by S M Mala
‘Fadwa’s boys are scared. They heard the last attack and emailed Pixie.’
‘What attack? Madison, why didn’t you tell me this?’
‘It was horrible, and poor Pixie was really upset.’ She looked up and Sophie saw the real concern in Madison’s eyes. ‘We have no choice. He’s going to kill her, mark my words.’
And it came back, the memory of her friend from all those years ago being murdered, and the boyfriend being able to walk away after serving a short sentence.
He had gone on to get married and have a family.
If her friend had killed him, she would have gone to prison for longer, that Sophie was sure about.
‘We can’t force her. We can only try and see if she will come.’ Sophie noticed Madison smile. ‘If she doesn’t want to, there’s nothing we can do, only report it to the police.’
‘So you’ll help?’
‘If it’s about saving someone’s life and a right to live with dignity, I have no choice, do I?’
‘She’s up to something.’
Jonah was sitting in an uber trendy bar talking to Ross, who seemed happy after coming back from a long weekend, fuelled with sex from the sound of it. ‘Sophie and Madison have been whispering on the phone, and I know they’re up to no good.’
‘I’m sure it’s all above board.’ Ross smiled. ‘And how are you? I thought about what that shit for brains agent told you on your return. He’s playing with your head. You know that?’
‘As long as he doesn’t play with my wife, I'm all right.’
‘You should ditch him.’
‘It’s not that simple,’ he said, stretching out his legs and seeing women strut by, giving them both the eye. ‘I owe Harry.’
‘You certainly do,’ laughed Ross. ‘Where’s the next project he thinks you should look at? Outer Mongolia?’
‘Brazil,’ Jonah said, unable to hide his grin. ‘I mean, they’re getting more glamorous by the second.’
‘Are you going?’
‘No, I’m not. I hated being away from Soph and Milly. It was really hard. She won’t come because of her work. I told her she could give it up weeks ago but she refused.’
‘Bet that went down well,’ Ross sarcastically replied. ‘After what she went through, no wonder she’s adamant about keeping her job.’
‘Yeah, she’s wonderful like that.’ Jonah smiled and let his head hang back. ‘I want us to start a family, and hopefully, Harry will get the hint he can’t interfere.’
‘You think?’ Ross said, clearing this throat. ‘I think he might have a chip in you.’
‘What?’
Jonah turned to Ross and noticed his eye-line.
Harry had walked in with a man and woman.
‘Did he know you were here?’ asked Ross, starting to frown. ‘A daily phone call and now turning up when you don’t expect him. Seems like an untrusting girlfriend if you ask me.’
‘Seriously?’ he said, giving Ross a dirty glance. ‘Are you implying something?’
‘Live and let live, bro!’ he laughed out, holding up his hands. ‘You both have slept with the same women, haven’t you?’
‘Jonah!’ Harry said, making him jump, and quickly shaking his hand. ‘What a surprise!’
‘What are you doing here?’ asked Jonah, trying not to glare at his friend.
‘Hi Ross, good to see you again,’ he replied, turning to shake his hand. Jonah could see Harry was forcing a smile. ‘We’re just heading to the restaurant. Would you like to join us?’
Getting to his feet, Jonah looked at the man and woman, both in their twenties. He recognised the man but couldn’t remember where from.
‘That’s kind of you but I’m supposed to be heading back home,’ he lied, knowing Ross and he planned to go to an Indonesian restaurant around the corner.
‘Well, join us for a drink then?’ Harry persisted, putting his arm around his shoulders. Jonah caught Ross’s cheeky grin. ‘You need a top up.’
‘Just the one.’
The five of them squeezed around the table. Sipping his drink and watching Ross knock back his, Jonah realised he had to get out of there. Something didn’t sit right with the set up, but he couldn’t fathom out what.
‘Are you sure you don’t want to join us for dinner?’ asked Harry, smiling at him.
‘I have to be elsewhere,’ Jonah replied.
