by NC Marshall
The person I saw at the holiday park was clearly never Ali either. I briefly wonder if I had just wanted it to be at the time, and conclude that my mind had been playing tricks on me. Lack of sleep can easily play havoc with the brain function.
This fan of hers must absolutely idolize her, but, by the sounds of things, she isn’t short of the odd admirer, which I find easy to understand. Her beauty and talent must be like a strong magnetic pull for some people.
Right now, all I need to concentrate on is that Ali is unharmed. It’s all that matters. I can now willingly go home and return to my normal and unglamorous life.
I wave Mark off as he drives away from the cabin. A feeling of relief bubbles inside me, like a ton weight has lifted from my shoulders. Ali is safe and even though these past few days have been nothing but torture, something tells me our friendship has been rekindled and gives me hope for the future ahead.
I glance around the deserted park as Mark’s taillights fade into the darkness and I start to close the cabin door. A sudden shiver runs the length of my spine as a gust of wind rushes past and for just a brief moment, even though I am fully aware it is only in my mind, I am suddenly overcome by the intense feeling that I’m being watched.
Chapter 26
“Ok Lucy, I’ll see you tomorrow.” I hang up the phone on my daughter and smile out to the sea. This time tomorrow I will be home with her and back to normality. Maybe we could get a movie and order a take away, sit in front of the television stuffing our faces and catching up. Approaching my last couple of days of being thirty-four, I can't say I have a lot to show for my years, but Lucy is worth more to me than anything in the universe and I can't wait to get home to see her.
The sky clouds over, casting shadows that drift slowly across the bay. Tiny drops of warm rain hit my face signaling to me that it's almost time to leave. A figure jogging along the shoreline runs in my direction, and only when he gets in my direct line of vision do I realise it’s Tom. He stops in front of me as I rise to brush the sand off my legs.
“Hi Tom,” I say.
“Hi Em, how you doing?”
“Feeling much better now, thanks.” The conversation seems somewhat strained when compared to last night. I wonder if it's because I didn’t respond the way he would have liked when he tried to kiss me. He’s probably not used to getting knocked back by women. A blow to his almighty ego.
“Mark told me about Ali, it’s great news,” he says, looking down the beach then back to me.
“Yeah, it is,” I reply.
“So you have nothing to be here for now.”
His words sting, as I’m sure they were meant to, though reluctantly, I shake my head in response.
He nods, understanding as a drop of rain splashes onto his nose, followed quickly by another, then another. The heavens suddenly open.
Families dash around us picking up towels and clothes draped on the sand. Most head towards Logan’s Tavern to take shelter as the downpour takes hold.
“Come on.” Tom grabs my hand and we join the crowds in the dash. Once inside, he pulls me towards the back of the bar where there is a small doorway. The door leads to a staircase, which opens out into an apartment.
“I didn’t realise you lived above the bar,” I say, taking a look around the large masculine open plan living space looking out over the sea.
“Yeah, it makes sense. I’m never away from the place,” he answers, and I still detect a coolness in his voice. “Wait here, I’ll get you a towel.”
I push my dripping hair from my face and glance down at my soaked-through cotton dress. Goose bumps are fully raised on my wet skin as I wait. Tom returns, silently handing me a towel, with another draped around his own shoulders, his chest bare. He lets his eyes drift over my body, moving slowly from head to toe. He sees I notice and doesn't try to hide it. Only now am I aware that the fabric of my dress is soaked so much it has stuck to my body like a second skin, my underwear clearly visible. I cross my hands across my breasts unsure of where to look.
Without any form of warning, Tom takes a step closer to me, and using one arm, he pulls me toward him. He hesitates at first, but then his lips are on mine, and this time I don’t stop him.
He kisses like I always imagined he would, soft and tender. His mouth moves passionately across my neck, his fingers in my wet hair, then moving down across my arms. He slips the straps of my dress from my shoulders and lets it fall in a sodden heap to the floor. His hands are on my body as mine are his; his skin is still damp. He pulls at my underwear as we move to the bedroom still in each other’s arms. I no longer feel self-conscious.
We make love like two excited teenagers, fumbling over each other like it’s our first time, lost in the moment, lost in each other. I find myself wondering if this is how I would have felt back then.
Afterwards, we take a shower together. Tom stands behind me trailing soft kisses across my shoulders, his fingers moving across my body tracing each curve, a clear expert with the female form. As the hot water rushes over me and I turn to kiss him, I let myself believe that this is real and that I’m not just another of his conquests, another notch on the bedpost, or a tally on his marker board.
For just a brief flicker in time, I pretend that he wants to be part of my life as much as I have always wanted to be part of his.
*
“I have to get going,” I say to Tom. “I’m leaving first thing in the morning, and I need to get my stuff packed.” It's getting dark outside now; I’ve no idea how long I've been here.
Tom stays silent. He’s standing at the open doors leading onto a small balcony at the side of the apartment, his frame silhouetted by the glow of the setting sun ahead.
