The Perfect Mother (ARC)

by Caroline Mitchell

  ‘I wouldn’t see her. The staff could feed and look after

  her. She’d be your little pet.’ Sheridan had flashed him a

  wicked smile. She’d threaded her arm through his, draw-

  ing him close as she whispered in his ear. ‘To be honest,

  it turns me on.’

  If only it had, Sheridan reflected.

  ‘It’s not that easy though, is it?’ Daniel had replied. ‘It would kill me if I found out you were seeing someone else.’

  ‘It’s just a bit of fun. It’s not as if you’d be having

  an affair behind my back. Everything would be under

  my terms.’ Sheridan had turned to him, her face grow-

  ing serious. ‘Do you know what the divorce rate is in

  Hollywood?’ She did not wait for him to reply. ‘Over

  fifty per cent. Throw in an age gap and it’s higher than

  that. I’m doing this to protect our marriage. If you have

  Kelly, you won’t go looking elsewhere.’

  ‘But Sheridan, I love you.’

  ‘And I love you. Which is why we’ve got to give this

  a try.’

  ‘What if she goes to the press?’

  ‘The threat of being sued is enough to buy her silence,

  and besides … once we get her here, she’s yours. Who is

  she going to tell?’

  Daniel’s face was alight with possibility. It was as if

  all his birthdays had come at once. ‘What about after? I

  mean, we can’t keep her forever…’

  ‘We cover our tracks and pay her off. But we can’t

  stay here. Too many prying eyes. There’s an apartment

  in New York with a basement floor. It’s ideal.’

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  ‘New York would be easier for work…’ Daniel’s voice tailed off.

  ‘Exactly. Another reason why we should go.’

  ‘Yes, but another woman … What if you hate me for

  it? It’s not worth the risk.’

  ‘You were with another woman last week. How many

  more actresses will you star alongside?’

  Daniel’s silence spoke volumes. A tiny piece of Sheridan

  wanted him to deny it, but he wasn’t that sort of man.

  She knew what he was when she married him, and this

  was her best compromise.

  ‘You’re amazing, you know that?’ he said, placing his

  hands on her face.

  That night, they’d had mind-blowing sex. The next

  day, Sheridan had made Kelly an offer she couldn’t refuse.

  Now she sat here with Roz in silence, wondering how

  it had all gone wrong. She never could have predicted

  that Daniel would fall in love with Kelly, or his reaction

  when he found out that she had died. Roz was there to

  make everything better. Sheridan could still claw things

  back. Because she would rather share her husband with

  another than have her marriage fall apart.

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  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

  Roz

  May 2019

  I didn’t have the heart to read this week’s update aloud

  to my baby. I knew I had grown far too close to her. At

  thirty-six weeks of pregnancy, doing the simplest things

  took a lot more effort. Eating, sleeping – even breathing,

  sometimes. I imagined my baby curled up safe and warm

  in her temporary cocoon. She was at least six pounds in

  weight and would soon be born. I rubbed the base of my

  spine as I rose from the table and picked up the letters

  I had written earlier in the day. I made my way to the

  bathroom. There was no way I could leave them out for

  anyone to find.

  Tearing up the notepaper, I scattered it down the toilet

  and flushed. The letters I had written would never be read

  by their intended, but the small ceremony gave me some

  much-needed closure. Words of regret had bled on to the

  page, intermingling with my tears as I said my goodbyes

  to my mother, to Dympna and to my baby, which was

  the most painful of all. Daniel had ensured the return of

  my supplies, including my pencils and pens. But how far

  would his kindness stretch?

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  Thoughts of Kelly’s final moments filled my mind,

  keeping me awake long into the night. Did she know her

  days were numbered? I hoped not. Perhaps Kelly’s head

  was full of dreams for the future: becoming a famous

  actress, sending money home to her family. Becoming

  a star.

  I had no reason to believe Sheridan’s story, but I ac-

  cepted it just the same. A complication in childbirth had

  led to Kelly’s demise, and there was nothing to say the

  same fate would not befall me. Sheridan might not be a

  murderer, but she had stood by and watched Kelly die.

  Why? Daniel refused to discuss the subject of Kelly in

  any way, shape or form. I could sense his anguish at the

  very mention of her name.

  Perhaps he loved her, and that was her undoing. I

  frowned as unanswered questions filled my mind. Why

  do it all over again with me? Sheridan could have called

  for help when Kelly started bleeding, but she hadn’t. And

  now it would be the same with me. I realised with some

  clarity that what I felt for Daniel was dependence, not

  love. But how did he feel in return? The baby growing

  inside me was not his flesh and blood.

  I combed my hair, then smeared a thin layer of Vaseline

  on my lips. Sheridan was away with Monica at a char-

  ity event in LA. I pulled up the strap on the pretty lace

  maternity dress that Daniel had loaned me. It was one

  of Sheridan’s, a red number that had been gifted by yet

  another up-and-coming designer.

