“It’s okay. We know what’s going on now, we’ll have it all sorted really soon, and then they’ll be in prison. They won’t be able to hurt her then.”
“Who?” Gina’s heart hammered in her chest, determined to escape and find Sammy on its own. To protect her no matter what.
“The Robbins’.”
Gina tried to push away from Kate. She pushed at her chest trying to lever herself up and away, but her legs wouldn’t support her weight. All she managed to do was push Kate far enough from her to look into her eyes. Those grass-green orbs that looked damp, as though kissed by the morning dew. Compassion, understanding, and fear shone out in equal measure as Gina tried to breathe. But her lungs weren’t working. They pulled air in but seemed to refuse to push it back out again. In, but not out, over and over. She felt Kate’s arms close around her but she couldn’t see what was happening. Black spots swam before her but she could hear her blood in her ears. Not her heartbeat, no, that had already left to find Sammy. Just her blood drowning out Kate’s voice telling her that she would be okay, that Sammy was going to be fine, that she would make sure of it herself. Then it stopped and everything went quiet.
* * *
“When will she wake up?”
“I’m not sure, Sammy. Has she had a panic attack before?”
“Don’t know.” Sammy’s voice sounded small and scared.
“I’m fine, sweetheart,” Gina said, but her voice sounded far from fine. It sounded hoarse and thick, but it broke and went squeaky halfway through the sentence. “Christ, I sound like a pubescent boy.”
Sammy lay down next to her and wrapped a skinny arm around her waist, touched a soft kiss to the tip of her nose, and giggled.
“What?”
“You’ve got morning breath.”
Bloody kid.
Kate chuckled. “Welcome back. I’d offer you some tea, but I think it’s long cold.”
She was on the floor in a pretty good version of the recovery position. There was a thin pillow under her head, presumably from one of the cells, and a silver blanket over her. But she was still lying on the floor and the cold was seeping into her bones. She suppressed a shiver and asked, “How long have I been here?”
“About half an hour.”
“Oh, hell.”
“Do you suffer from panic attacks a lot?” Kate asked.
Gina shook her head. “I had a few when I went through puberty but nothing really since then. Except the other day, when you told me about Connie, but that wasn’t exactly a full-blown episode.”
“True.”
“Would you like me to call a doctor for you? He could prescribe something—”
“No.”
“It might help. It’s got to be pretty stressful for you right now.”
“I said, no. I’m fine now. It was just a shock.”
“Mum, why is it a shock to go and stay at Kate’s while the police have to do stuff at our house?”
“Excuse me?” Gina looked over at Kate.
“Sammy, your mum didn’t really give me chance to explain the situation to her properly. That might be why it’s such a shock. She doesn’t really know that you’re going to stay at my house for a few days until this whole thing is sorted out.”
“And where will you be?” Gina asked.
“Working. To sort this whole thing out.”
“And what are we meant to do at your house?”
“Stay there. Look after Merlin. Stay out of sight.”
“Locked in the house?”
“Well, not exactly. But you know how rumours are. It would be better if no one knows you’re there.”
“So, yes, locked in the house.”
“Give me a break, Gina. This was dumped on us in the last hour. I’m doing the best I can here.”
She called me Gina again. “What alternatives did you work through before you came up with this plan?”
“Staying here.”
“In jail! No way,” Sammy shouted.
“Not in jail, just here. But you see what I mean. We don’t exactly have a ton of options. My house is off the main road. As long as you stay inside, no one will know you’re there. Hell, the houses on either side of me are empty holiday lets, and I live alone. It’s the only option that makes sense.”
“To you,” Gina said.
“Yes, to me. Do you have a better idea?”
Gina shook her head. “But I’ve had less time to think about it.”
“Well, if you come up with a better plan, you just let me know.”
“You called me Gina.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not.”
Kate opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself. She shook her head and hauled herself up from the floor. “Come on, let’s go and get you two settled. We’ll need to go shopping first. I’ve got no food, and I believe kids need to eat a regular supply of junk food or they shrivel up like raisins.”
