Perfect Stranger

by Sofia Grey

  “I left Rob because he hurt me. He shoved a broken glass in my face, and I needed three stitches to sew it back together.” I touched my scarred cheek. “He pushed me around. He shoved me into the furniture. All the bruises on my arms came from him.”

  Marella shook her head and gave me a pitying smile. “He told me you’d try to twist it.”

  What the fuck could I do? “Talk to Cade. He knows.”

  “Ask your boyfriend to continue to lie for you? I don’t think so. I can see how close you are. When Rob asked me if you still carried on with Cade, I had to say yes.”

  I couldn’t look at her. “My God, Marella. You have no idea.”

  “Would it have hurt you to be honest? Not just about Cade, but about Adam? You knew he was unfaithful to me with Isobel, but you never said a word. He was fucking the girl who worked here, and you said nothing. How many others were there?” She clasped the door handle and cracked the door open. “So don’t talk to me about lies, okay? You had plenty of chances. As of now, this conversation is over.”

  I sat there for ages after Marella left the room. My anger dissolved and gave way to a trembling fear. What if I bumped into Rob somewhere? What the hell would he do to me? Maybe I shouldn’t move in with Cade after all. Not yet. I’d stay at Mum’s. I shivered and rubbed my arms. Marella had given Rob the perfect ammunition to go after Cade. I couldn’t let that happen.

  I stumbled out of the meeting room and grabbed my phone and purse, then headed down to the coffee bar, texting Cade on the way.

  Need to speak to you ASAP. Meet me at the coffee shop in 5 mins? Pls.

  22.3 Jordan

  Not even the shitty weather could dent my mood on the drive back to London on Thursday afternoon. The clouds hung low and dumped bursts of heavy rain all the way through Wales. I was glad to reach civilization and a major motorway network again, only that was slow moving too, with a string of accidents causing delays.

  Kate planned for us to drop by to see her friends in Manchester, but as the weather deteriorated further, we considered our options. Instead of staying for a couple of hours, we’d book a hotel room for the night and set off first thing in the morning.

  I squeezed her hand, as we cut through the city to her old suburb. “First time I came to Manchester, I got so pissed at you, I couldn’t wait to leave.”

  “I remember. That was a hell of a row in the V&A.” She smiled across at me. “Let’s stay there tonight, if they have a room.”

  “Without the slapping.”

  “If you behave this time.” She laughed, and I grinned at her good humor.

  “Tell me again about your friends. They’re renting your house, right?”

  “Jenny’s separated from her husband. He was a nasty piece of work, and I’m glad she finally left him. She’s sharing with Cade, my fake boyfriend. Remember I mentioned him?”

  I nodded.

  “I’d love to see Jen and Cade get together, but at the moment they’re just friends. He’s been amazing though, and makes sure Rob can’t get to her.”

  “What d’you mean?”

  “She’s scared he’ll find her. She keeps changing her phone number and email address, to make it harder. Moving to my place was a great idea. Rob never went there, and he doesn’t know where it is.”

  “You telling me he doesn’t know how to use the internet?”

  “Huh?”

  “Kate, sweetheart, there are a thousand and one ways to find where somebody lives. Other than the electoral roll, if you ever voted while you lived there, you’ve got utility bills, phone records, and vehicle registrations. Your address will be on file at ComCo too, if he knows anyone who works there.”

  “Shit. I never thought of that. I bet Jen hasn’t either. I doubt he knows anyone from ComCo, though.”

  “Is he really that scary? Her ex?”

  “He cut her face with a broken wineglass. I’d say yes, he’s freaky scary.”

  Something slipped into place in my brain. He was the fuckwit who waited for Kate outside her office. I’d love to get my hands on him and tell him a thing or two.

  Kate directed me the last few turns, and we parked outside her house a short time later. It was now dark, but lights glowed behind the curtains. A dazzling security lamp clicked on, as we approached the front door.

  I hung back and watched Kate greet her friend, then stepped forward to be introduced. Jenny was a pretty, smiling young woman, with a livid red scar on one cheek.

