by S M Mala
‘That’s sweet,’ she replied, all her worries disappearing.
‘And you’re okay about coming out to dinner tonight with the folks and family. We wanted to cheer Diane up after her traumatic experience.’ She noticed there was a distinct hint of sarcasm in her voice. ‘She’s drawing parallels to the injustice of Nelson Mandela. He was locked up for over twenty seven years but Diane’s not listening.’
‘Where are we going?’
‘To my local Indian where else?’
‘Don’t go telling anyone I’m pregnant. I’ll say I’m on antibiotics because of the injury,’ she said, seeing from the glint in his eye he wanted to blurt it out. ‘Let’s wait until the next scan then we can tell everyone and wait for the reaction of stunned silence.’
‘I can’t wait to tell the world.’
‘I can wait,’ she said, immediately thinking about Hugh’s reaction. ‘Just so I get some peace and quiet for the next few weeks.’
One hundred and twelve
He was jolted out of his sleep when he heard Ruby shout out and realised she was having a bad dream. Then she started to cry.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked.
She lay in the bed sobbing her heart into the pillow as he leaned over to look at her.
‘I was being chased. And they got me and threw me over this edge. I told them not to hurt me or my baby. I saw you holding Theo as he was screaming. It was horrible!’
‘It was a dream,’ he said, stroking her head and realising her pillow was soaked.
Scottie gently turned her around and his heart crumbled when he looked at the pain etched on her face and more importantly, fear.
‘Nothing and no one is going to hurt you,’ he said, realising she was trying her hardest to hold herself together. ‘You’ve gone through a terrible time and sometimes this is how people react. You’re safe, do you understand?’
She nodded and he felt her tremble.
‘I have to change the pillowcase and you need to get some sleep,’ he said gently.
‘I’ll get them,’ Ruby replied.
‘Show me, I’ll get them.’
She pointed to a wardrobe and he walked towards it, pulling out the cases. Now she was sitting at the edge of the bed, bent over crying as he changed the pillows.
‘Rubes, you need to rest. I’m here, you know that don’t you?’
Again she nodded and then took a deep breath.
‘But what if you can’t protect me? What if it’s inevitable? Then what do I do?’
Scottie was at a loss on what to do as he sat in the police station looking at the files and pictures when all he could think about was Ruby.
She was petrified and he was worried the impact it was having on her. This was the first time he felt real pressure to find out who was doing this and to stop them fast.
‘Are you sure?’ he heard Dave say then glanced over at him. ‘Edmund Smith? I’ll let him know.’ He put down the phone. ‘One of the guys that works at the same Samaritans as your missus was attacked this morning on his way to work.’
‘Really? How?’
‘Someone gave him a beating and then ran off. Thing is, he thinks he recognised the person.’
‘Where is he?’
‘Just got discharged from the hospital but he had my card from when we popped into see them,’ said Dave. Scottie immediately stood up. ‘If you come along, you have to make sure you don’t force the guy to remember.’
‘I’m not going to force anyone.’
‘Seriously Scottie, you’re not acting yourself this morning. You’ve been snapping at everyone left, right and centre. Could it be you’re getting twitchy about turning forty tomorrow?’ his friend teased.
‘I’m getting twitchy about this whole thing,’ he replied and hoped Edmund might give them some sort of clue.
‘I recognise the guy,’ the young man replied. His face was badly bruised and his eye was swollen but it was more superficial that anything else. ‘As soon as he came towards me, I knew who he was.’
‘How?’ asked Dave.
Scottie stared at Edmund, seeing the tears run down his cheeks as he physically shook.
It reminded him of Ruby the night before.
‘I’ve seen him and I couldn’t remember where. Then I looked on one of the social network sites I have links on and…’ Edmund started to cry. ‘He called me all sorts of names, saying it was good to receive a queer bashing, it’d make me think straight. It was horrible!’
‘You can identify him for us?’ Dave gently asked.
