by R. J. Parker
‘You say you never saw him,’ Lily challenged.
‘No. I never did.’
‘Then, if this actually happened to you …’
Jack’s shoulders rose as her chest filled. She nodded, as if reassuring herself that Lily’s denial was to be expected. ‘I still have the scars. The physical ones … they’ve always been the easiest to deal with. But it was your father’s confession that came out of the blue. It was only five years ago that I received it. I’d given up on seeking the identity of the man who had held me. Because whatever had happened to me …’ she gulped, ‘had worked. That was nothing to do with the twenty-two years after that I spent in hospitals and rehabilitation units. Nobody believed my story. I was a piece of trash. Your father’s experiment was truly what had allowed me to open the door and walk out. The day he released me was the very first day I begged to go. I’d learnt that even when I was in my safest place, the place I didn’t want to leave, terrible things could still happen to me there …’
Lily shook her head.
‘Even during the pain, I convinced myself that I was still safe. That was my irrational conviction and the day I confronted it your father must have been so proud of me.’
Lily refused to process what she was being told. ‘And why would he suddenly confess to you?’
‘Because he was dying. I went to visit him at the hospice. I remembered that he’d been the only man who had truly showed me kindness. When I heard of his Parkinson’s diagnosis, I wanted to see him and show him how I was living my life without fear. I didn’t tell him of my ordeal. I wanted to spare him that. I just wanted him to know he’d made a difference. When I walked onto his ward, I didn’t know just how much he had done. I was shocked at how his face had got so small.’
That image was one Lily still tried to repel. That this woman had hijacked it seemed repugnant.
‘He didn’t need to confess. He could have just let me touch the back of his hand and walk out.’
‘When did you visit him?’ Lily was still waiting for her to trip up. To convey some detail that would negate everything she’d said.
‘It was three days before he died because, although I went back to the hospice the same night with a gag and ball pein hammer and the express intention of breaking every bone in his body, I realised that leaving him to drown in his own un-swallowed saliva was a better way for him to die. I did make him a promise before I left though. I whispered it in his ear.’
Lily imagined Jack at his bedside. Had she really been there?
‘I told him that I was going to watch his daughter. Watch over her closely particularly because she had a baby. I told him I was making my preparations and that, when I was ready, I would subject not only his daughter but his granddaughter to exactly what he’d put me through. This time, though, it would be in reverse. That my two subjects would beg me for freedom on the first day but, by the time I’d finished, be so dependent on my mercy that they’d be terrified to ever leave.’
Anger burnt at Lily’s face
‘So he never warned you?’ Jack raised an eyebrow.
It could all be lies. All of it. But why would she have put them through what she had? Lily recalled her father choking as he tried to speak to her the last day she ever saw him. Had he really been trying to warn her, or would that have meant he’d have to confess to what he’d done?
‘You’re paying for his crimes, Lily. And so’s Maisie. And he’s the biggest crime of all.’ Jack pointed at Gabriel.
Lily felt something rushing through her, trying to find exit. Fury, disgust and the desperate need to escape. But her gaze followed Jack’s to the bearded man still lying unconscious on the floor.
‘Your father admitted everything before he died. That nobody else knew what he’d done or where he’d held me. That he was the one who came into my room when I was sedated.’
Lily closed her eyes. She had to focus on saving Maisie. Nothing else mattered.
‘The punishments, the mornings I awoke not knowing what had happened while I’d been drugged. They became more and more frequent.’
‘It’s not true.’ Lily mouthed to herself.
‘It wasn’t an experiment anymore. No matter how he might have justified it to himself. When he let me go, he was just disposing of his own guilt.’
‘That’s enough.’
‘He probably knew I was pregnant before I did. I was sixteen.’
Lily could still hear his last incoherent words in her ear.
‘I had Gabriel alone. After I begged to leave. Your father cut me loose just before I gave birth to his son.’
She didn’t want to listen. She had to get free and find Maisie.
