The Door That Led to Where (19 page)

AJ spent his time recovering at his mum's flat. He had wondered how long her good mood would last. It could only be twenty-four hours – forty-eight at the most – before the red reptile raised its ugly head again. He was genuinely shocked when after three days she was still cheerful.

‘You all right?' he asked her.

‘Never better,' said Jan. ‘I feel I've been given a new start. You don't think I've left it too late, do you?'

‘No,' said AJ. ‘It's never too late.'

Even Roxy, to whom AJ couldn't claim to ever having felt close, now seemed to spend most of her time in his bedroom showing him YouTube videos that she thought he might find funny. AJ suspected the real reason for Roxy's new-found sisterly love was more to do with Esme than him.

He wondered if Esme could even be the cause of his mum's improved mood. She had a way about her that was calm. She listened to all everyone said, which was something that no one usually had time for. AJ had worked out that about a quarter of all conversation went unheard. If he had a hat he would take it off to Esme, for she was coping with this new world amazingly well. He kept trying and failing to put himself in her shoes. Supposing he walked into the year 2107 – what would it look like? Would there still
be
a world? He reckoned it was easier by far to travel back in time than forward.

‘At least,' he said to Esme, ‘going back has some travel guides in the form of history books and the advantage of knowing what happened before it happens.'

Once he hobbled into the kitchen to find her sitting on the floor staring at the washing machine on a spin cycle.

‘OK?' he asked.

‘Yes,' she said, not looking at him. ‘Who would believe that a future world would be so full of magic?'

‘It's a washing machine.'

‘It's fantastical.'

‘So was 1830,' he said.

AJ's leg was better and he could walk without his crutches. He was hobbling round the flat when the midday news came on the TV.

Roxy was about to change the channel when AJ said, ‘Leave it on a sec.'

Roxy sighed.

Ms Finch was outside the Old Bailey, talking about the forgery case. So much had happened that AJ had forgotten about the box of papers that Esme had carried back. He went into his room and pulled it out from under his bed. Inside were meticulous handwritten documents relating to the purchase of the snuffboxes.

He put on his coat and picked up the box.

‘I'm just going out. I won't be long.'

‘Mum will be furious,' said Roxy.

He decided to get off the bus at Mount Pleasant. He walked to Phoenix Place and looked longingly through the wire mesh fence. He thought of Slim and Leon. He had to go back just once more to make sure they were all right.

Who am I kidding? he thought to himself. If they don't want to be there they can walk through the door. There was nothing to stop them.

‘AJ,' said a voice. He turned to see the professor walking towards him. ‘Long time no see,' he said. ‘It looks like you've been in the wars again.'

‘It's nothing,' said AJ.

‘Do you still have the key?'

AJ nodded.

‘You haven't locked the door?'

‘No.'

‘Going to?'

AJ laughed.

‘Would it make a great difference if I did?'

‘Jack chopped down the beanstalk,' said the professor. ‘Killed the giant and that was that. I suppose if he hadn't, he might have had endless problems. Did you find what you were looking for?'

AJ hadn't thought he was looking for anything.

‘I don't know,' he said. ‘I found out what happened to my father.'

‘Are you going to Gray's Inn?'

‘Yes.'

‘Then let me walk with you.'

At the gates to Gray's Inn, where the whole adventure had begun, AJ said, ‘I'm going to go back and say goodbye.'

‘Time to close the door?' said the professor. ‘That's the right thing to do. The past is the past and you, AJ, belong here.'

‘Where do you belong?'

‘Now that would be telling. Goodbye, AJ.'

AJ waited in the hope of watching him walk away but the professor seemed to dissolve into the city.

Chambers was just the same. AJ felt that he had been gone for centuries and was older and wiser because of it. Morton was in his office, his phone stuck to his ear as usual.

‘Maurice, can I call you back later?' he said, seeing AJ in the doorway. ‘Aiden, what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting you until next week.'

