Keep You Safe

by Rona Halsall

  Then

  Natalie tugged at Mali’s hand and pulled her, like a reluctant donkey, towards the changing rooms where Katya stood with a plastic smile on her face.

  ‘Come on, Mali, it’ll be fine,’ Natalie said, trying to communicate with her eyes that she wanted her to play along. That they’d think of something. What else could they do? Mali dug in her heels for a moment, then relented. She frowned at Natalie, her mouth clamped shut as she traipsed behind her.

  ‘Good girl,’ Katya said. She was using her body to prop open the changing-room door and as they walked past her, the smile twisted into a triumphant sneer. She snatched Mali’s hand out of Natalie’s grasp and grabbed hold of Natalie’s wrist, pushing Mali forwards with a swift kick to the base of her spine.

  Natalie winced as Katya’s grip tightened, fingernails digging into her skin. She watched, helpless as Mali staggered into the room and out of her reach. Mali turned, her eyes big and round, her face pale. She looked tiny, frightened, like a little bird cornered by a cat. Natalie chewed on her lip as her heart thumped faster. This is bad. Really bad. Adrenaline coursed round her body, muscles ready to spring into action, but Katya seemed to sense it and tightened her grip further. Natalie gasped. Wait for the right moment, she told herself because two against one were not good odds. Not when one of them was built like a bulldozer.

  Katya nodded at Mali. ‘You go and sit over there, on that bench.’ She pointed to a long wooden seat pushed up against the wall and watched as Mali obeyed, scrunching herself up, feet on the bench, knees to her chest, head tucked down, like an armadillo rolled into a ball.

  ‘Jackie!’ Katya called and the mountainous woman pushed past them. She stood in front of Mali, shifting from foot to foot, her fists flexing by her sides.

  Natalie’s heartbeat accelerated. It was all happening too quickly. Think! Think!

  But there was no time.

  Before she could do anything, Katya pulled Natalie outside the changing room, waiting for the door to close before letting her go. Natalie’s hand tingled and she rubbed at her wrist, flexing her fingers to get the circulation going again. She looked up to see Katya staring at her. Her muscles tightened, ready to run.

  Katya’s hand reached out and grabbed her shoulder, pulling Natalie into a sudden hug. She froze, her body rigid for a moment before she decided that the best thing would be to hug Katya back.

  ‘Natalie, it’s been so long.’ Katya pulled away from her, hands still holding her shoulders as she stared into Natalie’s eyes. She was a different woman now, the one Natalie had thought of as a friend, her voice soft and warm.

  ‘I didn’t know you were still here,’ Natalie said, forcing herself to keep eye contact, making her mouth smile. ‘Nobody said. I thought you were long gone. Away. Free.’

  ‘What, get out and not tell you?’ Katya sounded surprised. ‘No, I’ve got fucking ages yet. But the good news is that I don’t have to stay in this shithole any longer. I’m off to Rampton today.’ She gave a harsh bark of a laugh. ‘Should be a blast.’ She shook her head, slowly. ‘Anyway, they left me with no choice; it was today or never and I couldn’t leave without saying my goodbyes to Mali.’ A crafty grin lit up her face. ‘But seeing you is a bit of a bonus. ’Cos I get to remind you.’

  Natalie frowned. ‘Remind me about what?’

  Katya punched Natalie’s shoulder and laughed as if she’d told a joke. ‘About our money, of course.’ Her eyes narrowed and she spoke slowly, deliberately. ‘When you get out, my brother Lech will find you and help you get the money back.’

  There was no mistaking the meaning behind her words. Natalie swallowed. ‘Right. Yes. The money.’

  Katya clasped Natalie’s arms, gripping a pressure point near her biceps. ‘I promised you I’d help you to get your money back, didn’t I?’

  Natalie winced, a sharp pain darting up towards her neck, her voice rising as Katya increased the pressure. ‘Yes, yes, that’s right. You did.’

  ‘I never break my promises.’ Katya’s fingers dug deeper.

  Natalie sucked in a breath. ‘No,’ she said. ‘Thank you.’

  Katya let go and patted her on the arm. ‘Good girl. I knew I could rely on you.’

  They stood staring at each other for a moment.

  ‘So, what’s happening?’ Natalie looked over Katya’s shoulder at the closed door, trying to keep her voice even. ‘Like I said, we’re supposed to be having an exam in ten minutes.’

