Power on Her Own by Judith Cutler Page A

middle-aged women, both smartly dressed. Gloves and handbags were leather.
    â€˜Put a note through the door, of course. Saying cut your grass or we’ll report you to the council. That soon worked. There’s this couple – oh, quite old – come along every week and mow the lawn. They’ve planted a little hedge, and made a flowerbed. They seem to be doing something at the back, only the angle of the garden means I can’t see.’
    â€˜So what’s the problem?’
    â€˜It’s just – well, you do hear cars at night. Late at night. And sometimes there’s a car drives away just as I’m coming home.’
    â€˜What do the other residents think? I mean, it’s a cul-de-sac.’ This woman sounded as intrigued as Kate herself.
    â€˜Well, no one else knows anything, do they? We’ve all got jobs. And the houses don’t overlook each other. The front doors are at the side, if you see what I mean. And they’ve all got trellises. I mean, you expect your privacy if you pay that sort of price.’
    â€˜Quite. But it’s lovely being just a little bit nosy. Have you ever been to the door or anything? Just for a little look?’
    Say yes! Please say yes!
    â€˜Well, I did do the Christian Aid envelopes. You know, it’s a funny thing, but people don’t give much, do they? All those nice big cars and most people only gave a pound coin.’
    You’re telling me! You try tin-rattling outside Sainsbury’s on a wet Saturday.
    â€˜Perhaps they give with standing orders or something. You know if you promise to pay for a certain number of years, they get some sort of tax benefit? That’s what we did for Oxfam. Covenant, that’s what it’s called.’
    Come on! Get on with it! I want to hear what happened when you went to the door. Please!
    The bus was now moving quite briskly. Any moment now, of course, they might get off. She’d get off with them, if necessary.
    â€˜And there’s this advert on Classic FM about a charity card. That man with the nice voice – you know.’
    Don’t let her drift from the point. Please!
    â€˜I know. Got such a worried face. Though maybe that’s the parts he plays. Fox, is it? Edward Fox?’
    â€˜That’s right. Now what was he in?’
    â€˜Wasn’t it something historical? Goodness me, it’s nearly my stop! Pam: you’ve still not told me – what happened when you went to that house? Did an ogre open the door?’
    â€˜No one opened the door. No one. I was sure someone was in. I could hear this funny whirring noise. Only very faint. But when I pressed the bell again, it stopped. And there was a tiny noise as if someone was going to speak and changed his mind. Do you know, I nearly – well, to be honest, I did. I leaned down to the letter box. If anyone had seen me they’d have thought I was calling in. But I was trying to have a look.’
    â€˜Really? Quickly!’ The woman was gathering herself up to move. ‘What did you see?’
    The first woman waited a dramatic moment. ‘Nothing! Nothing at all. Someone had pinned heavy felt across. There!’
    â€˜Here I am. See you tomorrow, Pam. Go and ring that bell again!’ The woman edged down the bus, pressing the Stop button as she went.
    Pam. Right, Kate would have to press Pam for further details. She shifted her grip to slide into the vacant seat. And was hurled forwards, staggering to a halt right by the driver.
    â€˜What the hell –?’ And then she saw. The car in front had hit a pedestrian. ‘Better let me off,’ she said. ‘I’m a police officer.’
    It hadn’t taken long for a Panda to turn up, in response to the call from her mobile phone. The ambulance was somewhat slower. Eight-thirty! The bus passengers had poured off. Kate should have intercepted that woman Pam. She knew she should. But she was too busy giving the injured pedestrian