The Way Back Ch. 06

"Honestly, Ann," I assured her, "it's best you don't. If I tell you what I know, it will only complicate your account to the police if they come back. Once they let you go, as they will, without charge, I'll fill you in on what I know. Does that make sense?"

She nodded.

"Oh Allan," she sniffed, "I feel much more comfortable now you're here."

David arrived, getting the same greeting from the children, who hadn't seen 'Uncle David' for many months. Ann looked guilty but I reached across the table and squeezed her hand. She smiled.

I told David I had told Ann nothing and he agreed that was best. He explained that Derek and the other men arrested would be questioned at length. They would be unlikely to be released until the next day unless they had been charged, in which case they would appear before the magistrates. They would then be granted bail or remanded to prison until the trial at the crown court. He assured her that she would not be held, as there was no evidence against her that he knew of.

While he asked her about her time with Derek from the time I disappeared, I was able to take a few moments to really look at my ex-wife as I listened to her replies.

She was (and is) certainly a beautiful woman with that beauty that comes with incipient middle age; a mature beauty with depth to it. Her hair showed not a trace of grey, or her skin a trace of wrinkles, though her neck was beginning to hint at her age.

High cheekbones ensured her facial beauty would last her through life, and her large wide-set eyes straight nose and generous mouth gave her a classic look. As she went to fill the kettle for a second round of coffee it was clear she had kept her figure after her children, and I had a flash of memory that she trained at a gym for months after Stefan was born. Her bottom was tight, her breasts generous, her waist narrow and her calves sculptured.

It hit me strongly that any man would want her, purely on a sexual level, and a man on the rebound from a messy divorce, yes I now remembered it was messy and that Derek came often to our house and poured out his tale of misery on a regular basis, such a man would move heaven and earth, or in his case hell, to get her.

I felt a pang of deep resentment and anger at his treachery. I remembered taking him out to the pub with our friends and putting him up overnight when he drank too much and didn't want to go home. In no time, that resentment spread to the woman talking with David at the kitchen table. I glanced out of the window and saw that after a sunny morning, clouds had gathered and rain was pattering on the window. Tears for a broken relationship, I thought, somewhat predictably and perhaps melodramatically.

His questions, at first factual, the when and why of their relationship, and the 'evidence' that came her way, moved to more personal ideas. I saw her quick glances in my direction, and realised I was compromising the discussion. David was becoming aggravated as she evaded his questions.

"Ann," he said firmly. "I'm on your side. The police won't be so accommodating."

I got up and left the room, ranging round the ground floor. Derek had certainly spared no expense in fitting out the house he built. I found the pool, the gym, the living room and the study, where the gaps left by the absent computers were obvious. Then I mounted the stairs and found the master bedroom.

That was a bad move. I saw the bed they had slept in. The room was luxurious with an en suite bathroom and walk-in wardrobes. There was a chest of drawers and a dressing table. What hit me hardest wasn't the bed or what had gone on in it, but the dressing table. It was their ordinary lives in that room; Ann sitting at the dressing table putting on her make-up, walking out of the wardrobe in her underwear with a dress for the day; him dressing or shaving. They were doing all this in such luxury while I suffered excruciating pain in hospital, never giving me a thought. Looking back, I think I was wrong about that, at least as far as Ann was concerned, but that's how I thought at the time.

"Sick-making, isn't it," said my daughter's voice. "She gave up our wonderful house and all its memories for all this... stupid luxury!"

I turned to her. "I got out of the kitchen. Your mother is telling David all about her wonderful life here. She was inhibited by my presence! That says a lot."

Her face clouded. "Dad, I want to live with you and Jenny. I'll go mad here, living with him. Creep!"

"Well, Chicken, let's get over this trouble first, and then we'll talk with your mother."

She looked relieved. "Dad, let me show you the rest of the house. You've seen downstairs?"

I nodded, and taking my hand she gave me the tour of the upper floor.

She showed me the main guest room. "Mum is sleeping here at the moment. I think I told you."

The room was Spartan in its tidiness. It betrayed nothing of its occupant.

