‘When?’ Daughter demanded. She stamped her foot on the floor. ‘I think you’re making it all up!’
‘When he broke my bedroom window.’
‘No!’ Daughter screamed. ‘I don’t believe you. You’re only saying it ‘cos you hate him!’
I reached for her and grasped her wrist. ‘I’m not lying. I don’t want this to be true any more than you do, but it is. He’s the one who bruised my neck. Didn’t you wonder what it was?’
‘No.’ Daughter snorted. ‘Kelly told me it was love-bites from your boyfriend.’
‘Oh, darling, Kelly hates me. You need to be prepared that your father could end up going to prison. I’m sorry, sweetheart, I know you love him.’
Daughter twisted and turned her wrist in my grasp, I dropped it for fear of hurting her. ‘You can’t make him go to prison!’ Her words rose, crashed against the ceiling and shattered. ‘Tell the police you don’t want him to go to prison.’ Tears tumbled across her freckled cheeks. ‘He’s my dad!’
‘He will always be your father. Nothing can ever change that.’
‘But you’re stopping me from seeing him!’ she screamed. ‘Because you’re such a big fat liar, and I hate you. I HATE you!’
Her voice hit me; multiple blows to the head and heart. I couldn’t reach her through the minefield of venom she’d spread at my feet. I was so shocked all I could do was watch her run from the kitchen. My teeth juddered with the slamming of her bedroom door.
Daughter was still in her room, ignoring me, when Mr Nice knocked on the front door.
‘I’ve made risotto.’ He carried the steaming bowl into the kitchen while Sam headed for Daughter’s room.
‘I told her about Andrew.’ I nodded in the direction of Daughter’s room as Mr Nice ladled risotto onto plates.
‘How did she take it?’ Mr Nice paused mid-ladle.
‘Called me a liar and said she hates me.’
‘She’s upset. It’s a lot to take in, especially for a child.’ He turned to his daughter who hovered in the doorway. ‘Everything okay?’
Sam shrugged. ‘Yeah, I’m just waiting.’
‘For what?’ Mr Nice asked. ‘Dinner? Here.’ He held out a plate.
Sam held up a computer game case. ‘No, to play this game on two-player.’
‘Is she in a grump with you as well?’ I asked Sam. ‘Won’t she share? She’s been on that thing for ages it won’t hurt her to play your game with you.’
Sam shrugged. ‘I dunno, she’s not there.’
‘She’s gone!’ Panic flooded in waves making it hard to breathe.
‘I can’t see her outside.’ Mr Nice forced me to face him. ‘Does she have a hiding place? I know it sounds stupid asking but is there somewhere she’d go to be on her own?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ I snapped. ‘She’s eleven. She goes to her room when she wants to be alone.’
‘What about a favourite place, somewhere she likes better than anywhere else?’ Mr Nice asked patiently.
‘Her bedroom,’ I wailed. ‘No… wait… she really enjoyed it at Darrelle’s, you don’t think she’s gone there?’
Mr Nice looked grim. ‘I certainly hope not, it’s a long way to walk. I’ll phone Darrelle. Do you have her number?’
I handed him my mobile and watched him select the number. Blood rushed to my ears and I couldn’t hear the conversation. My legs weakened and I stumbled to the sofa.
‘She wants to talk to you.’ Mr Nice pushed the phone under my nose.
‘Darrelle?’ I whispered into my mobile.
‘I’m coming to help,’ said Mr Cool’s voice.
‘What if she manages to reach you and no-one’s in?’
‘Darrelle will stay here in case she turns up. She can’t have gone far. Has she done this before?’
‘Never. She’ll be scared, it’s dark, and she’s not used to being out on her own. She’s so little.’ I cried, great big wracking sobs rising from my stomach.
‘We’ll find her,’ promised Mr Cool. ‘I’ll be with you soon. Stay there. Send your neighbour fellow out to look for her in the meantime.’
The phone slipped from my hand and thudded on the floor as I collapsed onto my knees and cried harder than I ever thought I could.
It was all my fault.
I’d told her about her father, I’d driven her away.
None of this would have ever have happened if I’d stayed with Mr Him.
The thought shocked me and my tears stopped. Mr Him wasn’t even with me but he still had the power to make me feel everything was my fault.