AJ put the box on Morton's desk.

‘What's this?' said Morton.

‘I think it's what Ms Finch needs to win the Purcell case.'

Morton took out the documents.

‘Bloody hell. Where did you find these?'

‘They're what Mr Baldwin was waiting for.'

‘Come on,' said Morton, grabbing his coat.

Ms Finch was cross-examining an expert witness for the prosecution who was convinced that the snuffboxes were forgeries of an extraordinarily professional nature. AJ and Morton bowed to the bench and AJ watched Morton take a seat behind Ms Finch and pass her a note.

‘May I approach the bench, Your Honour?'

‘Yes, Counsel?' said the judge. ‘No one else from your chambers has been taken ill I hope?'

‘No, Your Honour. But documents have come to light that prove the snuffboxes are authentic. I would like to submit them as evidence.'

There was an explosion of chattering in the court.

‘Silence,' said the judge. ‘I will see counsels in my chambers.'

Morton, AJ and Ms Finch sat in the canteen at the Old Bailey.

‘Where did you find the papers?' asked Ms Finch.

‘They arrived this morning,' said Morton. ‘Sent anonymously.'

‘Morton,' said Ms Finch. ‘I don't think you are telling the whole truth.'

‘I am being economical with it, Ms Finch. But I have no doubt that you will find the documentation is in order.'

‘If it is, I think we will have won this case,' said Ms Finch. ‘It's good to see you, Aiden. When will you be back at work?'

‘Next week,' said AJ.

It was raining when Morton and AJ returned to Gray's Inn.

‘I'll see you on Monday,' said AJ.

‘You don't escape so easily,' said Morton. ‘My office.'

Morton closed his door.

‘Perhaps you would like to tell me where you found the papers.'

‘If I did you wouldn't believe me.'

‘Why don't you try me?' said Morton.

‘Mr Baldwin told me where to look, that evening I went to the London Clinic. He swore me to secrecy so I can't tell you where they were. He was very keen to protect his reputation.'

‘I bet he was,' said Morton quietly. ‘I always thought he was up to his neck in this forgery case. Well done, Aiden. I appreciate your discretion.'

AJ told Elsie he had to make sure that Leon and Slim didn't want to come back to the twenty-first century before he locked the door for good.

‘Why would they, love?' she said. ‘What have they to come back for?'

AJ wanted to say, come back for me.

Instead he said, ‘Because people will start asking questions.'

‘No, they won't,' said Elsie. ‘I know this is hard for you, love. They are your best friends, you grew up together. The Three Musketeers, that's how I thought of you. But given my knowledge of life on the spin cycle, I would say they are better off where they are. Slim needs a woman a little older than him, and he needs a home, and by the sound of it this Mrs Furball is just the ticket.'

‘Mrs Furby,' said AJ, laughing.

‘And as for Leon, I always had a soft spot for him. Lovely lad. That letter he left me made me cry, it did. He said the only place he had ever felt safe as a kid was in my flat.' Elsie had tears in her eyes. ‘I wish I could have done more for him. Much as it breaks my old heart to think I won't see those two again, I know deep down they are better off there than here.'

‘I can't accept it,' AJ said. ‘I just can't. They're my brothers.'

‘Come here and give your Auntie Elsie a hug. I think we should all go out tonight and have a meal at the Rose and Crown, make an occasion of it as we missed New Year's Eve.'

‘I just want to leave, Auntie Elsie – no fuss.'

But once Elsie had her mind set on it, there was no way out.

To AJ it felt more like a wake than a celebration. No one had been happy to hear what he was planning to do.

Mum looked teary and Roxy looked bored. Norris sat morosely nursing his beer.

‘This is cheerful,' said AJ.

Jan said, ‘I don't think you should go. What if you never come back, like Lucas?'

‘I agree,' said Norris. ‘Think yourself lucky that you got out of there alive, mate. Anyway, what about the police station and your hospital appointment?'

