‘Who?’ she replied.
Brett had stopped to watch.
‘He’s your lover, I take it?’
‘No, he was just asking directions—’
‘Don’t lie, Tiffany. Do you think I don’t know?’
Her mind churned frantically. What was he talking about? Was he on to them? Did he know about their plans? The tickets? She still had the DNA results tucked in her coat pocket.
‘What are you even doing here?’ she asked. ‘I thought you were in the office.’
‘I’m in town to see the solicitors.’
His tone changed, as if he’d said more than he intended to.
‘I want to know what’s going on here. Is this serious? Don’t think you’re leaving me, Tiffany. You’ll only leave this marriage when I say so.’
The girls were picking up on the atmosphere; Callie had begun to cry and Jane was about to follow her lead. Rowan was awake too, his eyes open, searching for his mother’s face.
‘He just asked me for directions, David. I don’t understand why you’re flying off the handle. I don’t even know him. Why are you being like this?’
David leaned in so close to her that the mist from his cold breath blew across her face. How had she ever thought she loved this man, even briefly? There didn’t seem to be a single part of him that cared about her. She’d been ill and vulnerable, and it must have affected her judgement; he’d seemed like her saviour for a time. But he was a nasty, hateful man.
‘What are you up to?’ he seethed at her. ‘You’re plotting something. If you believe you can get the better of me, you’re wrong. We’ll always be one step ahead of you, you daft bitch. Besides, you’re crazy, and we’ve got the paperwork to show it. I’d just settle for a life with the kids if I were you and be happy with it. It’s all you’re getting, you stupid cow.’
Brett had ignored her instruction to walk off. He had moved closer and was watching as the situation developed.
‘Are you all right, Tiff?’ he asked.
‘He knows you well enough to call you Tiff then?’ David goaded her. ‘Just asking for directions, you reckon?’
For one moment Tiffany thought he might strike her.
‘That’s enough,’ Brett said, springing forward to grab David’s hand.
David spun around, a look of hate on his face.
‘Don’t touch me!’
He spat out the words, his fist clenched. Callie, Jane and Rowan were now crying. Tiffany was about to join them.
‘I want to go to the li-bree, Mummy,’ Callie pleaded.
‘It’s okay, Tiff,’ Brett said. ‘Me and David will talk about this, away from the children. They don’t need to see this; they’re getting upset.’
He looked at David.
‘Okay, David? They’re only children, and you’re upsetting them. Let’s talk about this. Why don’t you take them to the library, Tiff? It’ll calm them down. Okay?’
Tiffany nodded, concerned about what he might say to David. She was relieved now she hadn’t told him about Rowan. Or the plane tickets. The less anybody knew, the safer they would be. David couldn’t get inside her head, so she’d save the details of their escape until the very last minute. That way, David wouldn’t be able to stop them.
‘It’s okay, Tiff, honestly.’
She could tell from the look in Brett’s eyes that he was urging her to go. She stroked Callie’s cold cheek and turned away from the men.
‘Come on gorgeous, let’s get some new books from the library.’
She walked past the car park and headed for the library building, praying Brett would smooth it over without giving the game away. The children had settled now, easily distracted by the prospect of some new picture books. But her mind was not so easily turned. She hated David and she would do anything to get rid of him. That man had tormented her for too long. This wasn’t just about getting away from him now; it was all about revenge.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Charlotte and Will were jumpy all the way back to Torrisholme. With every SUV, every dark car, Charlotte checked her mirrors, straining her eyes to see if it was Vinnie. The man was hard to shake off, like a sticky sweet wrapper stuck on the sole of her shoe.
‘So, where is Kate?’ Will asked. ‘You seemed pretty certain about it back there.’
‘I’ll tell you later,’ she replied, checking her rear-view mirror for what felt like the hundredth time. ‘I’m paranoid about Vinnie Mace. Has he bugged the car? Can he listen in via our phones? And if he catches one of us again... you’ve seen what he had planned for us; I’m not sure how much of that I could endure. Very little, I reckon. You’re safer if I don’t tell you. But I will, I promise, when it’s time to go and get her.’