  ‘Not going to happen.’ Katya folded her arms across her chest, blocking Natalie’s path into the changing rooms. ‘What’s happening is that I got lucky today. Finally.’ Katya smiled. ‘Anyway, none of this needs to concern you. Why don’t you run along and wait in the gym?’ She gave Natalie a push, sending her towards the open door. ‘There’s a good girl. Just wait until we’ve finished, then you can go.’

  Natalie looked into the gym. She studied the familiar equipment, the mats on the floor, loose weights set out ready and felt the pull of it. It’s not my problem, is it? I’ve got to think about what’s best for Harry, not Mali. Her conscience stamped on the thought, disgusted with herself for even entertaining the idea of leaving Mali to her fate. She couldn’t let events unfold, could she? Mali was her friend. A proper friend, and she loved her like a little sister. I’ve got to try. Maybe I can talk Katya round? Talking wasn’t going to put her in danger, was it?

  ‘But… what about Mali?’ Natalie said, turning to face Katya again.

  Katya’s face screwed into a mask of hatred. ‘That fucking little shit is going to get what she deserves.’

  Natalie fidgeted with her hands. She could see by Katya’s face that she was taking a risk, but she couldn’t stop herself. ‘She’s just a kid, Katya. You’ve got to make allowances, whatever she’s done.’

  ‘Oh yeah. A kid who’ll snitch. A kid who’ll get you banged up in solitary for a fucking year and your parole revoked.’ Katya’s hands were on her hips, face going red, her voice getting louder and louder. ‘A kid whose evidence will get another few years slapped on to your sentence.’ She sneered, eyes flashing. ‘Nice sort of a kid, eh?’

  Natalie chewed at her lip, suddenly understanding what was going on. It was Mali who’d seen Katya attack the girl, seen her stab her in the eye with a fork. It had happened when Katya had been out with the decorating team, when she was supposed to be supervised. Nobody else had admitted to seeing anything, and Mali must have given evidence secretly, to avoid repercussions while she was still in prison. Now she understood Mali’s wariness, the desire to keep a small group around her. Bodyguards. And Natalie had been one of them. She wondered how that placed her in Katya’s eyes. Wondered what would happen if she went into the gym, on her own. Will Jackie come for me, ready to teach me a lesson too? Her stomach clenched.

  Maybe she could stall for time and a guard would turn up. Maybe. It was her best hope.

  ‘You must have done things you regretted when you were Mali’s age, didn’t you?’

  ‘Regret?’ Katya sounded incredulous. ‘Oh no.’ She wagged her finger from side to side, like a metronome. ‘No, no, no. I wasn’t allowed to regret. What I had to do was learn never to do certain things again. Mali’s a kid who needs teaching a lesson.’ Her finger stabbed the air. ‘That’s what happened to me and it’s what’s going to happen to her.’ Katya flicked her hand in the direction of the gym. ‘Now you run along. I haven’t got time for this.’

  Natalie locked eyes with Katya for a moment and knew there was nothing more she could say, nothing that would change Katya’s mind. She turned and walked into the gym.

  What choice have I got?

  She heard the changing-room door close and paced the floor, hands tugging at her hair as she tried to work out what to do. Raised voices made her stand still. A scream jangled her nerves. Then another. Christ! That’s Mali. I can’t leave her, I can’t. Whatever the consequences, she had to try and stop whatever was going on in there. Can I bribe Katya with the promise of more money? Mone
y that didn’t exist, but she wasn’t to know that.

  Natalie ran into the changing room, hands flying to her mouth when she saw Mali lying on the floor, her face covered in blood. Jackie aimed another kick at Mali’s head, her booted foot finding its target with a sickening thud. Mali groaned. Natalie gasped and pressed her back against the wall.

  ‘I thought I told you to stay in the gym,’ Katya said, slow and menacing as she walked over to where Natalie was standing. ‘But I guess you want to watch.’ Jackie aimed another kick. Mali grunted when it connected with her skull. She looked in a bad way, blood pooling under her head from a wound Natalie couldn’t see, her face puffy and red, one eye almost shut.

  ‘Stop it!’ Natalie shouted, trembling from head to toe.