‘Sophie making sure you’re home on time?’ asked Harry, with a little laugh. ‘Already your freedom is gone unless she has got something to worry about.’
‘There’s nothing to worry about.’
‘Just saying.’
‘Well, say less.’
He knew Harry was going to try and sow some seeds of doubt. Ross’s expression summed up that he could tell what was going on.
‘I thought you wanted to get home to make babies. I think I better make sure you get there,’ Ross piped up, standing. ‘Come on. You said you wouldn’t be late.’
Jonah laughed and finished his drink but not before turning to see Harry’s icy glare.
‘That’s right and I don’t want to have too much of these,’ he replied, shaking his empty glass so the ice cubes knocked against the side. ‘Things might become ineffective.’
‘I managed to knock her up when I was drunk, so I had no problem there,’ Harry flatly replied.
The temptation to hit Harry was too much and the next thing he knew, Ross stepped forward, put an arm around his shoulders then planted a kiss on Jonah’s cheek.
‘I better get this one home.’
Before Jonah could open his mouth, Ross dragged him out of the bar and down the road.
‘That fucking bastard!’ fumed Jonah, trying to control his anger. ‘What’s he saying? I can’t get Sophie pregnant?’
‘Don’t let him wind you up,’ he replied, leading him away.
‘And he’s only ever drunk when he has sex, so Sophie said ages ago. I doubt if he could get it up sober!’
‘Okay, here goes.’ Ross stopped dead in his tracks, turning Jonah to look at him.
‘What?’
‘You know what you told me about Soph’s comment about Harry liking you more than he likes her.’
‘Yes.’
‘The thing is,’ said Ross, starting to grimace. ‘I sort of think that might be true.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I know stuff, you know.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Jonah, I think you know what I mean.’
‘You forgot to tell me that?’
Jonah looked flummoxed. ‘He had no right to phone you, especially getting the number off me without my knowledge!’
‘I didn’t want to mention it.’ Sophie looked at her husband’s confused expression the following morning. ‘And don’t rise to his bait. He knows how to wind people up.’
She knew something had happened the night before because he made love to her twice, and now she realised why.
‘And Jonah, please don’t shout. Milly’s sleeping. She had a bad night, as you know.’ Sophie poured him a coffee and placed it on the table, before sitting down next to him. ‘To make you realise the timings of my pregnancy, it took six months which was pretty fast considering I was told one year due to being on the pill. And yes, he has been mainly oiled with alcohol when we had sex.’
‘And he still got it up?’
‘Really?’ She laughed at his curious expression. ‘You want to know this because he challenged your fertility? Bloody men!’
‘What if I can’t get you pregnant?’ he asked and she realised he was deeply serious. ‘Then what happens?’
‘Stop this. I’ve said it once, and I’ve said it again. Don’t let him get under your skin.’
Sophie grabbed him in her arms, kissing the top of his head.
She could kill Harry James if she had the chance. He was messing with Jonah’s head which, in turn, was messing with hers. Loving the scent of his fragrant hair against her nose, she stayed there for a whil
e, thinking on how to help her husband.
Anything that was to come out of her mouth might not be that comforting.
‘I asked him about how he felt about you the night of the incident,’ she said quietly, holding him firmly so he wouldn’t look at her. ‘He got really angry and then lashed out. Again, the next time we met afterwards, I wouldn’t let it go. I noticed, you see, the first time you came to my home for dinner, how he acted. It was odd. My ex has a colourful past.’
‘I don’t want to hear this shit,’ he grumbled.
‘It’s not about me marrying you. It’s about you marrying me. Don’t you get it?’ She tilted his chin to look at her. ‘He doesn’t want you to be with anyone. If he did, the man would have left Onya well alone. What happened if you had married her? You would have found out soon enough she had been sleeping with him. Then what happens? Who’s the slut? Him or her?’
He got to his feet. Jonah looked perplexed before taking a deep breath.
‘I’m not gay,’ he said in all seriousness. ‘I don’t find him attractive and he is chomping at the wrong bit.’