‘I can show you who he is,’ replied Edmund, lifting up his paper thin laptop and flicking some pages. ‘I recalled where I saw it as it wasn’t that long ago.’
The man in question was white, blonde hair, handsome and slightly built. Scottie shook his head when he realised there was a group of young men and one of them was Mick Dawson.
‘Could it be a co-incidence?’ asked Scottie, immediately wanting to call him in for questioning.
‘Just check the security footage, surveillance cameras, I’m telling you it’s him,’ Edmund said, getting upset again. ‘And he knows Mick. They’re friends.’
Scottie realised that Ruby might have been right about Mick Dawson all along.
One hundred and thirteen
Ruby felt quite fragile when she eventually woke up. Scottie had taken Theo to school so she could sleep. After taking a shower, she opened up her laptop and found an email from Jacinta asking her if she was okay.
‘Hello,’ Ruby said, calling her friend immediately. ‘I’m fine but a bit tired.’
‘Too much sex!’ she said enthusiastically from the other end.
‘I wish. I’ve not been feeling up to it. Jacinta, I have to tell you something.’
‘He’s leaving you for me?’
‘I take it you’re talking about Scottie?’
‘I want one, get me one, please?’ Jacinta laughed out.
‘I’m pregnant. The scan is on Friday to check everything’s okay. I’ve had one scan already.’ Her friend’s laugh turned into a choking sound then a splutter. ‘Are you okay?’
‘Fuck me, you’re kidding? Are you kidding? Really?’ she said, getting louder. ‘Really!’
‘It’s a secret and only Theo and Scottie know. We’re going to break the news on Saturday at his party after I get the all clear. I wanted to tell you.’ She burst into tears. ‘I’m so happy!’
‘You don’t sound it,’ whispered Jacinta. ‘I think you need some tender love and care from me.’
‘Can you come round? Scottie says I have to stay indoors and frankly, I feel too shattered to go out. And it’s his birthday tomorrow and I haven’t even got him a card let alone a present.’
‘You’re going to have another baby at your age,’ sighed her friend. ‘That means Scottie won’t be getting any for months. Go on, let me have a go?’ Then there was a massive groan. ‘You won’t be able to drink, will you? God, I’m going to have to find a new friend at this rate.’
‘Thanks for the love.’
‘Got to go. Big bitch assistant editor looking over which leads me on to the next question. When are you going to tell my boss?’
‘Soon,’ she said, feeling her gut sink as she knew what his reaction would be. ‘I don’t think he’s going to be happy.’
‘You don’t ‘think’?’
After collecting Theo from school, she sat at the dining table going through her emails. Then she saw one from Annette.
‘Edmund was hurt this morning. Got attacked. Not too bad just bruised.’
Ruby held her breath then wondered why Scottie hadn’t told her. It didn’t take a genius to figure out, after her reactions in the night, he was holding back.
She was in two minds to call him.
But she held off knowing he was busy and she didn’t really want to know too much.
She just wanted it to all go away so everything could return to normal.
Theo was eating his dinner and listening to
the radio as she examined her beautiful son. He seemed oblivious to what was going on and that was a good thing. Then he did a double take and stopped eating.
‘Are you okay?’ he asked quietly. ‘You don’t look well and you keep being sick.’
‘That’s morning sickness. Is it bothering you? I’m trying to do it quietly.’
‘It’s fine,’ he shrugged, putting a large piece of pasta in his mouth and chewing slowly. ‘Is Scottie living with us now? He seems to be here a lot.’
‘He’s staying here for a while to make sure everything’s okay. You know he’ll be an addition to our family. Things won’t change that much, there’ll just be more people. He has a lot of family members.’
‘Will his children move in?’ Theo asked, pulling a face.
‘No, they live with their mothers and they might occasionally stay the night. We have space and no one will take over your room,’ she smiled and stroked his hair. ‘I want you to be happy and if you’re not, you have to tell me or even dad. I’m sure he wants you to be happy.’
‘He asked me if I wanted to move in with him.’