  Instinct took over. She was sensitive to every movement, every sound and the world was stuck in slow motion. She saw Katya’s expression change, saw the punch coming towards her face and was quick to block it with her forearm. At the same time, Natalie aimed her own quick punch at Katya’s throat.

  Katya let out a gurgled cry and staggered backwards. Natalie pounced. Her knee jerked hard into Katya’s stomach and she crumpled, sucking in air. Natalie sidestepped her, dashed forwards and launched a sweeping kick that caught Jackie behind the knees, felling her like a tree. She crashed to the floor, her head hitting the edge of the bench as she dropped. She rolled from side to side, letting out staccato moans, like a chainsaw that wouldn’t start, her hands holding her head, eyes squeezed shut.

  Both of them down.

  Natalie couldn’t believe her luck. Breathing hard, she hunched over Mali, stroking her hair away from her face. Mali’s mouth moved but she was unable to speak.

  ‘Ssh, ssh,’ Natalie said. ‘It’s okay. I’m here now. I’m going to get help.’

  Mali’s hand clasped Natalie’s. Her open eye swivelled from side to side, and at the same moment that Natalie realised it was a message, a warning, a kick landed on the back of her head. Lights exploded in front of her eyes, and she sprawled forwards, her body slamming into the wall with a force that shuddered through every part of her.

  It took a few seconds for her to gather herself.

  A few seconds too long.

  Katya jumped on her back, and pulled Natalie’s hair with both hands, forcing her head backwards. A searing pain tore at Natalie’s scalp, a ferocious scream ripped up her throat. I won’t let her win, she told herself as she tensed against the pain. Think about Harry. Win for him.

  ‘You stupid bitch!’ Katya snarled. ‘Why couldn’t you just do what you were told, eh? Let us get on with the job and get out of here.’ She banged Natalie’s head against the floor in time with each word. ‘Stupid. Stupid. Bitch.’ Pain speared through Natalie’s face and blood gushed into her mouth, clogging her throat. She coughed and spluttered, spitting blood so she could breathe, sure that her nose must be broken.

  Katya tightened her grip on Natalie’s hair.

  ‘No, Katya. Please, no,’ she begged, afraid there was more punishment to come. She glanced across at Mali, whose eyes were now closed, her breathing shallow and ragged. The pool of blood formed a red halo around her head and was growing bigger by the second.

  ‘Please what?’ Katya said, her words laced with a rage that Natalie couldn’t begin to comprehend.

  In that moment, Natalie understood. There is no logic. No reasoning with her. She wasn’t going to stop. There was nobody coming to help. This was a fight to the end; it was her or Katya. One of them was going to die.

  Harry.

  The thought of him cleared her mind and she knew what she had to do. As soon as Katya tried to bang her head down on the floor again, she pushed herself backwards with all her strength, screaming through the pain as a clump of hair ripped from her scalp. Katya tipped forwards and her face smacked onto the floor, her body immobile for a moment. The only moment Natalie was going to get.

  She rolled over and scrambled onto Katya’s back, lying on top of her, holding her down with her body weight, pushing Katya’s head against the floor with all her strength. But Katya was bigger, more solid than Natalie and she writhed and squirmed, trying to shake her off. A feral scream bubbled in Natalie’s throat as she hung on, but it was like wrestling with a crocodile and it was only a matter of time, seconds, before Katya would break free.

  Natalie’s eyes raked the room for a weapon, something, anything, but the place was empty, everything bolted to the floor. The only loose object was Jackie’s fleece, lying on the bench, and that wasn’t going to hurt anyone.

  Katya bucked, a powerful, sudden movement, the unexpected force sending Natalie falling sideward onto the floor. But as she fell, and Katya tried to push herself up onto her knees, she managed to wrap her legs round Katya’s body, trapping her arms by her sides. She squeezed with all her might, grunting with the effort, her body slick with sweat. Katya clawed at her legs, her ankles, long fingernails gouging her skin. Natalie clenched her teeth, and focused her energy into her legs, squeezing and squeezing as hard as she could. But she knew she couldn’t hold on for long, and with every second, her strength was fading.

  Katya twisted and squirmed, biting any piece of flesh she could reach. Natalie tried to squeeze harder, but it was no good, Katya’s arm was nearly free. Do something! Do something! Natalie snatched at the fleece, and flicked it over Katya’s head. She twisted the arms of the jumper round each hand and pulled, while Katya writhed and spluttered as the cloth tightened around her neck.

