Somewhere to Hide (The Estate, Book 1)

by Mel Sherratt

  ‘I can’t.’ Becky didn’t lift her head up. ‘I’m seeing Austin.’

  ‘But I haven’t seen you for ages!’

  ‘I wasn’t supposed to be going out with him tonight. He said he was busy but he’s texted me, so I am now.’

  Jess sighed dramatically, sitting down next to her. ‘Can’t you cry off and come out with me?’ she begged.

  Becky relented. Hadn’t she said that she would spend more time with Jess? But the thought of seeing Austin again made her insides go all peculiar.

  ‘I hate being on my own,’ Jess continued, watching Becky’s finger hover over the send button. She grabbed her free hand. ‘Please! Knock him on the head and come out with me instead.’

  ‘Okay, okay!’ Becky pressed the delete button and began to write another text.

  ‘Yay!’ Jess punched the air. ‘I’ve missed having you around.’

  ‘I’ll have to tell him that I’m sick or something. I don’t want to get him mad.’

  ‘You can’t say that.’ Jess shook her head quickly. ‘If you do, we won’t be able to go to the Butcher’s Arms in case he’s there. And you don’t want to make him mad. He might give you a backhander.’

  ‘He’d never do that to me. He’s not a scrote like Danny Bradley. He knows how to treat a lady properly.’

  Jess sighed. ‘I hope we can get into the Butcher’s. I heard it was raided last week because of us under-agers. We might have to stick to lemonade or have a drink before we go.’

  ‘Whatever.’ Becky started to write another text message.

  ‘What are you going to tell him?’

  ‘The truth – well, almost. I’ll say I’d already arranged to go out with you.’

  ‘That won’t work. He’ll be pissed off that you’ve dropped him for me then.’

  ‘Austin doesn’t own me.’

  ‘We’ll see,’ said Jess. ‘Guys on the Mitchell Estate always think they own their ladies.’

  ‘He isn’t from the Mitchell Estate, remember?’

  ‘Where does he come from? Has he told you yet?’

  Becky pressed the send button and snapped her phone shut. ‘No. All I get out of him if I ask is somewhere further up north.’

  ‘Don’t you find it strange that he doesn’t tell you?’

  ‘Not really. We don’t get much chance for talking nowadays.’ Becky grinned, remembering what they’d recently been getting up to.

  ‘Okay, okay. No need to get me all jealous and nasty. I haven’t had a decent shag in weeks.’

  Both of them shot to their feet as they heard the front door open. Jess reached for a tea towel as Becky turned on the hot water tap and quickly squirted washing liquid on top of the pile of dishes left to soak.

  Cathy came through with two bags of shopping. ‘That’s what I like to see, girls.’ She put them down on the table and smiled knowingly. ‘And once those dishes are done, perhaps you wouldn’t mind making me a cuppa before you finish off. I’m parched.’ She pulled out a pack of vanilla slices. ‘I have cakes too.’

  ‘Have you been to the community house?’ asked Becky.

  ‘Yes. I’ve been with the rabble.’

  ‘I bet they’ve missed you since you’ve been ill?’

  After her devastating news, Cathy hadn’t told anyone but Josie about tracking down and finding out that Simon didn’t want to meet her. They’d spoken over the phone since but it had been nearly a week before she’d felt like getting back to her routine again. So she’d faked a sickness virus and stayed at home. She hadn’t even told Matt yet; she wasn’t sure if she ever would.

  Before she’d left the community house, she’d collected a few leaflets for Jess. She handed them to her once they’d finished the dishes.

  ‘What’s this?’

  ‘New college courses, starting this September. Thought you might like to know what days –’

  ‘Have you seen the time?’ Jess shoved the leaflet in her pocket. ‘Must dash. Off to see a man about a dog.’

  And with that she was gone. Becky wasn’t too far behind.

  Cathy smiled. She wasn’t sure if she was more annoyed that Jess wouldn’t take her advice or grateful for a bit of peace and quiet to enjoy her drink now they’d gone. And her cake.

  Later that evening, Cathy was having a girl’s night in over at Liz’s. Liz had made a huge bowl of chilli con carne for them to eat. Once Chloe had gone to bed, Cathy had opened the bottle of wine she’d brought with her.

