by Lynda Stacey
‘We haven’t seen them, not since the fire broke out,’ he sobbed like a child and stared directly at Bandit. ‘I didn’t know what to do.’
‘Where did Jess go?’ Maddie asked. Jess wouldn’t have left Poppy without a good reason. Where would she have gone without her? Had Jess gone into the house, was she in her father’s old bedroom? Was she trapped in the fire? Maddie’s heart rate accelerated and her breathing sped up. Both were at a rate that made her feel as though her chest would burst. The two people that meant the most to her were both missing and all she could see was their home burning to the ground before her.
She looked across at Bandit who’d already freed himself from the restraints of the ambulance.
There was no time to think. No time to plan. Choice didn’t come into his thoughts. Poppy could be in that fire and if she were, he had to save her.
He grabbed hold of Madeleine’s hands. ‘Maddie. I promise you, I’m going to find her, they must still be inside. I’m sure that Nomsa would have done everything she could to get out, but if they are still inside, I’m sure she’ll be protecting her,’ he said looking directly into her eyes. ‘I’ll find her. I promise.’ He knew he was making promises, giving her hope that the child would come out alive and that he would bring Poppy back to her mother.
All he could hear were Madeleine’s screams as he ran towards the burning building. He dodged behind the bushes, past the firemen and straight for the main door. He’d never really been religious, never been one for the church but right now he looked to the sky that glowed amber with flames and began to pray before running in through the front door, heading straight to the kitchen.
Madeleine clawed at the bed straps.
‘Let me off of here,’ she screamed as she watched Bandit run into the flames. ‘My baby, my baby’s in there.’ She launched herself from the trolley, just as the coughing once again overcame her.
‘Mrs Frost, you need oxygen. Please, lie down, put this mask on your face.’ The words of the ambulance man screeched through her mind like a firework tearing up and through the sky.
‘LIE DOWN, lie down? Don’t talk so stupid. My baby’s in that fire.’ She stood up again and stumbled towards the house but Jack caught her and tackled her to the floor.
‘Maddie, please. Please don’t. Bandit will find her. He promised, he promised he’d find her,’ Jack cried as he clung onto her as tightly as he could. ‘He always keeps his word, you know he does. Please don’t go in there. We can’t lose you too.’
‘Jack, get off me,’ Madeleine screamed as she prised his arms from around her only to find Bernie pinning her down too. ‘You don’t understand,’ she began to sob. ‘I have to help her, I’m all that she’s got. Please, Jack, Bernie, please let me go to my Poppy.’ Her sobs turned into hysteria as she continually tried to escape their clutches and tried to claw her way across the grass, her fingers digging deep into the soil as she did. Seconds turned into minutes. Minutes turned into what seemed like hours. She held her breath, not daring to breathe as her eyes searched every window for any tiny sign of movement within.
Firefighters shouted to each other and one moved forward, breathing apparatus attached to his back. ‘He’s got her, he’s got the little girl,’ came the shout as the firemen all ran to the back of the house.
Confusion struck and Jack let go of Madeleine, allowing her to stand. She ran to the side of the house and saw Bandit running from the direction of the woods and across the grass. Poppy was in his arms and Nomsa was at his side.
Chapter Forty-Two
‘I still can’t get hold of Jess,’ Madeleine said as once again she hit the red button, turning off the phone and dropping it back down on the table in Bandit’s kitchen.
It was dark outside, but from the gatehouse she could still see the blue flashing lights that still surrounded the hall, while firemen continually worked to try and save her home.
She looked down at where both Poppy and Nomsa slept peacefully on Bandit’s couch. ‘I have no idea how to thank you, and I can’t believe you found them both.’
Bandit shook his head. ‘They’d gone down the tunnel and guess what? There’s a false floor in the summer house. Eddie must have built the summer house right over the top of the entrance.’
‘But it was bricked up, how did they get to the summer house …?’