That made me feel better for some reason. I think it was the idea that Derek was being denied his sexual satisfaction with Ann.

She wandered into each of the boys' rooms with me in tow. Jan was on his own laptop, and Stefan was listening to something on headphones. They both smiled at me.

"Greta," I said. "You should knock before going into their rooms. It's their private space."

"Sorry Dad," she smiled, "but tell them that as well. I'm sure Jan wants to catch me naked! He's curious about girls."

That gave me food for thought. These lads needed a dad who would look out for them. I intended to be that dad.

I heard the doorbell and Greta and I went downstairs in time to see Ann let the police in. They comprised a shaven headed man in a leather jacket and a blonde woman in a smart trouser suit.

"Who may you be?" asked the man, addressing me as I reached the foot of the stairs.

"I'm Allan Jonsson, Ann's ex-husband."

The woman nudged him.

"It's him," she said, and I saw the realisation dawn that it was the attack on me they were investigating. They took a good look at me, and I could see the extent of my damage making its impression. They made no further comment but followed Ann into the living room.

Greta and I followed them. They immediately arrested Ann on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm with intent.

David asked if they could question her at the house, but they insisted on taking her to the station.

Ann turned to me with a worried look.

"They're taking me to the Police station," she said, glancing at Greta.

"Don't worry Ann," I said. "I'll take the children to my place. David will let me know when you're home."

Some time was taken up with getting the lads ready to go. I told them to expect to stay a while, so there was quite a lot of stuff to take. The police waited patiently while it was done. We left and Ann locked up. They allowed Ann to travel with David since he was her solicitor.

We left first, the car loaded with every conceivable thing the lads might need for entertainment, as well as changes of clothing, their school uniforms and school work, sleepwear and toiletries. The lads gabbled excitedly at the prospect of staying at the house. I wondered if they missed their mother at all but suspected it would hit them later. I was glad I had Greta to help me, who had her own collection in her two suitcases.

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TWENTY-NINE

We called at the supermarket on the way home; I had three hungry mouths to feed. I allowed the three of them to lead me round the shop while they filled the trolley with all kinds of rubbish, then I completed the tally with some proper food for the evening meal, vegetables and fruit.

When we arrived at the house there was a crowd blocking our way. There was a TV unit from the BBC, another from ITV and a few more, and a number of reporters. They fell back to allow the car to enter and we were subjected to camera flashes as photographers tried to get pictures of us all.

We parked and the children unloaded their things and went inside, while I went to the crowd and told them to leave the premises. Questions flowed free and fast, and I answered none of them until everyone was outside the gate. Then the TV crews lined up and an interviewer thrust a microphone under my nose.

I held up a hand.

"I have nothing to say, precisely because I know nothing. I have no memory of the event leading to today's arrests, nor of the days immediately preceding and succeeding it, so I am unable to comment."

"Mr Johnson," said the interviewer, "How do you feel now the arrests have been made?"

"Tired."

"Have you taken the children away from their mother for safety?"

"The children's mother is assisting the police, and as their father I am looking after them at her request until she gets back home."

"But you've brought them here."

"Yes. This is where I live. They used to live here. They feel comfortable here at what is a stressful time for them."

"Are you pleased that these men have been arrested?"

"Why should I be pleased? As far as I know they are helping the police. As I said before, I know nothing."

"But you must be pleased that progress is being made."

"If progress is being made, that is a good thing. I don't know if progress is being made. Now I would be grateful if you would leave us in peace."

At that I shut the gate and turned away, ignoring the questions shouted after me, about my marriage break-up and my ex-wife's life with Derek.

As I entered the house the phone began to ring. I let it go to the answer phone and no message was left. I changed the outgoing message.

"If you are from the media or the press you will not be answered. Family and friends, leave a message and I'll phone you."

I told the children not to answer the phone, and we got used to it ringing, which it did over and over again. Eventually the number of calls diminished and trickled to a stop.

The rain, which had started while I was at Derek's house continued all day but the lads did not seem to mind. Once inside the door they had grabbed their bags and made for their old bedrooms. Greta had disappeared into the kitchen and I heard the kettle singing as it warmed. I got bedding and made the boys' beds in case Ann wasn't released until the next morning. Greta's bed was already made from her previous visit. The lads were already immersed in their games and hardly noticed me. It was a relief. Soon enough it would hit them that their mother was not around.