17:45
Mr Cool gathered me into his arms. ‘Any sign?’
‘No,’ I sobbed. ‘Sam and her dad have checked nearby roads, they phoned a minute ago saying they’ll look in the park. They’ve been to Kelly’s but the house is empty.’
Mr Cool kissed me and led me back to the sofa, gently pushing me down. He leant forward, rubbed his palms over his muscular thighs and sighed. ‘Have you told the police she’s missing?’
I nodded.
‘And what are they doing about it? Why aren’t they here yet?’ His eyes flashed.
‘I’ve never seen you angry,’ I replied weakly.
‘I’m concerned,’ said Mr Cool in a calmer voice. ‘Darrelle and I both are.’ He consulted his watch and jumped up, pacing before the window. ‘Is there anyone else who can help look for her?’
I shook my head. ‘I don’t have any family close by.’
‘Friends? What about the chap you were with outside school the other day?’ Mr Cool asked thoughtfully.
‘No way. He probably won’t even answer the phone if he knows it’s me. I think he hates me.’
‘Didn’t seem that way to me,’ replied Mr Cool evenly. ‘He appeared to like you very much when he defended you outside the school.’
I shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. ‘We had a bit of a thing.’
Mr Cool arched one eyebrow. ‘This thing is no longer going on?’
‘Not since I spent the night at yours and Darrelle’s.’
Mr Cool nodded in understanding. ‘You don’t think he’d help? Surely he can’t be so callous.’
‘Maybe not callous but jealous. He was jealous over us having a meal at the golf club.’
‘You told him about that?’
I shook my head and checked my mobile phone for messages. ‘No, he saw us.’
Mr Cool peered out of the window. ‘The police are here at last. Call this other man. I’m not the jealous type. The more help we can drum up, the better.’
‘I’ll try,’ I said uncertainly. ‘I wasn’t implying you should be jealous or anything. I know we’re just friends, we’re not an item.’
Mr Cool smiled as he went to buzz the police officers into the flat. ‘We are far more than friends and you know it,’ he said with a wink. ‘Besides I don’t need to be jealous because I know how good we are, and will be, together and I also know you know that too and, yes, we are an item.’
18:05
I’d just poured a cup of coffee for the police officer waiting with me in the kitchen, when he received a call on his radio and headed into the hallway. With a shaky hand I poured myself a coffee and grasped the warmth it offered. I longed to hear the fall of Daughter’s footsteps as she ran into the kitchen in search of crisps. If I closed my eyes, it was almost as if I could.
‘Miss Monnivan.’ The officer appeared behind me. ‘Take a seat, I have something to tell you.’
In slow motion I put my mug down. My legs wouldn’t work, there was no way they’d carry to a stool by the kitchen table. I gripped the kitchen worktop for support.
‘Andrew Parsons has escaped custody.’
My head swam and I swayed forward. The officer steadied me. ‘He managed to slip out of the hospital unnoticed. We’re really sorry, we don’t know how it was allowed to happen.’
Time lost all meaning. I couldn’t decide if the minutes were moving too fast or too slow. How could I just sit there? I wanted to claw m
y way out of the flat, to run and scream for Daughter. With Mr Cool and Mr Nice out looking for Daughter I was less than useless.
The police officer remained with me, another outside in a car. It seemed likely there would be a police car parked outside until Mr Him was recaptured.
I text Mr Dry and Darrelle. Were those really my fingers typing the message my daughter was missing and Andrew was on the run? My current life was in another galaxy to my life before Mr Him had moved out and I floated in the atmosphere around it, tethered only by the torn strands of who I used to be.
18:11
“Can’t believe that evil piece of shit is loose. Am always here for you. D x”
18:15
The police officer answered the intercom. Mr Dry swept into the lounge. An unbuttoned, long coat swathed his tall frame, his large feet were clad in his sturdy walking boots, his hands encased in suede gloves. The cold clung to him and nipped at my bare feet as he strode to me and clapped his hands together.
‘Right,’ he said briskly. ‘Where should I look?’
Tears pricked my eyelids at the dry tone his voice carried. I attempted a small smile at him, suddenly desperate for a glimpse of his lopsided smile.
‘Do you have a torch?’ He didn’t return my smile.
