To Catch a Butterfly Read online

  Adam fidgeted in his seat as Peter pulled the car over outside the school gates.

  “Stay in the car Adam.” Peter quickly undid his seatbelt, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the little bundle sitting on the floor, back against the wall.

  “Stevie?” He slowly walked over to her “Stevie, it’s Adam’s dad, Peter.”

  Stevie watched him walk towards her.

  “You okay?” He crouched down in front of her.

  “I’m not going home, I just want to go to school.” Stevie tucked her legs tighter under her chin.

  “Stevie, it’s two thirty in the morning, you’re a bit early for school. Your mum’s worried sick about you.”

  “She won’t let me go to school.”

  ‘She will Stevie, she will now, but I’ve got to get you home first.” Peter heard the car door open behind him.

  “If I go home now, she won’t let me back out again, I’m alright here Mr Daniels, I’m not frightened of the dark.”

  “Stevie, you can stay at my house tonight.” Adam moved Stevie's school bag to one side and sat down next to her.

  “We’ll have to ask your mum first Stevie but I’m sure she’ll just be glad to see you.” Peter decided it looked more comfortable adopting the position that Adam and Stevie were sitting in, he turned around and sat on the cold pavement, back against the wall. For a moment the three of them remained silent, sitting outside the school gates like peaceful protesters. Eventually Stevie shifted position. “Is my mum mad at me?”

  “No sweetie, she’s just really worried about you.” Peter turned to look at her, she looked so small and vulnerable sitting there in the darkness.

  “She won’t be worried, she doesn’t love me.”

  Peter instinctively put his arm around her little shoulder “Of course she loves you, she’s your mum and if she didn’t love you she wouldn’t have called us to come and find you, would she?”

  “S’pose.”

  Peter found himself at a loss for what to say next, he tried to find the words that adults are supposed to say, the right words, said the right way, but Peter had nothing.

  And then Adam spoke “Of course your mum loves you Stevie, because she’s your mum.”

  And that just made sense to them all.

  Beth and Marie both jumped up at the sound of the car pulling up outside, “Oh God please let them have found her.” Marie reached frantically for the front door, fumbling with the latch.

  Beth pulled back the curtain and immediately spotted Stevie in the back seat. She watched as Marie ran down the pathway and bent down to look at her through the window. Beth smiled as Stevie got out of the car in full school uniform, her school bag over her shoulder.

  “Let’s get you inside, Oh Stevie I was so worried about you, why did you run away like that?” Marie followed Stevie into the front room.

  “I went to school.” Stevie replied sheepishly, “Can I stay at Adam’s tonight?” Stevie’s confidence coming from Beth and Peter’s presence in the room.

  “Not tonight eh?” Marie forced a smile “But after school you can go round and play.” Marie pushed a strand of hair from Stevie's face.

  “You promise?” Stevie looked at her mother.

  “I promise, now you’d better get to bed or you’ll be too tired go to school, run upstairs and hang your uniform up neatly there’s a good girl, and say thank you to Beth and Peter.”

  “Thank you.” Stevie obeyed and made her way lethargically up the stairs.

  “Well,” Marie sighed “Thank you again.” She looked at Beth whose eyes were still on Stevie. “I’d better let you get off.”

  “Will you be okay?” Beth switched her attention back to Marie.

  “Yes, I’ll be fine, Stevie can come round tomorrow after school, or today rather.”

  “Okay, well we’ll be going, call us if you need anything.” There was so much more that Beth wanted to say but knew she should pick her moment, another time.

  Marie stopped Beth as she turned to the front door and when Peter and Adam were out of earshot she asked her to keep what had happened to herself, she didn’t want the gossip mongers to find out, fuel for the fire. Beth reassured her that it would go no further and convinced her that Adam was also a good secret keeper. And with her mind at ease Marie waved them goodbye.

  CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

  Catherine sat in the sunshine looking at her freshly cut lawn, Scruffy Boy was curiously sniffing the grass box, pushing his face against it and then rolling onto his side, watching his own tail swishing around.

  The last few weeks had kept Catherine busy, she taken advantage of the good weather to tidy up the garden, putting her investment of a new lawnmower to good use. Marilyn had bought her a plant pot as a thank you and Catherine had accepted an invitation to dinner. They had laughed off the incident over copious amounts of gin and tonic, which had resulted in Catherine’s first hangover in more years than she had cared to remember. Promising herself never to drink that much again as she lay in bed most of the next day, curtains closed and a pillow placed over head, partly to ease her throbbing head and partly to hide her shame. Reminding herself that she was far too old for all of that.

  She looked up to see Scruffy Boy’s head bobbing up and down from inside the grass box, as he went through a rigorous cleaning ceremony. Catherine’s attempts to brush his matted fur had resulted in him believing it was a great game, gently attacking Catherine’s hand until she dropped the brush, allowing him to playfully push it across the patio floor, until a flying insect caught his attention and chasing that, ungraciously across the garden seemed like more fun.

