Somewhere to Hide (The Estate, Book 1)

by Mel Sherratt

  ‘We should have done more,’ Josie whispered.

  ‘We couldn’t have done anything else.’

  ‘Can we see her?’ Cathy looked up through eyes that glistened with tears.

  ‘I’m not sure. You’d be better checking in the morning.’ Andy handed a card to her. ‘This is the ward phone number. I’ll ring and tell them you’re her next-of-kin, if you like? I hope they’ll talk to you. But I do need to contact her family. Do you know of anyone?’

  ‘She has parents in Devon,’ said Cathy, ‘and a sister, although they don’t seem to give a shit about her.’

  ‘They still need to be told.’ Andy stood up and jerked his head towards the door. ‘I’d better be going.’

  ‘When is your shift over?’

  ‘A while ago but I couldn’t go home without seeing you first.’

  Cathy smiled her gratitude. Andy Baxter deserved an award for what he had to put up with in his day-to-day life. All those people out there who thought he had a ‘bobby’s job’ should do a couple of shifts with him. She was certain they’d change their tune about police officers being paid too much money.

  ‘When are you going to tell Chloe?’ Josie asked once he was gone.

  ‘It can wait until the morning. The last thing she needs right now is to be told – told –’ Cathy broke down in tears, ‘How could he do that to Liz, the selfish bastard!’

  After shouting hello to his wife, Andy’s first port of call was upstairs to check on his sleeping children. He took the steps three at a time. Six-year-old Natalie Baxter was curled up like a kitten. Her younger brother, Jordan, was splayed all over his bed. Before he left the room, Andy popped his tiny feet back underneath the covers.

  For a moment he stood on the landing, holding back tears. The people who he loved were safe in their worlds. He prayed it would stay that way.

  He went downstairs to find his wife. She was sitting on the settee. When she saw him, she turned down the sound on the television.

  Andy pulled her up into his arms, smiling softly and tenderly touching her face. He kissed her gently, twice. Three times. Then he held her. There was no need for words and he wouldn’t be able to find the ones to explain just how much she meant to him anyway.

  While Cathy got Chloe ready for bed, Josie gave Becky and Jess an update before heading home.

  ‘I didn’t think he’d do anything like that,’ said Jess afterwards, shaking her head. ‘I know I was always ribbing her about him but I never thought he’d try to kill her.’

  Becky sniffed. ‘She was really nice to me when I lost my baby. I can’t believe he’d leave her like that.’

  Cathy appeared in the doorway a few minutes later. ‘Chloe’s settled at last,’ she said, taking the whisky that Josie had poured for her. She knocked back the liquid in one go. ‘I’ve put her in to my bed for now.’

  Jess frowned. ‘She’ll be staying here, won’t she?’

  ‘We’ll have to see how things go with Liz,’ Josie explained. ‘But let’s not think about that now. There will be lots of questions to answer in the morning.’

  Becky drew her knees up to her chest, her arms hugging them tightly. ‘Do you think she felt much pain?’ she asked.

  Cathy gulped. The million dollar question which no one would ever be able to answer. Despite knowing what the newspaper would report, she wasn’t going to tell them the gory details that Andy had shared with her earlier.

  ‘I doubt it,’ she said. ‘Andy reckons that her injuries would have made her slip into unconsciousness quite quickly.’

  ‘But she probably felt everything while he kicked the shit out of her first.’

  None of them had an answer to that.

  Once Josie had gone, Cathy checked in on Chloe before going back downstairs to Jess and Becky. She found them sitting in silence. The television was blaring out a comedy but both of them seemed lost in their thoughts.

  ‘I thought you two would be off out by now,’ she said.

  ‘Don’t feel like it,’ said Jess.

  ‘Me neither,’ said Becky.

  ‘Coffee?’ she asked. ‘Or maybe a little something stronger? I know I shouldn’t encourage you but a little tot in a hot drink won’t hurt. And it may help you sleep.’

  ‘Coffee,’ said Becky.

  ‘Something stronger,’ said Jess at the same time.

  ‘Let’s do both, then.’

  Cathy flicked on the kettle. As she waited for it to boil, she stared out of the window. It was still hard to take in all that had happened. Was it only yesterday that she’d found Chloe’s tennis racket at the bottom of the cupboard and put it in the outhouse ready to return it? Why couldn’t she have done that this morning? Then Liz might not have been attacked.

  Her mobile phone beeped. Cathy slid up the cover.

  ‘I’m really sorry to hear about Liz. Matt. x’

  Cathy slid the cover shut abruptly. How dare he try to get around her now, after what had just happened with Liz. That was sick, to use it to his own advantage.

