by Mel Sherratt
‘I don’t need your money.’ She shook her head. ‘I can look after myself.’
‘I’m trying to help.’
‘I’m fine.’ She rested a hand on her bump. ‘We’re fine.’
‘What has happened to you, Ruby?’ A loud sigh followed. ‘You used to be my little girl. And now you’re nearly eighteen and about to become a mum yourself. I wish things had turned out better for you.’
‘What makes you think I’m not happy?’ She folded her arms.
‘You had dreams to go to college, university.’
‘I changed my mind.’
He hung his head down for a moment. ‘Was it my fault?’ His eyes were glistening when they caught hers. ‘Wasn’t I there enough for you? I found it hard when your mum died. She did so much with you. I was lost. I’m sorry.’
‘You were strict, Dad, but that wasn’t it. I just met Finn and fell in love. I’m having his baby. You should be happy for me.’
It wasn’t all lies but neither was she content with it all. She hadn’t expected to fall pregnant so soon, and so young. But she was determined to make the relationship work, for the baby growing inside her belly. She would look after him or her to the best of her ability.
Dad reached forward and took her hands in his own.
‘Come home with me, Ruby,’ he begged. ‘It isn’t too late. I’ll keep you safe, help you with the baby. I can—’
‘No, I’m staying with Finn. I love him. He loves me and we’re happy.’
‘Well, if you ever change your mind, whatever time of day or night, you only have to ring. I’ll be here as soon as I can. Do you understand? I’m always here for you.’
‘I know, Dad.’
He drew her into his arms as best he could. His love surrounded her and she struggled not to cry. It was his way of apologising for things, even though it was too late. She hung on to him for a while until he prised them apart.
‘Does he treat you well?’ he asked.
She nodded.
‘Then that’s all that matters, I suppose.’ He pulled away completely. ‘I’d best be on my way. I’d love to come and see you again, especially when the baby is born but I’d settle for you coming to visit me instead? I miss you, Ruby.’
‘I … I’ll be okay, Dad.’ She couldn’t promise something she might not be able to do. But surely, it wouldn’t hurt her to keep in touch a little?
Ruby watched him as he left, his shoulders seeming to have the weight of the world on them. They used to be so close. He was beaten – had she done that to him, leaving him alone?
But he had pushed her away too. She realised now she was with Flynn how much losing a person could mean. Her dad hadn’t ever got over her mum’s death, she could see that now.
She wanted to shout him back but she couldn’t. She had made her bed; she had to lie in it.
In the kitchen, her tears came freely. She did love Finn but missed the life she used to have. Everything was so much harder and she was lonely when he was working. Like Naomi had said, it wouldn’t be easy with a baby. She’d dropped out of sixth form, unsure of the point in continuing if she was going to have a child to look after. She could always pick college up again when the baby was older.
But the one thing she was certain of, she did love Finn. It was nerves, that’s all. Wasn’t it?
TWENTY-ONE
When Grace got back to the station, it was four thirty, already dark and bitterly cold. Icy patches were forming underfoot. So much for the weather warming up.
‘Any updates?’ Allie came over to her as she sat down at her desk.
‘Only that there were two incidents. There was an altercation in the car park at the same time as the accident, which Perry is dealing with.’
‘Ah, yes, Milo Benton. He’s in a bad way, apparently.’
‘Him against a baseball bat.’ Grace wiggled her mouse to wake up her computer so that she could log on to the system. ‘But I don’t think it has anything to do with the attack on Tyler Douglas.’
‘But that wasn’t an accident, though?’
She shrugged. ‘Technically if someone didn’t keep an eye on Tyler – negligence from the parents. Or something else happened. I want to know who this man seen running away is.’
‘If they are involved, the first thing they’re going to do is try and cover their backs. So we listen and we watch.’
As Allie went back into her office, Grace checked her emails to see if Sam had found anything yet but there was nothing for her. Sam wasn’t at her desk, but she was sure she’d spotted her when she’d come back in.