“You really have to go?” he asks finally, turning to look at me.
“Yeah, I do.” My tone holds no emotion. Inside I’m trembling.
Tom sighs, leading me to feel an immediate and uncontrolled feeling of dislike towards him. I can't hold back what I’m thinking any longer.
“Oh, come on, Tom. Don’t act like you are going to miss me, we both know what this was.” I reach to pull up the now almost dry crumpled dress from the floor, then move to slip on my sandals.
“What do you mean?” he asks, looking heartily insulted. Bravo on the acting skills, Mr. Logan, bravo!
I sneer. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Tom. You have always known how much I like you. Don’t pretend you didn’t. I was an easy lay for you. Nothing more.”
Tom mildly erupts. “You think that’s all you were? That's all I wanted from you since I saw you again the other night? To get you into bed?” He reaches where I am and I force myself to look up at him straight in the eye.
“Well, wasn’t it?”
He shakes his head angrily. “You really don’t know me at all, Em, do you?”
“Oh, come on Tom I was never on your radar at school and let’s be honest, I’m still not. You don’t have to pretend that this had any sort of meaning for you.”
Tom smirks and says sarcastically, “You really think you have it all figured out, don’t you?”
“And don’t I?”
“You are so far off the mark. It's unbelievable,” he snaps angrily.
“Really Tom? Because I’m not so sure I am.”
“I’m not him, Em.”
I look at the floor and talk to the wooden boards, “You’re not who?” I whisper.
“Whoever the idiot is who has made you put your barriers up so high. Not let anyone in. I would never hurt you.” Tom lowers his voice. He takes a step forward and I take one back. “Okay, I admit it maybe I should have approached you when we were younger. It wasn’t that you weren’t on my radar back then, but I was just a stupid kid. I felt that I had to follow the crowd to fit in and do what they expected me to do.”
“And what about now?” I force myself to look up at him again.
He stares back into my eyes and doesn’t look away. “Now, I think I’m falling for you.”
I laugh ou
t loud. My self-destruct button has once again been activated. I've been in this position a few times before and this time I feel is no different. Even though Tom is all I ever wanted, and this is perhaps a once in a lifetime opportunity to see if things could actually work, the only thing I can think of doing is to turn and run. So I do.
Chapter 27
So, the fabulous Ali Martin is alive and well and everyone is thrilled. How lovely. What you don’t know is that every one of you has played directly into my hands and I now have you exactly where I want you. I'm the master of the chess board and you have all been nothing but my pawns.
I watched you again today as you sat alone on the beach in your own little world. No doubt it’s carefree and happy there. It must be nice. I watched as Tom took you by the hand and led you to his apartment. I stood hidden in the shadows on the deserted beach as the rain fell, and saw you naked in each other’s arms before you disappeared into the bedroom together. I hope you enjoyed yourself, Emily, and good for you that you have moved on with your life. I wish that it had been as easy for me.
I must admit, I didn’t have you pegged as a slut. You were always so loyal when you were younger and I can only imagine that sleeping with strangers is nothing out of the ordinary to you these days. You didn’t exactly look like a novice up there. I left you for a while and went to your cabin and had a good look around. You had left your handbag on the sofa. Once again, you have made this all too easy, Emily. After a quick look around and a few irresistible mind games, I found your purse and inside was exactly what I was looking for.
I waited as day turned to night. I watched as you left his apartment and ran back along the beach. You seemed in a hurry to get back up to the cabin, but this time, I didn’t follow you. Tonight, I had more important matters to deal with.
Did you know that Tom Logan doesn’t lock his doors at night? I know, I found it amusing that in this day and age, he feels secure enough not to have to bother. Which was good for me, because nobody in the busy bar noticed me slide away from my table and through the door to his apartment. He was standing with his back to me when I entered, still on the balcony where I wanted him to be. A fine figure of a man I must say, still in a state of half undress from the afternoon antics spent with you.
You don’t know him at all Emily, not really.
He didn’t even hear me approach, he was too busy watching you as you left. He looked like a love sick puppy dog. What a fool! By the time he realised that someone was there it was too late.
One shove is all it took. He went over the low balcony much quicker than I thought he would. The element of surprise certainly worked to my advantage. The fall wasn’t that big and I knew it wouldn’t be enough to kill him. Unfortunately. But it was sufficient enough to injure him, and judging by the way he fell, I know that I achieved that.
I have to admit, it gave me extreme satisfaction to know that I had hurt someone you love, because you do love him, don’t you, Emily? You always have, ever since you were a kid, but we both know there’s someone in this world that you love more, and now, I know her name. The picture you keep inside your purse of her is truly beautiful. You must be very proud. I know where she is now too.
You’ve made this all too easy, Emily. Not long now, Lucy.
See you soon.
