Unravelled

by Jade Winters

  ‘About what? Your rapist boyfriend?’

  ‘He’s my fiancé actually,’ Rae said smugly. ‘And we both know you dropped the charges because you didn’t have a leg to stand on.’

  ‘I can’t believe you think I’m lying.’ Her voice choked with emotion. ‘I never thought you of all people would treat me like this.’

  ‘I’m not doing anything, Linds, can’t you see? It’s you. Your drinking has made you unstable—’

  ‘Is that what you think this is about? My drinking? He raped me, Rae. He drugged me and raped me—’

  ‘For God’s sake. Just stop lying. The only person you’re hurting by believing this is yourself.’

  ‘Go to hell.’

  ‘How are we going to move forward if you won’t let go of this?’

  ‘Move forward? Are you serious? What do you think is gonna happen, that we’ll just brush it under the carpet? If you do, you’re more delusional than I thought.’

  Rae snorted. ‘I’m delusional? Don’t think Callum didn’t tell me about you and your grand scheme to have a relationship with him behind my back. You, him and the baby, isn’t that what you told him?’

  ‘What! He actually told you that? He had to rape me to try and get me pregnant, Rae. Your precious Callum is nothing but a low life. A rapist! A psycho!’ Lindsay shouted into the phone. Her heart slammed against her chest and her hands trembled in fury at the continuous lies.

  ‘You’re just jealous that he’s mine and you have to settle for a poor, loser like Kim. Callum didn’t rape you. You wanted to shag him and when you couldn’t get him to commit you went all bunny boiler on him.’

  ‘You leave Kim out of this. She’s worth ten of that bastard.’ Lindsay had to take a seat. Her head was spinning so fast she thought she was going to faint.

  ‘Yeah, the bastard whose baby you’re carrying,’ Rae mocked. ‘Do you honestly think—’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Lindsay’s hand went instinctively to her stomach. Is she making a wild guess? She must be. How else would she have found out?

  ‘Don’t play coy. Kim told me you’re pregnant—’

  Kim? Oh my God what have you done? ‘I’d rather have an abortion before I let you two anywhere near this innocent child.’

  ‘We had a deal. It’s Callum’s baby you’re carrying, remember that. If we have to, we’ll get a solicitor involved. Do you really want to go down that road? Social services might be interested to hear about your drinking habits—’

  ‘Are you threatening me?’

  ‘No, it’s just a friendly warning. Callum will do anything it takes to get what he wants.’

  ‘You don’t have to tell me that. I already know.’

  She disconnected the call. A part of Lindsay had to wonder if the Rae she had known was still reachable. Or had Callum completely brainwashed her? Was she now a lost cause?

  Warped by anger and disenchantment, tears rolled down her cheeks. She cried because she had lost Rae and their friendship. She cried because Callum raped her. But worst of all, Lindsay cried bitterly because Rae believed him and not her.

  ‘Hey, what’s wrong? Was that you shouting? I could hear you from outside,’ Kim asked, dropping the shopping bags on the floor as she entered the living room.

  ‘Why did you tell her?’ she said between sobs. ‘Why did you let her know about the baby?’

  Kim crossed the room, took her in her arms and rocked her. ‘I told her for you. So you can move on to the next step.’

  ‘You don’t know what you’ve done.’

  ‘What are you on about? You had a deal. I went round there to make sure you don’t get stiffed. I’m going to get a contract drawn up by a solicitor—’

  ‘I can’t give them my baby, Kim.’

  ‘What are you talking about? You had a deal.’

  With tears blinding her, Lindsay looked straight into Kim’s eyes. ‘Callum raping me was not part of the deal.’

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Rae looked out of the window at Callum as he finished painting the fence that separated her garden from next door. Even from where she stood she could see a slight smile on his face. Since finding out about Lindsay’s pregnancy, she had never seen him look so happy. And now I have to be the one to break his heart. After a few brief moments, she tapped on the window to gain his attention.