He held a finger to his lips, leaned forward and kissed her. ‘Over the past few days I’ve been working to open up the tunnel. It was supposed to be a surprise for you. It seems that Poppy had worked me out, as always. She showed Nomsa where the tunnel was and led them both to safety.’
A tear dropped down Madeleine’s face. ‘My brave, clever girl,’ she whispered and then looked up to where Bandit stood. ‘Thank you so much for trying to surprise me, your surprise has saved their lives.’
The night before still seemed surreal. The main part of the house including the grand staircase had been saved, but the reception, and the bedrooms above were all destroyed and, at this moment in time, Madeleine had no idea what insurance cover her father had had. She’d never thought to check it after her father’s death but right now, she didn’t care. Poppy was safe and all she had to do now was find Jess to complete her family circle.
‘I should go see what’s happening at the hall. It’s almost daylight,’ she said as she grabbed one of Bandit’s coats and he rose to go with her.
Burnt and broken, the hall rose up before them as Madeleine made silent promises to do everything she could to bring it back to its former glory.
‘Mrs Frost, can I speak to you please?’ a fireman asked as he walked towards them. ‘Mrs Frost. I’m Fire Officer Hanwell. Could I ask, do you recognise this pen knife?’ His words were simple, yet Madeleine looked at the knife and caught her breath. It lay protected in a plastic bag.
She nodded. ‘It … it … belongs to my ex-boyfriend. Where … how did you get it?’ She searched his eyes for an explanation, but already knew what he was about to say. ‘Was he in there?’ She paused as the answer hit her all at once. ‘Did he do this? Is he dead?’
Fire Officer Hanwell shook his head. ‘No, miss, there is no body. But we believe the fire was started deliberately and the knife was dropped by the site of where it was started.’
Madeleine began to shake. ‘He did this, didn’t he?’
Bandit’s arms surrounded her as her legs gave way and she collapsed into him, sobbing and cursing all at once as she remembered the sprinklers and the word ‘sabotage’ that Bandit had used. Her head spun as every imaginable reason for Liam’s penknife, that he kept on his keyring, being at the site of the fire flew through her mind. He’d started the fire. He’d said she’d pay for leaving him. He’d said she’d be sorry. But, he’d gone … she thought he’d gone. Thought he’d finally left them alone. So, why had he come back? Why couldn’t he leave her alone and what’s more, where was Jess?
The sun had now risen and Madeleine walked around the outside of the house alone, surveying the damage. She looked up at the window from where she and Bandit had climbed and then across at the rose bushes where her rucksack remained. Walking between the bushes, she grabbed the bag and threw it over her shoulder.
‘Mrs Frost, word has it that the fire was started deliberately. What are your thoughts on that?’ A young woman had suddenly appeared. She had a recording device in her hand and thrust it at Madeleine making her jump backwards.
‘Do you mind, that almost hit me,’ Madeleine shouted as she made her way out of the roses and back towards the house.
‘I’m so sorry. I’d hate people thrusting things at me too.’ She paused and flicked back her long auburn hair. ‘Can we start again? I’m Ella Hope of the Filey Chronicle. I’ve always loved this house, my parents brought me here once for a treat and I just need a statement about the fire. It’s my job. One statement and I’ll leave you alone, I promise.’
Madeleine smiled at the woman. They were about the same age and Madeleine seemed to remember her from high school.
‘All I can say is that at this point, I honestly don’t know what happened. I’m just relieved that everyone got out safely.’
Ella flicked through a notebook. ‘Could I ask one more question? Your sister, Jess Croft. She’s missing, is that right?’ she asked without waiting for permission.
Madeleine nodded. ‘Yes, she left just before the fire. I haven’t heard from her since.’
Ella picked up her mobile phone and began pressing buttons and then held a picture up for Madeleine to see. ‘But, Mrs Frost, if your sister left, why would her car be parked right outside the gates of the hall? Do you think she could have gone back inside? Could she have started the fire?’