  ‘I’m glad to see that you’re feeling a little more settled,’ she said as she passed Liz a glass. ‘I do hope Kevin has finally given up now.’

  ‘I hope so, although I’ll always have my doubts, I suppose.’

  ‘Maybe he’s with that woman you saw him with?’

  Liz shrugged. ‘Who cares as long as he’s not anywhere near us? He told me about her.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘She’s called Charlotte Heyburn and apparently she’s a far better shag than me.’

  Cathy stopped, her glass halfway to her lips. ‘He said that? Was he trying to make you jealous? Make you see what you’ve been missing?’

  ‘I don’t know but I ignored him anyway. I haven’t seen him since.’ Liz lowered her eyes, not wanting Cathy to dig any deeper. It had been a traumatic experience when Kevin had collared her at the shops again. He’d waited for her to come out of Shop&Save, taken her arm and marched her over to his car before she’d had time to protest. She wouldn’t get into the car with him and so they’d had a heated argument right there in the car park. That was when he told her about Charlotte Heyburn and a couple of others that he didn’t even know the names of.

  Liz chinked her glass with Cathy’s. ‘Here’s to a better future for us both. So come on, spill. Have you done the dirty deed with Matt yet?’

  ‘Don’t be so nosy.’ Cathy tried to look shocked but failed dismally by bursting into laughter.

  Liz grabbed a cushion from the settee and threw it at her. ‘I need details.’

  ‘It’s complicated.’ Cathy sighed.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Well, I know that Matt so wants to.’

  ‘Hmm, that’s a little obvious. He can’t keep his eyes off you whenever you’re around.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Don’t try and change the subject.’

  ‘Me? I would never be so devious.’

  Liz picked up another cushion. Before she threw it, Cathy continued.

  ‘Okay, okay. Where were we? Oh, yes, I was telling you that he so wants to and...’

  ‘And?’

  ‘… I so want to.’

  ‘And?’ Liz was practically hyper-ventilating by now.

  Cathy shrugged her shoulders in reply but it wasn’t good enough.

  ‘Bloody hell. It’s like trying to get the truth out of Chloe. What are you so embarrassed about?’

  ‘I’m afraid that I’ll have healed up, I’ll be totally useless at it, that he won’t want to do it again – not to mention, all those embarrassing slurps and slips – that I have to touch another man’s…’ She ran a hand through her hair. ‘I feel like I’ve forgotten what to do.’

  Liz sat there, mouth agog. Then she smiled. ‘They’re only nerves. I’m sure they’ll go once you get down to it.’

  ‘You’re sure about that?’

  Liz paused for a moment. ‘I’m no expert but they do liken it to riding a bike. Once learned, never forgotten.’

  ‘But my bike is an old battered Chopper type from the seventies and I want to be a new type of mountain bike from the noughties – one with twenty-four gears that can cope with any terrain.’

  ‘You have nothing to worry about on that score.’ Liz dismissed her words with a flick of her wrist. ‘Get it done and then let me have this conversation with you. I’m sure you’ll be fine.’

  ‘You reckon?’

  ‘Yes, I reckon! Stop thinking about it or you’ll never do it. There will never be a right time, a right frame of mind or a right state of happiness. Life i
sn’t like that. You have to grab these opportunities…’ She stopped then and grinned. ‘I was going to say, grab them by the balls.’

  Cathy grinned too. She raised her glass in the air. ‘Right then, I’ll do it.’

  ‘What? Grab him by the balls?’ Liz raised her glass too. ‘Thank God for that. Now when shall I ring you for all the gory details? I still want to know everything!’

  While Cathy was discussing the intricacies of her new relationship with Liz, Becky and Jess were returning from their night out.

  ‘I’ve had a great time.’ Jess slung an arm around Becky’s shoulders as they approached the house.

  ‘I really enjoyed it too,’ said Becky. ‘I couldn’t believe that Phipps ended up getting barred for dropping his trousers again.’

  ‘I think he should be arrested after seeing the size of his prick. Did you clock it? It was huge. I don’t think I’d like it anywhere near me.’

  ‘He wouldn’t put it anywhere near you!’

  ‘Only because it’s probably already been in you, you cheeky cow!’ Jess went to push her but Becky moved out of the way.