  She gave me an impulsive hug. “I feel I know you already. Kate’s told me so much about you. Come to the kitchen while I brew tea. Or would you prefer coffee?”

  “Coffee is good. Thanks.”

  “Cade’s upstairs, he’ll be down any minute. And we can relax tonight, as far as Rob goes.” She flashed a smile, but it looked forced. “It’s his father’s birthday, and he’ll be there all evening.”

  “How can you be sure?” Concern lined Kate’s voice.

  “Cade’s Facebook-stalking him. Long story, but the bottom line is Rob posted about going out to dinner with his parents. I love the way he always updates his Facebook account. We keep tabs on him.”

  That was assuming he went where he said he did, but before I could say this, footsteps sounded on the stairs, and her maybe-one-day partner appeared in the doorway.

  He hugged Kate, and then shook my hand firmly. “You must know I’m Kate’s fake boyfriend. She’s a right troublemaker, and I wish you the best of luck with her.” His eyes twinkled, a smile breaking free, and I laughed. I liked him.

  “So,” said Kate, “what’s been happening? Has Rob finally gotten the message?”

  “No. Anything but.” Jenny now looked close to tears.

  Cade wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay. He has to come through me first.”

  “And that’s what I’m afraid of.”

  I didn’t want to be there, listening to a tale of woe. I wanted to be stripping Kate slowly, in a luxurious hotel room, then kissing every inch of her body. These were her friends, though. And potentially mine. I stepped forward. “Why don’t we sit down, and you can bring us up to speed? Maybe we can help.”

  Over coffee, they explained the situation and how Jenny was terrified Rob was gunning for Cade.

  “Every day we’re together, I put you at risk,” she cried. “I hate living like this, afraid of when he’s going to show up. I can’t sleep. I can’t work. I’m every bit as much a prisoner as when we were together.”

  There wasn’t much I could suggest, other than the basics. Taking out a restraining order. Creating a new and private email address and changing her phone numbers. Carrying a pepper spray. A self-defense class, to give her more confidence. “If we were in Texas, I’d suggest you carry a gun.”

  This got me a tear-streaked smile from Jenny. “I’m sorry to be so blubbery. I was looking forward to seeing Kate and meeting you, and I’ve done nothing but whine since you arrived. Let’s call out for a takeaway and make the most of the evening.”

  Half an hour later, Kate and Jenny were busy laying the table and brewing coffee, when the doorbell rang. “Cade,” called Jenny. “That’ll be dinner. Get the door, please.”

  I didn’t like standing around like a spare part. “I’ll go.”

  “You’re a fucking thieving bastard, Cade Brisley.” The man on the doorstep roared at me words that didn’t make sense. Everything went in slow motion. The guy swung a baseball bat at my head. I had a moment of perfect clarity, when I wondered how there could possibly be another case of mistaken identity on this very doorstep.

  The bat hit the doorframe with a loud crack. It was still coming for me. I tried to duck—to move—but I was too slow.

  Pain exploded in my head with a thousand bright sparks. My knees buckled.

  Someone shouted behind me. A scream.

  My last thought was of Kate.

  22.4 Kate

  I heard a shout and a crashing noise from the front of the house. I glanced at Jenny and saw the blood
drain from her face.

  Jordan had just gone to the door.

  We ran to the hallway, in time to see Jordan’s knees give way. He slumped to the floor. Someone screamed. Rob Allerton stood in the doorway, a blood-smeared baseball bat in his hands.

  Jordan’s blood.

  I couldn’t breathe.

  Cade lifted Jenny and placed her behind him. “Call for help.” He launched at Rob, and they landed on the path outside, wrestling and punching. I didn’t remember moving, but I knelt at Jordan’s side. He lay on the carpet, deathly pale, his eyes closed. A pool of blood beneath him grew wider with every second that passed.

  I had to stop the bleeding. I had to stop him from dying. The side of his head was smashed in, cracked like a boiled egg. I cupped my hand over the wound, terrified I’d make it worse, but even more scared of him bleeding out.

