Maggie: a gripping psychological thriller

by Netta Newbound

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Maggie, it’s me,” Rachel said brightly.

  “Oh, hi, Rach. How are you?”

  “I’m okay. Where are you? I’m about to leave home.”

  “Leave home?”

  “Yes. I’m supposed to be staying at yours tonight – did you forget?”

  I gasped. “I’m so sorry. I’ve had such a shit week. Maybe you’d be better off leaving it for tonight – I’m not the best of company right now.”

  “You poor thing. Is Claudia all right?”

  “Still the same.”

  “I’ll bring something for dinner, and you can tell me all about it. What do you fancy?”

  “Anything. But are you sure?” I put a smile in my voice, grateful for a friend. But suddenly a pang of guilt gripped me. Was I putting Rachel in danger?

  “Positive. Will you be back by six? I’ll ask Daddy to drop me off.”

  I glanced at my watch – 5.15. “Yeah, should be. I’ll go and catch a bus now.”

  I said my goodbyes to Claudia and headed off to the bus stop.

  I hadn’t heard from Doreen, so I didn’t know if Sandy had shown up yet, or not. I prayed he had.

  I arrived home just before six. Rachel and her dad were parked in the street, waiting for me. She jumped out and her dad helped her with her bags. He nodded towards me, his face not breaking his sour expression, then he got back into the car and drove away.

  “Was it something I said?” I asked.

  Rachel laughed and hugged me. “Oh, don’t mind him. He’s a worry wart.”

  “What’s he worrying about?”

  She shrugged and grinned. “Truth?”

  I nodded.

  “He’s worried about me spending time with a killer.”

  Startled, I looked up at her. “Really?”

  She laughed. “Don’t worry about it – he’s just being silly.”

  “But I do worry. That’s why I had to move away. People don’t seem to care what Kenny was doing to me – I had no choice.”

  I opened the door and waited for Sandy to come bounding towards me. But he didn’t.

  “What is it?” Rachel asked.

  “Sandy ran off last night, and he hasn’t come back yet. I was hoping Doreen had found him and brought him home.”

  “Oh no. Poor little fella. I hope he’s all right.”

  “Me too.”

  We carried her stuff inside, leaving her overnight bag on the bottom tread of the stairs and the shopping bags in the kitchen. Then, I opened the back door and scanned the empty yard.

  “Sandy!” I called. “Come on, boy.” When he didn’t appear, I closed the door. “I’m going to see if Doreen has him. Do you want to come?”

  Rachel shook her head. “I’ll unpack this lot, if that’s all right, and then start cooking.” It was a dream of Rachel’s to open her own restaurant one day. Although her mum wasn’t good in the kitchen, her nan had been fantastic, and she’d taught her how to cook from an early age.

  “I won’t be long, and then, I’ll help you, I promise.” I knew going to Doreen’s was a pointless exercise, but the little mutt had been on my mind all day. Claudia would be devastated if she knew I’d lost him.

  Doreen shook her head as she opened her door. “Still nothing?”

  “I was hoping he was in here with you.”

  “Sorry, love. I was in and out all day, but there’s been no sign of him.”

  “Maybe I should ring around the dog’s homes. He may have been picked up.”

  Doreen shrugged. “Maybe. But he’s been chipped, so I’m sure they’d have contacted you by now.”

  I exhaled noisily. “I haven’t a clue what to do next, then. I hope he gets back before Claudia comes to.”

  “How is she?”

  “No change,” I said sadly.

  “Not looking good, is it?”

  “Nope. Not at all.”

  25

  I found Rachel chopping mushrooms and onions in the kitchen.

  “Still not turned up?” she asked.

  I shook my head. “It’s as though he’s vanished. Now, what can I do to help?”

  “Oh, nothing, it’s all sorted. I’m doing spag bol – is that all right?”

  “Perfect.”

  “There’s a bottle of Coke in the fridge, if you want some?”