  ‘Ha, missed me!’ she yelled before tripping and falling back into the flower border. She landed on the lawn with a thump. ‘OW!’

  Jess laughed. She pulled Becky up and they walked into the house.

  ‘Cathy not home yet then? The dirty stop out. At least she won’t know that we’ve been drinking.’ She grinned. ‘She must still be out with Matt the Magnificent.’

  ‘She went over to see Liz, remember?’ Becky followed her through to the kitchen. ‘I’m glad she’s seeing Matt though.’

  ‘I know. She seems happier already. Although we still don’t know why she was so upset last week, do we?’

  ‘She seems to have got over it now.’ Then Becky giggled. ‘Imagine how pissed off she must feel that she can’t just bring him back to her place because of us cramping her style.’

  ‘I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe we should make ourselves scarce some nights.’

  They went upstairs a few minutes later. Becky had only just got into her room when she heard a tap at the window. She turned her head quickly. There was another tap. It sounded like a pebble hitting the glass. She looked down to see Austin in the garden. She waved before running downstairs to join him on the back lawn.

  ‘Hiya, you!’ She flung herself unsteadily into his arms. ‘Have you missed me?’

  Austin pushed her away. ‘Where the fuck have you been?’

  ‘I told you I was going out with Jess.’

  ‘She’s a right slapper: got a reputation for giving out. I don’t want you mixing with her, do you hear me?’

  Becky wanted to say so many things in reply but she was too drunk to get her head around it all.

  ‘But –’ she began.

  Austin grabbed her wrists and pulled her nearer. ‘When I tell you to do something, you do it. You don’t argue. Got that?’

  ‘But –’ She stopped. Austin was staring at her in a scary way. ‘What did I do wrong?’

  ‘You went out with her when you should have been going out with me.’

  ‘You were busy. You told me last night that –’

  ‘I told you today that I had changed my plans.’

  ‘But I’d already arranged to go out with Jess. Ow! You’re hurting me! Let go!’

  Austin squeezed her wrists tighter. He pulled Becky to within an inch of his face.

  ‘You do not defy me.’ He spoke through gritted teeth. ‘Ever. Do you hear me? Or else I’ll –’

  ‘Stop it,’ she wailed. ‘You’re really hurting me!’

  Suddenly Austin let go and Becky was pulled into his embrace.

  ‘I’m sorry, my little one.’ He ran his hand over her hair, as if to soothe away her pain. ‘I’m overreacting again. I really missed you tonight.’

  ‘I’m s – sorry too,’ she replied, glad to feel his arms around her once more. ‘I won’t do it again.’

  ‘I know you won’t.’

  Luckily for Becky, she couldn’t see his menacing expression.

  Worse for wear the next morning, Jess and Becky came down for breakfast. Jess walked into the kitchen looking like an extra from a zombie film. Her hair was uncombed, remains of smudged make-up still clear around her eyes. Becky didn’t look too much better, blonde hair like rat tails, luggy and unkempt.

  ‘What were you two up to last night?’ Cathy asked.

  ‘Nothing much,’ Jess fibbed, sitting down with a thud. ‘We hung around the square.’

  ‘Really? I wasn’t born yesterday. You both look like you’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards.’

  ‘I’m thirsty,’ said Becky.

  As she reached up for a glass, Cathy pointed at her. ‘What have you done?’

  Becky stared down at her wrist where purple-black bruising had begun to appear. She frowned. ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘Were you with Austin? Did he do that to you?’

  ‘I can’t remember.’ Becky pulled her hand down by her side.

  ‘She was out with me last night,’ said Jess. ‘Let me have a look, Becks.’

  ‘It’s nothing!’

  But Jess looked anyway. She balked. ‘I didn’t do that, did I? I know I pushed you and you landed on the lawn but I didn’t mean to.’

  Cathy held up Becky’s arm for further inspection. ‘No, Jess. You wouldn’t have done that. But someone did.’ She looked Becky straight in the eye. ‘Didn’t they?’

  ‘I – I said I can’t remember.’ Becky wouldn’t meet her gaze.

  Cathy sighed in exasperation. Whatever had gone on last night, Becky wasn’t about to confide in her. She would have to get it out of her in her own time.