  Catherine had removed her clothes from the suitcase in her bedroom and replaced them with a soft blanket, Scruffy’s first official present, purchased from a pet shop ‘Paws and Claws’, which she had located in the local town. It was big enough to fit neatly inside and was decorated with black paws and orange fishes. Often before Catherine drifted off to sleep she could hear him purring loudly, laying upside down with one paw over his face. She would smile and settle into sleep, knowing that he had worked his way into her heart and most of her kitchen cupboards.

  She had taken the opportunity of his company to take some photographs of him, not the best photographer; she had rarely used them for her paintings, usually working from memory. As Scruffy played she decided to head to the cemetery for the last couple of hours before dusk, when the gates were closed. On her return she would cook the piece of fresh salmon that sat in the fridge for her and Scruffy’s supper.

  CHAPTER FORTY SIX

  FIVE YEARS LATER.

  Rose Fielding slammed the oven door shut making Elaine jump.

  “Jesus mum!”

  “I’m going to ground her this time Elaine, I really am, I told her this morning to be in by five thirty sharp, I despair of that girl.” Rose’s cheeks were flushed to boiling point. “Well, I may as well dish our dinner up, you’ve been at work all day you must be starving.”

  “I’m okay, we can wait if you want, let’s have a cuppa, come on sit down, I’ll stick the kettle on.” Elaine put her hand on her mother’s shoulder “Sit.” She pulled out a chair for her, just as the doorbell rang.

  Rose slammed her hands on the kitchen table “Don’t tell me she’s lost her key again for crying out loud!” She stomped through the living room and pulled open the front door.

  “Mrs Fielding?” The police officer stepped forward.

  “Oh God.” Rose’s throat began to close up.

  “It’s alright I’m not here with bad news or anything but can I come in?”

  Rose didn’t reply but stepped back and watched him wipe his feet, Elaine appeared behind her mother “Mum?”

  “Mrs Fielding I’m PC Crane from Southlands police station, it’s about your daughter Laura, she’s not hurt or anything but she has been arrested.”

  “Arrested! What for?” Rose’s response boomed around the room, she looked at Elaine who raised her eyes to the ceiling.

&nbs
p; “Shoplifting.” The officer replied, wondering if the woman who stood before him was going to spontaneously combust.

  “Where from, what has she supposed to have taken, was she with someone else?” Rose’s questions came thick and fast.

  “She was with a lad named Shaun Halliday.”

  “Shaun Halliday, well!” Rose crossed her arms “There’s your answer, he’s a bloody tearaway, always has been, it’ll be him that’s been shoplifting, not Laura.”

  “Actually most of the stolen items were in Laura’s bags.” The officer said, nervously.

  “Bags!?” Rose unfolded her arms “How much stuff was stolen?”

  “About eighty pounds worth.” The officer shuffled awkwardly and took advantage of Rose’s stunned silence to continue.

  “We will need you to come down to the station to sit in when we interview her, I can give you a lift if you want.”

  ‘Does this mean she’ll have a criminal record?” Elaine asked.

  “That depends, I mean we haven’t interviewed her yet and until we do that, no decisions will be made about what action we may take.” He finished his sentence with a sympathetic smile, it didn’t take much to realise that this was a decent family, respectable house, respectable people. Unlike Shaun Halliday’s family, who were well known to the local constabulary, his father had done his time at her majesty’s pleasure serving several stretches for various misdemeanours; theft, assault, handling. Had he not attempted a wheelie on his motorbike some eleven years before, and had the handlebars not pierced his neck and left him with severe paralysis down one side of his body and slurred speech, he would have continued his pathetic little life of crime. Now his days were spent feeling bitter and frustrated with himself for not being able to piss without spraying the bathroom floor with urine. Now he watched his boy follow in his footsteps. Like father, like son. He’d previously drummed into Shaun that all coppers were lying scum and were not to be trusted or respected, you never admitted your crimes, that was for them to prove and they would stitch you up as soon as look at you. They were all the same, pigs. All fucking pigs.

  As it turned out, it was an off duty police officer that had run over to Steven Halliday’s mangled body as he lay helpless at the side of the road, and even though he could do nothing to treat the obvious physical injuries, he did the one thing that kept Steven Halliday alive until the ambulance arrived. He held his hand and told him everything would be alright.

  Shaun Halliday had punched his way at out of arguments with other kids who dared to call his father a spastic, although he did of course have the God given right to do just that when Steven dropped his food into his lap or got his sentences wrong.

  Shaun’s mother Irene moved the cork coaster nearer to her husband and set down a cup of tea. “There you are love, right I’ll be off, shouldn’t be too long.” Steven stared at the steam floating up from his cup and nodded. The police didn’t knock on their door anymore to tell them that Shaun had been nicked again, nowadays they telephoned, Irene made sure Steven was settled before making her way to the local cop shop, just as she was about to do this evening. She was a tired looking woman with olive looking skin and dry crunchy hair, too many years of bleaching and colouring had left it with an orangey tinge, years of dyeing it in the kitchen sink with cheap bottles of ‘Autumn Burst’ or ‘Summer Red’. As she buttoned up her coat and pulled the collar up around her neck she ventured out onto the black streets, feeling the snowflakes on her face.

  CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN

  Marie opened the front door, “Hello Adam, come in.”

