by Diane Ezzard
Crouching down, I lay flat on the ground. I squeezed my eyes shut. If I was found, it would be the end for me. I prayed some more. The footsteps grew louder and closer, louder and closer. A shadow fell over me.
A large hand went around my neck, squeezing it tightly. I thrashed out. The only sound I could muster was a gurgling noise. No cries for help. Unable to see my assailant, my eyes enlarged as the blood drained from my face. This was it. The end had come. No time for goodbyes or to speak to my loved ones. My windpipe constricted as panic grew inside me. Disorientated now, I thought I heard a sound in the distance. It didn’t matter. It was too late for sirens, too late to be saved. My eyes closed for what I thought was the last time.
Chapter 47
Sophie
Suddenly, there was a crashing sound as loud as thunder.
“Freeze.”
“Stand down.”
“Move away.”
“Slowly. No funny business.”
The hands disappeared from my neck as the pressure was released. I coughed, choking and rubbed my neck. Something hard was digging in my side. I felt to see what it was. It was a mobile phone. Without thinking, I put it in my pocket. Rolling over, I was about to get up. A hand approached and helped me to my feet. I coughed and spluttered some more, unsure of what was happening. I rubbed my eyes and in front of me were about half a dozen police officers kitted out with weapons.
“Are you okay?” one of them asked. I couldn’t even nod. “Don’t worry, an ambulance is on its way. One of the officers put an arm around my shoulder and escorted me outside. I felt dazed, unsure of what was going on. The ambulance arrived and I refused to get in it at first until I found out where Jack was. It wasn’t long before I was told.
“Here he comes,” one of the officer’s cried. I looked up and saw him walking towards me. I tried to run up to him, but I was too wobbly. I waited until he came close then ran into his arms. Thanks to my call to Mike, the police arrived in the nick of time to save Jack’s life. He was found only a few hundred yards from where I’d been hiding. We rode together in the ambulance to the hospital.
“What would I have done without you?” he asked.
“Got yourself killed, that’s what,” I croaked. My throat felt like there was a permanent frog stuck there.
“It was worth going through that knowing Dom Duggan will be behind bars for a long time. You know I got him to admit to things while I was in his kitchen. It will all have been recorded. He confessed to me just before he was about to blast me with his shotgun.”
“That’s a relief.” I looked over at Jack’s face. He was going to have a real shiner in the morning. He looked a pitiful sight. It turned out his fingers had been broken when one of the gang stamped on his hand. He was going to need my services running him around for some time.
“I forgot to mention, Jack. I found this old phone in the barn.”
“Here, do you want me to pass it on to the police?” Jack said.
“Sure.” I handed him the phone and waited for the nurse to check over my neck. It was badly bruised but there’d been no internal damage to my windpipe. She told me it would probably be sore for a few days. I could live with that.
Chapter 48
Sophie
Dom was arrested at the farmhouse. The police confiscated firearms and drugs worth a quarter of a million from his property. His two henchmen and Vladimir had been there. It was the Russian who tried to strangle me. His girlfriend, Karen had now also been implicated in their drug business, so she was now behind bars.
Sheila phoned me and asked if I wanted to reconsider my resignation.
“Of course, we would not need to proceed with our investigation into your gross misconduct case. In light of Karen’s arrest, we have terminated her services, so she wouldn’t be here to give evidence against you.”
“You were in the wrong. I’m surprised you believed Karen, a newcomer, over me. I wasn’t treated fairly. You listened to her and didn’t give me a chance.”
“That’s not true, Sophie. We had to follow procedures.”
“Karen attacked me. How come she was never suspended?”
“The state of her face at the time, it was obvious she had been attacked.” I felt the vein in my neck pulsate. My nostrils flared.
“No, you jumped to conclusions. She banged the door in her face to make it look like I’d attacked her. You never gave me a chance to tell you.”
“You were called in for a fact-finding interview. I don’t know what else you expected us to do, Sophie?”
“I expected you to believe me, that’s what I expected you to do. I’ve never hit anyone. I’m not like that. I’m disappointed you had no faith in me.”
“Well, this is the olive branch we’re offering. Your clients miss you.”
I’d given a lot of thought to my career and my life since my suspension. I used to love working at the women’s centre. The job satisfaction I took from watching women turn their lives around was immense.
“It’s kind of you to phone me. An apology would have been nice.”
“I’m sorry, Sophie. You know your colleagues have a lot of respect for you.” I didn’t know anything of the sort. Not one of them had been in touch since I tendered my resignation. “If you want time to think about it, I can take your answer on Monday,” Sheila said.
“It’s okay, I know what my answer will be.”
“Oh, it’s good news I trust?”