She took a sip from a scalding mug of coffee and grimaced before putting it down and turning to Frankie.
‘We have something going on in the car park, a man running from Harrison House and we have a young boy on a pushbike seen pedalling away, round about the same time Tyler fell,’ she said. Then she spotted Sam in the distance.
‘Anything useful coming up on CCTV?’ she asked as Sam sat down at her desk.
‘There’s no one coming out on the main road from the path. I can’t see everything though – the cameras don’t cover that far.’
‘But we have two witnesses who said they saw someone and also a tip-off. That’s a bit strange. Did you spot anything else?’
‘There are several people coming and going. Some went into Harrison House, some came out, and two used the back door to the entrance. I recognise one of them but the quality isn’t all that good.’ Sam pointed at the screen.
‘Isn’t that Seth Forrester?’ Frankie asked.
‘The very same. Handy with his fist and his mouth, and currently out of jail,’ Sam explained. ‘He’s also rumoured to be involved with the Steeles.’
‘But nothing on him right now?’ Grace asked, trying to hide the blush appearing on her face at the mention of her estranged family.
‘No, but I wouldn’t be surprised to hear he was involved in the assault.’
‘That was mine and Perry’s thoughts. He lives in flat 116?’ Grace looked at Frankie for confirmation.
‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘With Shelley Machin: she’s one of the witnesses who saw the man running away.’
‘We need to chat to him. If he lives that close he could have walked past and seen what happened, and be giving us the old “I saw nothing”. Frankie and I can pay him a visit tomorrow.’
Caleb hadn’t dared go out since the police had issued an alert for a witness to come forward. He’d been keeping an eye on the Stoke News, and listening to the bulletins on the radio. The boy on the bike: he knew it was him they were looking for.
But after receiving another message from Seth, he’d had to go out. Seth wanted him to bring the package to him.
He pedalled fast even though most of the road was on an incline, and was in the car park of Starbucks just as Seth arrived in his car. A shiver ran through him when the window went down. Seth curled his finger and beckoned him over. Caleb rested his bike on the side of the wall and climbed into the passenger seat.
‘Caleb, my man!’ Seth enthused, holding out his hand.
Caleb shook it, half expecting him to grab him and put an arm around his neck. Seth’s enthusiasm unnerved him but he kept calm.
‘You have something for me?’ Seth wanted to know.
He got the envelope out from inside his coat and gave it to him.
Seth checked inside it and smiled. ‘That’s my boy. Now, tell me, why did you rush off last night? One minute I saw you – the next you were gone.’
‘I got scared, that’s all.’
‘What about?’
Caleb stopped to think. If he said he’d seen what happened, Seth might not like it. But if he let him think he hadn’t seen it, would that be any better? He couldn’t work out the logistics so he lied.
‘I saw you beating up Milo Benton.’
‘Ah. Did you see anything else going on? There was some trouble with a boy who went over the side of the railing.’
‘No,’ Caleb said. ‘I sa
w nothing.’
Seth smirked at his words. ‘Okay, okay. Now piss off and I’ll be in touch when I next need you.’ He handed him a twenty-pound note. ‘For your trouble.’
‘Thanks.’ Caleb took it from him, ashamed he would do so but at the same time unable to refuse. It wasn’t the first time he’d realised he was in too deep. It was over now though. He wasn’t going near Harrison House nor Seth ever again.
The roads were fairly busy on the way back, the city’s evening rush-hour about to start. As he pedalled, his head was full of the conversation with Seth. Would it be best to tell his mum he had lost his phone so he could get one with a new number? She would be mad with him but that would be better than crossing Seth, and at least he didn’t know where Caleb lived – as far as he knew.
He freewheeled a little before turning into Minor Crescent, a few minutes from his home. It was a narrow road, cars parked either side, a blind bend ahead of him. The street lights gave out ample light as he pedalled along.