‘I've been to the police. And I'm not planning to stay there long,' said AJ.

He caught Esme's eye. She was wearing a 1950s lace blouse that Elsie had given her. ‘Peachy' was how Norris had described her. AJ began to wonder if he was doing the right thing.

He stood up. ‘Another round?'

It was while AJ was getting the drinks that he saw Mr Toker outside the pub. AJ rather hoped he wouldn't see him.

‘AJ,' called Mr Toker, waving to him. ‘How's the job going?'

‘Fine, thanks,' said AJ. He went out to speak to him.

‘Have you seen my nephew at all?' asked Mr Toker.

‘No,' said AJ, lying butterflies flapping in his stomach.

Mr Toker sighed. ‘Up to no good somewhere, I suppose. It's a pity – he had potential. No doubt he'll turn up in court. I heard they busted Dr Jinx and that the police want to question your friend Leon.'

‘Good,' said AJ. ‘I mean, not about Leon but about Jinx.'

‘Well, Sarah will be wondering where I am. I'd better be off.'

‘Happy New Year to you, Mr Toker,' said AJ.

Suddenly he knew he couldn't play happy-clappy families. He needed time to think about what he was about to do. He paid and asked the girl behind the bar if she wouldn't mind taking the drinks over to his table as he had to go out for a breath of air.

He stood on the steps of the pub looking at the town hall. Was he doing the right thing? Could he live with himself if he didn't go back through the door? His two best friends in the world were there and if he locked the door he would never see them again. That would be it, forever. No Slim, no Leon, just AJ.

‘Are you quite well, AJ?'

He turned round and smiled at Esme.

‘I just needed some air.'

And without thinking he took her hand.

The sky glowed London orange. They crossed the road, walked through the alleyway at the side of the churchyard to the broken park gates and squeezed through.

They sat on the edge of the skate park, their feet dangling.

‘Have you thought that you might want to go back?' said AJ.

What if she said yes she did? A barren landscape rose before him, a Nevada desert of grief.

‘AJ, here young women are not confined by corsets and social etiquette, here I can make something of myself and not be some man's chattel. I think Dad is right. I was born in the wrong century.'

He felt that tug again.

‘Esme, I don't think I can do it. I can't just say goodbye to Leon and Slim, lock the door and post the key through the letterbox.'

‘Look at it a different way,' said Esme. ‘You have given each of us a freedom we never would have had without you and the door.'

AJ shook his head. The only thing that made this conversation bearable was the closeness of her, the smell of her.

‘Yes. You have,' she said quietly. ‘It's a new start. What do you call it? A reset. Against the odds you have reset our lives.' She squeezed his hand. ‘Please come back. You don't belong on the other side.'

‘I will,' he said. ‘I promise.'

‘It's a new year,' Esme said. ‘A new future.'

‘A new start,' said AJ. ‘For you and for me.'

And then he kissed her.

Norris insisted on going with AJ to Phoenix Place and Elsie insisted on going with Norris to make sure he came home.

‘Why don't we invite the circus?' suggested AJ. ‘I mean, it's hard enough to break into the car park without all of you determined to draw attention to me.'

Jan decided to stay behind with Esme.

‘Remember,' she said, taking hold of his hand. ‘Remember which side of the door your bread is buttered.'

Now here he was, squashed between Norris and Elsie in the back of a minicab.

‘You've got your medicine, love?' Elsie asked. ‘And your hat?'

‘Yep.'

AJ was already dressed in the nineteenth-century clothes he'd been wearing when he was taken to hospital.

‘Three days, that's the maximum, and then you must be back,' she said.

‘Otherwise I'll turn into a pumpkin.'

‘Are you sure I shouldn't come?' said Norris for the fiftieth time.

‘Certain,' said AJ.

The taxi dropped them at the Mount Pleasant sorting office.