I trudged into the hall and rummaged in the dresser drawer. ‘Thank you for coming, I didn’t think you would.’
‘I’m not doing this for you,’ Mr Dry replied stiffly. ‘A child is missing.’
‘My child.’ A huge lump formed in my throat, choking me as I held up a torch.
‘It wouldn’t matter whose child it was.’ Mr Dry grabbed the torch. ‘I would still assist.’ He strode from the flat without another word, barging into Mr Cool as the latter returned.
‘Charming fellow, isn’t he?’
‘Was she at the school?’ I hopefully held my breath.
Mr Cool shook his head regretfully. ‘There’s one thing I think you could do with now.’
‘Please don’t,’ I replied in a small voice. ‘It’s not appropriate at the moment. I’m about to suffer a nervous breakdown. I keep thinking of my daughter huddled up somewhere, all small and alone.’ My shoulders drooped and I burst into tears, wailing so hard I knew my face would be a red, slobbery mess but not caring.
Mr Cool pulled me to him and squeezed me really hard. ‘I meant a drink. The rest,’ he said coolly, ‘will be all the better waiting for. I’ll take a look up the road again.’
18:35
The police officer appeared at the bathroom door, where I was hunched over the toilet, vomiting.
‘Have you found her? What’s happened? Where is she?’ I hurried after the officer and out onto the street.
The officer moved aside and I saw her.
On the grass, hand in hand with Kelly.
I charged over to her and pulled Daughter away, my hands flying across her face and body, checking her. Daughter stared at me with big eyes and my heart jumped.
‘What do you think you were doing?’ I screamed, tears of relief freezing on my cheeks in the cold air.
‘I took her for a walk. She’s practically my stepdaughter.’ Kelly smirked. ‘It’s better than being cooped up in her bedroom all the time, playing computer games.’
‘You had no right! How dare you?’ I wanted to hit her, correction, strangle her.
‘What? Just like you have no right accusing Andrew of being a murderer?’ shouted Kelly. ‘Filling his daughter’s head with poison. You’re evil. I set your daughter straight and told her exactly what happened. She knows you’re the only one with the problem around here.’
‘What?’ I screeched, advancing towards Kelly. ‘Did you tell her how you threatened to knife me outside school on Monday?’
One of the police officers stepped between us, the other talking on the radio in the car. ‘Calm down.’
‘Calm down?’ I parroted. ‘First of all I’m almost strangled to death by my crazy ex and then she tries to stab me! If that wasn’t enough, I’m almost sliced and diced! I wouldn’t have any problems if it wasn’t for her and Andrew!’
‘You’re a liar!’ Kelly hollered. ‘You deserve to have your throat slit for being such a conniving bitch!’
‘I said, enough!’ The officer looked decidedly red in the face from being ignored.
‘Why?’ I screamed at Kelly. ‘Would it be easy for you to kill? I bet you helped him murder all of those poor girls too!’
‘Now you’re just being even more evil, you bitch!’
‘Whore!’
‘Enough.’ Mr Dry appeared from nowhere, his low voice cut through my anger-ache. ‘Look at your daughter.’
I turned to him, Daughter huddled in the crook of his arm, tears streaming down her pale cheeks. ‘I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m sorry you had to hear that.’
‘Not sorry for being a fake bitch though, are you?’ shrieked Kelly. She hot-stepped around the police officer and lunged, her hands clawing at me.
‘Get off!’ I grasped Kelly’s hand which was entangled in my curls. My hair twisted in her hold, her free hand scratching at my face. I cried out as her nails sunk into my cheek, warm blood seeping from the nail trails.
‘Let go,’ ordered the police officer, he reached for Kelly’s scratching hand and bent it behind her back.
The other police officer flew from the car and grabbed me. I clutched my cheek. Kelly, forced to submit, released her hold on my hair and laughed.
‘I’ll fucking have you another time,’ she howled as the officer escorted her to the car. ‘When there’s no-one around to save you. You’ve just been lucky so far.’
‘Are you okay?’ the remaining officer asked in concern. ‘Your face is bleeding.’
Was I okay? Was I? ‘No, I’m not okay. I’m sick of all of this but I’ll live, if that’s what you mean.’