  Forty-Three

  Now

  ‘Natalie! Bloody hell… don’t move. I’m coming around the back.’

  It takes a moment for Natalie to realise that she knows the voice. And it’s not Lech. It’s Jack.

  Am I safe? The back door opens and closes. Or are we both in danger?

  Footsteps tap on the kitchen lino and the tiles of the hall. Then Jack is there, squatting by her head, stroking her hair and making shushing noises. She realises that she’s whimpering and tries to stop, but the pain is insistent, relentless, and she can’t.

  ‘Hey, hey, it’s okay,’ he says. ‘Good job my shifts got changed. You could have been stuck here for hours. Anyway, I’ve called an ambulance. Should be here soon.’

  An ambulance.

  So, what does that mean? Her thoughts tangle together like clothes in a washing machine. Is it all over?

  The throbbing in her shoulder thumps along at a steady rhythm. Her eyes close and she breathes through her mouth, just as she was taught when she was giving birth. It helped then and it helps now, focusing her thoughts on nothing but her breath. She is aware of a damp cloth gently wiping her face, a hand stroking her hair, murmured words that she can’t quite decipher. And all the time she waits for a bang or a crash, something to tell her that Lech has arrived. Because that’s surely what’s going to happen. Any minute now.

  ‘Okay, love, can you hear me?’ A new voice in her ear, loud and bossy. It startles Natalie out of her nether world and she opens her eyes to see a young female paramedic looking down at her, brown hair tied back in a short ponytail. Earnest grey eyes study Natalie’s face.

  ‘Just got to check you out,’ she says.

  Natalie hears Velcro tearing apart, something bump on the floor. Then another face looms over her, a middle-aged man with a shaven head, grey stubble on his jaw.

  ‘Can you tell us what happened?’ he says, all matter of fact. A light shines in her eyes.

  ‘I…’ Natalie’s voice is a croak. She swallows and gives it another go. ‘Shoulder,’ she says, squinting into the light. ‘Left shoulder. Caught in the railings. Fell down stairs.’

  ‘Okay, love, now this may be uncomfortable,’ the woman says, ‘but I need to check you over before we can get you moved. Just be a couple of ticks.’ She gently probes Natalie’s body, from the head downwards and when she gets to her shoulder, Natalie slips into blackness.

  She is vaguely away of being moved, rolling along on a stretcher, being loaded into the ambulance, people ta
lking, injections. Drifting in and out of consciousness.

  Nothing.

  Then something.

  The world is too bright, everything a blur, her eyelids so heavy they keep dragging themselves closed again.

  ‘Hey, sleepyhead.’ A man’s voice, but Natalie can’t reply. She appears to be in a different timescale, a step behind reality, aware of her surroundings but not in them. Her head is full of cotton wool, muffling the sound of her thoughts.

  ‘Natalie, can you hear me?’ A different voice, a woman. ‘You’re in Noble’s Hospital.’

  Natalie starts to remember what happened and her pulse quickens. She wonders if Tom went through with his threat. Do the police know she’s here and it’s just a matter of time until she’s arrested? She forces her eyes to open, tongue licking dry lips as she tries to focus on her surroundings.

  ‘Let’s get you sitting up,’ the nurse says as she adjusts the bed, fussing about with pillows. She hands Natalie a plastic cup of water and watches, hands on hips, while she takes a sip. Then another. She fights to get herself back to the present, her mind wandering around like a lost child, but once she’s drunk all the water and has filled her lungs with a few deep breaths, she begins to feel more awake. Her thoughts get themselves organised, speed up. I’m still free. And I can call Sasha to help me get Harry. I just have to get out of here first.

  ‘So,’ the nurse says, ‘you’ve dislocated your left shoulder, got a nasty bump on the back of your head, cracked a bone in your left hand and you’re going to be pretty sore for a few days.’

  Natalie looks down and sees her arm is in a sling, her left hand strapped up tight, touching her right collarbone.

  ‘You’ve been given morphine for the pain and you were sedated while they popped your shoulder back in.’ Natalie frowns, wondering how they did that without her really noticing. ‘You’ll have to wear the sling for three weeks and then you’ll need physio to strengthen the muscles round the joint, just to make sure it doesn’t pop out again.’