  But then again, maybe he was genuinely upset. Matt knew Liz too, not as closely obviously, but in circumstances such as these it didn’t really matter. To even know a person who had been beaten up so brutally must be upsetting enough. Maybe she shouldn’t be too harsh. It did, after all, show a human side to him, a side that she hadn’t seen too much of admittedly.

  What had happened between them, she wondered again. Why had he dropped off the face of the earth after they’d had sex? She’d been so convinced he’d enjoyed it too. She’d never be able to fathom that one out.

  The kettle switched off and she cursed loudly. ‘Fuckity fuck!’

  Now was not the time to think of herself.

  After a restless night, Cathy was awake early. Chloe lay sleeping soundly beside her. It pained her to think how she slept so peacefully now, oblivious to what was going on. How she didn’t know that her life would be very different when she awoke.

  She gazed at her, wanting to pick her up and squeeze her hard; wanting to protect her from what had happened; keep her wrapped up away from hurt and anger. Even though it was warm, she pulled the duvet up and over Chloe’s bare arms. She gulped back tears.

  How could she tell her what had happened? Chloe had only just started to accept that she and Liz were on their own now. Last week, Liz had been saying how much brighter she seemed since they’d moved into the flat. Now it was all going to be shattered. She hoped and prayed that Liz would pull through, for her daughter’s sake.

  She must have dozed off because when she woke up next, Chloe was sitting up beside her, playing with her baby doll.

  ‘Hello, missy.’ Cathy prodded her gently in the arm.

  Chloe turned to face her. ‘Hello.’

  ‘Did you sleep okay?’

  ‘Yes. Can I ring Mum this morning?’

  ‘It’s still early yet. I think we need to get your breakfast first. What do you fancy? Toast with marmalade?’

  ‘Yuck!’ Chloe shook her head. ‘I don’t like marmalade.’

  ‘Peanut butter?’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Jam?’

  Chloe giggled. ‘No!’

  ‘How about I spread a cheese triangle over it?’

  Chloe nodded enthusiastically. Cathy pulled back the duvet. ‘Right then. Race you downstairs!’

  Later as she waited for the bread to toast, Cathy contemplated what to say. She glanced at the clock: half past seven. Maybe she should ring the hospital first and get an update. But what would happen then if anything had happened to Liz? She’d have to tell Chloe and she wouldn’t want to do that. Without realising, she banged the palm of her hand on her forehead three times.

  ‘What’s the matter, Cathy?’

  Cathy turned to see Chloe looking at her strangely. She dropped her eyes. Oh Chloe, I’m going to break your heart. She gulped. But it had to be done. She slid over the toast, knowing that it had been impractical to cook breakfast beforehand. Chloe wouldn’t be able to eat after what
she was about to tell her.

  ‘Is my mummy sick a lot?’ Chloe’s bottom lip began to tremble.

  Cathy sat down beside her. ‘I – I – Chloe, a terrible thing happened yesterday. I didn’t want to tell you until I was sure of everything. Now that I am, I think you should know about it.’

  ‘Has my dad hurt my mum?’

  Cathy cringed. How much violence towards her mother had Chloe seen to ask that?

  ‘Yes, he has,’ she said. ‘Your dad found out where you were living and he was angry with your mum. So he – he got a little too rough with her and he – he…’ Cathy couldn’t hold back any longer. She began to cry. ‘Chloe, do you know where heaven is?’

  ‘Yes.’ Chloe started to cry too. ‘Is my mummy in heaven?’

  ‘No!’ Cathy could have kicked herself. Now Chloe would be thinking the worst no matter what. Stupid, stupid! ‘But she’s very poorly in hospital,’ she added quickly. ‘Very poorly indeed.’

  ‘So she might go to heaven and be with the angels?’

  ‘She might but we don’t know yet.’

  ‘But I don’t want her to be with the angels. I won’t be able to see her. Mum told me Rose went to see the angels and I can’t see her!’

  ‘Chloe, your mum is poorly but she might not go to heaven,’ Cathy reiterated. ‘Your mum loves you very much and she is a strong lady. She would never want to leave you.’

  ‘I want my mum. I want my MUM!’

  Cathy pulled her onto her knees and cradled her while she sobbed. Tears ran down her own face as she held onto her little body as it jerked and shook. She wished there was some way that she could soften the blow but there wasn’t. Life was cruel: it was a fact. But how would someone as young as Chloe get through this? She prayed that Liz would survive. She had to. The child had been through enough already.

  Suddenly Chloe pulled away. ‘Where is my dad?’ she asked. ‘Is he in heaven?’

  ‘Yes.’ Cathy’s heart sunk. ‘He’s in heaven. You won’t be able to see him.’

  ‘But that means I have no dad and no mum to look after me. What about me?’ Chloe covered her hands with her ears and began to scream. ‘I want my mum. I want my MUMMY!’

