Saw a man today who looked just like Pete.” “What?” “He was standing at the railings”

Sue Lawrence is a popular novelist as well as a cookery book author. The Night He Left is published by Freight. Down to the Sea, her first historical mystery, was published by Contraband in 2019. Sue’s latest book, The Unreliable Death of Lady Grange, was published in March by Saraband.

Jamie ran over towards the kitchen dresser, opened the drawer and brought a pad of paper and his coloured pencils over. “I’m going to draw the Tay bridge.” Fiona helped herself to a rock bun from the cake tin, grateful that her mum had baked them before they had left for their holiday up north.

“So, this is the other side, Fife it’s called. And the train started here,” said Jamie, drawing an outline of a bridge and a river.

“And it got this far, here where I’ve drawn these tall pillar things, and then it just fell off. Amazing. Everyone drowned!” His eyes lit up.

“I know why you find it so fascinating, Jamie, but there were a lot of people dead that night.

“There was something on the news recently when the memorial was put up – there’s about 60 names on it. That’s pretty sad, isn’t it?”

Jamie nodded. “What do drowned people look like, Mum?”

“I don’t know. Bloated, I suppose, with all the water.”

“Bit like that sheep we saw up the glen, remember?” “Why are you so fascinated with dead things, Jamie!”

She pointed to his picture. “And, by the way, those pillar things are called high girders.”

Disaster

“Yeah, so they are.” He nodded then looked at her over his mug. “Thing is, I know it was a disaster and all that, but it was a big deal at the time. It was the longest rail bridge in the whole world, imagine!”

Fiona nodded.

“Why did they not have the other people’s names up on the memorial again? Mr Syme said there were maybe 20 more.”

“Well, many bodies were never found, they’d have been washed out to sea.”

“Could they still find one of the bodies now then, Mum? Would they carry on getting more and more swollen and huge and . . .”

“I really doubt that. Far too late.”

Jamie got out a blue pencil and used wide strokes to colour in the river.

“Did Mr Syme say what time of the day it happened? I thought it was night-time, so the river can’t have been blue, can it?”

Jamie looked up, perplexed. “Yeah, think he said seven o’clock. Blue’s for daytime, isn’t it?” He got out a black pencil and started to shade in the river. “There, that looks more like night-time now.”

He pushed the picture towards Fiona and put his pencil down. “We’re getting ready for the Halloween party on Friday before half term. Can you make me a pumpkin lantern?”

“I could have a go.”

Jamie picked up the mug and took a loud slurp. “Don’t be so noisy, Jamie. Any homework?” “Yes.” He rammed in a large mouthful of rock bun then mumbled something, his mouth full.

“Saw a man today who looked just like Pete.” “What?”

“He was standing at the railings, with all the mums and dads.” Jamie swallowed then took a gulp of tea. “They’re a bit dry aren’t they?”

Fiona nodded, distracted.

“What did he look like?”

Jamie shrugged. “Like Pete. He was tall like him, but more skinny. His face looked like his too. He had a cap on so I couldn’t see his hair.”

“Who was he picking up?” Fiona realised she was trembling.

“Dunno. I turned round to say bye to Josh then when I turned back he’d gone.”

He pushed his plate away. “If I do my homework just now, can I go round to Jack’s for a game of football before tea?”

Anniversary

He ran over to the window and peered out. “There’s the four o’clock Edinburgh train coming over the bridge, Mum.”

Fiona was gazing at her son, deep in thought. “Okay, but this is Wednesday, doesn’t Jack have rugby after school today?”

Jamie’s shoulders fell. “So he does.” He stood up. “Can I watch Robotboy instead then?”

“Yeah.” Fiona picked up the mugs. “Jamie, what else was this man wearing?”

“Dunno.” He shrugged. “Blue fleece and jeans?” Fiona began to load the dishwasher and looked up at the calendar on the wall. October 29, the anniversary of the day she had met Pete five years before.

“So are Granny and Pa home next week?” “Yes, they’re in Lewis this week then Skye at the weekend, home on Tuesday.”

“It’s funny without them in the house. Quiet. D’you think there’s a ghost that comes out when they’re away?”

“Don’t be daft, of course there’s not.”

They were sitting at the kitchen table, eating macaroni cheese and looking out at the pouring rain. “Can I have some more tomato sauce, Mum?” “No, you put far too much on. Your plate’s all pink, it looks disgusting.”

Jamie continued forking up the pasta. “Ben Conti said his granny found a ghost once.

“Somewhere in Italy at her house there. He calls her Nonna, funny really.”

“What, the ghost?”

“No, his granny. She told him it was a friendly one. How d’you know if ghosts are friendly?”

Fiona splashed some more wine into her glass. “I have no idea. Now eat up if you want to see Robotboy.”

The phone rang and she stretched over to the counter for it.

“Oh, hi, Mum. Yeah, everything’s grand thanks. Yes, he’s right here, want a word?”

Fiona picked at her pasta as Jamie chatted, smiling as he nattered on about football and Halloween and macaroni.

She took the phone back once he was done. “Yes, everything’s good here thanks. House hasn’t burned down yet.”

Jamie frowned at her. “Joking!” she mouthed.

Puzzled

“Wait!” said Jamie, reaching over to grab the phone back. “Forgot to tell you, Granny. Guess what, I saw someone today who looked like . . .”

Fiona snatched the phone, scowling at her son. “Mum, me again, sorry, we’ve got to go now, love to you and dad. Bye!”

She clunked the phone down and looked at Jamie, who had a puzzled look.

“Jamie, it’s fine for you to tell me these things, but you mustn’t share them with Granny and Pa. They wouldn’t understand.”

“Understand what?”

Fiona sighed. “The fact that you and I miss Pete so much we really believe we’re seeing him, dreaming of him and . . .”

“But I did see him, Mum. Then he went away. He’ll be back to see us soon.”

Fiona leant over and gave Jamie a hug. “Why don’t I get out some old photos and you can draw me a picture of him on your new drawing pad?”

“Okay.” Jamie shrugged. “But Mum, he wasn’t a ghost like Ben’s Nonna’s ghost. It was a real man!”

More tomorrow.