AJ didn't know quite what his next move was but the idea of trailing Norris and Elsie in his wake definitely wasn't a part of it.

‘Go home, please,' he said. ‘I didn't want you to come in the first place.'

‘Don't move, either of you,' said Elsie.

She straightened her woolly hat and waited. For what, AJ hadn't a clue. At last, a man walked up to the pedestrian gate to the car park. Elsie was off. She stood right behind him as he tapped in the code.

‘Excuse me,' she said as the gate swung open. The man jumped. ‘Sorry, love, I didn't mean to give you a fright. Can you help me? Am I going in the right direction for Islington?'

‘It's that way,' said the man. ‘Once you cross Farringdon Road there's a bus stop.'

He pointed past Norris and AJ, who were looking as if they were nothing to do with Elsie. The man let himself in and closed the gate firmly behind him. Elsie walked back to where AJ and Norris were waiting.

‘Come on,' she said. ‘Let's get a cuppa.'

‘What was all that in aid of, Mum?' asked Norris as they walked to the café AJ had gone to with the professor.

‘A pot of tea and three doughnuts, love,' said Elsie to the waitress, sitting down.

‘There's no time for this,' said AJ.

‘Sit down,' said Elsie firmly.

Tea and three tired doughnuts were brought to them.

‘I can't stay –'

‘First,' said Elsie, ‘let's find out the code for the gate.'

‘What?' said AJ.

‘I won it at the Rose and Crown Quiz Night,' she said. ‘It's a spy camera. I put it on my woolly hat. Now  … ' She played back the recording. ‘5621.'

‘That's genius,' said AJ. ‘Just genius.'

‘That's me, love,' said Elsie. ‘Well, you'd better be off. If there's a problem we'll be here for a bit. Good luck.'

AJ walked towards the dried-up buddleia root on the wall. He knew it was the last time. After this visit he would lock the door and walk away; the past and the future forever divided. He felt strangely excited by the idea. He hoped that by now Slim and Leon would be missing the electronic jungle. To leave his two best friends behind would be to accept they were dead, and he couldn't do that.

Now he waited impatiently, eager to see them. Slowly the car park disappeared and finally through the fog the door emerged. The Janus face stared down at him with its usual blank expression.

The hall, even in the middle of the day was as dark as if it were night. Dust-filled sunlight thieved through the fanlight to reveal His Honour sitting on the balustrade, the tips of his feathers gleaming neon white, his head at such an angle that it looked as if he had been waiting for him. AJ took off his hat and bowed to the bird, a mark of respect. One for sorrow.

‘Mr Jobey, is that you?' Ingleby came down the stairs. ‘What are you doing here?'

‘I wanted to see Leon and Slim.'

‘And then, I hope, you are locking the door.'

‘Yes.'

‘Good. It's about time, if you ask me.'

His Honour, as if in agreement, flew up and landed on Ingelby's shoulder.

‘What happened at the inquest?' asked AJ.

‘Mrs Meacock was found guilty of the murder of Samuel Dalton and of William Bramwell. Married to the arsenic bottle was she. Those in high places now agree with Mr Stone that Annie Sorrell was wrongly hanged but once a noose has been placed around a person's neck and they have been dropped, nothing can bring them back, innocent or guilty.'

‘No,' said AJ. ‘Do you know where Slim and Leon might be?'

‘I have a good idea,' said Ingleby, picking up his hat. ‘Come. Once more we will go a-wandering, Mr Jobey, for you will never find them by yourself.'

AJ tried to take in every detail, each step in a farewell to a city he wished he had seen more of. Tucked behind Smithfield Market was an alley that led into a cobbled yard where stood an ancient tavern. Several dandies were leaving, their clothes garish against the grey background, their hats laughably tall.

‘Mind your head,' said Ingleby, bending to enter.

The place was dark inside, and warm. It was furnished with scrubbed wooden tables where men sat drinking and talking; a cloud of tobacco smoke hung just below the ceiling.