Sammy laughed as Kate tugged her to her feet. “I’m starting to wrinkle. Mum, I need pizza.”
“You had pizza last night.”
“Then I need hotdogs or something. I’m going raisiny.”
“That’s not a word.”
“It should be,” Kate said, “it’s a good one.”
“See?” Sammy grabbed one of her mother’s hands and helped Kate tug Gina gently to her feet.
“I think I’m going to have to work that one into a proper bad-guy insult someday.”
Sammy giggled and whispered in Gina’s ear, “I like Kate.”
Me too, sweetheart. She ruffled Sammy’s hair and followed Kate out to her courtesy car.
“If we leave yours here, then no one will spot it at my place and start snooping.”
Gina nodded and climbed in. Okay, Kate Brannon, let’s see what happens next.
CHAPTER 27
Gina twisted her hands in her lap as Kate drove them away from the police station and into Docking. She had so many questions she wanted to ask Kate. But she had no idea where to start.
Kate’s house was the second in a row of four and the only one occupied full time. The other three were second homes and a holiday let, which meant that between September and Easter, they sat empty, collecting dust, and eating money. It was dark when Kate parked at the rear of the house, a small gravel-covered area looking out onto arable fields that would grow wheat, barley, and oilseed rape through the season. In the distance, Gina was sure she’d be able to see the tall, white turbines of the onshore wind farm that had been so controversial in the last few years. She’d see them tomorrow, no doubt. All she could see now was endless, inky blackness.
It looked like a small cottage. The standard brick with lime-and-flint render covered the outer walls, and the small square of grass that made up the back garden led to a set of patio doors.
“Are you sure you have enough room for us?”
“Yeah. I only have the one bed in the spare room. But it should be big enough for the two of you, if you don’t mind sharing?”
“No, that’s fine.” Gina resigned herself to a night of tossing and turning as she shared a single with Sammy. Not a fun experience in the past. Her daughter had a tendency to wriggle, and often Gina woke her in the morning to find feet on the pillow rather than a head.
Kate fumbled with the key, struggling to get it in the lock in the low light and with her hands full of bags. “Sorry.”
Gina smiled and took the key from her, slid it into the lock and opened the door. It was much bigger inside than she’d expected. The whole downstairs was a long, open-plan living and dining room, with a good-sized kitchen looking out to the front of the house. There was a set of stairs on the left as she looked forward, and on the wall beside the patio doors was a large wood-burning stove with a huge glass window. She could imagine sitting on the comfy looking leather sofa watching the flames, reading a good book, sipping hot chocolate.
“There’s a toilet just through there, by the front door,” Kate said as she put the bag
s on the kitchen counters. “Let me show you upstairs. My room’s at the back, but this one should be okay for you.” Kate pushed open the door to a room with a king-sized bed that was already made up. Sammy bounded in and tossed herself on the mattress bouncing up and down on her back.
“Sammy, behave.”
“I’m just testing it,” she said. She sat up and dangled her feet over the edge.
“Master bathroom’s here, just at the end of the landing. I’ve got an en suite, so you can have this to yourselves.”
“You don’t have to do that,” Gina said.
“It’s what I normally do anyway.” She pointed to the basin. “See? My toothbrush isn’t even there.” She smiled. “I’ll go unpack those bags and leave you two alone for a while.”
Gina started to tell her again that she didn’t have to do that but Kate was already gone, skipping lightly down the stairs. Within seconds, Gina could hear the plastic shopping bags rustling and doors being opened and closed. She shook her head and turned to Sammy.
“Now you listen to me, young lady. Kate is being really, really good to us, letting us stay here, I need you to promise me that you’ll be on best behaviour.”
“’Course, Mum.”
“I mean it. No shoes on the sofa, no back chat, mind your manners, and don’t, for the love of God, tell her anything embarrassing. I’ve shown myself up enough today. Got it?”