Trish rang me on my mobile to say she would be arriving in Manchester on Thursday afternoon, prior to her departure on Friday. I offered her a bed for the night and she accepted. I offered her my bed for the night and she laughed, and accepted again.

For lunch I did them beans on toast, topped with a poached egg and soldiers at the side to dip into it. They fell on it happily.

"Dad," enthused Jan, "we haven't had anything like this since..." he caught himself at the last moment.

"Since I disappeared, Jan?" I completed for him. "Since I was beaten up? Since I was nearly murdered? You can mention it you know."

"Sorry Dad," he said.

"Don't be, son," I replied. "You can say anything to me, you know."

"Are you going to get Mum to come home, Dad?" asked Stefan, assuming he could ask anything as well, as he could of course.

Once again I was put on the spot. I couldn't see any possibility of that happening. I had been thinking about the morning's events while making beds and cooking. Ann hadn't been able to talk about her relationship with Derek with me in the room. I was excluded. All right, I excluded myself, but that was only so I wouldn't be embarrassed by David asking me to leave. The effect was the same.

There were things in her life I was not allowed to know. I fleetingly wondered if there was a longer history to their relationship than I ever knew. Were they having an affair before I was put out of the way? Without a clear memory of the days and weeks immediately before I was attacked I could not know. Was Ann even in on the attack?

I dismissed that idea. She was clearly shocked to be told I had not been with another woman, and that I had been beaten up. She had excluded Derek from further intimacy when she knew I was around. It did not compute. But she could have had a relationship with him which prompted him to put me out of the way. Whatever the truth was, there was no chance we could get together. Too much had happened, but we could be friends.

"It's not as simple as that, Stefan," I temporised. "A lot has happened, and we're no longer married. I don't think it's likely to happen. But we both love you and you will see a lot of both of us from now on."

"I don't want to go back there!" asserted Jan, and the others nodded their agreement.

"Dad," said Greta animatedly. "He's stolen Mum from you. He wormed his way in, the smarmy creep! And to do it he tried to--"

"Greta!" I said sharply, and she stopped, realising she had forgotten her promise.

"Listen, Kids," I said, more calmly. "The right thing to do is to talk to Mum about it."

"Dad," asked Jan, "what's all this with the police? Why have they taken Mum away? And where's Derek?"

Now I knew I would have to tread carefully, but Greta pre-empted me. "The police think he's committed a crime, and they're questioning Mum to see if she knows anything about it."

"Wouldn't be surprised if he's done something," muttered Jan.

I appreciated Greta's delicate intervention. I needed to say nothing.

The afternoon passed. The crowd at the gate thinned and eventually the road was empty again. Greta was doing her revision, after all her A(S) level exams started the following week. It worried me that this upheaval would unsettle her at a crucial time. The boys were in their rooms. As evening approached I decided to make stew and dumplings with stir-fry vegetables. It would be popular with the children and would keep.

We ate and then Jan did his homework; typical lad, doing it at the last minute. Greta took a break from work and went for a shower and hair wash ready for school the next day, then back to work. Stefan had no homework to do. I realised that they were still at school locally and must have been bussed or driven from Hale every day. They could walk from this house.

I switched on the TV for the news. I was not prepared for what I saw. There was the obligatory reporter standing outside one of the Manchester Police Stations. Jan came into the room as he was beginning.

"Police raided addresses in Wythenshawe and Hale today and arrested five men in connection with a severe attack on a local businessman two years ago. Derek Fanshaw of Hale Barns, Craig Wilson, Lee Harper and Gary Grantham of Wythenshaw, and Terence O'Malley of Sale have been helping police since early morning. Later this morning, Mr Fanshaw's partner Mrs Ann Jonsson was also arrested. Mrs Jonsson is the ex-wife of the businessman who was attacked, Allan Jonsson. A statement is expected from the police later this evening.