  “Help me,” I cried. “Please help.” He couldn’t die. Not now. Not when we’d just found each other again. My lungs wheezed with every breath, and black spots danced before my eyes, but I stayed there, kneeling in his blood.

  The fight continued. Both men yelled. Did Rob think Jordan was Cade? They were both tall with short dark hair. Maybe he didn’t expect anyone else to be here.

  Jenny crouched at my side and pushed a towel into my hands. I trembled so hard, I couldn’t hold it in place. She helped. The world blurred around me. The only thing I knew was the man I loved, whose lifeblood seeped through my fingers.

  “Don’t you dare die, Jordan Merrill.” I sobbed over his still body. “Don’t leave me now.”

  The police arrived, followed by an ambulance. The paramedics had to pry my fingers off, so they could assess the damage. They made me stand to the side, while they worked on him. I couldn’t even hold his hand. Cade and Jenny stood beside me, trying to comfort me. I wanted to curl up in a little ball and howl in pain. I had to fight for my breath, lungs rasping with the effort of drawing in the air, my focus on Jordan’s fight for life.

  Jenny shoved a paper bag at me. “Breathe into this. Now.”

  There was no room for her in the ambulance, on the frenzied rush to hospital. I could do nothing. The paramedics offered no comfort. My world ground to a halt, threatening to never move again.

  Once we arrived at the hospital, the staff snapped into action. They whisked Jordan into surgery, leaving me standing outside, sobbing helplessly.

  The police officer was kind. He tried to get me to sit down, while he asked for identification, next of kin—all the useless details I didn’t know. I huddled on a bench seat, shaking down to my toes, when a pair of arms wrapped around me.

  Jenny. I’d never been so glad to see anyone in my life. I pressed my hands to my eyes. All I saw was Jordan’s face. His beautiful face, his soft gentle lips, and his long curling dark eyelashes. He’d been so pale. He lost so much blood.

  Time passed in a daze. I was aware of people coming and going, of Jenny fetching me drinks, of the sounds and smells of the hospital. I refused to leave the bench. I was going nowhere until they brought Jordan back out. I tried to figure out how long they’d been working on him. If he’d died straight away, they would have told me. That they were still with him meant they were trying to save him. I tried to hang on to this thought.

  What felt like weeks later, the doors swung open and the doctor emerged, pulling off his mask.

  “Mrs. Merrill?” He looked at Jenny and me, where we huddled together.

  “Yes,” I whispered.

  He looked exhausted. “There was quite a bit of damage and a lot of blood lost. He’s going to take a while to recuperate, but he should make a full recovery.”

  I didn’t hear the rest of it. I slipped to the floor in a dead faint.

  22.5 Jenny

  Hours later, I clung to Cade. He was the only thing that kept me upright, and even then it was touch and go. We had matching scars on our faces now. I tried to joke that he wanted to copy me, but I couldn’t get the words out. Because of Rob, Cade had a black eye, a gouge along his cheekbone, and a cracked rib. His injuries paled in comparison to Jordan’s, though. Kate’s husband was being cared for in the High Dependency Unit, following emergency surgery.

  She refused to leave the hospital but insisted Cade and I go home to get some sleep. I planned to return first thing in the morning and to bring clothes and toiletries for them both. Their luggage was in Jordan’s car, and Kate gave me the keys from his pocket.

  It was now almost two in the morning, and we just got home by taxi. I craved sleep, but it was miles away. Every time I closed my eyes, the nightmare images assaulted me. Rob brandishing a baseball bat. Jordan bleeding on the floor. Cade and Rob fighting. Kate weeping. New details kept popping up, things that slipped my attention earlier. The way Cade picked me up and moved me to a safer place. The venom spewing from Rob’s mouth. My fear that he’d kill Cade. That he killed Jordan.

  I’d stumbled into the kitchen and called for an ambulance and the police, stammering over the details. I had to stop Rob.

  No matter how much I loathed him and what he’d done, I couldn’t use a knife on him. I’d hesitate before hitting him with a rolling pin, and that could be a fatal mistake. I darted my gaze left and right. What to do? A towel lay on the counter. I’d seen a movie, where an assailant used a wet towel.