‘That’s your half-brother lying there bleeding.’
Chapter 69
As if in response, Gabriel stirred. His lips unsealed and he sucked in an urgent breath.
‘Gabriel.’ Jack knelt to him again.
He didn’t open his eyes, but his head lolled and chest rose.
Lily knew she had to banish what she’d just been told and concentrate on getting to her daughter. Jack’s eyes were on Gabriel. She pulled her right hand clear of the rope.
‘Gabriel.’ Jack gently touched his brow.
Attempting to slide her one hand down her right side to the knots at her ankles didn’t work. It would only move an inch. It was still connected to her left wrist.
Jack darted her eyes to Lily and then back to Gabriel again. ‘Gabriel, can you hear me?’
His foot twitched but he didn’t respond.
‘Gabriel.’ Jack looked down into his face. ‘Answer me.’
Lily guessed there was only one way to get free, but she had to choose her moment.
Gabriel hissed in air through his mouth and his torso spasmed. He turned his head to the right.
‘Wake up, Gabriel!’ Jack leaned in further to his ear.
Lily slid the loose rope to the edge of her buttocks and waited. There was enough slack to slip them under and down her legs, but was there enough to put her feet through, so her hands were in front of her body? Once she started, she would have little time to finish.
Gabriel snorted and his throat pumped.
Lily lifted her buttocks and frantically pulled the rope under her legs and bent them up. Her wrists were still bound and connected by a foot length of rope. She got the rope as far down as the back of her bound ankles, but couldn’t pull it under and over.
‘Gabriel!’ Jack shook him.
Tensing her stomach muscles Lily pulled her knees as far against her chest as she could. She strained and quaked and held her grunt inside. The rope was held fast on the back of her ankles. She pulled hard and tautened her body even more and it slipped under the soles of her deck shoes. Her hands were clear. Dispensing with relief her eyes bounced between Jack and the rope knots at her ankles as her fingers picked at them.
Gabriel groaned.
Lily concentrated on the two knots and shakily undid them. She could feel the ropes loosen. But when she looked up she met Jack’s eyes.
Jack immediately got to her feet and looked in Ewan’s direction. She’d left the Taser beside him.
There was a split second when neither of them moved. And then both of them did.
As Jack dashed to the Taser Lily focussed on the ropes. Her fingers worked furiously, and the knots fell away. She parted her feet and the ropes gave but she could hear Jack’s footsteps towards her. Even though her legs were still held together she used one hand to push herself to her feet.
‘Stay down.’ Jack was only a few paces away.
Lily was half upright as Jack reached her and, with her hands still connected, she butted the top of her head into Jack’s face. The impact was agony and both women yelped.
Jack stumbled back and the Taser dropped from her hand and slid along the floor towards Ewan.
Lily could feel the impact resonating in her head and tottered dizzily. She needed to stagger but her bound feet threatened to topple her.
; Jack’s nose trickled blood and she put her fingers to it and looked at them in surprise.
Lily bent and yanked the ropes, parting her feet in time to reel sideways.
Jack was already making for the Taser.
Lurching after her Lily reached her just as she bent to retrieve it. She kicked it hard out of her grasp, and it slid towards the double doors. Lily rammed her weight against Jack before she could straighten, and she pitched sideways.
Lily barrelled after the Taser, but her legs were numb from their bonds. She heard Jack thunder after her. Just as she reached the doors, Jack slammed into her from behind and they both burst through them into the stairwell.
Lily felt a fist smash into her ear and the sound of their echoing breaths in the stairwell was suddenly deadened. She lashed out, but her hand couldn’t take a swing because it was still tied to the other. Where was the Taser? Had it been kicked through the door with them? Her eyes darted about the floor.
Jack was heading back to the swing doors.
It had to be in the office and whoever got it first would immediately be able to disable the other.
Lily pursued Jack as she pushed open the doors and hooked the rope tied between her wrists hard around her throat.
Jack howled incoherently as Lily dragged her back to the stairwell.