‘We’ll have to take her in,’ said the officer. ‘I’ve radioed for another car to watch you. Once it arrives, we’ll be off. I don’t need to tell you, you have to come to the station. We’d appreciate you coming in as soon as the next police car arrives, they will accompany you.’
I watched him rush to aid his co-worker with Kelly, who was resisting being forced into the vehicle and was kicking and screaming. All down the street, curtains twitched and some of the doors of the properties nearest were half open. I was surprised no-one was outside filming the whole incident with their mobile phone.
‘Thank you,’ I turned to Mr Dry who, once again, held a sobbing Daughter in his arms. ‘You surprise me with your concern.’
‘I told you before you underestimate me.’ Mr Dry opened his arms for Daughter to run to me.
She thudded into me, winding me momentarily. ‘I saw Dad,’ she sobbed. ‘He said you’re a witch and really evil inside.’
‘When did you see your father?’ I whispered.
‘Where was he?’ Mr Dry asked.
Daughter looked from me to Mr Dry and back again. ‘I heard a noise outside. I looked out of my bedroom window and Kelly was just standing outside so I opened the window. She told me she knew where Dad was and he wanted to see me. Kelly put a scarf around my eyes and took me in the car to somewhere. I don’t know where it was.’ She gulped back tears. ‘It was dark and there weren’t any lights but lots of trees. She said I had to have the scarf on my eyes so I couldn’t tell the police anything.’
‘You need to tell the police everything,’ stressed Mr Dry. ‘You want your mum to be safe, don’t you?’
Daughter nodded, her lip quivering. ‘I will. I’m sorry, Mum. I love you.’
‘It’s not your fault, sweetheart.’ I hugged her tightly. ‘I love you, so much more than you can ever imagine. Thank you,’ I said again to Mr Dry.
‘You’re welcome.’ Mr Dry smiled lopsidedly, causing my heart to involuntarily flip.
‘Looks like I’ve missed everything,’ interrupted Mr Cool, accompanied by Mr Nice and Sam. ‘Here she is, all safe and sound.’ He flung his arms around me and Daughter, kissi
ng me passionately on the lips and ruffling Daughter’s hair. ‘Right,’ he continued. ‘That’s it. I’m not leaving you alone for a moment. I’ll call Darrelle and let her know all’s well. She’ll be relieved; she loves the pair of you to bits.’ He turned to Mr Dry. ‘Thanks for your help, we’re very grateful. Aren’t we, Saze?’ He squeezed my waist.
Mr Dry tossed him a dark look and me an unfathomable one before stalking off into the night.
‘Odd man.’ Mr Cool unlocked his phone to call Darrelle.
Mr Nice hugged me briefly. ‘I’m so glad she’s okay,’ he said in my ear. ‘I’ll take Sam in, it’s been a bit draining for her. See you tomorrow for dinner?’
I nodded absentmindedly as I watched a new police car draw to a stop next to the first. Over its roof and almost obscured by the shadows of the trees on the green, stood Mr Dry, recognisable only by his tall frame and rigid stance.
Posted: 20:30 3 Sazements
SxyGrrl: So relieved your daughter is okay. Those people are lunatics. I know Andrew’s her father but still. What’s wrong with him? I really hope you both come through this. Thinking of you.
GeoffBD: I’m sitting here in disbelief.
Ribtool: What a pair of raving loons, hope your kid is ok. That nut-job needs a good seeing to. With a hammer. Did I say that? Guess I did.
***
Rabbit, Rabbit.
22:00
‘Shall I carry her into her bedroom?’ Mr Cool asked as he manoeuvred his car as close as possible to the front door of the flats once we returned from the police station.
‘Please.’
Daughter, sound asleep in the back of Mr Cool’s car, was oblivious we had reached home. The headlights of the police car which had followed us illuminated the interior of our vehicle and Daughter’s tear-streaked, dirty face. A filthy thumb rested mid-suck in her mouth, a habit I thought she had long outgrown. I followed Mr Cool up the path to the communal front door and opened it. He carried Daughter with such ease and tenderness it brought tears to my eyes. I unlocked the flat and flooded the hallway with light before opening Daughter’s bedroom door. Mr Cool laid her gently on the bed and eased her shoes from her feet.
Lies Love Tells (Eastcove Lies Book 1) Page 20
