To Catch a Butterfly Read online

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “So what have you two got planned today then?” Beth Daniels pulled out a chair and joined Adam and Stevie at the table, “Your dad will be home about four today.” She looked at Adam, but let her eyes wander to Stevie, the mark on her face was beginning to fade.

  “I’ve got to be home at three.” Stevie said quietly, still staring at the card, running her fingers over the words as though they were written in Braille.

  “Well, I’ll tell you what, Adam, why don’t you go and put that card in Mr Lewis’s window and Stevie can help me make some sandwiches, I expect you’ll end up down at the river at some point today?” Beth was eager to speak to Stevie on her own, she simply couldn’t leave it and the thought that Stevie had been hit across the face was eating at her. She couldn’t imagine it was her father. William adored her and Stevie always spoke of him with equal adoration. It was Marie who had struck her and Beth knew it. There was something about Marie Buchanan that made Beth very uncomfortable, the first time they had met Beth had got the feeling that Marie had taken an instant dislike to her. Adam put his hand out and Stevie handed him the card, “I won’t be long.” he swung his legs around and went to the hallway to put his trainers on. “Don’t forget to give Mr Lewis the other note I wrote Adam!” Beth called after him.

  “What other note?” Stevie asked.

  “Oh, I just put in it a proper description of the cat and said that it had been moved onto the grass verge.”

  “But we didn’t put it on the grass verge.” Stevie squinted.

  “No, Adam’s dad moved it last night.” Beth tapped the table with her fingers, “Right then, let’s sort out some lunch for you two eh?”

  When she heard the front door shut she stood up, “What would you like in your sandwiches, I’ve got all sorts.” She made her way into the kitchen followed by Stevie who was standing in the doorway, leaning up against the door frame. Beth turned towards her, “You’re very quiet today Stevie, are you alright?”

  Stevie looked at the floor, “Yes thanks.”

  Beth stepped towards her and crouched down, “How did you get that red mark on your face?” Beth frowned at the bluntness of her own question.

  “I just ran really fast and got hot.” Stevie answered quickly looking straight at Beth and raising her eyebrows.

  “Oh, I just thought...” She stopped, knowing that there was no other way of saying ‘I just thought maybe your mother had slapped you so hard across the face that she left an impression of her hand on you, but if she did you can tell me and I’ll come round your house and slap her back, see how she likes it.’ So she just looked into Stevie’s eyes and Stevie stared back, giving nothing away. “I just thought maybe..” Beth stood upright, “Maybe you’d hurt yourself or something.” Beth’s voice trailed off, she

  put her hand on the top of Stevie’s head before turning back and busying herself making lunch. Cursing herself for not broaching the subject the right way, or just another way.

  “Mrs Daniels.” Stevie frowned.

  Beth turned around quickly “Yes?”

  “Please can I feed your fish?”

  Beth smiled, nodding “Of course you can.” She watched as Stevie made her way over to the tank and gently sprinkled fish flakes into the water. Beth didn’t like to say that they had been fed not an hour before, she would just have to remember not to give them anything that evening.

  Ten minutes later Adam returned, Beth packed them off with their lunch, waving until they disappeared around the corner, thoughts of Stevie swimming around her head. What could she do? Challenge Marie? Push Stevie for an answer? Ask Adam to find out? There was just no simple answer, she would mention it to Peter, see what he thought.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Catherine Stone wrapped a towel around her head as she stepped out of the shower; she walked over to the mirror and wiped away the condensation before staring closely at her reflection. Running her index finger along the lines that darted out from the corners of her eyes, she frowned. Her once toned features were gradually disappearing as the years trundled on. Her short dark hair was slowly turning grey but her prominent cheekbones still gave her face the look of chiselled beauty. Catherine was once described by one of her many admirers as ‘A handsome woman whom one could fall in love with at a glance’

  And very many did.