“Maybe for me but not for you, I’m afraid. I’m not coming back. I don’t feel I was supported. The whole incident gave me endless sleepless nights and caused me immense anxiety. I won’t be returning.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Sophie but I respect your decision. Your P45 will be sent out to you.”
I felt numb when I put the phone down. What had I done? Walked away from a job that gave me financial security, but I had no peace of mind from it anymore. No one there had my back. They’d well and truly kicked me to the kerb. I didn’t know what I would do. Hopefully, I would find something. Counselling jobs weren’t easy to come by. Perhaps it was time to set up on my own. That was a scary thought, but Jack had done it, so maybe I could too.
I met up with Jack later.
“You know I’ll support whatever decision you make. There’s only you that can decide what is right.”
“Yeah and now feels like the right time to move on.” I smiled at him. We walked through the centre of Bury, arm in arm. A lot had happened over the last few months. Had it brought us closer together? I glanced sideways at Jack.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I said. I couldn’t read him sometimes, but he always seemed to know what I was thinking, well not quite everything. Since Jack had been staying with me, waiting for the work to be done on his place, I’d grown to love him at a deeper level. Even with his mood swings, I loved him unconditionally.
I longed for us to be together properly as a couple, but we never spoke about him moving in being a permanent arrangement. I guessed he couldn’t wait to get back to his own place, to have his own independence back.
“Come on, Sophie. Spill the beans. There’s something on your mind.”
“It’s nothing, honest.” His lips narrowed, and he shrugged his shoulders. I couldn’t tell him what I hoped and prayed for. I didn’t want to frighten him off. Since he said I was suffocating him, I’d tried my hardest not to be too intense.
We’d driven in today in his car and we arrived back at the vehicle and climbed in. I was glad he turned the radio up to fill the silence between us. We picked up a takeaway pizza to eat for our evening meal, and the smell of cheese and garlic filled the confined space.
The Italian aromas were still there when we walked into the flat. I took the plates and cutlery out of the cupboard and drawers. Jack couldn’t wait. He had helped himself to a slice. We moved to the dining table, and I watched him munching away. He looked content. We had both been through so much. I blew air out through my mouth as I tho
ught about the last few weeks.
“There’s something wrong. I can tell. What is it, Sophie?”
“No, nothing honestly. I was thinking about the young kids like Louie and Marcus. We’re fighting a losing battle trying to help them.”
“It’s not possible to help all of them, sadly.”
“No, we weren’t able to help Toby. It seems so futile.”
“You can’t think like that. You need to focus on the people we did help.”
“It’s going on all over the country. Kids are getting enticed by these gangs.”
“Listen, we did what we could. Do you know the story of the starfish?”
“No, what’s that then?”
“It’s a lovely story from “The Star Thrower” by Loren Eisley when a load of starfish get washed up onto a beach after a storm. A young boy picks one up and throws it back into the ocean. A man walking alongside him and asks why he’s bothering because he can’t begin to make a difference. He turns around, looks at the one he’s thrown back and says that at least he made a difference to that one.” I nodded.
“I see. Yeah, you’re right. I suppose we did make a difference!”
Chapter 48
Jack
Louie and Marcus were found at the address in Radcliffe. Louie returned home to Christine, Marcus would be going back to his foster mother. I spoke to them both, and they seemed sincere in their desire to stay out of trouble and away from gangs in future. We would have to wait and see. For now, we could only pray that was the case.
Jade was another story. Since Dom’s arrest, she wouldn’t speak to me. She didn’t return my calls. I went around to see her on several occasions. There was no sign of life at the property. None of her neighbours had seen her for days. It looked like she had moved out of her address, maybe even done a runner. All I could think was she held me responsible for getting Dom banged up and didn’t want to talk to me. I had to let it drop and allow her to move on with her life. I didn’t understand the youngsters of today. Jade fell for a wrong ‘un. Now she had the chance to turn her life around but instead chose to run away.
I still had the phone that Sophie found. I thought about charging it up to see if there was anything of interest on it. I should have given it to the police. It was a lot of hassle, finding an old charger for it but finally I managed it.
What was I to do? Should I do the right thing and hand it in?
I went for a walk down by the river and thought about everything.
I took the old phone out of my pocket and stared down at it. My heart pounded as I considered my options. I took a big sigh and listened to the voicemail messages and read through the texts. I’d got it all wrong.
Jade was there that night her mother died. Carmen had been to the police station that day to tell them what she knew about the Duggans drug operation. Jade was livid with Carmen for snitching on Dom. By the sound of things, Jade was pumped up on crack or gear and was as high as a kite when she met her mother. Jade got into a rage and years of pent-up emotion from the abuse and neglect she had suffered at the hands of her mother, came out that night. Dom helped her get rid of the evidence. Shame they didn’t destroy the phone. I listened again to Jade’s last conversation with Dom.
