Silent, Confrontation With The Ogre

Two Years Earlier, Lucy

A total disaster.

'I've had my eye on you ever since last night when I saw you and one of my students together in the garden shelter,' the Ogre said. 'I assume you were on your way to see the student just then.'

'No.'

'It would be better all-round if you were honest.'

'I am being honest.'

'I hope so,' the Ogre said.  'For your sake. Wandering around student accommodation is a very serious matter.'

She didn't respond to this, unsure of which answer would bring about greater consequences.  Agreeing that she'd gone up intending to find the chunky lad with the raven hair from last night or admitting she'd planned to break into the Ogre's apartment. She had the stolen key on her, hidden in her bag.

'Well?'

'I wanted to talk to him, that's all,' she lied.  Better than owning up about the key.

'The boy you were with last night in the shelter?'

'Yes.'  

'I see. Did he invite you to his room this evening?'

'No.'

'So you went uninvited. Am I right?'

'Yes.'

'Veronica tells me you've been behaving suspiciously all afternoon and evening. That's the reason why she went looking for Brendon and Terence in the first place.  Both men are extremely busy, so I agreed to come instead. I must say I'm surprised to find you upstairs in the student house, acting in this very suspicious manner. Is there anything else you would like to tell me?'

'No.'

'Veronica also tells me that you've been behaving ever so oddly since you got here on Friday. Is that correct?'

'No, it isn't.'

'On the contrary. I hear you return to the bungalow at all hours and disturb her and the other girl Michelle when they're trying to sleep. Is that true?'

'It's not true. I'm always quiet when I come in.'

'Well, that's not what I hear. And, apparently, you smoke in the bungalow.'

'That's not true,' she said, shocked by Veronica's vindictiveness. 'Veronica must be exaggerating. I only ever smoke in the private driveway.'

'Perhaps the smoke stays on your clothes when you come in. Very well, I'll take your word for it. Now, I think you'd better come to the office with me. We need to sort out a number of matters.' At that, Agnes Harlesden turned abruptly.  

She followed The Ogre along the corridor, down the open staircase, past the reception desk in the hallway, hoping Agnes hadn't already noticed the missing key.  For an elderly woman with an advanced terminal illness, Agnes was quick on her feet, even with the walking cane. Tap. Tap. Tap.  She hadn't even heard The Ogre come up the stairs. They reached an office tucked away between the dining room and a music studio.

The office was abandoned, and nothing as she recalled. The leather sofa had gone, along with the music system and the bookshelves.  All traces of Dad had vanished.

'I'm not very happy about this,' Agnes said, once they were seated. 'Terence Harlesden tells me that you were seen – now how shall we put it? – loitering by the railings on the promenade yesterday evening. I believe that was during the opening performance. Do you know what type of impression that gives?'

'No.'

'I think you do but you are choosing to play ignorant. We have to think of the reputation of the Summer School and we cannot have members of staff here bringing scandal to this school. I think you know exactly what image you're presenting when you choose to loiter by those railings, alone.'

'I'm not some cheap tart, if that's what you're getting at,' she shot back at Agnes.  

The Ogre seemed unruffled. 'I think those are very strong words and I certainly wouldn't use them liberally.  However, your behaviour on the pier sends out messages of a kind. And those messages are simply not appropriate. Furthermore, you are a member of staff here and we have a duty to make sure you're safe. I cannot emphasise that enough. This behaviour must stop immediately, both for your sake and for the reputation of the school. From now on, you will not be allowed to go to the pier at night.'

'You can't stop me from going out.'

'Yes, I can. I have to insist that you stay on the grounds here at night, preferably in the bungalow with a book or a CD.  It's for your own protection and safety.'

'But I'm getting anonymous notes at the bungalow. The bungalow's the least safe place around.'

'What notes?  You didn't say anything about anonymous notes when I found you just now loitering in an area out of bounds to you.'

'I've been getting notes since yesterday.'

'Yesterday?'

'Yes, Agnes. The day you came back. Anonymous notes printed on a computer.'

'How extraordinary.   Do you know who's sending you these notes?  Is it the young boy you've taken a fancy to?  Would he really send you anonymous notes?  I don't think he would. I think he's a rather shy boy.'

'No, of course he wouldn't. It isn't him.'

'So why were you looking for him?'

'Because I'm worried about the notes.  I needed to talk to someone.'

'But you don't know him, do you?  And you don't seem at all worried. On the contrary.'

'Believe me, Agnes, I'm terribly upset and frightened by all this. Someone's following me and coming into the bungalow with a set of keys. I'm being stalked.'

'Exactly why you mustn't go to the pier at night or hang around in the Remembrance Garden waiting for this boy, who, incidentally, has his own problems. Tell me, why haven't you talked to one of the staff about these notes?  Have you not thought to contact the police?'

'I don't want to involve the police.'

'Why ever not? They're there to help you.'

'I just don't.'

'Very strange. But what I find stranger still is you wandering around the House on your own. Is there something you would like to tell me?'

She exploded.  'One of the staff here keeps placing the notes in my room and I don't know who else to trust but the lad.  Either you or Terence must be leaving the notes in my room to frighten me off.  Probably Terence, or someone he's paid. Well, it won't work.  My best friend's a model and she has hundreds of contacts, and if necessary we will go to the press and tell them what this place is really like.'

'Really like?' The Ogre said. 'What on earth are you talking about?'

'This stupid snobby school with its murderous secrets. I came here looking for answers and no one seems to want to give me those answers.'

'Answers to what?'

'My father's death. You know who he is, don't you?'

The Ogre shook her head. 'Was he famous?'

'He was murdered. You know that.'

'I see,' the Ogre said. 'I'm very sorry to hear about your father, but I don't understand how pestering a student here can possibly help.'

'I wasn't pestering him.'

'Did he invite you to his room this evening?'

'No.'

'Did you know him prior to this week?'

'We met here.'

'So the word pestering isn't entirely inaccurate. If you're investigating a murder, then you need to speak to the police, not to the students. The student whose door you've been knocking on is actually quite a vulnerable young boy in fact and I think he ought to be left alone to complete his studies. Is there anyone I can call for you?'

'Call for me?'

'Well, you're obviously very distressed and not in the best frame of mind. Perhaps you've been overdoing things a little and need a rest. Veronica tells me you've woken her and Michelle up with shouting and screaming in the middle of the night.  They've been quite frightened by it in fact. You obviously haven't been sleeping very well. And you do look very, very tired. You ought to be in bed.'

'Don't patronise me, Agnes. You know more than you're letting on.'

The Ogre's eyes narrowed. 'Do I?'

'Yes.'

'You're jumping to a lot of conclusions, some of which are unacceptable and deeply offensive. Have you thought, perhaps, that you're unwell and in need of medical help?'

'So patronising…how dare –

'Listen to me, please. I'm terribly sorry about your father, but you are simply not coping, and I cannot have you upsetting the students and disturbing Veronica and Michelle in the middle of the night with screaming and shouting.  Who can I call?'

'No one. If you fire me, I'll stay in the area and continue searching for answers.'

'I don't think so, young lady. If you're unwell, you will go home and rest.'

'Try stopping me, Agnes.'

'Very well. You're obviously in no fit state for a calm and rational discussion. I suggest you go back to the bungalow now and get some sleep, and we'll talk again in the morning. I would like to see the notes you were telling me about.  Please bring them in the morning.'