  He looked across at her and she motioned for him to come inside. Immediately, he put down the paint brush and jogged across the lawn. Rae inhaled deeply and counted to ten. How was she going to explain Lindsay’s refusal to have anything to do with them? Or the fact that she still believed Callum had raped her?

  ‘What did she say?’ Callum asked, smiling.

  ‘It’s not good.’

  His eyebrows furrowed. ‘Just tell me.’

  ‘She’s refusing to let us have her baby once it’s born,’ she said, bracing herself for his reaction.

  ‘You mean, my baby,’ he corrected her.

  ‘She’s still insisting you raped her. I don’t understand why she’s still being such a bitch.’

  ‘I told you she wants to punish me for turning her down. I thought she’d seen sense and sent Kim over to smooth things over.’

  ‘So did I. Seems she came without Lindsay’s permission.’

  ‘Permission or not, I don’t give a shit.’ His mood changed in an instant. His veins bulged at his temples, his eyes darkened. ‘That baby is mine and there’s no way she’s going to keep it from me.’

  Rae understood that Callum was angry but she didn’t like the way he excluded her from the picture. It was all about him. Not them. ‘We need to keep calm and try and figure—’

  ‘No. I won’t stay calm.’ He threw his gloves on the counter. ‘That bitch should know better than to mess with me.’

  ‘You’re overreacting,’ she said, desperately trying to placate him. She didn’t want any more trouble with the police. ‘I’ll go and see her in person. Try and talk her round.’

  ‘Like that’s going to happen. You lost any sway you had over her ages ago. I told you what bitter, twisted women are like. You can’t get them to reason over anything.’

  ‘What do you suggest then?’

  He walked over to the fridge, yanked the door open and took out a beer. After taking a long gulp he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘I’m going to hire a solicitor. If she thinks she’s going to get away with this, she’s got another think coming.’

  ‘Callum, we shouldn’t do anything to antagonise her. How about I speak to Kim? She told me herself they’re in no position to raise a child. She’s totally against Lindsay keeping it. I’ll get some cash out the bank. Show Kim what’s at stake. That should persuade her that being on our side is the right place to be.’

  ‘No,’ he thundered. ‘I want this done properly. No more mister nice guy. She’s already slandered my name. I’m not going to let her do it again and deny me my right of being a father.’

  Rae knew there was little chance in trying to change his mind. When he was adamant about something, that was it. She had no choice but to go along with his decision.

  Lindsay had brought this on herself.

  Forget ‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’. They hadn’t met Callum.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Lindsay shook as she gripped the paper. A cold sweat trickled down her spine.

  Mrs Baxter has refused to uphold her side of the arrangement with Mr Brice … Our client wishes to have her rights to the unborn child relinquished, on the grounds of her incompetence as a mother ...

  ‘What am I going to do Kim?’

  Kim took the letter and quickly scanned it. Lindsay noted the trembling of her hands. ‘What we’re going to do is not be intimidated. We’ll get our own solicitor.’

  ‘We can’t afford it.’

  ‘We’ll use the money I’ve got to start the business.’

  ‘You can’t do that, Kim. It’s your dream—’

  ‘And you’re the woman w
ho I love more than anything.’

  Lindsay gave her a grateful smile. Ever since she had told her the truth—the whole truth—Kim had been her rock. Kim had wiped her tears, rocked her to sleep, took care of the kids and house and listened to her whenever she wanted to talk—day or night. She did all this while showering Lindsay with unconditional love. Not once did Kim blame Lindsay and tell her she’d brought it all on herself. All in all, the foundation of their relationship had grown stronger than it ever was. Though still traumatised, Lindsay was finally starting to believe there would eventually be a light at the end of a very dark tunnel; then the letter from the solicitor had arrived, and her world had come crashing down all over again.

  Being pregnant, Lindsay couldn’t even have a glass of wine to help her cope.

  ‘I could kill that bastard,’ Kim said. ‘To think I even congratulated them, it makes my skin crawl.’

  Lindsay reached out and hugged Kim fiercely. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.’