Will looked like he needed something to do. With Charlotte doing the driving, he was bouncing his right leg furiously and tapping his hand like a metronome on uppers. Charlotte reached out and squeezed his hand.
‘I’m so sorry I did this to you again, Will. I don’t know what I could have done differently to stop it. One minute I was reporting on humdrum events, the next this news story about the Irwins exploded in my face. And it caught you in the blast. I’m sorry; this is nothing to do with you.’
Will moved his hand and squeezed her leg.
‘You know,’ he began, ‘I’m not cut out for this. I would have been happy investigating the old press cuttings about the Irwins, taking a passing interest in it, then moving on. But we’ve always been different, Charlotte. You’ve always pushed a little harder; you were always more extreme than me. I admire you for it. I wish I could be that way, less safe and predictable, but you get the bit between your teeth and there’s no stopping you.’
He squeezed her leg again.
‘I was terrified in that industrial unit, but I knew that as soon as you arrived, I’d get out of there. There’s something about you, Charlotte. I’ve never seen you like this in all the years we’ve been married. You have a purpose now, a real drive.’
They continued in silence for another five minutes while Charlotte thought about it. He was right. Of course, she didn’t want any of those terrible things to happen to either of them, and especially not to Olli and Lucia. But she’d never felt such a strong sense of purpose. This work made her come alive in a way she’d never experienced before. At a time in their lives when they should be considering potential retirement dates, she felt compelled to explore this new line of work. It consumed her in a way only caring for her children had done so far.
‘We’re here,’ she said, pulling up at the side of the road without warning. ‘Callie and Hollie won’t be long. Be careful with Hollie; she’s still angry with us. Give her the benefit of the doubt, please.’
‘You don’t think I’m going in there with you, do you?’ Will asked.
Charlotte smiled.
‘Now you mention it, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to go mob-handed. You get to be the getaway driver this time.’
She laughed, forgiving herself for sounding mildly hysterical. After what they’d just been through, who wouldn’t be rattled?
‘I can’t believe you’re my getaway driver,’ she said. ‘In a stolen van that’s supposed to be used for moving furniture. Whoever would have imagined it would come to this?’
‘Well, let’s add being a lookout to my job description too. Like you, I don’t trust Vinnie. Switch your mobile phone to vibrate, and I’ll text you if I spot anything suspicious.’
A taxi pulled up further along the road, and Hollie and Callie emerged. Charlotte flashed the headlamps at them, and Callie raised her hand in acknowledgement.
‘Okay, we’re breaking Tiffany out. Have the engine revving and look out for the bad guys.’
Will gave her a look.
‘I’m kidding,’ she smiled, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. ‘See you soon.’
She got out of the car and intercepted the two sisters as Will moved round to the driver’s side of the van. She was wary of Hollie and Wil
l getting too close, but Will simply greeted the younger women with a raised hand and made himself scarce, settling in the driver’s seat.
‘Right, Hollie, get ready to meet your birth mother. This is like The Great Escape—’
She noticed the blank look on their faces.
‘Sorry, you’re too young to know what I’m talking about. But we’re busting Tiffany out and then I want you to look after her in your student flat, Hollie. Is that okay? It won’t be for long, but we have to keep her safe.’
‘Let’s do it,’ Callie replied. ‘The sooner we put an end to all this, the better. What do you want us to do?’
‘Follow me,’ Charlotte answered, heading off towards the alley which would lead them to the care home.
It was dark now, and Torrisholme was completely quiet, with only the occasional passing car on the main road. Charlotte was delighted to see none of the owners’ cars were in the parking lot. At least they wouldn’t have to contend with a pompous Quinton Madeley.
She hadn’t had time to work through her plan properly. Her best bet was if Fiona was still on shift. She was torn between going through the front door and slipping in unnoticed. In the end she decided to use a combination of both.