Chapter Forty-Three
Jess had stopped crying hours before. Her legs were screwed up tightly beneath her and cramp tore through her entire body, but she dared not move, she dared not try to stretch. The cage which imprisoned her hung precariously from a frail rope over a dark wooden stairway. Liam’s words still haunted her mind.
‘Don’t move, you bitch, or the cage will drop and you will drop with it. It will kill you, just like it did the others.’ She’d looked down, noticing damage and blood stains on the staircase and listened to his sickening laugh, making her body shake with terror.
She’d stared at him, trying to work out the man her sister had once loved. Maddie had only lived with him for a short time, but Jess couldn’t believe that none of them had worked him out to be the monster that he was.
‘Why are you doing this? What did I ever do wrong to you?’ she pleaded, noticing that he turned his face away and avoided her stare.
‘Don’t look at me, just turn away, look away or I’ll blindfold you,’ he’d shouted as he’d smashed a wooden pole into the side of the cage. ‘Turn away. I mean it, turn away now!’
She’d looked down, hoping and praying that he wouldn’t hit the cage again. The rope didn’t look that strong and his hitting the cage had made it swing violently from side to side.
‘Please, Liam. Tell me why?’
‘You said I was creepy, told Madeleine that you’d always thought so. Well, this will teach you not to speak badly of people or to swing golf clubs at them, won’t it?’
‘I’m sorry.’ She had to try and weaken him, had to do whatever it took for him to let her go.
‘You’re just like my mother, she was cruel too. Well, I showed her, didn’t I?’
‘What about your mother?’ Jess knew she shouldn’t, but she prodded for the truth and then wished she hadn’t as the pole once again struck the cage.
‘She’s down there.’ He laughed and pointed down the stairs. ‘Where she belongs. She’s with the rest of them.’
Jess tried to see into the darkness. Was his mother captive in the cellar? Had she been there all along?
Liam poked at her through the cage making Jess scream out loud as her prison spun in the air and she caught sight of Liam’s face, one whole side of which was bright red; his eye was closed and his skin was blistered and covered in burns.
‘Liam, you need help. You need a doctor.’
He glared at her. ‘Look away from me. I told you not to look.’
Jess felt her whole body tremble, the movement of which made the cage begin to rock uncontrollably. ‘Let me out, I’ll help you,’ she lied.
‘She’s down there, my mother. She’s dead. You see, she didn’t love me enough, went and had another baby when she already had me. I should have been enough, she didn’t need another child, did she? Well, I took care of them both.’
It was at that moment that Jess looked back up. She had no idea what sort of monster Liam was, but she knew that if a man could kill his own mother and sibling, he wouldn’t hesitate about killing her too.
‘Now, you be good and stay still, or you never know, that rope might snap. I’ll be back soon. Just as soon as I’ve seen to that sister of yours,’ he shouted as he slammed the door, leaving her in pitch darkness, unable to see, unable to move.
She knew where she was. Knew this was the staircase in his house, the one that Madeleine had never been allowed to see and now she knew why. She’d been to the house once or twice, but working away on the cruise ships meant that she’d not been here during the weeks that Maddie had actually lived here. However, she did remember telling her how weird she’d thought it was that Liam had locked doors in his house and had always thought him to be a bit strange, although never in her life would she have guessed the secrets that this house held.
Her mind spiralled. How many people had he killed? How many people were now buried at the bottom of this staircase, and how many of them had been squashed into this cage, hung from the ceiling and dropped to their death?
She’d been unable to move, unable to scream, knowing that if she did no one would hear. The house was old, Victorian, and every wall was made of solid brick. But how had she got here? She remembered Liam jumping in front of her car as she left Wrea Head, her slamming on the brakes and him opening the car door. She remembered screaming, his hand going over her face and then a hazy recollection of being folded up in the boot of a car. Then nothing until she woke up, squashed into this cage.
Suddenly there was a crash followed by a noise that echoed like a stampede. She could hear boots, many boots, which meant many men.
‘Clear.’ A man’s voice shouted.
‘Clear.’ Another voice shouted. It was different from the one before and a voice she knew didn’t belong to Liam.