  ‘You can stop right there,’ Kim said drawing back slightly. ‘He’s the one in the wrong, not you. Don’t you dare carry his shame.’

  A sheen of tears covered Lindsay’s vision. ‘I know. But I should never have agreed—’

  ‘But you didn’t agree to have sex with him that night. You said no. And the fact that he had the drugs on him should tell you that he planned this from the word go. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s done this before.’

  ‘You think?’

  ‘Of course. Men like that don’t carry those pills around with them for no reason.’

  ‘But why? That’s what keeps going on and on in my head. I really thought he was a nice guy.’

  ‘That’s what they do. Pull the wool over their victim’s eyes. They enjoy the power. The control. Who knows what else the bastard does to get his kicks?’

  Guilt descended over Lindsay like a thick fog. At the time she’d dropped the charges, she hadn’t thought about the possibility of Callum being a serial rapist. She’d assumed he’d only done it because she’d already agreed to have sex with him. But something Kim said rang true in her mind. Why did he have the tablets to drug her with him that night? Was it the norm for him to carry them all the time?

  As bad as she felt for herself, she now feared for other women that might come into contact with him.

  Lindsay grabbed her jacket. ‘Kim, can you watch the kids for a while?’

  ‘Of course. Where’re you going?’

  ‘To the police station.’

  ‘What for?’

  Adrenaline pumping through her veins, Lindsay said, ‘I’m going to ask them to re-open the case. I can’t let him get away with this. I can’t let him hurt someone else.’

  ‘I’m so proud of you,’ Kim said.

  It had been a mistake keeping the truth from Kim. The same way it had been wrong to drop the charges. She may not have been in her right mind back then, but now Lindsay was mentally stronger. The truth was out in the open and she had Kim behind her now. She wasn’t about to lay down and let Callum get off scot-free.

  He might have fooled Rae, but he wouldn’t fool Lindsay.

  Not again.

  Chapter Forty

  Rae checked her watch for the second time in as many minutes. Callum should have been home by now. He had left early that morning to go and see his solicitor. He was only meant to have been gone for a couple of hours, but it was midnight now and he was still a no show. His mobile phone was off and she didn’t have any other way of contacting him. Her mind was racing, thinking of all the worse-case scenarios. Had he had an accident? Was he with another woman?

  The sudden sound of her mobile ringing startled Rae. She stopped working and picked up her phone. Oh Christ. As soon as she saw that the caller ID was private she knew it wasn’t a good sign. Things had improved lately and now it seemed her own prediction about something bad being on the horizon was about to come true.

  Her heart shifted into a higher gear when she answered. ‘Hello?’

  ‘It’s me,’ Callum said.

  Rae let out a sigh of relief. He was alive. But until he told her where he was she couldn’t relax. Not yet. ‘Why are you calling from a private number? And where the hell are you?’

  ‘I don’t want you to panic, but I’m at the police station,’ he said.

  ‘Why? Don’t tell me you’ve been drinking. I told you—’

  ‘Rae, just shut up and listen to me,’ he said angrily down the line.

  ‘Sorry. I’m listening.’

  ‘I’ve got to be quick,’ he said in a hushed secretive voice. ‘You know I had a business meeting yesterday?’

  ‘Yes.’

  What’ve the police got to do with his meeting?

  ‘Well the bitch …’ Callum cleared his throat. ‘The woman I met with went to the police and claimed I raped her.’

  Rae froze. Not again. Please God not again. ‘Why are these women out to get you. Why you?’

  She couldn’t understand it. Callum had women throwing themselves at him. He didn’t have to take them by force.

  ‘Be-b-because I’m ... you know ... attractive. They want me and when I say no, they pull this shit,’ he retorted almost bitterly. ‘They can’t understand I’m a one-woman man.’

  ‘Were you at a hotel with her?’

  ‘What? No, of course not. She was pissed out of her head, so I walked her home. You remember, I called you and told you I was taking a friend home. If I was going to rape her, would I call you and tell you where I was going?’

