CHAPTER 59
It was a sleepy Rosa who woke from a restless slumber to find Hot lying right down the side of her with his bum in her face and his tail tickling her.
‘Oi, Mr Sausage, no wonder I don’t sleep.’ Her adorable mutt turned himself around, licked her cheek, then shut his eyes again. She admired his crinkly neck, and soft black whiskers for a moment whilst inhaling his heavenly dog scent and his less heavenly dog breath, then checked her phone: nothing still from Josh, but there was a text from Mary.
It’s Mary. Rosa loved the way she always started her texts with that. I’m alive (smiley face) and I’m getting a lift back with a practice nurse from Polhampton. I forgot Merlin! (horrified face).
But I didn’t (smiley face) Rosa replied immediately.
(picture of wings) You are an angel.
I know. Text me when you’re back.
Rosa stretched and yawned. ‘Right, come on boy, let’s get down that beach and have a walk. It looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day.’ On hearing the magic ‘w’ word, Hot was whiffling around, waiting for his lead and harness to go on, after his mistress had thrown on some clothes and cleaned her teeth.
After all the cold winter walks they had taken together, it was a joy, Rosa thought happily, to stroll on the beach with the sun on her face and not having to wear a coat. Hot barked in delight as he mingled with all the other dogs out this morning. The sea was still and calm, and even the seagulls didn’t seem to be crying as loudly as usual. The horizon was so straight it looked like it had been cut with scissors. It wouldn’t be long before it would be possible to sunbathe and even swim.
Despite the peaceful outlook, every time that Rosa looked out to sea now, she couldn’t help but think of Ned’s letters to T - and also of the distressing image of Dotty jumping to her death from West Cliffs, the very place where Ned and Queenie had found such love. Poor Dotty. What on earth must have been going through her mind as she made that final walk up to the edge?
Rosa still found it hard to believe that T was Queenie. She still hadn’t seen any photos of them when they were young, but she doubted, with all the secrecy surrounding the affair, that there would be any of Ned and T together.
Easter had definitely brought many visitors to Cockleberry Bay. If she was honest, Rosa preferred the solitude of the bay out of season. However, low season didn’t sell Versace ties and pay the rent, so she would just have to embrace it - and it was actually quite nice to meet new people.
She tried to call Josh again but met with the same response. Maybe he had gone on a work trip overseas, but she was sure he would have mentioned it. If she hadn’t heard from him by this evening, Rosa decided she would call his office. She knew he was probably going through hell at home, but surely a friend was what he needed right now? She didn’t want to believe that Lucy was pregnant; nor did she want Josh to settle for someone who wasn’t right for him. The truth was, she could not bear for him not to be in her life, nor in her heart.
She was just picking up a ball that Hot had dropped at her feet, when she noticed commotion going on, up at the Ship. Holidaymakers looked on to as two police cars screeched into the car park of the old pub. The unmissable hair and teeth of Sheila Hannafore were then in full view as she was escorted out of the front door and into one of the waiting cars.
The arrest of the wily old publican was enough of a shock for Rosa, without then seeing Seb shooting down the outside fire escape at speed and making a run towards the beach. A policeman who had been sitting in one of the cars spotted him and leapt out in hot pursuit. Rosa just managed to jump out of the way as the breathless officer trod on Seb’s shoelace, causing the scruffy redhead to go flying over on to the sand.
Another uniformed policeman had now caught up and restrained Seb by cuffing his hands behind his back.
‘Sebastian Watkins, I’m arresting you on suspicion of the hit-and-run incident in which Miss Jasmine Simmonds was hurt, on the evening of twenty-third December last year. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be taken in evidence. Do you understand?’
Seb shook his head, as the policeman then shouted: ‘Do you understand, Watkins?’
‘Yes, now get me off this bloody beach.’ Seb snarled at Rosa: ‘And what are you fucking staring at?’
‘Nothing, nothing at all,’ she said calmly. ‘I thought I just saw a boomerang, that’s all.’