Chapter 28
There’s a strange smell hanging in the atmosphere when I enter the cabin. It’s a scent I recognise but can't place, musky and strong. As always, the air inside feels warm and sticky, causing beads of perspiration to immediately gather across my hairline and up my back the moment I step through the door.
I don’t have much time to spare, so I rush straight to the bedroom and rip the empty rucksack from under the bed. There’s a train leaving in half an hour that will get me home. It takes a longer route, but there’s no point waiting until tomorrow. Especially not now. Ali is safe and on her way home, Tom’s words yesterday were correct, there really is no real reason for me to be here anymore. Thoughts of Tom run through my head. I can still feel his lips on the arch of my neck, his touch on my skin and the pressure of his body against mine. Feeling aggravated, I quickly dismiss the memories and focus on the task at hand: To get back home and forget this whole mess even happened.
I thumb through my handbag to check I have the return tickets that I will need at the train station. I start to panic when I don’t put my hand straight on them, then I find them tucked into a side pocket in the bag that I rarely use. Strange, I can't remember putting them in there.
I rush from room to room, throwing items in the bag and silently curse at myself for not being more organised. As I run to the kitchen, I notice shards of glass glistening on the floor and turn the corner to see my vase of flowers shattered in the centre of floor. Water seeps into the cracks of the floorboards, the flowers now wilting in the heat of the room. I must have placed them too close to the edge of the sill. Maybe they fell off when the door slammed as I left earlier.
In the kitchen, I rush round and do a quick clean up. I want to leave the cabin as tidy as possible; Claudia is a sweet girl I don’t want to give her any more work than she already has. I complete a quick wipe down of the surfaces, rinse through the few dishes that I had left in the sink earlier, and discard of the broken glass from the vase. As I pass the fridge, I notice the poster of Ali is pinned to the door. Strange, I hadn’t put it there. I know I’d left it on the kitchen bench when I returned from Logan’s the other night.
Once again thoughts of Tom enter my mind; his fingers trailing the back of my calf as he dressed my leg and my hand in his as we ran in the rain. I snap my attention back to the photo. Claudia must have put it there when she was in cleaning this morning. I take it from the fridge and pop in into my handbag. I’m sure Ali won’t mind if I take this copy; it’s a lovely photo of her. Even if it was possibly given to me by some psycho fan, it’s too nice a picture to throw away.
Back in the bedroom, I empty the wardrobe and pick up a small pile of clothes from the floor, preparing to fold them. There’s a hoodie amongst them that’s not mine. I wonder where it came from at first, then I vaguely remember it being put around my shoulders the other day. I’m unsure if it belongs to Tom or Mark—both of them had lent me a jacket, neither of which I can remember handing back due to the distraught state I had been in on both occasions. I straighten it and lay it on the bed. I decide I’ll leave it with Rose at reception when I check out.
As I finish packing my bag and begin folding the jacket something falls from the pocket. It’s so small I almost don’t see it. As I bend to pick up the small silver trinket a feeling of unease hits me. The hairs on the back of my neck rise to attention and an icy chill runs down my sweltering spine. A sickening realisation makes me wonder how I hadn’t figured it out and questions how I could have been so utterly stupid. Suddenly, it all makes sense.
The train home will once again have to wait. Right now, there’s somewhere I need to go.
Chapter 29
The police station is deserted—no big surprise this late in the evening. Nobody is manning the reception so I make my way straight through to the offices. I pass a couple of members of staff who ask me if they can help, but I wave them off rudely, and make my way to Mark’s office. However, Mark is nowhere to be seen. Through the window I see Chrissy; she’s sitting behind Mark’s desk typing into a laptop. She’s wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses that reflect back the screen casting a blue glow across her face, and she has an immense look of concentration on her face
I burst into the office without knocking.
“I need to speak to Mark,” I say to Chrissy breathlessly. Fury rages inside me, and the walk here has only added fuel to an already raging fire in my mind.
She stands from behind the desk as soon as she notices me and moves in my direction. “He’s just gone home for the night,” she says, wheeling a chair over to me, silently offering me a seat. I sit down heavily, my knees are shaking. I cross one leg over the other and try to sto
p the nervous tapping of my foot.
“Will you call him for me? I need to speak to him.”
“Are you okay, Em?” asks Chrissy. She removes her glasses and places them on top of her head.
I get to my feet, unable to sit still. “Did you know?” I snap.
“I'm sorry, Emily, did I know what?” Her face says it all. She knew.
“Stop fucking around, Chrissy. Did you know about Ali and Mark?”
Chrissy’s cheeks turn slightly pink. She calmly closes the screen of the laptop and sighs as she plants her feet and meets my disgusted stare.
“Yes, I knew,” she admits immediately, keeping her voice low.
I shake my head angrily. The office is starting to swim around me, and I sit back down and grip the sides of the chair feeling nauseous. Another officer pops his head around the open door, fixing his attention on Chrissy.
“Everything alright, Chris?” he asks, blatantly nodding at me as if I am some sort of problem source.