“Like what?” Sammy grinned impishly.
“You know what, madam, and don’t pretend you don’t.” She tapped her on the nose, then patted her bottom. “Go wash your hands and I’ll go and get some hotdogs ready.”
“Okay.” Sammy bounced off the bed and raced across the landing.
“Walk. No running in the house.” She heard a snort of laughter coming from downstairs. She followed the sound. “I swear, sometimes I open my mouth and my mother comes out.” She hit the bottom step and smiled. Kate was bending down to put some fruit in the fridge. Oh, I was so right, that’s a gorgeous arse.
“The hotdogs and finger rolls are just on the side. I’d cook, but I can’t be sure I wouldn’t burn them.” Kate offered her a smile over her shoulder.
“You can’t burn hotdogs.”
“Au contraire, mon amie. If there’s heating involved, I can burn it. Trust me.”
Gina shrugged and opened the cellophane on the buns. “Knives?”
“In the drawer in front of you. Pans are in the cupboard underneath it, and the tin opener should be in the drawer with the knives.”
Gina quickly found what she needed and smiled in thanks when Kate handed her plates.
“Does she only drink milk?”
“At this time of night, it’s milk or water. Nothing that will keep her awake. Sammy on a sugar high is not a pleasant experience.”
“And you?”
“No, I can drink other things and still sleep just fine, thanks.”
“Ha ha.” Kate held up a bottle of red, eyebrow quirked in question.
“Oh, yes, please. That definitely won’t stop me sleeping.”
“I thought as much. It’s also a great vintage for hotdogs. Goes great with mustard and ketchup.”
“Multipurpose.”
“I like all things in my life to multitask.”
Gina chuckled and put plates on the table. “I could’ve guessed that about you. Sammy, Kate’s about to eat your hotdogs if you don’t hurry up.”
“You better not,” Sammy shouted, running down the stairs. “I’m starving.”
“I wouldn’t dream of eating one of your hotdogs, kiddo. Your mother’s on the other hand, well, they look mighty tempting, don’t you think?” Kate winked at her.
Is she flirting with me? I think she’s flirting with me. But she said she didn’t trust me anymore. But that was definitely flirting, right? Oh my God, I don’t even know what flirting is anymore. Gina shook the bottle of ketchup trying to properly dress her hotdog but her lack of attention led to serious overkill. And a splotch on her chest. Maybe two. Sammy burst into giggles while Kate had the good grace to hide her snigger behind taking a bite at least. End of flirting. If it was flirting.
“How come you live in this big house on your own?” Sammy asked Kate. Gina could have kissed her for diverting attention away from her and her stain and for asking a question she really wanted to know the answer to.
“Well, I don’t have a Sammy to share it with.”
“You don’t have to have a kid. You could have a husband or a girlfriend or a mum or dad.”
“Hmm.” Kate swallowed another bite. “Are those my only other options?”
Sammy shrugged. “’Fink so.”
“In that case, I’m out of options. Don’t want a husband. I decided when I was your age that boys smell and I haven’t met one yet to convince me otherwise. I don’t have a girlfriend because the last one ran off with my best friend. Which means I don’t have one of those anymore either. And I don’t have a mum or dad. They both died before I was your age.”
“I’ll be your best friend,” Sammy offered, holding out her hand.
“Okay.” Kate held hers out to shake, only to have Sammy whip hers away, put her thumb to her nose, and wiggle her fingers.
“Too slow.”
“Right, well I see. It’s going to be one of those BFF relationships, is it?”
Sammy nodded and started on her second hotdog.
“No one?” Gina asked.
Kate shook her head.
“I’m sorry.”
Kate shrugged and reached for her glass. “Long time ago.”