  I grabbed a couple of beakers from the cupboard and poured us both a drink. When I placed a glass in front of Rachel, I noticed her eyeing me suspiciously.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You seem different. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “I’ve had a week from hell, Rach.”

  “Because of the dog?” She balanced the wooden spoon against the pan handle and turned to lean her back against the worktop.

  As I tried to tell her what had happened, tears welled up and spilled from my eyes and down my cheeks. I hadn’t expected to cry. It was all I seemed to do lately.

  “Hey! Come here.” She pulled me into her arms and held me tight.

  After a few minutes, I backed away and snagged a piece of kitchen roll from the holder on the wall.

  “So, what happened?”

  “My solicitor, Matt Pierson, was killed.”

  She gasped. “The one who came to my house?”

  “Yeah.”

  “How?”

  I shook my head. “Stabbed, I think. Fucking Jake Stuart is trying to pin it on me.”

  She screwed up her face in disbelief. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “I wish I was. He’s been a total shit since Kenny…you know?”

  She nodded. “They were best friends, weren’t they? I’d hate Jake as an enemy. I can imagine he’d be a real dick.”

  “Thank God you see him for what he is – everyone else seems to love him.”

  “I’ve never liked him. He gives me the willies.” She shuddered and turned to stir the contents of the pan again.

  I considered telling her the rest, but decided not to. We were only just getting back on track, and I didn’t want her to think I was crazy.

  “So why would he think you killed Matt?”

  “I dunno. I think he just wants to punish me. He’s fuming because, in his eyes, I got away with killing Kenny.”

  “But they mustn’t really think you did it, otherwise you’d be arrested, surely.” She reached for her glass and sipped the Coke.

  “They did arrest me, yesterday.”

  She gasped, spilling the Coke down her lemon-coloured T-shirt. “Really?”

  “Yeah. They dragged me off to the station and took my clothing for forensic testing.”

  “Fuck! Maggie, why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I’m telling you now.”

  “You know what I mean. The cops suspect you of killing a guy – I’d be going out of my mind.”

  “I am. Believe me. And it’s not just Matt who was killed. He was with his girlfriend. They’re both dead.”

  I could tell by her face, she was having difficulty processing this, so I chose not to mention Yazz and Donna.

  “I need to use the loo. Won’t be a sec,” she said, her smile was unconvincing.

  I nodded and sighed. I’d misjudged her, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she suddenly remembered a prior engagement.

  A bubbling sound from the pan had me on my feet. I pulled the food off the flame and lifted the lid. The delicious smelling tomato sauce resembled molten lava.

  “Oh, shit. Did it stick?” Rachel said, suddenly behind me again.

  “No. I think it’s all right.” I grinned.

  “I haven’t even boiled the water for the pasta.”

  “No problem, I can do it if you’ve got to go.”

  “Go where?” She wrinkled her nose.

  “I just thought…”

  “Shut up! I’m going nowhere. I know you didn’t hurt anyone, Maggie. Did you think I did?”

  I nodded. “It’s got to be a shock for you – it was for me, and I was certain
of my innocence.”

  “I’m certain of your innocence, silly. Now shift while I finish the dinner, I’m starving.”

  After we’d eaten, we shared the washing up. Then, Rachel produced some cheesecake she’d been defrosting in the fridge.

  “You’re joking, aren’t you? I’m stuffed.”

  “That’s fine – it’ll keep until later.”

  Here we were, acting like regular teens – something I hadn’t been able to do for months.

  “Will you come for a walk with me?” I asked. “I need to buy milk and bread for breakfast, and I’ve got to keep looking for Sandy.”

  “I’ll need to borrow a coat. I forgot to bring mine.”

  “I should have something in my room, if not Claudia has heaps of cardigans.”

  “I’m not wearing an old woman’s cardigan! I’d rather freeze.”

  I laughed at her horrified expression. “Come on upstairs. I’m sure I have something you can wear.”

  A few minutes later, we headed off to the corner shop. Yazz’s had been our nearest, but there was another a couple of streets in the opposite direction.