‘What are your acting skills like, ladies?’ she asked.
‘I’m studying drama at uni,’ Callie answered. ‘If I ever get back there after all this.’
Charlotte touched Callie’s arm.
‘You’ll go back, don’t worry. Once this has all settled, you’ll be able to pick up your life. I want you both to create a distraction at the front desk. Invent a patient’s name and make a big deal of wanting to see them. Tell the front desk staff you’ve travelled miles to get here. Insist they check their records, but don’t cause so much of a fuss that they call the police.’
‘What about you?’ Hollie asked.
‘I’ll be crawling through a hedge for the umpteenth time and trying to get Tiffany’s attention. I’m concerned she might be in bed and we’ll confuse her. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.’
They went their separate ways in the car park, with Charlotte fielding questions from her young companions before the breakout began. This was officially an abduction, and they were taking a big chance. But it wasn’t some fallout over the colour of a patient’s bed linen or the effectiveness of their medication. This was a life and death matter; every inch of her believed Tiffany would be in danger if Kate Summers finally revealed what she knew.
The gap in the hedge was easier to get through this time, the undergrowth flattened by her previous escapades. She had worried for a moment that the care home staff might have blocked it off since she’d revealed it as a security vulnerability. Sure enough, when she emerged at the other side, a neat pile of wooden posts and fence wire was stacked up against the wall, ready to strengthen the barrier. That was a stroke of luck; one day later and they’d have been scuppered.
Once back on her feet on the other side of the hedge, Charlotte began to work her way along the patio windows, hoping to see some lights on, and – if she was lucky – some open curtains. She counted along to Tiffany’s room and cursed to herself; the room was in darkness.
As quickly as she could, she moved past the other windows, hopeful of finding another way in. The building was shut up for the night. As she reached the end of the wall, she found a part of the building she hadn’t seen before. It had been obscured from view as she’d approached; now she realised the building was more extensive.
It seemed to be a communal room. Residents were sitting at tables playing games, reading books, doing puzzles and flicking through newspapers. A small group was gathered around the television set, watching the news. The windows were all closed and there appeared to be no way in, other than via the large patio doors at the far side.
As Charlotte moved along the wall, she heard a familiar voice. Through the window, she could see the rear of the reception desk. Two staff members were attending to Callie and Hollie, who both had indignant looks on their faces. The body language of the staff members suggested impatience and agitation; she probably didn’t have much time left.
She waved at the window to attract attention. Callie spotted her first, almost giving the game away by glancing up at her and waving back. Charlotte ducked down for a moment, just in case one of the staff members had noticed.
When she stood up again, Callie was waiting for her. She gave a little nod and shrugged her shoulders. It looked like she and Hollie were running out of steam with their charade. They needed to come up with something quick between them or she’d never get Tiffany out of the building.
Charlotte raised her eyebrows and held up her hands to indicate to Callie that she’d drawn a blank too. At that moment, Hollie noticed Charlotte at the window and instinctively gave her a wave. The male staff member who was trying to resolve their fictional enquiry turned around, and Charlotte heard his muffled voice through the glass.
‘What the hell is going on out there?’
Moments later the fire alarms began to sound throughout the building. This was her only chance.
Chapter Thirty
Before Charlotte had figured out what was going on, the residents in the communal lounge started to file out of a fire door at the side of the building, with nurses and support staff guiding them towards the assembly point.
‘I did that,’ came a voice from behind her. It was Hollie.
‘I can’t believe you pressed the fire alarm,’ Callie scolded her. ‘Look what you’ve done.’
‘I’m pleased you did,’ said Charlotte, turning around to face her accomplices. ‘I was out of options on this side of the glass. Now, we need to find Tiffany and sneak her out in the confusion. Keep your heads down, let’s split up and don’t get spotted by the staff, whatever you do. If we get separated, meet back at the van.’