From the look in Kate’s eyes, Gina thought that the length of time didn’t matter. The pain was still raw, and she wished she knew which part of her story was responsible for that look. The idiot girlfriend, the stupid friend, or the orphaned little girl. She found she really wanted to know. Maybe she’d ask later, when Sammy was in bed. She wasn’t sure how much more Kate would say in front of Sammy. She was clearly protective of her and didn’t want to upset her either. Gina sighed. Good with her daughter, gorgeous, intelligent, and funny. Perfect. And she hates me…and flirts.
She watched as Kate paid attention to Sammy’s every word, refilled her glass for her, and flicked through the TV looking for cartoons for her. They, whoever “they” is, say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Well, the way to this woman’s heart was definitely through her kid. Gina could have happily watched them together all night. When bedtime came, Sammy begged Kate to read her a story.
“I don’t have any kids’ books, I’m sorry.”
“Doesn’t have to be little kids’ books.”
Kate frowned.
“It’s okay, Kate, Sammy can live without a story tonight.”
“Aw, but, Mum—”
“Actually I might have something.” She patted Sammy on the bottom. “You go and get ready for bed and let me see if I can dig it out.”
Sammy didn’t need to be asked twice. She was up the stairs before Kate had finished her sentence.
“You don’t have to.”
“I know.” Kate stood up. “But I enjoy her company, and I’d like to.”
“What book are you going to read to her?”
“The Anatomy of Murder. I started it when I was her age. I figure she’ll grow up to be a police officer or a criminal. Either way it’ll help her.”
“Ha ha.”
“I was thinking Stig of the Dump. It’s one my gran read to me when I was about her age.”
Gina smiled. “Lovely.”
Kate smiled and left. A shy smile, one that seemed incongruous with the strong, confident woman Gina knew her to be. Yet it seemed so natural, and Gina couldn’t help but respond. She knew her own smile was growing and there was a flutter in her belly that had been missing for far too long.
Gina could hear them both upstairs. Giggles and explanations, Sammy reading as often as Kate, and Gina shook her head. Sammy loved to hear stories, but getting her to read was difficult, to say the least
. Yet Kate had managed it seemingly with ease. Sammy really was on her best behaviour.
Gina busied herself washing the dishes but eventually drifted upstairs to find Kate still reading aloud, Sammy curled fast asleep beside her.
“Your kid snores.”
“I know.” Gina grinned. “Like a train.”
Kate closed the book and slowly extracted herself, tucked the covers around Sammy, and left the room. “I’ll leave you to it.”
“I was coming up to see if you fancied a coffee.”
“Oh, sure. I’ll stick the kettle on.”
“I can do it.”
“Don’t be silly, you’re a guest and you already had to make food so I didn’t kill us all. I can make coffee.”
“But there’s hot stuff involved. You sure you won’t burn it?” Gina offered with a look of fake concern.
Kate frowned. “Out of my way, woman. My honour is obviously at stake.” She held up her hands and flicked them towards Gina like she was shaking water off them. “Shoo.”
Gina laughed and followed her back downstairs. She watched as Kate managed to make them coffee, sans burning, and then held up a bottle of Bailey’s Irish Cream.
“Would Madam like a little tipple in her coffee?”
“Wine with tea, Bailey’s with coffee. Are you trying to get me drunk?”
“Merely offering sleeping aids to those who must sleep with a freight train this evening.”
“It’s a fair point, and it’s well made. Make mine a double, barmaid.”
“Yes, m’lady.” Kate drew the word out with a pretty good impression of the butler from Downton Abbey, and a shiver ran up Gina’s spine.
“Oh, I could get used to that.”
“What? Having Bailey’s in your coffee?”
“No. M’lady.” She tried to imitate the way Kate had said it, and giggled at her very poor attempt.
Kate’s lips quirked in a slightly lopsided grin. “And why’s that?” She handed the mug to Gina and led her to the sofa. She turned the sound down on the TV to almost nothing but left SpongeBob SquarePants playing in the background.
Collide-O-Scope (Norfolk Coast Investigation Stories Book 1) Page 23
