“I expect to help me get out grandchildren back.”
“Why don’t you go to the police?”
“We don’t need them. We need the money.”
Derek tilted his head and paused. “Do you have any idea how hard we’ve worked to pay off this mortgage?”
“None of that matters.”
“That’s just it isn’t it? None of it matters to you. All you care about is settling some stupid war you’ve got going with Emma. Never mind me, or all we’ve worked for. As long as you get what you want.”
“Are you going to help me?”
Derek shook his head. “No. I want no part in this. We’re not selling the house.”
“So you’re going to let your grandsons and me down? You had an affair and tore this family apart. You helped Emma destroy us.”
“I can’t do this anymore.”
“Well, that makes two of us,” Jean screamed.
Derek stormed out of the house, slamming the front door behind him. Jean dawdled to the window and watched him drive away. If Derek would not help her—then she would have to take matters into her own hands.
Parked near Emma’s house an hour later, Jean watched Charlie and the boys in the garden. Emma wasn’t there; it was just Charlie and William and Jack.
Charlie kept disappearing inside, leaving William and Jack alone. At one moment, his phone rang, and he had a conversation with someone. He went back into the house laughing and not paying any attention to William and Jack. Jean got out of the car and crept towards the house. When William and Jack spotted her, she shushed them to keep quiet and whispered that they must come with her. The boys did what Jean said. Soon she bundled the boys into the back of her car, and Jean was speeding away. Charlie had returned and shouted at Jean once he’d spotted her and noticed that the boys had gone.
Jean wasn’t sure where she was going. The boys were edgy in the backseat. She hadn’t seen them in a while, and it hurt her to see how uncomfortable they were.
As she drove, she kept thinking about Eddie. He was her boy, and she knew he loved her as much she loved him. He was okay before Emma arrived in his life. He could have met a more suitable partner for him—Jean was sure. But Emma had robbed him of his life. Jean couldn’t let her get away with that. William and Jack belonged with her. Jean was driving down a quiet street in Headingley when her mobile rung in the passenger seat. Jean glanced at the screen. It was Emma. Jean ignored it as she drove, stirring the car out of Headingley and towards the town centre.
“Where are you going, Gran?” William asked her.
“We’re going on a little trip,” Jean said.
“Where’s Emma?”
“It will just be you, and I from now own, boys.”
Jean’s voice croaked with tears as she stopped at the traffic lights. It was when she noticed a silver car behind her. The vehicle was beeping its horn, but Jean continued to drive until she reached Call Lance and the car suddenly stopped. Jean got out and noticed that the silver car behind her had also stopped. Then the driver seat door opened and Emma slowly walked towards her.
“What do you think you’re doing Jean?”
“They belong with me,” Jean said.
“Don’t be silly, Jean. Let me have the boys. I’m taking them home.”
Jean locked the car doors and dangled the keys in front of Emma’s face.
“I don’t think so.”
Emma speared her with a glare as she edged forward to snatch the keys. But Jean stepped backwards and was walking away from her.
“You think you’re going to get away with this?” Emma said. “This is kidnap.”
“They’re my grandchildren.”
“You’re mad.”
“No, you’re the one who’s mad. You’ve gotten away with far too much for far too long.”
Emma shook her head and said slowly. “And what have I gotten away with, Jean?”
Jean continued to walk away from her until they reached the Leeds Bridge that overlooked the River Aire. Jean’s breath made little white puffs in the frosty air.
“You lie, you cheat, and you deceive.”
“You should have been a novelist. You’re certainly good at spinning a good story.”
“If you hadn’t have forced Eddie to sell up and move to the country, he would still be here.”
“Oh poor you.”
“Eddie tried to please you, just like Simon did. If he weren’t driving to see that house that day, he would still be alive.”
“If that’s what you want to believe.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Whatever. Let me have the keys.”
“Was it the house? Is that why you married Eddie? To get your hands on his money?”
“Eddie loved me.”
“He was infatuated with you.”
Emma smirked. “No man has ever been fascinated with you have they, Jean? Not even your poor husband.”
“Derek and I were fine before you turned up. You poisoned him against me.”
“He was never into you. He told me so. He only married you because he got pregnant with Eddie.”
Jean shook her head. “You don’t know anything about my life. What I have is real. You lie and cheat your way into people’s affections. You use people to get what you want. At least I’ve got respect.”
Emma laughed. “Respect. You’re a silly old fool, Jean. Nobody respects you. They pity you. Derek pities you. Your family pities you. Your son hated you.”
“I’m not listening to any more of your lies.”
“There she goes, Saint Jean,” Emma mocked. “Thinking she’s better than everyone.”
“I’m better than you. I’d rather people laugh at me than be like you. Eddie was my son, and you took him from me.”
“You should have been thanking me.”
“What?”
“Eddie was lucky to have me. No other woman would put up with his constant insecurities, and his obsession to live up to your expectations.”
“That’s not true.”
“You know it’s the truth. You suffocated Eddie. He couldn’t breathe because of you. I was his escape.”
