felt trapped. He needed to tell someone. He needed understanding. None of it was meant to happen. 'Jane, be patient with me. I've got lots to tell you and you'll understand everything when I explain. But I don't know about Sylvia being on to us, that's something you'll have to explain to me.' 'Not us . . . Olly! You've been talking in your sleep. Soon as you're drunk you're loosing off at the mouth and . . . What you mean, you got lots to tell me? What about?'

  'I've got to go, Jane. First thing in the morning. I'll see you in the morning as we arranged. Just be prepared for some shock news.'

  'What you mean? You can't just say to me expect some shock news and sod off! How can I go home with that hanging over me? You'd better tell . . . ' 'Jane, I can't say anything now it would mean I can't go home. I got to take . . . '

  '. . . Sylvie to her grandma's party, I know!'

  Oliver straightened his back and looked down at her. 'I'm in no mood for this party I can tell you. I'm doing it only to keep on the right side of Sylvia . . .' 'Well you're already on the wrong side of her so you're wasting your time!'

  He put one hand on his hip. 'What the fuck are you talking about?' Jane answered back with menace. 'Because you've been talking in your drunken sleep all about Rosie. That's fucking why! And on your fucking honeymoon, as well! More than two years ago!' Oliver stood flabbergasted. What the hell had he said?

  Jane started her car up. 'Go to the party. Play it like nothing's happened. I've already been working on it. I'll see you in the morning.' She revved up and drove away, leaving Oliver standing there with his mind in confusion.

  Oliver managed to get through the birthday party without too much difficulty. Sylvia was just a little distant with him, but he put up with that. If she wanted to continue in that sulking manner when they got back home, he'd just go and sleep in the spare room. However, she seemed pretty reasonable by the end of the evening, and by the time they got home she was even talking, albeit fairly matter of fact. Bedtime didn't make much difference. Turning the other way had become usual. He almost wished she'd get more angry so he could have the excuse to go sleep on his own after all.

  Monday morning. Oliver went up through the gardens and let himself into Jane's flat. It was eight thirty, and as far as the weather went it was a nice day. He was surprised not to find Jane up and dressed, in view of the serious chat they'd got to have, but then, maybe from her perspective, things weren't so bad. The curtains were still drawn in the bedroom. Standing hands on hips, he shook his head at the blissful picture of Jane asleep without an apparent care in the world. She looked inviting with the top cover virtually down to her waist, lying almost on her side, breasts falling out of her scarlet nightie. The arrangement had been that he should 'wake her up'. This meant that she would be ready for a good seeing to. But sex was the last thing he could get into his mind right now.

  'Jane!' She opened her eyes instantly to the mention of her name. 'You awake?' She took a few seconds to orientate herself. With a smile she lifted the covers for him to get in, then she dropped the covers and said: 'You're still dressed. What's the matter with you?'

  'Jane, I can't do anything! I've got too much worry on my mind. I've got things to tell you. I'll make us coffees and I'll just sit on the bed with you!'

  'Ha, since when you ever not been able to get a hard on for me? Nothing can be that bad. Get your clothes off and get in. You can make the coffee after!' 'Jane! I'm in serious trouble.' He sat on the bed at the foot, and put his head in his hands with his elbows resting on his knees. Jane got out of bed and stood in front of him. 'It's not about Rosie is it? You've not told Sylvie?' Oliver looked up. 'It's nothing at all to do with Rosie or Sylvia, Jane. I've just got myself in serious trouble and you're the only one I can turn to!' He reached out and put his arms around her waist, and she came forward and let him rest his head against her tummy, cradling it there.

  Oliver couldn't speak for a minute. He had the soft warmth of Jane in her nightie against him and he clung to her like she was his mother; so warm; so cosy. Jane caressed his shoulders and pushed her fingers through his hair, and gently massaged his scalp. She didn't speak either. Just pressed his head more firmly into her tummy.