  She’d been a head turner alright; broken hearts once lay all around her, declarations of love cast aside, proposals of marriage politely declined. Catherine’s true love was her work and there had rarely been time in her life for any other kind. She was a talented artist, the best examples of her work hung in hallways of the grandest homes. Her love of nature was often captured in delicate brush strokes on canvas, a flock of birds scattering out and upwards, startled by a rambler out for an evening walk with his dog. A tabby cat lazing, outstretched in the morning sun. And there were many examples of Catherine’s favourite subject, the Fritillary butterfly, with its orange-brown colouring and beautifully decorated wings. She had first noticed it years before whilst taking photographs of an area known as Devil’s Drop on the Hampshire coast, a mile of chalky grassland that suddenly plunged downwards into the sea. The whole area was alive with Marsh Fritillary and Catherine spent the afternoon watching them dance on the wind, delicate, shy and appearing to be busily going nowhere.

  She dressed quickly, pulling on a pair of black slacks and a white short sleeved shirt. Lighting a cigarette, she sat on the end of her bed and brushed her hair, all the while looking at the boxes stacked up in the corner of the room. Not much to show for forty nine years she thought to herself, pursing her lips and blowing out the grey blue smoke which hung in the room.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Stevie and Adam walked slowly down Barrow Lane, the morning sun sat heavily in the sky and was already beating down on them. Stevie spotted the stick she had discarded the day before and bent to pick it up. As she inspected it she heard Adam calling her, “What?”

  “It’s gone!” He called, a little louder than he really needed to.

  Stevie hurried over to him and looked at the verge area, then at Adam, “Is this the spot?”

  “Yeah, my dad put it here, right by this tree.”

  “Are you sure?” She pressed, scratching her leg through her jeans.

  “Yes I’m sure, it was here, right here.” Adam pointed to the ground. “It was definitely dead wasn’t it?”

  “Yeah, it had bugs on it.” Stevie nodded “Only dead things have bugs crawling on them, like dead bodies in graves, maggots eat them you know, well except for their bones and teeth, maggots don’t eat bones or teeth.” She said matter of factly.

  “Why don’t they eat bones or teeth?” Adam frowned, more from the heat and flies that whizzed around them than the content of their conversation. A conversation that would not be taking place had Laura been there.

  “Well you can’t eat teeth can you, I mean they’re teeth and bones are bones.”

  “You can eat teeth actually, well dogs can anyway, my gran’s dog ate her teeth, she fell asleep reading a book and her teeth come out and the dog ate them.”

  They looked at each other for a moment, Adam watched as a smile grew on Stevie’s face, a moment later they were laughing, really laughing. Stevie dropped her stick and Adam dropped a fart that brought them both to their knees in hysterics, they lay, backs to the ground, collapsed in their amusement. When they had recovered they continued their journey to the river, both making mental notes to check the maggot-bone theory with their fathers later.

  Five minutes later they were dipping their feet in Blackhurst River, socks and trainers abandoned on the river bank. They spent the afternoon sitting in their favourite spot, leant against a fallen tree trunk, the river stretched out before them, glistening in the sunshine, reflecting on their faces. They devoured the contents of the packed lunch, carefully prepared by Beth, and Adam poured black currant squash out into two beakers handing one to Stevie, who gulped it down thirstily.
When she finished she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, “I wish we could come here everyday.” She leant back against the trunk and looked hard at the sky before turning her head towards Adam, who now had two purple semi circles of black currant arching up from the sides of his mouth, like a painted on purple smile, “Me too.” He replied. “I wish we didn’t have to go to school either, it would be alright if we didn’t have to do lessons, just play rounders all day.”

  Stevie listened as he talked about all the things he liked and disliked about school, his favourite teacher, who they both agreed was Miss Tomkins, the best teacher in the whole school, she let the children play games outside when it was sunny even when they were supposed to be doing a spelling test.