  “So tell me. What happened to your nan?” I asked as we walked.

  “She was getting confused and became a danger to herself. You know how fab she used to be in the kitchen?”

  I nodded.

  “She kept leaving stuff on the stove top – she almost burnt her house down a couple of times. Luckily, Mum called in the last time or Nan would have gone up in smoke.”

  “Shit. Does she mind being in a home?”

  “She did, at first. In fact, she made Mum’s life a misery. I actually thought she should have come to stay with us, but Mum was scared she’d kill us in our beds. But now, Nan seems settled and has made a couple of friends. She’s much happier.”

  “Oh, that’s good.”

  Rachel waited outside the shop while I popped inside, and then, we walked home via the back alley.

  Rachel gave a piercing whistle using her thumb and forefinger.

  “Shit, Rach,” I said. “You almost deafened me.”

  She grinned.

  We passed Claudia’s back gate and walked to the far end of the alley before retracing our steps.

  “Can we get in the back way?” Rachel asked.

  “Yeah, I didn’t lock the gate, just in case the little bugger came back.”

  I pushed the gate open and followed her through, as I rooted in my pocket for the keys.

  Rachel abruptly stopped walking, making me to bump into her.

  I stepped around her and turned to see what she was pointing at. I screamed and threw myself down beside Sandy’s bloody and broken body.

  26

  “He’s dead! Oh my god, he’s dead,” I sobbed, lifting the matted, bloody mess into my arms. “Get the keys, Rach. Open the door.”

  I looked up at Rachel who was frozen to the spot, her hands pressed to her mouth.

  “Rachel!”

  She suddenly reached for the keys and fumbled at the lock before the door swung inwards. She stepped inside and turned on the kitchen light.

  Following her inside, I lay Sandy down on the kitchen floor tiles, and with tears streaming down my face, I examined the poor little dog. “I think he’s been stabbed.”

  Rachel crouched down beside me, also close to tears. “Who would do this?”

  “Some crazy bastard, that’s for sure.” I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the vision of Jake’s face swimming before my eyes. I rushed to my feet and threw up in the sink.

  Rachel hurried to my side and rubbed my back. Her face had lost all its colour, and she looked as though she was about to flake out.

  “Go and sit down, Rach. I’d better tell Doreen what’s happened, and then, I’ll have to find something to put the poor little fella in – we can’t leave him there.”

  Out on the street, I puffed on my inhaler and I leaned against the front wall while I took several deep breaths. Why the hell was this happening to me? Sandy had been the sweetest little dog. He didn’t have a bad bone in his body – unlike the rotten bastard who’d done this to him.

  After a few minutes, I walked to Doreen’s house and tapped on the door.

  “Is it good news?” she asked, a grin on her face, as she appeared before me.

  “I’m sorry?”

  “Sandy? Isn’t that why you’re here?”

  “Oh.” I rubbed my forehead then burst into tears.

  “My dear. Whatever’s happened?”

  “Sandy did show up,” I sobbed. “He’s… he’s dead.”

  “What?” She grabbed her jacket from the banister again and slammed the door behind her.

  Back at Claudia’s, Doreen found an empty box underneath the stairs, and we placed Sandy’s limp and broken body inside it. “What happened to him – he’s cut to ribbons,” she said.

  “It looks as though he’s been stabbed,” I said, then gritted my teeth. A raging hatred for the person responsible boiled my blood.

  “Stabbed? Who’d do such a thing? We need to call the police.”

  “I’ve already called them,” Rachel said.

  ‘What did you do that for?” I snapped.

  They both turned to stare at me.

  “Sorry, but I’m sick of the sight of the police. They’ll probably accuse me of doing it.”

  “No, they won’t.” Doreen shook her head. “Why on earth would you want to do such a thing to this poor wee mite?”

  “I wouldn’t, but that won’t stop them trying to pin it on me.”