‘Ingleby,' someone called.

‘They are through there,' said Ingleby. ‘I will be here, waiting.'

AJ nodded.

Leon and Slim were playing cards in the snug near a roaring fire. They stood up and hugged AJ.

‘Woah, look at you, bro. Good to see you better,' said Slim.

‘It's just great to see you,' said AJ and for a moment, one perfect moment, all was as it should be.

The barman brought three tankards of beer. They ordered food and AJ told them how well Esme had taken to the electronic jungle. They talked about Norris and Elsie and her wardrobe. They told each other stories and remembered the good times.

Three plates of steak and kidney pudding were brought to the table.

‘I'm famished,' said Slim, tucking in.

The three friends ate as they had always done when hungry – in silence.

Leon was the first to push away his empty plate.

‘One of the best steak and kidney puddings of any century,' he said.

Slim wiped his mouth on a napkin.

‘You know that Madeira Mrs Renwick was sent? Turns out, there was enough arsenic in it to kill half of London.'

‘They call Mrs Meacock the Clerkenwell Poisoner,' said Leon.

‘So it's all sorted,' said Slim. ‘Now you should go back and lock your door.'

‘No,' said AJ. ‘I'm going to stay with you two, hang out for a few days.'

Slim pulled uncomfortably at his collar.

‘That's not a good idea,' he said. ‘I told Dora you'd gone abroad and wouldn't be coming back. I can't keep lying to her.'

‘Wait,' said AJ. ‘Are you really sure you want to stay here?'

‘Yes,' said Slim. ‘The minute I met Dora I knew I would stay.'

‘Bro,' said Leon. ‘We've made up our minds.'

There was an awkward silence. The noise of the room flooded in on AJ.

‘You see,' said Leon at last, ‘here I mean something. I'm someone, I'm my own man. Finding out about Mad Martha Meacock, putting it all together, was the most interesting thing I've ever done. There are no detectives yet but I'm sure I can be one – it's what I want to do.'

‘You know what it means if I say goodbye,' said AJ. ‘It means we'll never see each other again and you can't change your mind. You'll be stuck here forever.'

‘We know that,' said Slim.

‘People will be looking for you,' said AJ.

‘No they won't,' said Leon. ‘I'll be nothing but a forgotten statistic.'

AJ turned to Slim. ‘I saw your uncle,' he said, hearing himself sounding more and more desperate. ‘He wanted to know where you were and said –'

Slim interrupted him. ‘And said that I would probably end up in prison.'

Leon put his hand on AJ's arm. He hadn't realised he was crying.

‘Then I'll stay here too,' he said, angrily wiping his tears away.

‘No,' said Leon. ‘You, my friend, belong in the future, with Esme. That's your time. Our time is here – and for that I thank you.'

AJ was so upset and defeated by his friends' decision that he didn't see Ingleby walk into the snug. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

‘Come along,' said Ingleby. ‘Home with you, Mr Jobey.'

AJ stood up. He felt like a little boy being taken away from the party.

‘I hate goodbyes,' said Slim. ‘I don't really do them. And I'm not saying goodbye to you. Shall I tell you why?'

AJ nodded.

‘Because wherever you are, wherever I am, you are here in my heart, bro, and no one can take that away. Not a door, not a century, not a lifetime.'

Leon hugged AJ.

‘Without you I would've been completely lost. Now I'm not drifting, I have a purpose. Just get out of here before I turn into a marshmallow and start blubbing. I love you, bro.'

AJ couldn't see much as Ingleby guided him out of the tavern.

‘Just keep walking,' Ingleby said quietly. ‘Don't turn round. Face the future.'

If there was still earth under his feet AJ couldn't feel it as he locked Jobey's door. Some journeys, no matter how short they might be, are harder than others. Never again in AJ's life would he make one as painful as the one he made that night.

He was halfway home before he realised the key was in his pocket.