  Oliver mumbled his words. 'You're the only person I trust in this world, Jane, and I need to tell you!' She helped him to his feet and started to get him out of his jacket. 'Take your jacket off and kick your shoes off, Olly. Lie in bed dressed with me so I can hold you properly and you can tell me everything.' He did what he was told and got into bed dressed, and she cuddled up to him and brought the covers over. Jane had a way of reducing people to utter dependence. She had the power to turn them in almost any direction. At this moment she had made him a child. When she asked him to tell her all about it and kissed his forehead he burst into tears.

  This was an entirely new experience for Jane. She rocked him gently, not speaking. She'd had females in this situation many times, but never a man. She gained control of them a different way. After a little while Oliver stopped and lay quiet.

  'Are you ready to tell me now?'

  Oliver gently pulled from her arms and lay on his back. 'It's Tina upstairs!' He stared at the ceiling. Jane looked quizzical, but Oliver wouldn't look at her face. 'Tina? What about Tina?'

  'I made a pass at her and she accepted. She really liked me. She asked me to get in bed with her and I did. But Ken turned up and caught us at it. We had a fight. A terrific fight. He was winning but I managed to grab a hammer and hit him with it.'

  Jane sat up straight, supporting herself with a hand pressed into the pillow. ‘You mean he's gone to the police? What did Tina do?' Oliver threw his legs out of bed, got up, and walked over to the window. 'Tina started screaming at me and said she was going to get the police and started to run out. I panicked and hit her with the hammer as well!' Jane got out of bed and grabbed for her dressing gown. 'Good God, they'll lock you up for GBH. There's no way you'll get away with that!' She fastened her belt and started toward the kitchen with her empty bedtime coffee mug. 'And what the hell can I do? No amount of talking to Tina's going to make any difference by me. They'll throw the book at you!'

  When she came back with two coffees Oliver was laid on his back on the bed, staring at the ceiling again. Jane was puzzled. 'I don't get this! When did it happen?' She put a mug of coffee on the cabinet his side, and stood looking down at him. Oliver rubbed his face with both hands. 'They're dead, Jane! They're both dead!'

  Jane spilled coffee over the carpet and stepped back. 'What?' Her mouth fell open in disbelief and shock. She went to walk away but didn't know to where. Shaking her head, temporarily speechless, she took a moment to start thinking straight. 'Are you saying you killed them both with a hammer?' She was stood over him again. Oliver sat on the edge of the bed, head in his hands for the second time. 'I need you to help me Jane. Like before.'

  ‘What? You think I'm going to get mixed up in . . . You're not dragging me into this! You've made a big mistake. Oh no!' All the time she was shaking her head. 'Two people dead . . . You killed two people and you want me a part of it . . . Are you fucking crazy?'

  'I helped you once didn't I? Wasn't my fault about Rosie . . .'

  'You lying dog!' She walked right up to him. 'It was you!'

  Oliver shook his head. 'You shoved her head into the pillow and suffocated her! It was you! But what's it count who did it, we're both guilty! All you need to do now is the same as you did then. You can do it! There'll be no problem if you help me.'

  Jane snapped back. 'But I've got nothing to do with what you've just done, have I? We're not both guilty now!' She started pacing the floor, thinking. Oliver remained sat on the bed, rubbing his head. 'I need you Jane! We've got to put them with Rosie.'

  Jane stopped pacing and stood and stared at him.

  He stared back at her. 'You don't think I would have risked my neck asking you this if I could have managed on my own, do you, Jane?'

  Jane shouts at him. 'Put them in the orchard with Rosie? Just like that? You're insane!'

  'I know Jane, I know. It's a bloody nightmare! But just think of it. Rosie's been there over two years. Nobody's ever going to dig that orchard up for as long as we're alive. I'm just never going to sell this place. What else can I do?'

  Jane had got herself thinking logically again. The agitation and shock was moving away from her. Out of Oliver's terrible problem, ideas to Jane's advantage were forming. From her subconscious a complete jig-saw had fallen. Every piece had dropped in such a way that she could see exactly how to place them to form a perfect picture.' 'My God, Olly, you're asking a lot from me! I've got to think about this!'