Charlotte scanned the crowd of people who were diligently assembling on a patio area at a safe distance away from the main building. She spotted Fiona quickly, her distinctive uniform marking her out as an employee rather than a resident. Charlotte sidled up to her and noted the look of surprise when Fiona realised who she was.
‘We’re breaking Tiffany out,’ Charlotte whispered. ‘I can't tell you how pleased I am that you’re working a long shift today.’
‘I can’t get involved in this; I’ll lose my job. But if you want to know where Tiffany is, she’s over there.’
She pointed, and Charlotte picked out Tiffany immediately, then caught Callie’s attention and gestured in Tiffany’s direction.
‘Hey, who are you? You’re not supposed to be here—’
The voice of a male nurse came from behind her. She turned, instinctively.
‘You’re that woman who escaped through the hedge—’
Charlotte recognised him immediately as the man who’d been clutching at her ankles as she’d tried to escape the first time she sneaked in the grounds.
Her response was as lame as they come, but put on the spot, it was the best she could do.
‘What? No, that wasn’t me; it must have been someone else—’
‘I recognise your shoes. It is you. Did you set the fire alarm off?’
‘Gerry, look,’ Fiona intervened, ‘Olivia is getting distressed. Go and calm her, I’ll deal with this.’
Gerry glanced between Olivia, Charlotte and Fiona. His sense of professionalism seemed to be creating the strongest pull. Olivia looked like she suffered from an extreme form of anxiety and needed rapid reassurance.
‘Just get her off the premises,’ Gerry urged, clearly agitated that he was unable to resolve this problem. He headed off towards Olivia.
‘The Madeleys will be here soon,’ Fiona told her. ‘They’re automatically alerted whenever there’s a non-routine fire alarm. I’d move swiftly if I were you. There’s a gate on this side of the building too, which the on-duty fire warden will already have unlocked. Once they’ve confirmed that the side of the building is safe, they’ll lead the reside
nts to the front car park until the fire brigade get here and declare the care home safe to re-enter. I’d sneak out that way if I were you.’
‘Thanks for your help, Fiona. I know you didn’t want to get involved but believe me, you’ve done more than enough. Thank you.’
Charlotte moved deeper into the assembled group, veering away from Gerry who was doing a remarkable job of calming Olivia. She felt a pang of guilt at the distress and disruption they were causing. These were fragile patients, and Olivia was in such a distressed state that it was upsetting Charlotte to see her. Thank heavens for people like Gerry with their vocation as a carer. She wouldn’t have the patience to do the job.
‘We’ve got Mum,’ said Callie, appearing from nowhere with Tiffany and Hollie at her side. ‘She’s a little confused,’ she continued in a whisper. ‘I haven’t told her about Hollie yet. It’s not the time.’
‘Good thinking,’ Charlotte reassured her, giving Hollie’s hand a squeeze. It must have been agony for her, finally meeting her birth mother, but finding her dazed and disoriented. She looked close to tears.
‘It’ll be all right, you’ll have all the time you need to get this sorted out,’ Charlotte said softly.
There was mayhem as the fire warden tried her best to organise everybody into groupings by room numbers to count them all. Someone was leading the first group towards the open gate at the side of the building and fire engines had arrived at the front, their blue lights sweeping across the foliage in a rhythmic motion.
‘Hello Tiffany, remember me? I’m Charlotte from the newspaper. We’ve come to get you out of here. Callie’s here too. You remember Callie?’
She watched a flash of jealousy cross Hollie’s face for a moment.
‘Okay, let’s go,’ she announced, leading the way towards the fence.
‘Excuse me! Excuse me!’
Somebody else had spotted them in the crowd.
‘That’s the woman we were talking to at reception,’ Hollie said, looking behind her, panic in her voice.
‘You’re Jane!’ Tiffany said suddenly. ‘Oh Jane, you’re back too. I’d know you anywhere. You’ve still got that lovely little freckle under your left eye—’
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