said.
There was a silence. It was the first time that either of them had said anything about admiring the other.
Sometimes Derek had said that she looked well. Sometimes Nan had said he was wearing a smart tie. But this was a step further.
She tried to think of something to break the silence, which hung there between them. Suddenly she found it.
âYou could ask the developer who the lawyer is,â she spoke quickly.
âWhat do you mean?â Derek didnât understand.
âThen weâd know who the house was left to, and we might learn something about them,â Nan begged.
âBut a lawyer couldnât tell, I mean it would be bound to be a secret, wouldnât it?â Derek was confused.
âYes, youâre right.â Nan hadnât thought of that.
But at least it had got her away from the dangerous ground where she had been admitting openly that she admired Derek. This was a safer area.
âOf course Ronnie the Rat might know a bit of the background himself.â
âWhy do you call him that?â Nan laughed.
âHeâs very crooked, Ronnie is. I have to fight to make sure that the tax and VAT is paid on every job I do for him. Likes to take short cuts, our friend Ronnie Flynn.â
âWho? Who did you say?â
âRonnie Flynn, you must have heard of him. He has a finger in every pie,â Derek said.
Nan had heard of him only too often. From her daughter Jo.
Nan usually heard of him when she was polishing silver, or ironing place mats so that Jo could impress her husbandâs boss, Ronnie Flynn, when he came to visit. But it was too soon to talk about such things with Derek.
âDo you think it will all be above board next door?â Nan asked.
âHow do you mean?â
âI mean it would be terrible if those two people died thinking they wereraising money for frightened battered women, and the money somehow didnât get to the right place â¦â
âNo, no worries, Ronnie may be crooked, but the solicitor isnât likely to be ⦠That house will raise plenty of money. Never fear.â
âIs Ronnie Flynn known to be crooked. I mean does everyone know this?â
âNot everyone, only people who have business deals with him. A lot of people think heâs a pillar of the community.â
âI see.â
Nan did see.
Jo always spoke in such awed tones about Ronnie Flynn and his wife, and the money they raised for this charity and that. And the people they knew, and the celebrities who went to their home.
âRonnie drops in once in a while tosee how weâre getting on. I can ask him then.â
âWhen will he be there next?â Nan asked.
âAh Ronnie the Rat never tells you. He trusts no one, he likes to surprise them. You get the feeling heâs disappointed not to catch you out in something. Now listen to me Nan Ryan, youâre neglecting your part of the jigsaw. Thereâs loads of blue sky you havenât touched over on your side.â
She lowered her head to study the pieces.
âWill we finish this puzzle before you complete Number Twelve, do you think?â she asked in a low voice.
âNever ask a builder when anything will be finished,â Derek answered.
Next day Ronnie Flynn called in hissmart car to spy on the work that was taking place in Number Twelve.
He told Derek that he just happened to be in the neighbourhood. Nan watched from behind the curtain.
âYou know people around here?â Derek asked.
âNo, but the place is really going up. Ask round in case any of the old biddies here donât know the value of their houses and might sell cheap.â
âIâd never do that Mr Flynn,â said Derek.
âNo, I suppose you wouldnât.â Ronnie the Rat shook his head.
âHave they any buyers yet for this place?â Derek asked.
âWhat do you mean,
they
?â Ronnie asked.
âDidnât you tell me it was owned by
There was a silence. It was the first time that either of them had said anything about admiring the other.
Sometimes Derek had said that she looked well. Sometimes Nan had said he was wearing a smart tie. But this was a step further.
She tried to think of something to break the silence, which hung there between them. Suddenly she found it.
âYou could ask the developer who the lawyer is,â she spoke quickly.
âWhat do you mean?â Derek didnât understand.
âThen weâd know who the house was left to, and we might learn something about them,â Nan begged.
âBut a lawyer couldnât tell, I mean it would be bound to be a secret, wouldnât it?â Derek was confused.
âYes, youâre right.â Nan hadnât thought of that.
But at least it had got her away from the dangerous ground where she had been admitting openly that she admired Derek. This was a safer area.
âOf course Ronnie the Rat might know a bit of the background himself.â
âWhy do you call him that?â Nan laughed.
âHeâs very crooked, Ronnie is. I have to fight to make sure that the tax and VAT is paid on every job I do for him. Likes to take short cuts, our friend Ronnie Flynn.â
âWho? Who did you say?â
âRonnie Flynn, you must have heard of him. He has a finger in every pie,â Derek said.
Nan had heard of him only too often. From her daughter Jo.
Nan usually heard of him when she was polishing silver, or ironing place mats so that Jo could impress her husbandâs boss, Ronnie Flynn, when he came to visit. But it was too soon to talk about such things with Derek.
âDo you think it will all be above board next door?â Nan asked.
âHow do you mean?â
âI mean it would be terrible if those two people died thinking they wereraising money for frightened battered women, and the money somehow didnât get to the right place â¦â
âNo, no worries, Ronnie may be crooked, but the solicitor isnât likely to be ⦠That house will raise plenty of money. Never fear.â
âIs Ronnie Flynn known to be crooked. I mean does everyone know this?â
âNot everyone, only people who have business deals with him. A lot of people think heâs a pillar of the community.â
âI see.â
Nan did see.
Jo always spoke in such awed tones about Ronnie Flynn and his wife, and the money they raised for this charity and that. And the people they knew, and the celebrities who went to their home.
âRonnie drops in once in a while tosee how weâre getting on. I can ask him then.â
âWhen will he be there next?â Nan asked.
âAh Ronnie the Rat never tells you. He trusts no one, he likes to surprise them. You get the feeling heâs disappointed not to catch you out in something. Now listen to me Nan Ryan, youâre neglecting your part of the jigsaw. Thereâs loads of blue sky you havenât touched over on your side.â
She lowered her head to study the pieces.
âWill we finish this puzzle before you complete Number Twelve, do you think?â she asked in a low voice.
âNever ask a builder when anything will be finished,â Derek answered.
Next day Ronnie Flynn called in hissmart car to spy on the work that was taking place in Number Twelve.
He told Derek that he just happened to be in the neighbourhood. Nan watched from behind the curtain.
âYou know people around here?â Derek asked.
âNo, but the place is really going up. Ask round in case any of the old biddies here donât know the value of their houses and might sell cheap.â
âIâd never do that Mr Flynn,â said Derek.
âNo, I suppose you wouldnât.â Ronnie the Rat shook his head.
âHave they any buyers yet for this place?â Derek asked.
âWhat do you mean,
they
?â Ronnie asked.
âDidnât you tell me it was owned by
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