  “They won’t,” Rachel said. “And anyway, I’m a witness. We looked outside when we first got here, and he definitely wasn’t there then.”

  “What time was that?” Doreen asked.

  I looked at my watch, trying to work my way back from 8.45. “Six-ish.”

  “Then what did you do?”

  “I made dinner,” Rachel said. “We sat in the kitchen for an hour or so, and then, we went through to the lounge for a while before heading out to the shop.”

  Doreen glanced at her phone. “So, that only leaves a ninety-minute window. You’d have heard somebody coming in the yard, if you’d been in the kitchen.”

  “That’s true,” I said.

  “Leave it with me.” Doreen marched off towards the front door.

  “What you gonna do?” I called after her.

  “I’m going door knocking. Somebody must have seen something.” She rushed from the house.

  “I’ll make you a coffee?” Rachel got to her feet and filled the kettle.

  I stared at the box in the middle of the kitchen. “What am I supposed to do with him? We don’t even have a garden to bury him in.”

  Rachel shook her head. “See what the police say. But my nan’s cat died a while ago, and somebody collected him from the house and took him to be cremated. She had his ashes on her mantelpiece in a lovely little box. Maybe you can do that for Claudia?”

  I nodded.

  We took the coffee mugs through to the lounge where we both sat on the sofa.

  “I’m so glad you’re here, Rach. I couldn’t stand being alone right now. But, honestly, I’m scared I’m putting you in danger.”

  “What you on about?”

  “I haven’t told you everything.” My voice cracked, I didn’t want to tell her, but what choice did I have? “Since my mum and Kenny died, it seems anybody who shows me any kindness…” I sniffed.

  “Claudia was just an accident – you said so yourself. She tripped over Sandy.”

  I shook my head. “It’s not just Claudia and Matt. Detective Donna Sullivan drove off the road and hit a tree the night before my court appearance. She stood up to Jake Stuart and told him to back off me. And then, Yazz, the shop owner, died in a fire just a week after giving a statement that helped the judge find me innocent.”

  “That was a freak accident. I read it in the paper. They said the fire caused a stack of boxes to fall and wedge behind the door, trapping them inside.”
r />   “Quite a coincidence though, don’t you think?”

  She shrugged.

  “Then, Claudia fell and was left for dead. Matt and his girlfriend were stabbed to death and now poor Sandy. I think it would be safer for you if you call your dad to pick you up.”

  She gripped my hand in hers. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “You do believe me, though?”

  “Well…” Rachel reached for her cup and sipped at the contents before continuing. “I really think you’re working yourself up over nothing.”

  “I wouldn’t call Sandy being stabbed to death nothing, Rach.” I jumped to my feet and stomped back through to the kitchen. The box made me stop. I picked it up and slid it into the cupboard under the stairs until I could work out what to do with it.

  A knock at the door startled me.

  Rachel came into the hall ahead of me and smiled an apology. “I’ll get it.”

  I nodded and returned to the sofa.

  “Hello, Rachel. What are you doing here?”

  My heart pounded at the sound of Jake’s voice.

  “I’m friends with Maggie.”

  “Of course. I forgot about that. I’m responding to a report made this evening about a dog.”

  “Yes. I made the call. Come on in.”

  My stomach was in free-fall as I heard her show him through to the lounge.

  27

  I reached for my inhaler as Jake entered the room and took two deep pulls on it.

  “Hey, Mags.” His eyes glistened spitefully.

  I shook my head and forced myself to ignore his taunts.

  “So, tell me – what’s the problem?”

  “Claudia’s dog went missing last night and turned up tonight, dead. I think he’s been stabbed.”

  Jake’s eyebrows lifted. “Stabbed?”

  “Yes,” Rachel said. “We found him on the back step, and he has several deep gashes all over his body.”

  A smirk played at the corners of Jake’s mouth. “Another one bites the dust.”

  I jumped to my feet. All the hatred I’d been holding in burst out. “What the fuck’s that supposed to mean?” I screamed.