Suddenly Ruby’s happiness disintegrated, knowing her scheming ex was up to something.
‘Why would he ask that?’ she said lightly, not wanting her son to see she was furious. ‘Are you unhappy?’
‘No,’ he said, all wide eyed and innocent. ‘He just said if I didn’t like having Scottie around, I could always live with him.’
‘And what did you say?’ her heart was pounding very hard, a panic beginning to build. ‘You can tell me.’
‘I said you’re my mum and I want to live with you but I’ll come and see him at weekends if he’s lonely.’
‘Lonely?’
‘He says he gets lonely sometimes.’
Theo grinned anxiously, worried he’d done something wrong. She put her arm around him and kissed his forehead. Ruby knew instantly Hugh was intending to play the emotional blackmail game with her child and she wasn’t having any of it.
‘He can’t have time to be lonely. He’s always got bras and knickers round his flat,’ she mumbled as Theo grinned.
Scottie didn’t get back home until after nine and Ruby waited patiently in bed, knowing he was pottering downstairs. She heard his footsteps coming up then realised he’d gone to check on Theo, who was sleeping, before heading in her direction.
Sitting up, the door opened and he smiled.
Her stomach flipped for a moment. She hadn’t seen him properly since the morning.
‘Hello,’ he said, bending to kiss her forehead. ‘You look much better but I thought you might be sleeping.’
‘I was watching this detective programme then realised I have my very own one.’
He started to undress and she examined his body. Then she wondered if he’d get fatter when he got old and didn’t mind one bit, making her smile. Scottie turned and grinned.
‘Come to bed,’ she whispered. ‘I missed you today and I’m getting bored staying at home, being sick.’ Ruby sat at the edge of the bed, her legs dangling over the side. ‘And I’m hormonal or horny or both.’
Sinking to his knees in front of her, she grabbed his shoulders placing a kiss on his lips. She felt his arms wrap around her waist as their tongues met, working together, while she wrapped her legs around his back. Ruby realised she loved the man so much and wanted to show him how she felt.
Then she opened her eyes and noticed he was looking at her.
Slowly she pulled away.
‘Did you hear about Edmund?’ he softly asked as she nodded. ‘He was knocked about a bit but he’s fine. He was attacked on the way to work.’
‘I don’t want to talk about it.’
There was panic in her chest and she knew she had to stop it as she didn’t want to alarm him.
‘You need to speak to someone. I know what it’s like, the delayed shock, and how it works with the mind and body. You’re nearly twelve weeks pregnant and this is going to take its toll on you. Will you speak to someone? Even to one of our liaison officers?’
‘I can call the Samaritans or ask Annette or Diane,’ Ruby replied, trying not to frown at his suggestion. ‘I don’t want to speak to some officer who has been given the ‘a to b’ on how to deal with the victim.’
‘You’re so rude sometimes, it’s unbelievable,’ he laughed out. ‘Are you saying if you’re in the police force you’re less caring?’
‘I didn’t say that. What I meant was that they wanted to fight crime then they find themselves looking after the inflicted.’
‘Listen to me,’ he said, gently pushing his hands through her hair and holding her head, making eye contact. ‘I met Rita when she was the Liaison Officer after my uncle was killed. She was so understanding and that’s how I fell in love.’
‘Oh,’ was all she could muster. ‘I know so little about you, I really do and you know even less about me. What happens after the baby’s born and we find out we have nothing in common? That’s an awful thing for the kids to go through and-.’
He stopped her with a kiss. She knew there was a rise of worry coming up through her stomach to her chest. Slowly her breathing started to calm down, she started kissing him frantically back.
‘Hey tiger,’ Scottie said, pulling away. ‘You need your rest.’
‘I need you. I really do. More than ever.’
‘God Ruby, don’t stay things like that. You know it turns me on,’ he said, kissing her face. ‘Are you still feeling sick?’
‘Not now,’ she said, rubbing her hands up and down his back while licking his neck. ‘Let’s make love.’
