by King, Karen
Lily hugged Emma, said a cheery hello to Maria and Gareth, then mingled with the other guests, chatting, laughing, completely at ease while Maria felt like a tightly wound spring, ready to uncoil any minute.
About half an hour before the fete was due to end, the vicar came over to the stall and asked Gareth to draw the raffle.
‘Yes, of course. I’ll gather everyone around.’ Gareth stepped forward, took the microphone and shouted loudly, ‘Can I have your attention, everyone?’
Maria stood beside him, holding the box containing the folded-up raffle tickets.
‘We’re going to do the raffle now. So, can we have a volunteer to pick the first ticket out of the box for us, please?’
‘I’ll do it.’
Maria suppressed a gasp as the woman who had occupied her thoughts all morning stepped forward, her grey eyes darting to Maria then back to Gareth. It was her. So, she had come. Who was she and what was she doing here?
‘Thank you.’ Gareth smiled at the woman and held out the box. She dipped her hand into it and took out a ticket, handing it to him. He unfolded it and called out, ‘It’s a pink ticket. Number two-two-six.’
‘It’s me!’ a man called eagerly.
Maria went over to the raffle table to get his prize, a large basket of fruit. She picked it up and turned around to see the woman standing beside her, her piercing eyes resting on her face. Maria forced herself to keep calm. ‘Thank you for your help.’
‘You don’t recognise me, do you?’ the woman asked.
Maria frowned. ‘I don’t think we’ve met before.’
‘Oh, but we have,’ the woman said emphatically. ‘I remember you very well… Stefanie.’
Maria’s heart raced so fast she thought it would explode, her hands felt hot and sticky, her head dizzy as if she was about to faint. Her eyes were glued to the woman, her mind a whirr, wondering where she had seen her before, but somehow her voice sounded calm as she said, ‘You must be mistaken. My name is Maria, not Stefanie.’
The woman’s thin lips curled into a sinister smile. ‘Oh, I’m not mistaken. I’d never forget your face. You might be twenty-two years older but your eyes are the same. I recognised you straight away. I’ll never forget what you did either.’ She turned around and marched off across the lawn.
Maria watched her retreating back, a tremble running through her whole body. Who was she?
‘Maria, darling, could you pass the raffle prize?’
Gareth was talking to her. Everyone was looking at her. She had to pull herself together. ‘Of course,’ she said, taking the basket of fruit over to the man.
As she handed out the prizes, one by one, Maria’s eyes kept drifting to the woman, who had now stopped to talk to Lily. What were they talking about? She fought down the panic that almost overwhelmed her, forced herself to keep calm, to smile, as she handed out the prizes. Finally she handed over the last prize; the raffle was over. She searched for the woman again and breathed out a sigh of relief when she spotted Lily at the refreshment stall, alone.
Maria went to join Gareth, who was talking to the vicar, when she spotted the woman again: she was bending down and talking to Emma. Panic once again gripped her. Get away from my child, she wanted to shout. Don’t you dare hurt her. The woman stood up and looked over at Maria, her gaze holding hers for what seemed ages before she walked away, out of the gates.
Maria hurried over to Emma. ‘Are you having a nice time, poppet?’ she asked.
Emma nodded.
‘I saw a lady talking to you. What did she say?’
Emma shrugged. ‘She said that I was very pretty and reminded her of a little girl she used to know. And she gave me this.’ She held up a rag doll with blonde hair tied into bunches, wide blue eyes with black eyelashes painted on her face. A rag doll Maria would never forget.
Maria clutched on to a nearby table as the room swam around her. Then everything went black.
41
Lily
‘Mummy! Mummy’s dead!’ Emma’s scream rent the air, and everyone turned to look at the little girl, clutching her new rag doll and staring in horror at the woman lying by her feet.
‘Oh God!’ Lily raced across the grass, but her father was there first.
‘Maria! Maria! Can you hear me?’ Gareth shouted. He was bending over Maria, his face ashen. ‘Maria!’
Lily was close behind him. She ran to Emma and scooped her up into her arms, her first thought being to comfort her little sister.