  The table in my basement room was set for two with

  plastic throwaway cutlery, and soft music played. Upstairs, Anna was cooking us a three-course meal. Daniel had

  gone to some lengths in order for me to have a nice night.

  But my days above ground had ended. He did not say as

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  much, but I knew the trust between us was hanging by

  a thread.

  Dabbing Sheridan’s perfume into the curve of my neck,

  I almost felt human again. Gasping, I placed a hand on the

  side of my stomach as my baby moved beneath my skin.

  ‘I’ll name you Tigger if you keep on bouncing around

  in there,’ I chuckled.

  My baby girl was cramped but agile, and it had been

  a relief when I’d heard Dr Blumberg tell Sheridan that

  she was engaged, head down. At least she should not have

  the complication of a breech birth.

  My heart skipped a beat as the lift came down.

  Smoothing my dress, I stood, feeling like a teenager on

  my first date. I had to get this right. I had to at least try.

  ‘You look beautiful,’ Daniel said, handing me a bunch

  of yellow roses.

  I took them with gratitude, inhaling their sweet scent.

  I wanted to reply that I looked like a whale, but there was no place for the old Roz tonight. ‘Thanks,’ I said instead, too embarrassed to relay a compliment. Daniel may as

  well have stepped out of the cover of GQ magazine.

  ‘So where are we tonight?’ It had become our latest

 
; game. Daniel would describe the faraway places he had

  been to, transporting me into his world.

  ‘We’re in The Chequers, back in my hometown.’

  Daniel regaled me with details of his favourite res-

  taurant and the food they used to serve. He slid off his

  jacket and placed it on the back of the chair while I laid

  the roses to one side. I did not feel like food. I needed to get this over with; my heart was beating so hard I couldn’t take it any more.

  I took a step towards him. I was barefoot, because

  Sheridan deemed heels to be a hazard, but my toenails

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  looked pretty in pink. Rising up on my tiptoes, I

  stretched my arms around his neck. I inhaled citrus

  and spice, the tantalising scent of his aftershave, as I

  nuzzled his skin.

  ‘The food can wait,’ he said, his voice husky. He slid

  his arms around my expanding waist.

  ‘OK,’ I whispered breathlessly. It was hardly the most

  romantic setting, a heavily pregnant woman in a base-

  ment flat. But it was now or never. Every moment we had

  spent together had been leading up to this. It wasn’t that

  I wanted to sleep with him – I had to. Creating a bond between us gave me my best chance of staying alive. Time

  was running out, and there would be no use for me once

  my baby was born.

  I allowed him to kiss me, deep and slow, before I

  followed him to the bed.

  ‘Are you sure?’ he said. ‘Because if you’d rather leave,

  I won’t stand in your way.’

  I suppressed my surprise. It was a trick. He was test-

  ing me. I knew what would happen if I tried to escape.

  ‘I want to be here, with you,’ I lied, unbuttoning his

  shirt.

  Daniel seemed pleased with my response as a slow

  smile crept onto his face. ‘Really?’

  ‘More than anything,’ I murmured, trying to clamber

  on to the bed. My stomach was not making this easy,

  and I had no idea how I could turn anyone on in my

  present state, much less a Hollywood superstar. ‘Sorry,’

  I said, as the mattress bounced under my weight. It was

  laughable. I was almost out of breath, and we hadn’t even

  done anything yet. I lay facing him on my side. ‘I feel

  ridiculous,’ I admitted, as my nerves kicked in. ‘Look at

  the state of me.’

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  ‘You’re beautiful,’ he whispered, but his eyes carried a

  blank nothingness that drove a shiver down my back. Was

  he thinking of someone else? Was I here at all? Pushing

  down the straps of my dress, he leaned in and kissed my

  shoulder. It all felt so surreal. He was breathtakingly

  handsome, but there were no fireworks between us, and

  Daniel seemed to sense my reluctance. The baby kicked,

  a timely reminder of my circumstance, and my fingers

  slowed over his belt buckle. I wasn’t a princess in a tower, and he wasn’t my prince charming. He was Sheridan’s

  husband and my captor.

  ‘Woah,’ he said, stilling my hand as he placed his on

  top. ‘This isn’t right.’

  My heart was hammering so hard, I could barely catch

  my breath. ‘What’s wrong?’

  Daniel shook his head. ‘You don’t want this, not really.’

  ‘I…’ I tried to speak, but the words would not come.

  I watched as Daniel buttoned his shirt, swung his feet

  onto the floor.

  ‘I’ll have the food brought down to you,’ he replied.

  ‘It’s steak. You don’t want it to spoil.’

  ‘No, wait, don’t go,’ I said, holding my dress to my

  chest. ‘Is it because I’m pregnant?’ I needed answers, if

  only to second-guess what would happen next.

  ‘It’s not you…’ Daniel tucked his shirt into his trousers.