  It took a second to throw it in the sink of washing up water, and then I hurried to the doorstep. Cade was on the ground. Rob was on top and reaching for his bat. Before I could second-guess myself, I wrapped the wet towel around his face and pulled it tight in the back of his head. He let out a muffled howl, temporarily blinded and unable to breathe. It was enough to give Cade the chance to take control.

  He grabbed Rob and slammed him into the doorframe. Rob slumped to the ground, and Cade called, “Get something to tie his hands.”

  I was already darting back, to pick up the ball of kitchen twine.

  That had all been hours ago, but every detail was etched onto my brain as though it just happened.

  Cade and I walked slowly up the path to the front door, and I saw the dried blood smeared across it. Nausea rose in my throat. “I can’t rest with that still there.” While Cade hobbled into the living room, I grabbed disinfectant wipes and proceeded to rub away every trace of blood.

  Strong hands on my arms made me pause. “Shhh, Jen. It’s gone now. You can stop.”

  I scrubbed over and over, as though I could wipe out this whole ugly episode. “Why did he do it, Cade? Why did I get involved with him?”

  Cade held me to his chest, and there, under the floodlights and the cloud-filled sky, he rocked me while my heart broke some more. One day I’d be all cried out, but not yet.

  * * * *

  Friday was spent giving more detailed interviews to the police and supporting Kate at the hospital. To my relief, Rob had been remanded without bail. He’d have to go to court and through the entire legal system, and I hoped he’d be locked away for years. There was a flurry of activity when some of Jordan’s family arrived, and I helped them find hotel accommodation.

  By Sunday night, Jordan was conscious again. His recovery would be long and slow, but the medical team were optimistic.

  I wanted to go back to work on Monday. I needed to see Marella.

  Cade came with me, and we went straight to her desk. Annoyance flickered in her eyes, but then she saw the state of Cade’s poor face. “My God. What happened to you?”

  “Rob is what happened.” I stood by Cade’s side. “He came looking for Cade with a baseball bat. He mistook my best friend’s husband for him, and smashed his head. With the bat. Jordan only just survived, and the damage is extensive.”

  Marella’s face paled. She stood, gripping the edge of the desk with both hands. “That’s terrible.”

  “I know you didn’t believe me about Rob, but you can see for yourself. They ran a story in the Evening News, with some of the details. I can send you a link.”

  “Are you okay, Jenny? Did he hurt you?”

&nb
sp; “Not physically. Not this time. And I hope he never gets the chance again.”

  She swallowed, darting her gaze between Cade and me. “I’m sorry. He was so convincing. But what do I know? I’m clearly hopeless at telling when a man is lying.” She stretched a hand out to me. “I really am sorry, Jenny. I should have believed you. I felt bad enough about how I treated you last week, but seeing this, I’m appalled.”

  I squeezed her fingers. “Rob fooled me as well, for a long time. If it wasn’t for my friends, I’d probably still be married to him.” I corrected myself. “If it wasn’t for Cade. He saved me.”

  My friendship with Marella could be repaired, and my bond with Cade was even stronger. Maybe one day, I’d be ready for a relationship again, but for now, he was all I needed.

  Epilogue

  18 months later

  Kate

  The sun shone brightly onto the rectory gardens, and my newly planted borders were full of summer flowers. I sat on the bench, admiring the sweep of freshly cut lawn, as it disappeared around the back of the house. I felt at peace here. When I was stressed or tired, this was where I liked to sit. Under the honeysuckle.

  Billy strolled out, to sit on the patio in front of me. I reached down to scratch his head. “Keeping out of the way? I don’t blame you.”

  The quiet of the garden dissolved, when Louisa walked out through the French windows, her crying year-old baby in her arms.

  She laughed, as she sat down next to me. “Would you like to feed him this time?” She offered me the formula.

  I took the wriggling child in my arms, as Louisa had shown me, and gave him the bottle. Apart from the gulping sounds he made as he fed, he stayed quiet.

  Louisa yawned, and stretched in the warm sunshine. “You really have a lovely place here. So peaceful.”