  He presented his case in a manner in which Rae believed. ‘Why do you keep putting yourself in these situations, Callum?’

  ‘Do you expect me to let a helpless woman walk home alone?’

  ‘No, of course not. But you should have put her in a taxi—’

  ‘I know that now, but I thought I was doing the right thing. I’m telling you, Rae, no more. If I’ve got any meetings with women I’m taking you along, do you hear me?’

  ‘I think it’s for the best.’

  ‘My future is with you and our baby. You’re going to be a brilliant mum. I spoke to our solicitor today and he said we’ve got a good chance of winning our case. Our life is going to be complete soon. I promise.’

  ‘I hope so. So when are they releasing you? Do you want me to come and get you?’ Rae said rising to her feet. She picked the car keys up off the table.

  ‘No, I need you to do something to help me out.’ His voice was serious.

  Rae thought of the baby. Her impending marriage. The security she craved was so near she could feel it.

  ‘Are you still there?’

  ‘I’m still here.’

  ‘Right, now listen to me carefully. The clothes I wore yesterday are in the wash bin. I need you to grab them, put them in a bag, then hide them in the loft, do you hear me?’

  Rae frowned. ‘Why?’

  ‘The police are coming to search the house. If they get hold of them they’re gonna plant her DNA on them. These bastards can’t be trusted, Rae. They’ll do anything to send me down. Please, you need to be quick about it. They’ll be there soon.’

  ‘I’ll do it now.’ Rae rushed from the room, her mind buzzing. ‘Have you got a solicitor?’

  ‘I won’t need one once you’ve done this. They’ve got nothing on me. I’ll be home within the hour. We can start looking at wedding venues as soon as I get back.’

  ‘Okay.’

  ‘You don’t know how much you mean to me, Rae.’ Callum continued, ‘I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.’

  ‘Me too. Don’t worry. I’ll see you soon.’

  Rae disconnected the call and quickly made her way to the kitchen and grabbed a black bag before going to their bedroom. She opened the wash bin and gently took out Callum’s suit jacket, shirt and tie and placed them in the black bag. She moved a few clothes to the side and pulled out his trousers. Staring down at them impassively, she noticed a bulge in one of the pockets. She slipped her hand inside and withdrew
a pair of black knickers. Heart pounding with dread now, she took out a foil card containing three little pills, the rest of the tablets having already been removed. She stumbled backwards as if hit full on in the chest with a sledgehammer. Trying to catch her breath, she slowly inhaled and exhaled.

  Rae couldn’t understand why she felt nothing. It was as if her emotions had detached themselves from her brain. She knew what she held in her hands. What it meant. But her heart wanted to hold on to that last shred of hope. She didn’t want to believe that the man who’d shared her life was a liar. A stranger. Or that she had forsaken her best friend for a man she barely knew. Because I only cared about getting my happily ever after, no matter the cost. Callum had made her believe that he loved her. That she didn’t need anyone but him. And she had willingly gone along with that fairy-tale. It had made her feel wanted. Protected. But deep down she must have known he was lying. That a man like him had no use for a woman like her. Aging. Barren. Rae now realised she had ignored all the red flags because deep down she wanted to prove Greg wrong.

  What a vain, egotistical stupid bitch I am.

  There would be no chance to make amends with the innocent women who had suffered at Callum’s hands. Lindsay especially would never forgive her.

  At long last, tears brimmed in her eyes as the full horror of what she had turned a blind eye to became apparent. If only she had believed Lindsay and supported her, there wouldn’t have been this latest victim. Part of the blame rested on her own shoulders and she accepted that fully.

  The doorbell rang followed by several loud bangs on the door.

  Rae carefully placed the trousers, knickers and tablets into the bag and made her way downstairs.

  ‘We have a warrant to search this property,’ a police officer said, flashing a piece of paper at her when she opened the door.

  Without hesitation, Rae held out the bag to him. ‘No need. What you’re looking for is all in here.’

  Chapter Forty-One