  But get it out of her she would.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  The following evening when Matt pulled up outside her house, Cathy wasn’t looking forward to the night ending. They had been out for a drink and the time had flown by. She had really enjoyed his company. So much so that she hadn’t said a word of the prepared speech that she’d been going over in her head before meeting him.

  Matt switched off the engine and turned towards her. ‘I’ve really enjoyed myself tonight.’

  ‘Me too,’ said Cathy. All of a sudden shyness enveloped her.

  Gently, Matt removed a stray hair from her face and ran a finger down her cheek and over her top lip. Cathy took a sharp intake of breath at his touch. His eyes bore into hers, causing her to shiver involuntarily.

  ‘Matt, I need to tell you something.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘I –’ She struggled to get her thoughts straight as his eyes pooled with lust. ‘Things are complicated.’

  ‘Aren’t they always?’ Matt moved an inch closer, his hand now cupping her chin. He tilted it upwards.

  ‘It isn’t that I’m not interested in you. It’s – I have some excess baggage to deal with.’

  ‘You need me to wait for a while?’

  Cathy nodded, scouring his face for clues of his reaction. ‘Would you be willing to take things slowly?’

  He let her stew for a few seconds before replying. ‘And then you’ll be all mine for the taking?’

  Cathy couldn’t help but smile. ‘If you’d like me to be yours.’

  ‘That depends.’

  For a split second, Cathy felt herself physically droop until he continued.

  ‘I’ll need something to hang onto until I have your undivided attention.’

  This time when he moved in to kiss her, she let him. When they finally broke free, he kept his face close to hers.

  ‘So this time that you need?’ He kissed the tip of her nose.

  Cathy was still lost in the kiss. ‘Hmm?’

  ‘A day? Two days? A week? Two weeks?’

  ‘I’m not sure.’

  ‘You take as long as you need. I’ll still be –’

  ‘No, you don’t understand.’ She pulled him nearer again until their lips were a hair width apart. ‘I’m not sure if I
can wait that long.’

  Two nights later, Jess was out with the recently dropped and acquired again Mickey Grainger and Cathy had another date with Matt. Becky sneaked back to the house with Austin. It seemed that they had the perfect love nest, if only time enough for a quickie.

  ‘Why don’t you want to meet Cathy?’ Becky asked him as she opened the front door. ‘She’s really nice and I bet she’d like you.’

  ‘I’m not into meeting folks,’ Austin replied. He picked up a photo frame and stared down at a couple. ‘Is this her?’

  ‘Yes. That was her old man. He died coming home from the pub. He was pissed up and he fell down some stairs.’

  Austin put the photo back and pulled her into his arms. ‘So what’re we going to do while we have the house to ourselves?’

  Becky grinned. ‘Come on, I’ll show you my room.’

  They raced up the stairs like a couple of five-year-olds, all hands and giggles. Becky pushed open her door and flung herself flat out on her bed. She turned on to her back quickly.

  ‘It’s a bit cramped in here.’ Austin nudged the bed with his knee. ‘Isn’t there a double bed we can use?’

  ‘But I want to do it here.’ Becky pouted. ‘It’s better than the back seat of a car you’ve nicked.’

  ‘I know but it’s mad to waste the opportunity.’

  ‘We could use Liz and Chloe’s old room. There’s a double in there but we’d better be careful not to make a mess.’

  ‘Come on then.’ Austin pulled her to her feet and they walked across the landing.

  ‘Who sleeps in there?’ He pointed to a closed door.

  ‘That’s Jess’s room.’

  ‘And that one?’

  ‘That’s Cathy’s.’ Becky pointed to another door. ‘This is Liz’s old room.’

  Austin stopped at Cathy’s door. ‘Let’s be daring and do it in there.’

  ‘We can’t!’ Becky shook her head. ‘She’ll go mad.’

  He kissed her, feeling her resistance flowing away. ‘I won’t tell her, if you don’t.’

  ‘But, it’s not right. We –’

  Austin silenced her with his mouth. He pushed down the handle and stepped backwards, his free hand staying on her back, pulling her into him. Incapable of resisting, Becky giggled as he threw her down on Cathy’s bed and then fell on top of her.