‘Is Mummy dead?’ Emma asked in a quivering voice. Lily could feel her trembling in her arms.
‘No, darling. I’m sure she’ll be fine in a few minutes,’ Lily assured her, looking down at her devastated father, who was now feeling for Maria’s pulse.
‘Let me take a look, Gareth.’ Luckily one of the visitors to the fundraiser was a local doctor and he raced over to help. Gareth got up and moved back to give him space as he knelt down by Maria.
‘She’ll be okay, Gareth. She’s just fainted.’ He looked over his shoulder. ‘Can someone get me a glass of water, please? She’s coming around now.’
‘She looked peaky this morning when I returned from shopping with Emma,’ Lily said.
‘She does too much, I keep telling her that.’ Gareth knelt down again by Maria as she started to stir.
She opened her eyes, staring at the doctor in panic. ‘What happened?’
‘You fainted, Maria,’ the doctor said. ‘How are you feeling?’ He reached out for the glass of water someone passed to him. ‘Would you like a drink?’
‘Please,’ Maria said weakly.
Gareth wrapped his arm around her and helped her sit up. ‘You gave me quite a scare,’ he said.
‘I’m so sorry.’ Maria smiled wanly at him, then took the glass the doctor offered her and sipped the water.
‘Have you eaten today, Maria?’ the doctor asked.
‘I had a sandwich at lunchtime.’
‘Do you want to go and lie down?’ Gareth asked her gently.
Maria shook her head, sipped some more water, then her eyes focused on Emma in Lily’s arms. ‘I’m all right, darling. Don’t worry.’
Emma wriggled to be put down and ran over to Maria, giving her a big hug. ‘I thought you were dead, like my other mummy,’ she sobbed.
Maria pulled Emma into her for a cuddle. ‘I’m fine, darling. So sorry to worry you.’ She raised her eyes, biting her lip when she saw all the guests hovering around. ‘I’m okay, everyone. I promise. I think it’s a mixture of the heat and not having enough to eat. Do carry on enjoying yourselves.’
Maria looked so pale and she’d seemed a bit stressed out lately, Lily thought worriedly. She guessed her stepmother did do a lot: a full-time job, looking after Emma, all her charity work. And if she someone was after her, as Lily suspected, she was bound to be very anxious. Maybe I’ve added to the stress, she thought guiltily.
She went across to the refreshment stall and bought a salad sandwich and a glass of orange juice and took them both over to her stepmother. ‘Why don’t you sit down and tuck into this for a few minutes. You’ll feel a lot better then.’
Maria gave her a grateful smile. ‘I will, thank you, Lily.’
‘You’re welcome.’ Lily held out her hand to Emma. ‘Want to come with me?’
Emma shook her head. ‘I want to stay with Mummy.’
‘I’m sorry I gave you a scare.’ Maria took Emma’s hand in hers and the little girl snuggled into her side.
Lily left her father and Emma to look after Maria and went to reassure everyone that Maria was all right.
* * *
Maria had picked herself up enough to help clear away when the fundraiser was finished but she still looked so pale and fragile, Lily thought. She couldn’t get the image of her stepmother lying motionless on the grass out of her head. And the look of devastation on her dad’s and Emma’s faces. For the first time since her dad and Maria had got married, she realised what a close family unit they had become.
It was obvious for anyone to see that her dad and Maria adored each other. Emma was still clinging to her stepmother’s hand.
I need to accept that Maria is a lovely, caring woman and be happy that Dad and Emma have her in their lives, Lily decided. And if someone is out to harm her, then I’ve got to let her know that I’m on her side.
‘I have to go now, but I think we should postpone the barbecue tomorrow. You look like you could do with a rest. We can do it next Sunday instead.’ Lily reached out and touched Maria’s arm. ‘Look, I know I’ve… well… I’m sorry I’ve been a bit difficult but please look after yourself, Maria.’
Maria’s smile was so big it lit up her face. ‘Thank you, Lily. That means a lot to me.’
42
Maria
Half an hour before Emma disappeared
‘Can I go out and play in the garden?’ Emma asked, coming into the kitchen where Maria was crouched down, loading up the dishwasher.