  As Adam talked, Stevie could hear the shouts and laughter from other children playing further down the river and hoped they would stay away and not disturb them. She liked it when it was just the two of them. When they’d exhausted the subject of school, the conversation turned back to the dead cat and after dismissing several theories, Adam was finally satisfied that he’d convinced Stevie that the angels had come and taken it away, and with that, he got up, removed his tee shirt and jumped into Blackhurst River. Stevie stood up and perched herself on top of the tree trunk and while she picked off pieces of dried bark, she watched Adam splash around in the water, pretending that he was being attacked by some huge dark creature that lurked ominously in the shallow water. Stevie shook her head, as unconvinced of his apparent imminent doom as she was with his angel story. She wanted to play in the river too and hold his head under the water until he pretended to drown and then flick water at him when he came back up. Same thing every time. But it still made them both laugh. But she had checked her watch and in half an hour she would have to go home, she smiled at Adam who was being hounded by a large dragon fly, he was trying to duck underneath it as it hovered above his head. Beneath her smile she felt miserable, her mother would still be mad at her and her father wouldn’t be there. Her mother was different when they were alone, Stevie thought about that morning and instinctively put her hand to her cheek, the stinging had subsided. Her mother wouldn’t have hit her if her father had been there, it was always when he was at work or if he went out to the pub, which wasn’t very often, but it meant they were alone and her mother would look at her the way she always did and then tell Stevie off for knocking something over or dropping something on the floor, or for not putting her clothes in the laundry basket.

  “We better tell Mr Lewis about the cat.” Adam climbed up the bank, shaking water from his hair.

  “What?” Stevie looked at him.

  “The cat, the card in the window, we’d better tell him it’s gone.” He flicked his head at her, splashing drops of water on her face.

  “Yeah, I suppose, we’d better go now then, I’ve got to get home.” She jumped off of the trunk and started gathering up the beakers and empty crisp packets.

  When they got to the shop, there were two boys from their school standing in front of the sweet counter, Adam passed them and made his way over to Mr Lewis who was busy slicing ham for an elderly man who was dressed in a thick dark brown checked coat and a hat with a feather stuck to the side, “How’s that John?” Mr Lewis smiled, holding the slices up in a piece of grease paper, “Bit of mustard on that, lovely.”

  “Smashing.” John replied, his false teeth clunking up and down as he spoke.

  Stevie looked over at the two boys, Shaun Halliday and a smaller boy who Stevie had seen around but couldn’t remember his name, were now filling their pockets with bubble gum. She looked quickly at Mr Lewis who was handing John’s change over, then looked back at the boys, wide eyed. Just then they turned to leave.

  “Alright Stevie?” Shaun smiled at her, Stevie frowned and Shaun then glared at her, as if defying her to say anything. Stevie went to open her mouth to speak but before she could think of what to say, Shaun pushed past her and followed by the other boy, they left, the bell above the door dinging as they made their way out. Stevie watched as they ran across the road, looking back at her from the other side, laughing and waving handfuls of stolen gum into the air.

  “Stevie!” Adam was calling her; she turned around, almost bumping into John as he was squeezing past her to leave.

  “Mr Lewis said we can leave the card in if we want to, in case someone’s been looking for it.” Adam rubbed his nose.

  “Yeah ok.” She replied, looking out of the shop window at Shaun and his accomplice as they disappeared around the corner of the barber’s shop opposite. She decided she would tell Adam when they were on their way home.

  As they walked towards Stevie’s house, she confided in him what she had seen, he nodded as she spoke “I know he’s always stealing things, he steals from the kids at school as well, beats them up if they don’t give him stuff, I know he hit Gary ‘cos Gary told me, his dad’s got a funny leg or something.” Adam looked at Stevie as he spoke.

  “Gary’s dad hasn’t got a funny leg, he’s a bus driver.” Stevie frowned.

  “No Shaun’s dad, he’s got a leg that doesn’t work.”

  “Why doesn’t it work?”

  “Dunno, it’s just all wobbly I think.”

  “What happened to it?” Stevie was always intrigued about stories of horror, blood and gore.