Lily told herself to hang on, at any cost. She tightened her fingers around the rope and the length against Jack’s Adam’s apple.
But Jack propelled her backwards and Lily’s spine connected harshly with the rail over the stairwell. She was winded and briefly released her grip.
Jack started to struggle out from under her, but Lily caught her chin. Jack swivelled her head from side to side, so Lily slotted the rope back against her throat and dragged her rigidly against her chest.
Jack tried to turn sideways, and her elbow jabbed once then again into Lily’s stomach.
If she let her get free, she wouldn’t see Maisie again. She had to withstand whatever pain was inflicted. Withstand it and throttle her as hard as she could.
Jack’s elbow assaulted her repeatedly.
Lily screamed as she pulled on the rope and it burnt her palms.
Jack choked and gurgled and kept squirming.
But Lily could feel the resistance start to wane.
Just hold on.
Jack’s body started to go limp in her grip.
Hold on.
A bubbling, incoherent protest found its way clear of the rope.
Still Lily held on.
The elbow was back, hard in her stomach and Lily released the rope.
Jack flexed her body and ducked her head to get free.
Lily caught her throat with the rope again and dragged her up. But Jack still had so much fight in her. She wasn’t going to be able to hold her much longer.
Another elbow in her stomach. And again.
Lily knew there was only one option left. She hooked her right leg over the metal rail.
Jack used the movement to try and get loose.
Lily started to slip over the drop. She could see the hard tiles ten floors below her. Gravity would give her the tension she needed. She let her body hang back.
Jack’s waist was pressed harshly against the rail and her protest was cut short.
Lily still had one leg left on the other side. She hooked it over, so her entire weight was hanging on the rope. She could see the back of Jack’s head trembling.
Sudden silence in the stairwell.
As she hung from Jack’s throat, Lily lifted her legs up to put extra pressure on the rope.
Jack’s body went limp.
And Lily knew what that meant.
Jack’s legs relaxed and she hinged back and over the rail. They both plummeted.
It seemed to Lily like they were falling for some time, but it was the adrenaline accelerating her thoughts for the four seconds they fell.
Lily’s scream was deadened as Jack landed on top of her.
She lay there, the echo of their impact ringing through her bones and for a few seconds she didn’t move. Jack was motionless on top of her and all she could hear was her own breathing locked inside her skull.
Maisie.
She pushed Jack’s body off her and when the weight was shifted the pain really kicked in. She knew she’d broken bones but that wasn’t important. Lily pushed herself up and ignored the shooting sensation that bounced up and down her left leg and tightened like a vice on her injured left arm.
She climbed. One flight at a time. Going back up felt like it took an hour.
But it was six minutes later when she got back to the office where the shell of her prison was, and Gabriel had half sat up.
She picked up the Taser where it lay inside the doors and, zigzagging over, shocked him with it repeatedly until he was curled motionless at her feet.
Chapter 70
‘Are you OK in there?’ Maisie knocked on the bathroom door.
‘I just need a minute,’ Lily replied. But she didn’t hear her daughter move away. ‘Be out soon.’ She was sitting on the toilet and turned to push the flush to underline her promise. Her left arm was still in a sling.
But Maisie remained outside. ‘Dinner’s nearly ready.’
‘Be right there.’ Lily heard another set of footsteps approach.
‘What’s going on?’ Ewan asked. ‘Come on, I asked you to set the table.’
‘OK,’ Maisie said eventually.
Their footsteps headed back to the kitchen.
Since their ordeal Maisie had been reluctant to leave Lily’s side. There was a new closeness between them, but Lily now found it very difficult to get any moments alone. She’d taken her chance when Maisie had been helping Ewan with the casserole.
Ewan was living with them again in their new place. Maisie hadn’t wanted to return to Fallstaff Gardens and nor had Lily, so they’d lived out of a suitcase in a hotel for a week while Ewan had helped them find a rental. A ground floor property with plenty of windows.