  Oliver nodded. 'You know I'd do anything to help you if you got in trouble, Jane. Look what we've already done together. All of it's crime. We've raped three married women, let alone those young girls and what we did to Rosie. Nobody could be closer than us in the things we've done together!' Jane looked at him hard. 'All right, Olly! But I want something in return. In fact I want a lot in return. And in future you're going to do what I tell you as regards your sex life . . . and your drinking! There's no way I'm sticking my neck out for you unless I'm the one who says what goes!'

  She went over to him and took his mug. 'Come into the kitchen, I need another coffee.' He followed her through, talking as he went. 'I agree, Jane. My sex life has only ever been good through you, anyway. I can never do anything right. What ever you want, or what ever you want to do, is okay by me.' Oliver was only too pleased to put himself under her wing again. She'd given him everything in the way of sexual pleasure up to yet.

  Jane lit the kettle for the coffee.

  'I know this is not a very fair thing to say, Jane, but if you hadn't have cut me off, I'd never have made a pass at Tina at all. I was just so frustrated for you . . .'

  'I never cut you off as you call it at all. I told you what the situation was . . . Me and Pauline!'

  'You told me to go to Sylvia! You know damn well I get no decent sex out of Sylvia . . .'

  'Good! Because what I'm going to say to you now will be all right then, won't it?'

  Oliver was stumped. 'What you mean?' Jane finished making the coffee. 'Let's sit down and talk, and then we'll go see to upstairs.' She took the mugs over to the table and sat down, and waved at the other chair for Oliver. He sat down opposite. 'Right, well first thing. All your sex life from now on is going to be with me. Or through what I arrange.' Oliver thought this was too good to be true. Jane continued. 'You can regard me . . . as your wife! Except that you'll be living with Sylvie. But you won't be touching Sylvie at all from now on because you're going to give her to me!' Jane stopped there to let that hit home. For a second or two it hadn't registered. Then he laughed. 'What? Don't be ridiculous! How can I do a thing like that? And I'm not having you doing the things you do . . . to her!'

  'Calm down! It's in your best interest that you give her to me, because so far you've put yourself in a very risky position over Rosie in what you've been telling her in your sleep. I'm the only one who has enough influence with Sylvie to keep that safe. And so far I'm already doing it!' Oliver showed a marked lack of understanding. 'But what am I supposed to have been saying? And what are you doing that's making it okay?'

  'I'm not going into it, Olly. It's between me and her. But believe me if you don't start doing things my way, you're going to come apart at the seams in more than one situation.' She swallowed some coffee. 'Look at it this way. You can have as much sex as you want with me. Whenever, and as often as you need it. Your sex life with her is already less than useless. For her too, because she's told me . . .'

  'What?'

  'Oh shut up and stop being a hypocrite! You'll still have her around for appearances, everything going along normal. Nobody will know. Not Annie, nor Bert. Because I shall see to it that that's the way it'll stay!'

  'But Sylvia's not going to go along with this . . .'

  'Olly, if you don't do it, she'll leave you for good. You won't even see her again, believe me!'

  Oliver rested his head. His forehead was burning. Jane added more. 'I'm already her lover, anyway! I've been taking her to bed every Thursday for nearly two years at a friends house!'

  Oliver slammed the table with his fist. 'I hope that's not the fucking truth . . .' Jane mocked him. 'Oh yes, going to hit us both with your little hammer now, are you? If you want the truth just ask her. But she's already promised me the minute you find out about it she'll leave altogether and come and live with me anywhere I want to take her! She only stays with you because she thinks you need her! And she can only live with our relationship so long as you don't know about it. So do you want her to stay with you, or don't you? Because if you lose her, you'll also lose me!' Oliver shook his head in absolute disillusionment that Jane could have perpetrated such a thing against him. 'I don't think I'm ever going to understand you Jane. I mean, you're even asking me to 'give' her to you now, but by all accounts you've already got her. I mean, why bother to ask?'

 

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