A blast from a horn made him jump. He saw a car behind him and flicked up his middle finger. He had every right to be on the road and it was wide enough for them both. Once he’d got past the parked cars, he could get on the pavement out of the way.
He turned his head slightly when he heard the car revving up behind him. Then he heard it again, but this time it was louder. The car was coming at him!
He looked to see if he could squeeze between two parked cars and get onto the pavement but the gap wasn’t big enough.
The driver continued to rev the engine behind him. It was inches away from him.
‘Watch out, you dickhead!’ he shouted. Out of the seat, pedalling hard, he caught a glimpse of the driver just as the car bumper rammed into the back wheel of his bike.
Caleb was thrown into the air and over his handlebars, the bike smashing to the ground. He landed with a thump, rolling with the momentum. Finally finding a bit of clear pavement, his thick coat and gloves took the brunt as he slid to a halt against a garden wall.
He cried out in pain, lifting his head to see his leg at an awkward angle underneath him. Only now did he realise how important it was to wear a helmet. It wasn’t cool, and it messed up his hair, but it could have saved his life if he’d hit his head on anything.
Then he saw headlights flash on full beam. He could see the car sitting with the engine idling. A screech of tyres. The car mounted the kerb and came at him. He put up his arms and screamed. But before hitting him again, the vehicle dismounted the pavement and drove off.
A man was running towards him from one of the houses nearby.
‘Are you okay?’ He bent down level with him. ‘I saw what happened but didn’t get a number plate. The car was too fast. I’ll call for an ambulance.’
‘No!’ Caleb screamed. ‘No ambulance. Please, I need to get home.’ He tried to move the injured leg, but the pain was too much and he turned to the side to vomit.
‘You’re in no fit state to move,’ the man said. ‘I’m calling the police too.’
Caleb wanted to protest about that as well but he couldn’t. He knew he needed help, no matter what the consequences. The bastard had probably broken his leg.
Worse, he knew that had been a warning. He could have been crushed up against the wall. He could have had his legs run over. He’d been lucky, although right now, he didn’t think so at all.
Because the driver had been Seth Forrester.
TWENTY-TWO
Ruby was drained as they parked at Harrison House. It was getting dark, she was tired and emotional after spending time with Tyler, and they only had an hour before they were going back to see him again. It seemed as though life was on hold as they waited to see how he was. As if they were living in a bubble.
A sense of dread crept up her spine as she felt eyes on her once again. She looked across the way to the path that led to the main road. She tried not to gasp aloud as she saw a man standing stock still, in full view, hands in pockets, coat collar turned up.
It was him.
She tried to still her panic as she walked upstairs with Lily’s hand in hers, Luke coming up behind them. How would he feel knowing the truth? She couldn’t begin to understand how it would hurt him.
Because everyone was going to find out pretty soon that she was lying about knowing who the man was. But she couldn’t bring herself to tell Luke, nor the police; not after what she had done and the real reason he was coming after her.
Had kept coming after her all these years.
Luke was opening the front door now, his back to the outside. She looked to the man again. He hadn’t moved an inch.
He was watching her; he was watching her family, and he wanted her to know. She thought he might have left after what had happened to Tyler. But he was still here, right in front of her.
She lowered her eyes, pretending that she hadn’t seen him while she gathered herself. Now she knew he had stayed in Stoke after what he’d done to Tyler, he could be after hurting them all. And he wouldn’t stop until he got to her this time.
She shouldn’t give in to him but she couldn’t stand up to him either. She was on her own again. Getting away was the only way to go now. If she didn’t, he would kill her.
She was sure.
It was half past eight and Mary was trying to watch a rerun of Midsomer Murders but her concentration wasn’t the best. Ever since she had spoken to the police, she’d been on edge. So the banging on the door had her jumping in fright. She never had visitors this late in the evening.
She went to answer it, putting on the chain before she opened it. There was someone with their back towards her.