Lily had seen how much Maisie wanted Ewan’s presence, so making her feel secure was her first priority. As for picking up the pieces of their relationship, that remained to be seen. They were at least beginning to talk about it when they persuaded Maisie to go to bed. She was having nightmares, still thought she might wake up in their prison again. So did Lily.
But Maisie had immediately wanted to go back to school. Lily assumed because she wanted to be surrounded by people again. She hadn’t mentioned the bullies to Lily since. Was she just hiding that from her? Lily hoped that her ordeal meant that nothing she encountered in the playground could scare her now.
Jacqueline Heath was still alive when the paramedics had arrived at Seaton Gardens. Lily had been two floors above the replica home, having found the place where her two captors had tied up Maisie.
Jack had died on the way to hospital. Lily’s half-brother was still in custody refusing to talk. Ewan had suggested she talk to Gabriel, but that prospect filled her with horror.
But she knew that it was a day that had to come. Just not yet.
She was taking medication for anxiety and was still suffering episodes of paranoia. Last week she’d fought to shake the notion that Ewan had been a part of it all and convinced herself that it had all been a ploy to get back with her. That was ridiculous.
Ridiculous.
But a more immediate fear had taken hold. Something that had been at the back of her mind since Jacqueline had told her about what her father had done. Those times when she’d been drugged and woken not knowing exactly what had happened to her. Like Lily had.
It was something she’d been denying, that she didn’t want to confront. Today she would. It was another irrational fear, but she had to be sure.
Lily looked down at the pregnancy test stick in her hand and waited for the bars to appear.
THE END
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Acknowledgements
A debt of gratitude to you, the reader, for choosing this story and accommodating my characters. I hope your imagined prison was as claustrophobic as the one I was glad to see them released from.
A huge thank you, as always, to my champion and wife, Anne-Marie, whose friends still worry about her living in the same house as me and also to my Mum and Dad, who gave me what all children need, the security of a loving home that I could take for granted until the day I left it.
And now to the unsung heroes at One More Chapter – Charlotte Ledger, my dynamic editor, who deftly identified the properties of the story that would give it extra dimension; Bethan Morgan, Assistant Editor, who guided the project through the fine edit process; Janette Currie, my copyeditor, for her astute notes; Melanie Price, Digital Marketing Manager; and Claire Fenby, Digital Marketing and Publicity Assistant.
And, as ever, I can’t underestimate how grateful I am for the time spent by reviewers and bloggers who are such a vital cog in every author’s career and convey their love for books by shouting about the ones they love. Thanks for your generosity online but, moreover, for giving up your valuable time to point readers towards a wealth of great writing. A special salute to Karen Cole, Jen Lucas, Nicki Richards, Claire Knight, Sarah Hardy, Liz Barnsley, Melissa Suslowicz Bartz, Donna Maguire, Zoe-lee O’Farrell, Nigel Adams, Suze-Clarke-Morris, Kaisha Jayneh, Amanda Oughton, The Book Cosy, Sean Talbot, Rachel Broughton, Alison Drew, Magdalena Johansson, Diane Hogg, Martha Cheeves, Joyce Juzwik, Amy Sullivan, Kelly Lacey, Norma and Kayleigh Farrelly, Rebecca Pugh, Chelsea Humphrey, Ellie Smith, Lorraine Rugman, Steve Robb, Emma Welton, Stephanie Rothwell, Cleo Bannister, Abby Fairbrother, Sheila Howes, Linda Strong, Maxine Groves, Joanne Robertson, Susan Hampson, Malina Skrobosinski, Shell Baker, Kaz Lewis, Tina Boyd, Fran Hagan, Mandie Griffiths, Jo Ford, Marilina Tzelepi and Scott Griffin. Special thanks also to Finn Cotton, Commissioning Editor at HQ, new editor Hannah Todd and fellow authors Noelle Holten, Mandy Baggot, Tom Bromley and Louise Mullins.