“You killed him.”
“I gave him hope. Maybe I wasn’t in love with him, but he didn’t care. He just wanted to get away from you.”
Jean’s throat and lungs ached with soreness. “You took him away.”
“Eddie’s death was an accident, Jean. I didn’t kill him. Now give me the boys.”
Emma’s back was facing the bridge. Jean gazed into her eyes. But all she could see was her son staring back at her. Everything started the spin. The darkness pressed against her, the sound of the water stirring beneath the bridge. The realisation that Emma had won, again.
“For months I’ve had to put up with you. You turned everyone against me.”
“You managed that all by yourself.”
“Did you ever love my son?”
“No. Eddie was easy. A lot easier than Simon was.”
“He loved you.”
“He loved anybody.”
“You took his life.”
“Change the record Jean, that one is getting boring.”
“You wicked, wicked woman.” With her fists shaking, Jean stomped forward and slapped Emma across the face.
“You’ve lost everything, Jean. Nobody is ever going to trust you again.”
“Eddie was my son. You will not destroy my family.”
Emma grabbed Jean’s cheek and held onto it tightly.
“You’ve lost Jean. You’ve always been a loser. Once a loser, always a loser.”
Jean squelched in pain as she let her go. It couldn’t have been more than seconds. The darkness pressed against her, the water beneath the bridge stirred. Somewhere in the distance, the boy’s cries echoed. Emma tumbled backwards over the bridge and into the dark, murky water. Her screams pierced the frosty air. Jean shook as she stepped towards the bridge. The water stirred.
An hour later Jean
was sitting inside a police car with Derek.
“What happened?” he asked her.
“She just fell. Is she dead?”
“The police are searching the river for her now.”
“She’s dead. Oh my God.”
Derek held her tightly. “It’s alright.”
“I never wanted her to die. I just wanted her to admit what she did. I didn’t mean for it to go this far.”
“The police will want a statement,” he said.
“They don’t think I pushed her on purpose?”
“I don’t know what they think,” Derek said. “This is all such a mess.”
“She said some hurtful things. Derek, I’ve been telling you all along. Emma was dangerous. I was right. Why didn’t you listen to me?”
“It’s over now,” Derek replied with a pained expression.
“I don’t think this will ever be over, Derek.”
Chapter 31
Two months later Jean was preparing William and Jack for their outing with Derek. He was taking them to the zoo, and they hadn’t stopped talking about it.
As Jean went into the bedroom, she saw Derek’s car pull up outside. She shouted the boys and told them their grandfather was here, and that they needed to put their coats on. She went downstairs and let him in.
“Hi?” he said.
“Hello?”
“Sorry, I’m late.”
“It’s fine.”
The boys rushed down the staircase, and Derek gave them a big cuddle. They hadn’t put their coats on.
“Coats on, boys, I told you,” Jean said.
While the boys were putting their coats on, Jean struggled for something to say to Derek. They didn’t talk anymore unless it was about the boys.
“You look well,” he said.
“Thanks. How are you?”
“I’m okay. I’ve got a new place now. It’s a start.”
Jean smiled nervously. “I’m glad. I know you hated staying at your friend’s.”
“You outstay your welcome don’t you?”
Jean laced her fingers behind her head. “What matters now is that we move forward, all of us.”
“I couldn’t agree more. If you ever need anything. You only have to ask.”
Jean nodded as the boys returned with their coats on and raring to go. Derek took them to the car, and Jean waved.
“I’m sorry for everything,” Jean,” he said.
“Let’s move forward.”
Derek got into the car and waved as he sped away. Jean went back inside the house and closed the door.
Later that afternoon, as she had a moment to herself, she visited Eddie’s grave. She hadn’t been for a while, but she’d felt that she needed to lay some fresh flowers. As she bent at the headstone, she smiled with pain as she rubbed her hand against his name.
“Goodnight my sweet boy,” she whispered.
But it was like she felt someone behind her. Jean swung around and was sure she saw Emma standing in the distance by the trees. The woman had long blonde hair and wearing a red coat. Standing up, Jean looked again but this time… the woman had gone…
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She will do anything to be just like you….
Felicity has everything she’s ever wanted. A loving husband, a gorgeous baby, and a beautiful new home in an affluent area of Leeds. When Stephanie moves in next door, Felicity begins to befriend her new, single, neighbour. She willingly lets Stephanie into her family and her life. But, the closer Stephanie gets, the more it seems that she will do anything to be a part of Felicity’s home and even her marriage—even it means taking it all from her gullible new neighbour. Has Felicity unwittingly befriended the neighbour from hell?
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About the author
Kimberley Louise’s domestic thriller, The Perfect Wife, tells the story of an ordinary family from Leeds whose lives are torn apart by grief, deceit, obsession and lies.
Her second thriller, The Neighbour From Hell, is due out in 2019. Kimberley lives in Yorkshire and writes full time.
For more information about Kimberley Louise visit her website at https://writerkimberleylouise.wordpress.com
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