  “I dunno, some kind of accident or something.”

  “What kind of accident?” Stevie pressed.

  “I’m not sure, I just know his leg got mangled up.”

  Stevie was satisfied that Adam didn’t know enough about it to question him further; she pushed it to the back of her inquisitive mind, for now.

  They crossed the road and once they’d reached Stevie’s house after agreeing to keep what Shaun had done to themselves, Adam made his way home.

  Stevie pulled her front door key out of her jeans pocket and was about to pop it in the keyhole when the door opened. Her mother stood there smiling “Did you have a good day?”

  Stevie didn’t answer, just nodded and stepped inside.

  “I saw Laura today, her mum brought her in to see the doctor.” Marie continued cheerily, “Do you fancy anything special for tea?” She put her hand on Stevie’s head as she passed her and went into the kitchen.

  “I got some shopping on the way home, come and have a look, see what you’d like, your dad’ll be home soon you can help me get it ready if you want.”

  Stevie sat down at the little kitchen table and looked at the shopping bags spread across the worktop.

  “Well, what do want, shall I do boiled eggs and salad?” Marie glanced at Stevie.

  “I don’t mind, can I have a drink?” Stevie asked, looking right back at her mother.

  “What’s the magic word?” Marie smiled.

  “Please.” Stevie responded, smiling back, she was used to her mother’s change in moods, one moment screaming blue murder, the next bouncing around the house like an excited puppy dog.

  “Good girl, there’s some lemonade in the fridge.” Marie opened the fridge door and pointed at the bottle lying on the shelf. “Stevie about this morning, I um..” Marie took the bottle out and handed it to Stevie, “I don’t think your dad has to know that you used the best towel and made it all dirty.”

  Stevie unscrewed the top of the bottle and listened to the fizzing sound of gas escaping.

  “I told you off and that’s the end of the matter, he’ll be tired when he gets home and I don’t want him bothering about it.” She threw another glance at Stevie who was pouring out her drink, holding the bottle with both hands, slopping lemonade on the work surface. “It’s just that I worry sometimes that your dad will be upset if he knows that we sometimes don’t get on, I don’t want him to leave, I mean that would be awful wouldn’t it?” She threw a look at Stevie “Here, I’ll clean that up, it’s just a drop, no harm done.” Marie squeezed out the dish cloth and quickly mopped up the spill.

  Stevie stared at her, “Dad wouldn’t leave would he?” Her eyes began to well up.


  Marie swallowed and put an arm around Stevie’s shoulder, “I hope not, but I think he might if he knew that you forced me to smack you sometimes, I’ve told you this before.”

  “I’m sorry mum, I don’t want dad to leave.” Stevie quickly wiped her face and Marie removed her arm.

  “It’s alright, just be our little secret eh?”

  Stevie nodded. Marie smiled. Marie had sown this seed two years before and every now and then she ensured it was watered.

  “Where are my girls!?” William called out, as soon as he opened the front door.

  “You’re early, we haven’t got dinner ready yet, we were just about to do it weren’t we Stevie?” Marie smiled as William walked into the kitchen and kissed them both. He sat at the table and started undoing his boots, “I got off early, I’ve got some news.”

  “Dad, that cat’s gone, what do you think happened to it?” Stevie sipped at her drink, feeling bubbles go up her nose.

  “I don’t know pumpkin; maybe the angels came and took it, eh?” William pulled the first boot off and started on the second.

  “Really?” Stevie’s eyes were wide as she paused for a moment, thinking it over, then she smiled, “Nah, probably a fox or something, foxes take things like that don’t they, like chickens, foxes take chickens and pull their feathers out.” Stevie paused for breath and took a gulp of lemonade.

  “Yes pumpkin, it could have been a fox, anyway, do you girls want to hear my news, I’ve got good news and sort of baddish news.” William pulled off his second boot and sat back. “What would you like first?” He looked from Marie to Stevie and back to Marie again, who stopped unpacking the groceries and turned to face him.