Maria glanced over her shoulder at Emma: the little girl’s blue eyes were wide, pleading, and she was still clutching the rag doll. Maria had tried her best to persuade her to part with it but Emma had protested. ‘I love her. She’s got blonde hair and blue eyes like me.’ Then Gareth had pooh-poohed Maria’s excuse about the doll looking grubby and probably hoarding germs, saying that she could wash it, so she had given in and put it in the machine then tumble dryer and allowed Emma to take it to bed with her. Maria had had to accept it, not able to tell Gareth the real reason why she didn’t want Emma to have the doll.
‘Why don’t we do some colouring instead?’ Maria suggested. She was still shaken up from yesterday and didn’t want to let Emma out of her sight.
‘Please. Just for a little while. I really want to go on the swing,’ Emma begged.
Maria stood up and looked out of the kitchen window. The garden was secure, she reminded herself, surrounded by a high wall, too high for Emma to climb, and the gate was locked. And it was such a lovely day; it would be a shame to keep Emma in. Gareth was always telling her she was overprotective of Emma. So was Lily. She was, she knew that. And she knew why. They didn’t.
‘Just for a little while then,’ she reluctantly agreed.
Emma’s face broke into a grin. She changed into her play shoes and, still clutching the rag doll, ran outside over to the swing.
Maria made herself a cup of tea and went out into the garden too. She sat down at the table, her mind going over yesterday’s events at the church fundraiser.
That woman was connected to the Wrights somehow. She had to be – how else would she know about the doll? And she knew Maria’s real name. Maria was sure that she was the one who had sent the letters. She had no idea who the woman was and how she knew what had happened all those years ago but she had to be family or a very close friend. Someone who knew that Alicia had had a similar doll. In fact, Maria could swear that it was the very same doll she had tucked Alicia up in bed with on that awful night. It was only a matter of time before the woman told everyone, and then Maria’s perfect life would be shattered.
She pressed her temples, where a dull headache was already forming. She had been awake half the night thinking about it, wondering what to do. She had to find out who that woman was and what she wanted, had to stop her telling Gareth. Because, much as he loved her, she was pretty sure that if Gareth found out about the terrible thing she had done all those years ago it would be the end of their marriage. And she couldn’t bear to lose him and Emma.
‘Five more minutes, Emma,’ Maria called as she stood up, empty cup in hand.
‘Okay!’ Emma was swinging high, the rag doll on her lap.
She looked happy. She was such a lovely little girl and had been through so much, Maria thought as she went through the back door into the hall and turned into the kitchen, where she could still see Emma playing from the window over the sink.
Most of the time Emma was a good-natured little girl, happy to occupy herself. Maria guessed she’d learnt to be self-sufficient with Ruth being so ill, and then dying. Poor little mite. The first time Maria had seen Emma, she’d been struck by how sad her eyes were. Now they were often sparkling and the little girl seemed happy and carefree. Maria loved her as if she was her own. She couldn’t bear to lose her.
She went into the living room and picked up the photo of Ruth on the dresser. It had been taken before the cancer had struck her when Emma was only two. Ruth’s face was wreathed in smiles as she held her little daughter in her arms; Emma was facing her, one hand outstretched, touching Ruth’s cheek. It was such a beautiful photo. Emma had lost one mother – Maria had to do everything she could to make sure the little girl didn’t lose her too. I’ve paid the price for what I did, she reminded herself. I deserve another chance and no one is going to take it away from me.
43
Lily
Now
‘Emma’s gone!’ Lily hurtled into the kitchen, panic-stricken. ‘There’s no sign of her in the garden and I found this by the wall.’ She held out the rag doll. ‘There’s a couple of chairs against the wall,’ she added, knowing that this wasn’t unusual – they often put the garden chairs against the wall when they were cleaning the patio – but wanting to mention it anyway.
Maria looked as if she was about to faint. ‘Someone’s taken her,’ she blurted out, wrapping her arms around her shoulders, as if trying to stop the trembles that were visibly coursing through her body.
