Doctor Who_ Warchild - Andrew Cartmel [11]
But Benny hesitated and stopped, recognition flickering in her eyes as she tried to place this strange old woman who stood grinning at her, her teeth discoloured and unforgivably crooked in this age of cosmetic surgery.
‘Do you know each other?’ said Roz.
‘Yes,’ said Benny feeling sudden pleasure as the name popped into her mind. ‘Mrs Woodcott!’
‘Took you a moment, though, didn’t it, dear?’ said the old woman. ‘And I’m the one who’s supposed to be having Alzheimer therapy.’ She cackled, a little saliva gathering on her whiskery chin. Roz gave Benny an odd look. But then Mrs Woodcott swivelled her watery old gaze directly at Roz.
Roz felt herself caught in the searchlight beam of a formidable intelligence. Mrs Woodcott scrutinized her for a moment and then turned to Benny. ‘Who is your friend with the fascinating eyes?’
‘Oh, I’m sorry. Mrs Woodcott, this is Roslyn Forrester.
Roz for short.’
‘Enchanted,’ said Mrs Woodcott, seizing Roz’s hand in one bony old claw and squeezing it as though she was buying livestock. Roz couldn’t help comparing her own firm brown flesh with the gnarled blue veins and pale liver-spotted skin of Mrs Woodcott’s ancient hand. Heavy silver rings cut into the old flesh over her swollen bony knuckles.
‘How odd to run into you,’ said Benny. ‘I was just thinking about Creed the other day.’
‘Odd?’ said Mrs Woodcott. ‘Don’t talk to me about odd, dear. I could write a book about odd. If this is what passes for odd in your experience you must lead a jolly normal life.’ She was still holding Roz’s hand and Roz was increasingly drawn to the notion of simply yanking it back. But suddenly the old woman shrugged and turned away. ‘See you later dears,’ she said. She waggled her hideous gnarled fingers and chuckled as she walked off.
Benny watched her go, then turned and hurried after Roz. As she caught up with her she saw two of the stewardesses from their flight standing beyond the sliding glass doors. One stewardess was holding a large bunch of roses.
‘There are your spies,’ said Fee. Jessica turned listlessly and peered over the bouquet of roses she was holding. She looked through the glass security doors and saw the black and white woman from row C. They had cleared immigration and were heading for the customs area.
Jessica nodded, trying to pretend interest. She kept her head down so as not to meet Fee’s gaze. She couldn’t stand the look of concern and compassion in the Scottish girl’s eyes. Instead she shifted the bundle of roses and looked at her watch for the thousandth time. As she did so she couldn’t help seeing the ring on her finger. The ring she’d only been wearing for a day.
‘It’s all right,’ said Fee.
‘How do you know?’ muttered Jessica.
‘There must be some explanation. Maybe he got the times mixed up.’
‘He has a copy of my rota. He knew when I was landing.
He promised to be here.’
‘Maybe he’s just been delayed. Traffic on the M25 can be terrible.’
‘I tried the phone in the car. I also tried his portable. I also tried the house and the office. He’s not there. He’s not anywhere.’
‘Well, there must be some explanation,’ said Fee. But the comforting tone of voice wavered for a moment and Jessica knew that Fee had just thought of the same explanation which had occurred to her.
Roy hadn’t forgotten when she was landing. And he certainly hadn’t forgotten about their engagement. He just didn’t want to meet her.
‘He’s changed his mind,’ she said softly.
‘Hush there now,’ said Fee. But Jessica knew that she was thinking the same thing.
Roz glanced through the glass doors at the girl holding the roses. Their stewardess. She didn’t look happy. The girl’s obvious distress reminded Roz of something. Roz turned and looked at the white woman beside her. ‘Benny?’
Benny didn’t hear her for a moment. She was biting her lip with anxiety. The tight worried expression on her face pissed Roz off. Benny was basically OK; she was utterly reliable in a dangerous situation and there were few people whom Roz would rather have at her side. But beside being brave Benny was also highly