  “Hello Mrs Buchanan, it’s snowing.” Adam wiped his feet “Stevie upstairs?”

  “In her room, go on up.” Marie waved him up the stairs then stepped outside, she held out a hand, palm up and waited until she felt the first flake land, then turned and went back inside.

  Adam tapped on Stevie’s bedroom door “Stevie, it’s Adam.”

  “Come in!” Stevie looked round and smiled as he entered “That was good timing, I’ve just finished wrapping your Christmas present.” She unfolded her legs and stood up, Adam bounced down onto her bed “It’s snowing.” He smiled, he and Stevie shared a love of the winter and all that it brought with it, especially if it snowed.

  “Is it really?” Stevie walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain “Ooh, it’s quite heavy!”

  Adam jumped up to join her, their faces peering out “Do you think it’ll snow on Christmas day?” Stevie looked at him.

  “I don’t know, be great though wouldn’t it?”

  “Yeah.” Stevie looked back outside staring as the pavements and rooftops turned white and all the while Adam stared at her. It was moments like these when he wanted to put his arm around her, or kiss her cheek, but he stopped himself every time, worried that she would push him away. Boys at school would comment on how pretty she was and several had plucked up the courage to ask her out, but Stevie had yet to discover her typical teenage interest in boys and had politely declined such requests.

  She was growing from being a tomboy into a young woman, but unlike the other girls at her school she felt little pressure in conforming to wearing the latest clothes or adopting the latest hairstyle, she did not possess one article of makeup and her long hair complemented her face as her figure sat comfortably in her favourite jeans, pale blue with both knees ripped out.

  She turned suddenly catching Adam staring at her “What?”

  “I was just wondering what you’ve bought me for Christmas.” Adam thought quickly.

  “Ah!” She touched his nose “You’ll just have to wait and see.” She smiled, “How did you get that little scar on your lip?” She peered closer and touched the slightly raised skin, “I don’t think I’ve ever noticed it before.”

  “I think I got it when I was little, I’m not sure.” Adam instinctively reached up and ran his finger across it. “Anyway, are you going to make me a coffee or what?”

  “Have you asked your mum how you got it?”

  “You can’t leave anything can you?” Adam grinned and poked his fingers into her ribs, making her jump.

  “I’ve got an inquisitive mind.”

  “Nosey more like, come on, coffee.” He pointed to the door.

  CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT

  Rose sat upright in the uncomfortable interview room chair, a cup of weak powdered tea sat going cold in front of her. Suddenly the door opened and Laura was ushered in by a six feet two Sergeant, whose eyebrows met in the middle.

  “Sit down there Laura.” He pointed to the chair next to Rose.

  “Mrs Fielding, sorry to keep you waiting I’m Sergeant Clarkson.” He sat opposite them; Rose ignored him momentarily to stare at Laura, who stared equally as hard at the floor.

  “As you’re aware Mrs Fielding Laura was arrested earlier on suspicion of theft.”

  Rose turned her attention to him.

  ‘We’ll shortly interview her to get her account of what happened and you’ll be present during the interview. Now Laura has certain rights while she is here and one of those is to have a solicitor present..”

  “We don’t need a solicitor Sergeant thank you, may I speak to my daughter alone for a moment?”

  “Yes of course.” He stood up, towering over them and quietly left the room, the moment the door was closed Rose turned in her seat “Did you do it?” She asked bluntly.

  Tears fell down Laura’s face as she nodded slowly “I’m so sorry mum.”

  “Why? Just tell me why Laura.”

  “I don’t know, Shaun was..”

  “I don’t want to hear about him I want to know why you went out and decided to steal.”

  “I don’t know I just did.”

  “That’s not a reason.” Rose sighed “What did you take, was it something you needed or something you wanted?”

  “CDs and stuff.”

  “Stuff? What do mean stuff?”

  “I’m not sure, Shaun asked me to hold the bag and he put the stuff in, th
en we just walked out.” Laura swallowed, her head hung low.

  “My God Laura, I can’t believe this, I really can’t, I thought I’d brought you up to know the difference between right and wrong.” Rose paused slowly shaking her head “Shoplifting, stealing, I mean you’ve been running around with that lad and I’ve told you time and time again he was bad, comes from bad stock, but you wouldn’t listen and now this.” She reached into her bag for a handkerchief and pressed it into her sobbing daughter’s hand. She put a comforting arm around her shoulder.

  “Right, I want you to promise me two things.” Rose lifted Laura’s chin and looked into her eyes, “You never see that wretched boy again and you tell the police the truth.” Rose raised her eyebrows and Laura nodded.

  “I won’t go to prison will I mum?” She sniffed.

  “No you won’t go to prison but you’ll probably have a criminal record, heaven only knows whose going to give you a job when you leave school.” As Rose spoke, the reality of what had happened suddenly dawned on her “Oh Laura, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you.” Her words were interrupted as the interview room door opened and the huge frame of the custody Sergeant appeared in the doorway.

  CHAPTER FORTY NINE

  Stevie reached over Adam’s legs and put her empty coffee mug on her bedside table, they had settled top and tail on her bed.

  “Is it something I can wear?” Adam had commenced his grilling about his present.

  “Nope.”