‘Yes?’
He turned around and she gulped when she saw his face.
‘I’m not going to cause you any harm,’ he said. ‘But if you don’t let me in, I will break down the door. There’s no one around now to help you.’
Mary faltered. She didn’t trust him not to follow through with his threat. It would take her a long time for a response from the police if someone was sent to her, and that was if she got the chance to make the call. He could have done all sorts to her by then.
She didn’t trust him. ‘I can’t.’
‘Best make it quick, then.’ He slid a small padded envelope through the gap.
‘I don’t want it.’ She shook her head. ‘I saw nothing.’
‘That’s good to hear!’ Still he pushed the envelope at her. ‘Take it,’ he urged when she froze.
‘No.’
He glared at her for a moment and then posted it all the way through the gap at the side of the door. ‘Five hundred pounds. That’ll get you a nice holiday. Make you forget what you saw, what do you say?’
‘I keep telling you. I don’t want your money.’
‘Call it compensation. I give you that and you keep your mouth shut and your big nose out of my business. You get me?’
She nodded her head vehemently, knowing it would end badly if she didn’t.
He pulled up his shoulders and smiled. ‘Good, we are at last in agreement. I’ll be seeing you around, Mary. It’s imperative you keep to your story now, okay?’
‘I saw nothing.’
‘There’s a good girl. And not a word to anyone otherwise.’
He stared pointedly at her for a moment before finally walking away.
Mary closed the door, pushing the bolts across top and bottom. She couldn’t believe he’d gone without so much as putting a hand on her. She realised she wouldn’t be so lucky the next time.
Her breath calming, she took the envelope through to her bedroom. She pulled out the clothes in the second drawer of her cabinet, shoved it at the back with the rest of them and covered it over.
It wasn’t the first time he’d made her take money from him. It was the fifth envelope he’d given her over as many months. Five hundred pounds each time, whenever he thought she’d seen something that would threaten his livelihood. But she hadn’t spent a penny of it.
He had to be se
tting her up for something. Why would he be giving her more money rather than just a warning to keep her mouth shut? Maybe it was time to get rid of it all.
WEDNESDAY
TWENTY-THREE
It was half past eight when Grace’s desk phone rang that morning. She took the call and then turned to Frankie.
‘One of the residents of Harrison House who I spoke to yesterday has come in to see me,’ she said. ‘Mary Stanton, flat 108.’
Frankie moved his chair slightly so he could see around his monitor comfortably. ‘Did the duty sarge say what about?’
‘No, but Mrs Stanton was cagey yesterday, as if she needed to tell me something yet didn’t want to say too much for fear of what might happen.’ Grace grabbed her lanyard with her ID card attached to it and placed it around her neck. ‘Best go and find out.’
‘Want me to come with you?’
‘I think she’ll be more comfortable speaking to just one of us.’ She grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair. ‘I won’t be long.’
Downstairs, Grace went into the soft interview room, which they used to help people feel more at ease. There was a settee and two armchairs, a coffee table and a few knickknacks: a potted plant that was in need of water, an imitation Monet framed photo and a Game of Thrones wall calendar.
Mary was sitting in one of the armchairs, her hands in her lap. She wore a thick black coat, the scarf around her neck tucked into its collar. Sensible boots on her feet.
‘Hi, Mary,’ Grace greeted as she sat down across from her on the settee. ‘You wanted to see me?’
Mary said nothing at first so Grace thanked her for coming. She could see a shake to her hand and her eyes racing around the room, landing anywhere but on her own. What was she so worried about?
‘Mary, is there something you want to tell me?’ she began again. ‘Did you see what happened to Tyler Douglas?’
‘I’m not sure.’
‘Oh, I can imagine. I don’t think I’d be too sure from that distance either.’ Grace smiled kindly.
Mary ran her fingers across her bottom lip.
‘It seems a few people saw a man running along the path in the direction of the main road. Is that what you saw?’