‘That’s impossible,’ Gareth said firmly; he had come home while Lily was in the garden. ‘The gate’s locked and Emma couldn’t climb that wall, even if she stood on a chair. And she wouldn’t let anyone help her over it. She wouldn’t go off with a stranger, I’ve been very firm with her about that.’
Lily felt herself relax. Her dad was right, she’d been silly to panic like that. There was no way Emma could get out of the garden. She must have sneaked in so she could hide from them. ‘You’re right. I bet the little minx is hiding. I’ll check upstairs.’
‘And I’ll check the garden and shed,’ Gareth said.
Lily ran up the stairs, closely followed by Maria, calling, ‘Lily, come out now, darling! We’ve got a surprise for you.’
She checked behind the curtains, in the wardrobe, even in the linen basket. There was no sign of Emma.
She has to be here somewhere.
She could hear Maria checking their bedroom; they met in the hall and Maria shook her head. ‘She’s not here. I’ve checked the bathroom and airing cupboard too.’
‘Let’s check downstairs again,’ Lily suggested.
They hurried back down the stairs as Gareth came in from the garden. ‘The gate’s locked and so is the shed,’ he said, panic lacing his voice now.
‘She’s got to be here somewhere!’ Lily dashed into the lounge. ‘Lily! Come out of hiding now, please! Lily!’
In a panic now, they checked behind the sofa, behind the curtains, even desperately in cupboards that they knew were too small for Emma to fit in. There was no sign of her.
Maria sank down onto the sofa, her face drained of colour. ‘I should have watched her. I shouldn’t have let her play in the garden. Someone’s taken her…’
‘They couldn’t have! The garden is secure.’ Gareth ran his hand agitatedly through his hair. ‘She must be hiding somewhere.’
Then Lily had an idea. ‘Maybe she sneaked out to go to our house. Kids do things like that, don’t they, even though they know they shouldn’t? Maybe she wanted to tell Seb something.’ She took her phone out of her pocket and called Seb.
‘Hi, babe—’
‘Seb, is Emma there?’
‘Emma?’ He sounded puzzled. ‘No. Why? Is she supposed to be?’
Lily explained about Emma going missing.
‘It’s okay, don’t panic, she’ll be hiding somewhere. Kids are great at finding hiding places,’ Seb said soothingly. ‘I hid in the bin once when I was little and my folks were in a right panic. I’ll come over now and help you find her.’
&nbs
p; ‘Thanks, Seb.’ Lily ended the call and went back into the hall. The front door was open and she could hear her dad out in the street, calling, ‘Emma! Emma! Where are you?’
She hurried over to join him. ‘Seb’s coming to help us look.’ A big ball of dread was forming in her stomach. Her little sister would never go off by herself, she was sure of it. ‘Should we call the police, just in case? They say the first couple of hours after a child goes missing are vital.’
‘I’ve called them,’ Gareth told her. ‘They’re sending an officer over and said that we should search the house and surrounding area thoroughly in case she is hiding or has wandered off. I’m going to ask the neighbours to check their gardens. Maria’s in the house, checking it over again. The police said someone should stay there in case Emma comes back.’
In case Emma comes back, not when. Lily swallowed. ‘Seb will be here in a minute, he’ll help too. She can’t just disappear, Dad. Did you try the shed?’
‘It’s locked.’ She could see the fear in his eyes. The same fear that was coursing through her.
Seb panted as he raced over to them. ‘Have you found her?’
Lily shook her head.
‘I’ll go and check the house too. If she’s hiding, I guess she might come out for me,’ Seb said.
He ran upstairs shouting, ‘Emma! Come on, Munchkin. I’ve got a surprise for you.’
He was back down after a few minutes. ‘She’s not there. I’ll go and help your dad search outside – I’ll take the other side of the road.’
‘And I’ll check the back,’ Lily said. ‘Phone me if you find her.’
‘Don’t go out the back way – the police will want to check that the lock on the gate hasn’t been tampered with,’ Seb called.
Lily had been just about to do that, but realised Seb had a good point so she turned back to go out of the front door, where Maria was standing, looking out into the street. ‘I wish I could join in the search too. I feel so helpless waiting here.’ She rubbed her fingers anxiously. ‘Someone’s taken her. I know they have.’