‘I think it’s your bit he wants to chomp on,’ she grinned, seeing her joke wasn’t appreciated. Sophie leant forward and kissed his ‘bit’ through the cloth of his boxers. ‘But it’s all mine.’
Slumping back onto the chair, Jonah kissed her.
‘I might end up killing him at this rate.’
‘Stand in line,’ she sweetly replied.
‘I mean it, I can’t take his shitty comments. He’s always saying something about you, whether nice or horrid. It’s winding me up.’
‘Forget about it and-.’
Her phone started to ring.
It was early on Saturday morning.
The call was from Madison.
‘Hello?’ she asked, seeing Jonah place his head on the table.
‘You’ve got to come! Something has happened!’ Madison said, half screaming down the phone. ‘I need your help.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘Can you come now?’
‘Where?’
‘Fadwa’s house. I think he’s dead.’
‘Who?’
‘Her husband.’
‘Oh fuck!’
‘You should call the police.’
Jonah was driving. Amelia was sitting in the back, all buckled up and sleepy. He looked anxiously at Sophie, fifteen minutes after leaving home. ‘This is murder!’
‘They might be mistaken. Once Madison swore the roast chicken in the middle of the table was alive.’ Sophie grimaced, and he could see she was petrified. ‘She said it had come back to life when the table was accidentally jogged. So, I can’t be sure what’s going on.’
‘Don’t go into the house.’
‘I have to see what happened. Madison needs my help. And I went there recently and met him. I hope that’s not why this happened. I even left a copy of your book with them.’
‘Sophie!’ he hissed, not wanting to shout at her. The idea of a dead man in a house was scaring the living shit out of him. ‘Why didn’t you tell me? If the man is violent, he could have hurt you. This isn’t a game.’
‘I know that!’ she said, and he could she was on the verge of tears. ‘I don’t want anything bad to happen to anyone. Don’t you get it?’
They parked up and Sophie turned to Jonah.
‘Do not leave this car with Milly in it, do you hear me?’ she said, her tone now very authoritative. ‘Madison is in there, so we are protected.’
‘It might not be safe. What if he comes at the pair of you?’ Jonah grabbed her head. ‘Please, call the police.’
‘Have you seen the size of Madison? Do you know she broke her partner’s jaw when she left him the last time? Believe me. I’m safe. I’ll call them but I have to make sure.’
‘Ring me in five minutes or I’m calling the police.’
Sophie jumped out of the car and ran to the house.
He watched the woman he loved walk away from the safety of his arms. That’s when he realised the true extent of what she did for a living and it scared him.
‘Where mama?’ Amelia asked, looking across to see where she’s going.
‘She's a super hero,’ he gulped and tried to calm his nerves. ‘Because that’s what she thinks she is.’
And to him, that’s what made her amazing.
‘Where’s Fadwa?’
She tried to compose her breathing as she stepped into the house. ‘And the boys? Where are they?’
Lorraine let her in. She was a very good friend of Madison.
And more than likely Lorraine was usually roped into one of Madison’s hair brained plans.
‘My hubby took them back to the house,’ replied Lorraine, looking shaken up. ‘It was awful. Oh God, Sophie, I don’t know what to do.’
‘Tell me what happened, please? Where’s Madison and-.’
Then she heard the sobbing and followed the sound into the kitchen.
Fadwa was sitting on the ground with Madison. But when she stepped closer, she saw Fadwa’s head tip up towards her.
Sophie had to put her hand over her mouth.
She had been bashed so badly; her nose looked broken and her eyes were nearly closed due to heavy bruising. The woman cried, shaking her head.
‘He’s an animal,’ Fadwa sobbed loudly. ‘A horrible animal!’
There was a trail of blood and she noticed it led to another room adjacent to the kitchen. Pushing the door open, Sophie didn’t know what to expect. Then saw the man, lying face down, in a pool of blood.
A meat tenderiser was by his side.