  His gaze wandered over the room, as if seeing my prison

  for the first time. ‘I can’t do this any more.’ He bent to

  pick up his shoes from the floor. ‘Leave the dress out for

  Anna. She’ll put it back in Sheridan’s wardrobe.’ He did

  not look back as he walked to the lift.

  I tried to follow him, but by the time I’d clambered

  off the bed, the lift doors were closing. I was about to

  call after him to say he had left his jacket, but managed to 311

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  stop myself in time. There could be keys in there. How

  stupid could I be?

  I blinked in the dim light, my gaze on the lift display

  as it showed the lift travelling upwards.

  Daniel’s jacket felt silky-smooth as I ran my fingers

  down the side pocket. Empty. Sighing, I watched the

  lift display signal that it was on the upper floor. Soon he would realise his mistake and make his way down. I had

  just seconds.

  ‘Please,’ I whispered under my breath, praying his

  keys weren’t in his trousers. But as I slipped my hand into the inside pocket of the jacket, I was rewarded not with

  keys, but a mobile phone. I ran my fingers over it; it was

  surprisingly cheap for someone of Daniel’s calibre. Could

  I get enough reception to make a call?

  The ding and whirr of the lift signalled it was back

  in action. He was on his way again. I wanted to scream

  in frustration. Even if I could get reception, there was

  no time.

  It’s a burner phone, I thought, having read in Celeb Goss of the lengths Sheridan and Daniel went to to ensure

  their privacy.

  I jabbed my thumbs over the buttons, texting the

  one person in the world who might be able to help. One

  word was all I had time for, but Dympna would know

  what it meant. Quickly, I negotiated his sent messages

  folder to delete it. My heart was in my throat as the lift

  arrived on my floor.

  Holding my breath, I slipped the phone back into

  Daniel’s jacket. Taking swift steps towards the sink, I pulled a plastic tumbler from the cupboard as he approached.

  ‘Use the bottled stuff, it’s better for you,’ Daniel said,

  taking his jacket from the chair.

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  ‘It’s fine,’ I said, facing the sink wall. I could not risk him seeing my guilt-stricken face. My head raced with

  worries as I heard him disappear via the lift, my emotions

  in complete turmoil.

  I imagined Dympna’s alarm as she read the text. If

  only I’d had time to think things through. What if she

  rang Daniel’s number? Asked for me by name? I had done

  everything I could to gain his trust, and now I could have

  blown it all away.

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  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  Dympna

  Dympna’s fingers curled around her armrest as she gulped

  another mouthful of conditioned air. She couldn’t believe

  her own powers of persuasion. After weeks of nagging

  her father, he had finally caved in and bought flights to

  New York. But now her stomach tightened as she looked

  through the window of the Boeing 777, which was about

  to take off. Her limbs were rigid, her feet glued to the

  floor.

  ‘I can’t. I need to get off.’ Her words came as a sharp

/>   whisper.

  She had been in such a tizzy since receiving Roz’s text

  that she’d forgotten about her fear of flying – until now.

  As the plane moved on to the runway, Dympna squeezed

  her eyes tightly shut. ‘Tell them, Dad, please. I need to

  get off. I thought I could do it, but I can’t.’

  Beside her, she heard her father’s soft chuckle. Felt

  his strong hand cloak hers and squeeze tight. ‘You can

  and you will.’

  ‘But what if I’m wrong?’ she said, between panicked

  breaths. ‘I’ve taken you from work, given up my job.’ She

  looked at him as if only then realising the seriousness of

  the situation. ‘What have I done?’

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  ‘You’ve opened a strong lead into Roz’s case. One

  we can’t ignore. Don’t let your nerves get the better of

  you now.’

  After checking her phone, Dympna had done a double-

  take at the sight of the one-word text. PICKLE: their childhood code word. Nobody could dispute that Roz

  was in trouble, but thankfully she was still alive.

  Dympna had agonised about ringing the international

  mobile number, and had telephoned her father for advice.

  But US police checks had come back with nothing, and

  by the time they’d called, they were rewarded with a

  dead line. Dympna’s next action was to get her father to

  commit to travelling to New York.

  ‘We’ll find her,’ John continued. ‘Have faith in your-

  self. Now, deep breaths – here we go.’

  Closing her eyes, Dympna breathed in through her nose

  and out through her mouth as the plane ascended. Going

  to her happy place, she recalled clambering into Roz’s bed

  at the weekend to gossip about who they’d met the night

  before. But the memory brought a pang of sorrow. Only

  now did she realise what a huge upheaval this had been for

  Roz. Her heart ached for her friend and she bitterly regretted letting her walk out of the front door of their flat alone.

  Whatever she had done, Dympna needed to see her again.

  Seamus had said very little on the journey to the

  airport. She saw remorse in his eyes, but he repeated his

  assurance that he would be there for her when she got

  back. Each time he took a short breath, she felt like he

  was trying to tell her something, but each time his gaze

  fell to his shoes and the words would not come.

  Even Dympna’s mother was teary as she’d said her