"Mr Jonsson was badly injured and was not expected to live. Dr. Ahmed of Newcastle General Hospital said that on admission Mr Jonsson was given a three per cent chance of survival."

Newsreader: "Why has it taken over two years for the police to make arrests?"

Reporter: "Well, they tell us that his face was so badly destroyed that he was not recognisable, and all his clothing and property was taken, so nobody knew who he was, and when he came out of his coma he had no memory of who he was either."

My interview was not used, for which I was grateful.

Jan stood transfixed.

"Dad, that's you they're talking about, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Is that right? Did Derek do this to you?"

"Jan. Sit down. No, get Stefan and Greta."

He did and the three of them sat down. I turned off the TV.

"OK," I said. "What happened this morning has just been on the news. I want you to listen very carefully to what I say. No one is guilty until proved guilty. Remember that. No one.

"Derek has been arrested on suspicion, note that, suspicion, of trying to kill me. Three of his workmen are suspected of actually doing the deed. Another man who works for Derek is suspected of leading the three men to me. They are suspected of it."

"But the police must have reasons," said Jan.

"Yes, I'm sure they have."

I gave them the facts; I was getting used to the story.

"They all sound guilty to me," said Greta.

"But not Mum," asserted Stefan. "She wouldn't do that. She loves you, Dad."

Stefan was the most loyal of the three and I admired him for it, and I agreed with him. I couldn't accept that Ann would conspire to have me killed. It was too ridiculous for words.

"I know, Stefan, and I agree with you, but I want you to hold on to the idea that people are innocent until proved guilty. Mum was arrested too. Being arrested does not mean guilty. Clear?"

"Yes, Dad," they chorused doggedly.

As the lads went back upstairs, I heard Jan say, "I bet he did it though," and Stefan, "So do I."

I had done what I could.

Greta once again disappeared to revise, though how she managed it with loud music playing, I didn't know.

By nine there had still been no news of Ann, so I put the lads to bed. Then went through the calls on the answer machine. There was the odd call from cranks, some abusive, one from Jenny and one from Trish asking me to call back when things cooled down. David called at ten on my mobile and said he thought they would be finished soon.

Greta came down when she heard my phone, and having been given the news went to bed. At ten forty-five the doorbell rang. There on the step was Vivienne, and with her a pale and sickly looking Ann.

"Come in," I said. They walked through to the kitchen. I followed and put on the kettle and the pan of stew on to heat. They sat at the table and I joined them while the kettle boiled.

"Ann," I said. "You've really been put through it from the looks of things."

"She's been exonerated, Allan," said Viv. "David told me to tell you that all the others are going to be charged and will be up before the magistrates in the morning."

"I don't understand," said Ann as I made the tea. "I can't believe that Derek would do such a thing. The police must have got it wrong. He's such a gentle person. Why have they hit on him?"

"Didn't the police say anything?" I asked.

"Not a thing. They wanted to know about my... relationship with Derek. They were working on the idea that I helped him."

"Didn't you?" I asked.

She started.

"No!" she raised her voice. "How can you believe that? I loved you."

"O'Malley said the man who employed him on behalf of someone else, knew when I was going to York and how I would get there."

There was a tense silence, and Ann looked by turns worried and guilty.

"Well Ann?" I asked.

"I might have told Derek I suppose."

"When would you have done that, Ann?"

"Allan!" interrupted Viv. "She's been interrogated all day. Not you as well!"

"Sorry," I said. "I was only trying to show that the police might have a reason for arresting you, Ann."

There was a strained silence. I stood and stirred the stew and put a couple of potatoes into the microwave.

"You look as if you need something to eat, the pair of you. It's nearly ready."

I placed the food before them and they ate in silence. When they had finished and drunk their tea I saw the beginnings of a smile on Ann's face and her complexion took on more colour. I was reminded again how beautiful she was, and how much I had lost.

Then I remembered the News.

"Ann," I said. "Jan caught the news tonight. I got them together and stressed that people are innocent until proven guilty. I was only marginally successful. They all believe that Derek is guilty. They want to live here. I'm just warning you in advance."

"Are you turning them against me now, Allan? Is that what's happening?"