‘Has anyone called the police?’ she asked calmly, realising the seriousness of the situation. ‘Because if you think for one moment we are going to bury him under the patio, you’re sorely mistaken.’
‘We were waiting for you,’ Madison said, walking into the room.
Sophie turned and looked at her closely.
Her clothes were ripped and there were large red marks on her face, and deep purple-red marks around her neck.
‘Did he do that?’ she asked quietly, seeing Madison shake. ‘He attacked you? Are you hurt?’
‘Fadwa saved my life,’ she replied, starting to sob. ‘I thought he was going to kill me. It went all wrong, you see.’
‘How wrong?’
‘Sophie, I don’t know what to do,’ Madison cried. ‘He was going to kill her. We got here to-.’ She couldn’t speak for the tears as Sophie held her large friend in her arms. ‘Why do they do it? Why can’t they stop?’
‘They just can’t help themselves,’ whispered Sophie, looking at the man and reeling from the reality of the situation. ‘It’s like a disease to hurt the people you say you love.’
‘What are we going to do?’
‘Make sure Fadwa doesn’t go to jail, or get arrested, that’s what we’re going to do.’
‘Mummy will be back soon.’
They were still in the car and he heard the police sirens, then his phone started to ring.
It was Sophie.
‘Get out of there!’ he said, trying not to shout and knowing something was going on. ‘Sophie, this isn’t your problem.’
She was crying and his heart went out to her.
‘He’s dead,’ she whispered and Jonah closed his eyes, hearing the sirens getting louder as they came towards where he was parked. ‘It’s awful! He tried to hurt Madison.’
He didn’t know what to say.
This was something he never expected to happen and was desperately worried about his wife.
‘When the police and ambulance turn up, you come back to the car,’ he calmly said, feeling Amelia bang her feet into the back of his seat. ‘I’ll be waiting.’
‘You have to leave. You can’t be pulled into this. Take Milly home and wait for me.’
‘I can’t leave-.’
‘They are going to ask me about what I’m doing here, and why I was called. I have to explain because this is bigger than any of
us.’ Sophie took a sharp intake of breath. ‘I have to protect these women and especially Fadwa. She saved Madison’s life.’
He couldn’t believe what he was hearing and put his head in his hand.
And this was the first time he realised the danger Sophie was willing to put herself in.
Because she cared.
‘They need to go to hospital.’
Standing her ground, she knew the police wanted to question the three women immediately, but Sophie wasn’t standing for it. ‘Look at the state of them!’
The women were standing in the kitchen as the paramedic went to look at the listless and bloodied body in the living room.
Madison was now sobbing loudly into the arms of Lorraine, who silently cried.
Fadwa was stood, perfectly still, as if no-one could see her.
Then a paramedic went towards her and the small woman flinched and stepped back.
‘I’m fine,’ she replied but Sophie could see different.
‘You’re in shock and you need to be treated,’ Sophie calmly said, walking closer. ‘Plus your face needs to be looked at.’
That’s when she noticed a police officer she had dealt with over the years.
Detective Inspector Jeremy Coulston walked in and examined the scene, his eyes landing on Sophie. There was a small smile before he shook his head.
‘Please don’t touch me!’ she heard Fadwa say, slapping the hands of one of the medical people away. ‘I don’t want you to touch me!’
Knowing it would look bad it Fadwa hit out, Sophie stepped closer and grabbed her hand, looking straight into the bloodied and bruised eyes.
‘You need to get checked out,’ she said, ushering the female paramedic forward. ‘You’ve been badly hurt and the police will want to speak to you. I’ll call for assistance, but please make sure you’re fine.’
‘He was going to kill me and kill her! I was so scared, so scared!’ Fadwa then grabbed her tightly. Sophie thought she was going to pass out. The woman trembled in her arms. ‘What sort of man does that? What sort of man threatens to kill his own children? He grabbed Hassan and I thought he was going to hurt my baby! I had to fight back! I had no choice!’