“You know I won’t say anything about what you’ve done. Your mam deserved it anyway.”
“Mam was toxic. I hated her. Hate was all I knew. It ate away inside me like a cancer. I planned how I would get revenge on her for the way she brought me up. Hate was my only companion in the wilderness of my life. I didn’t have a life though. It was an existence. Revenge over my mam was the only thing that allowed me to keep breathing. I fought a war against her in my head for years. All the shame and insecurities she brought on me beat me down again and again. It wasn’t just the way she neglected me. She never showed me any love. I didn’t know what it was to be cared for. I had never felt wanted. I was brought up to believe I was just a blot on society, a misfit who didn’t deserve to be here. Now, I don’t have to be the victim anymore. I rose from the ashes and destroyed her. The satisfaction I got as I plunged that knife in her body was euphoric. It felt so good. She can’t poison my soul any longer.”
I shuddered and listened again to the recording of Jade’s voice. Memories of my own drinking, how I had treated my children in the past flooded back. At least their mother had protected them from how I behaved. I couldn’t turn the clock back on what I had done but at least I could do the best for them now and if that meant putting drug dealers away to keep them safe then that was what I would do. Thankfully, I’d been able to turn my life around and make amends.
I’d got what I wanted — Dom behind bars. The police would have enough evidence without the phone to put him away for a long time. If I gave the phone to the police, would it shorten Dom’s conviction? I felt sure it would. He was an evil sadistic predator who deserved to be behind bars until he died.
I looked down at the phone and gazed up at the river. The murky water no doubt held secrets forever untold. There was no one around. Holding the phone in my right hand, I threw it as hard as I could. I heard the splash as it landed in the water. I stayed and watched the ripples disappear.
Glancing up, I noticed a heron waiting on the grassy bank, poised on one leg, patiently waiting for his prey. A gentle breeze hit my face and I thought how patient I had been. I’d waited for what seemed a lifetime for Dom Duggan to get what he deserved.
REVIEWS
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Manchester born Diane Ezzard writes psychologically charged domestic noir mysteries and thrillers about ordinary people coping with extraordinary circumstances. She is the author of the Sophie Brown series. She previously worked as a HR manager, counsellor and managed a charity among other jobs.
She now lives and works in London close to her daughter and young grandchildren where she spends her time writing when not fighting pirates and monsters.
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ACKNOWLEDEMENTS
I’d like to thank Samantha Ezzard, my daughter who as always acted as a sounding board to help fill those plot holes and anomalies.
A big thank you goes to Viergacht from selfpubbookcovers.com for a great cover.
Thanks to Nikki Brackett for her editing skills.
Most of all I would like to thank my loyal fans and the advance reader team. Without your praise and encouragement, I would not be spurred on to continue writing the way that I am.
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Book One in the Sophie Brown series –
I KNOW YOUR EVERY MOVE
A sinister phone call, an unknown visitor. Sophie's life is about to be turned upside down
Sophie has worked hard to free herself from the clutches of addiction and turn her life around. Practising as a counsellor, in a women's centre in Manchester, she now helps other girls in trouble.
She forms a close relationship with Cassie, one of her clients and tries to help her escape the clutches of a violent boyfriend.
But is Sophie being followed?
How can she uncover the truth, when she can't trust what is real?
The more she delves, the closer she gets to danger.
Can she revisit her own dark past bef
ore it is too late?
Get hooked on this dark, twist-filled suspense thriller that's in the vein of works by Rachel Abbott and Mark Edwards.
Chapter One
YESTERDAY
Something soft and feathery brushed past the end of my nose. I sneezed and opened my eyes.
“Oh Max,” I said.
The vision of loveliness that met me made me smile. What an adorable furry sight to wake up to in the morning. Sat on top of the silver satin duvet cover lay Max, the new addition to my family. At twelve-weeks-old, Max was a cute, mischievous bundle of joy. With big doleful eyes looking up at me, my heart melted. I stroked his velvety golden coat and tickled him under his chin.
“Want your breakfast, Max?”
I ignored the sound of him purring as I pressed my phone and looked at the time. 6.42. I groaned. I didn’t need to get up early today. It was Saturday, so no work and I’d had a fitful night’s sleep.
I’d had that dream again. The same one I’d been having over the last few months. I was running away from something or someone. I didn’t know what, but I always woke up full of tension and fear. Thankfully, I never got caught. One minute I was jogging by the river, on my usual route, the next I’d been transported to a house. The combination of the red poppy wallpaper and mint green leather sofa was a scene I knew well from my childhood. Mum stood by the mirror in the hall, carefully putting on her lipstick. She wore the last outfit I’d seen her in, a tan polo neck ribbed jumper and fawn herringbone tweed skirt. I pulled at her arm.