‘HELP ME,’ she yelled as loud as she could. Suddenly there was a much louder, much closer crash, followed by a bang as the second lock was attacked. Daylight flooded in as the door to the staircase flew open and Jess finally closed her eyes and began to cry.
‘I got one female. Alive. Get me an ambulance.’
She opened her eyes. The door was in pieces and so was the one beyond. Three armed policemen stood before her and one grabbed at the cage pulling it towards him.
‘Tom, you grab that side,’ he shouted and the second policeman grabbed hold of the cage. ‘It’s okay, love. I’ve got you. It’s okay. Tell me your name.’
She held her breath as the cage was lowered and finally touched the top step. Then the cage door opened and she struggled to move. Every inch of her was in agony and she gratefully allowed the paramedic to place an oxygen mask over her face, just as her eyes fixed on the open door of the bedroom beyond, at the noticeboard that hung on the wall facing her. Madeleine’s broken locket swung from its hook and then suddenly fell to the floor as six policemen stamped into the room.
‘My sister, Madeleine Frost, you’ve got to help her. I think he’s going to kill her.’
Chapter Forty-Four
April 10th, 1943
Father was being so kind and helped me without question or argument for weeks. He would bring food up to the room, light fires in the grate and would hold Edward Arthur as though he was his own.
He made it quite clear that neither Mother nor Mary were aware of his birth and that I understand that his existence was to be kept a secret and no fuss should be made at all.
But, now I know why Father has been so kind and so very secretive.
Edward Arthur is now just over five weeks old and today my father suggested that I go to the main part of the house and take a hot bath. He promised that he’d take care of my boy while I was gone.
The thought of a hot bath was too much and I almost skipped down the staircase with joy. Mother, Mary and Rose had all gone to London and much to my surprise the hall was empty of servants; everyone except cook and Benjamin seemed to have gone out, which seemed rather odd.
I went directly to my room on the first floor. I couldn’t wait for the luxury of the bath, but knew that it would take a while for cook to boil the water and for Benjamin to carry it up to my room, so while I waited, I rushed back up the staircase, to the room beyond where my baby lay.
This is where my nightmare began. A woman dressed in a tweed coat and hat held Edward Arthur; she told me not to make a fuss, that
he’d be much better loved by an adoptive family and that I’d be better off without him. Father went quiet and it was then that I realised he was having my baby taken away. I screamed as loud as I could and for a moment I was grateful for the tolling of the bell tower. The noise unnerved the woman and I took the opportunity to grab Edward Arthur from her arms. I ran from the house as fast as I could in just my dress and my shoes and only managed to grab my bag which contained my beloved diary and a few of Edward’s things, but there hadn’t been time to take a coat, not for me or for Edward Arthur. I didn’t know where to go. But my options were limited and eventually I ran to the gatehouse, told Eddie’s mother everything and she promised to take us both in.
I now wait daily for news of Eddie. It’s now months since he disappeared and every day since I left the hall, I walk to the kissing gate, hide behind the trees and watch as the postman delivers letters to the hall.
Madeleine read the words out loud as she turned the wafer thin page of the diary.
‘I can’t imagine how I’d have felt if someone had tried to take Poppy, or having to run away like she did. It must have been awful for her,’ she said as she held tightly onto Jess who lay on the bed between her and Bandit, cuddling tightly between them. They’d spent days like this, waiting for news. They’d been asked to stay together, asked to confine themselves to one room and not to leave the hall unless necessary.
Poppy was sleeping in her own bed and even though she’d had no idea of the torment that Jess had gone through, she’d been astute enough to build a wall of teddies around the edge of her bed and hide behind them for safety.
A police officer had stood outside the front doors of the hall for days. Liam still hadn’t been found, but after what he’d done to Jess, they wouldn’t take the chance that he could return to finish the job. After all, the police had no idea what lengths Liam might go to. It was obvious that he was obsessed with Madeleine and no one knew how far he’d go to gain his revenge.