She didn’t need to ask twice.
He pulled off her nightdress and kissed her face, then moved his mouth down, gently licking her breasts. Ruby flung back her head, shutting her eyes, and really wanted to have a good old screw. There was pent up frustration building and she needed some sort of release. She felt herself going back onto the bed as his hands ran up and down her legs.
‘I’ve been thinking about this all day,’ he mumbled into her skin, as she closed her eyes, enjoying him doing all the work. ‘You’re gorgeous.’
‘So are you,’ she sighed, looking down and seeing his head move across, his tongue leaving traces of saliva.
His breath was making her tingle and she rubbed his scalp as his hands grasped her buttocks tightly then parted her thighs. Scottie headed down between her legs and she jolted when he immediately inserted a finger. Then his tongue touched her and he flicked the end against her hardening nub, pulling his digit in and out.
Ruby took a deep breath and flung her arms above her head. His other hand, squeezing her breast.
There was a lot of groaning, coming from her, but she could feel his moaning vibrating her now swollen lips. He was building up speed and pressure as she came, nearly suffocating the poor man between her thighs.
Jumping to his knees, he quickly pushed in and began moving very slowly. Ruby opened her eyes again and watched him look down, examining what he was doing, his face strained as he pumped his hips.
Then he smiled.
There was such a flip of lust and love, she thought she’d lost her breath for a split second. He leaned forward and gently put a nipple in his mouth, twisting it firmly between his lips then let go as he moved both his hands down the length of her thighs. Quickly her legs were put on his shoulders, making her hips tilt up, lifting her bottom in the air as he went in deeper.
Her face was beginning to perspire, so was his body. He was going in as far as he could and she wasn’t quite sure how much she could take. His face constricted for a moment into a grimace while going a little red. Then Scottie let out a very large groan. She watched him look completely relaxed as he grinned.
‘I love you,’ he panted, eventually stopping and leaning down towards her, balancing on his hands. ‘You will never know how much.’
‘Probably not as much as I love you right now,’ she said, stroking his face and wanting to cry.
; ‘Don’t look so upset, it’ll be okay, I promise you.’
‘I hope so,’ she sighed and wrapped her arms around him. ‘It bloody well better be.’
One hundred and fourteen
‘Happy birthday!’ he heard in unison.
Scottie opened his sleepy eyes.
Ruby and Theo were standing by the side of the bed, holding balloons, both smiling brightly. He looked at the matching faces and grinned.
‘What time is it?’
‘It’s your birthday so time is irrelevant but you’re going to call into work today to say you’ll be late. Now I have to take Theo to school and then you’ll receive a lovely breakfast, courtesy of yours truly.’ Ruby laughed for a moment. ‘Which will include over cooked bacon and creamy scrambled eggs.’
‘I have to go in,’ he replied, sitting up on his elbows. Theo handed him a balloon. ‘Thanks.’
‘Happy birthday,’ replied Theo. ‘I better get my things. See you later.’
‘Bye,’ Scottie replied, watching the kid run out of the room and down the stairs then focussed on Ruby. She was glowing. ‘How are you this morning?’
‘Puked up around six so I’m fine now,’ she sighed, kissing his nose. Scottie wrapped an arm around her waist. ‘And don’t go heading off anywhere or there’ll be trouble. I’ll be back in twenty minutes tops.’
‘Can you come back to bed?’
‘Jonathan Scott, there is more to life than sex,’ Ruby said seriously, turning to walk to the door. ‘I can’t think of anything else right now but keep whatever is stirring down there on hold.’
He flung himself back on the pillows knowing he was needed at the station but yearned to spend time with Ruby.
The door was shut and he lay there, thinking about his day. Over and over in his head he knew the killer was close to everyone, in one way or another. The motive was clear but who was committing it wasn’t.
Turning his head, he looked at his phone and saw the list of messages coming through then it rang.
‘Hello you old bastard,’ laughed Sebastian. ‘How does it feel?’