  Cathy let her vent her anger. After a few seconds, she fell back into Cathy’s arms again. She snuffled into her chest for a while.

  ‘My dad loved my mum too much, didn’t he?’ she whispered.

  Cathy wiped at her cheeks. ‘Yes, honey, he did.’

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Cathy could hardly breathe as she sat next to Andy in a small room off Liz’s ward later that morning. She’d left Chloe with Jess and Becky, saying that she would come straight home if they texted her. She hoped Chloe would settle with them for an hour or so. So far, there had been no text.

  ‘What if she’s beaten up so badly that she doesn’t recognise anyone?’ Cathy shuddered. ‘What if her brain has been damaged?’

  ‘She’s in good hands,’ said Andy. ‘Let’s wait and see.’

  ‘Yes, but what if –’

  They looked up as a middle-aged woman came into the room. She was heavy framed with a round face and thick black hair tied in a pony tail. She pulled up a chair and sat directly facing them both. Cathy didn’t like the solemn look on her face. She braced herself for bad news.

  ‘I’m Dr Morgan.’

  ‘Is Liz… is she okay?’

  The woman nodded. ‘Elizabeth – Liz is out of imminent danger for now.’

  Cathy sighed dramatically. Then she burst into tears.

  ‘She came through surgery well and we’ve since carried out a few tests. We’re still waiting on some results but thankfully she has no damage to her brain.’

  ‘Is she conscious?’

  ‘Yes, but she’ll be in a lot of pain today so I’ve given her something to help. She might not be particularly lucid until tomorrow. As well as the knife wound she has a cracked rib, a dislocated shoulder and a gash on her wrist. Her left foot is badly sprained and three of her fingers are broken. She obviously fought to survive. You have the attacker, you say?’ She looked at Andy for confirmation.

  Andy nodded. ‘He’s lying on a slab in the morgue.’

  ‘Ah.’

  ‘Can we see her for a few minutes?’

  ‘No longer than that.’ Dr Morgan stood up. ‘But remember what I said. She may wake up and talk to you but she won’t recall anything.’

  They followed the doctor through into the ward and on to where there were four bays. Cathy paused at the foot of one of them, staring at the still figure lying in the bed, wires and tubes coming from her attached to all kinds of machines. Beeps, lines and flashes. It was a sight Cathy would never forget: it would be etched on her mind forever. She stayed at the foot of the bed, not wanting to go any nearer, not wanting to get in the way. The ward had a surreal quietness to it – almost as if no one dared to speak. A nurse checking a chart smiled and urged her to step forward. All at once, she was at the bedside.

  ‘Hi there,’ she whispered. Her hand hovered in mid-air over Liz’s swollen cheek before she thought better of touching it. ‘It’s me – Cathy.’

  ‘Most of her injuries are superficial,’ said Dr Morgan. ‘They will heal in time. And now that you’re here, I’m sure you’ll help with her recuperation.’

  Back out in the waiting room, Josie came rushing in half an hour later.

  ‘Sorry, I couldn’t get here earlier,’ she apologised. ‘The traffic’s terrible and it took me an age to find a parking space. Have you seen her? How is she?’

  ‘She’s going to be okay.’ Cathy burst into tears again.

  The two women hugged.

  Josie looked at Andy over Cathy’s shoulder. ‘Did you manage to contact her family?’

  ‘Yes. Kevin’s too. His father hadn’t seen him for years. They’d had an argument when he accused Kevin of mistreating Liz. He was quite angry at first, blaming himself for not doing more. Far different than when I spoke to Liz’s mum. She went on and on about how she’d told her that there was something not quite right about Kevin. And then she started moaning about the time it would take to drive up from Devon and how she wasn’t even sure that she would. Not once did she ask about Chloe. I had to hold my tongue a few times.’

  They sat down on a row of chairs. The waiting room was spacious but open. Relatives of loved ones in intensive care sat around too. Young and old. It was heartbreaking to see how everyone held their breath when a door opened and a doctor appeared. Hopes dashed or tears of joy. Fifty-fifty.

  ‘And how’s Chloe?’ asked Josie.

  ‘I have to make cakes with her later,’ Cathy spoke matter of factly.

  ‘You haven’t told her, then?’

  ‘Yes, I told her. But she doesn’t believe that Dad has gone to heaven and she wants to make cakes for when Mum is better. I suppose if it takes her mind off things…’

  Cathy shrugged, her eyes brimming with tears again.

  Even though she was unable to do much but sit around in the waiting room, Cathy stayed at the hospital for most of the day. Chloe had been looked after by the girls but now she was back to take over, Becky had slipped out to see Austin. They were inside the White Lion, lying on the filthy mattress that she was so used to now. She rested her head on his chest.

  ‘Don’t you think it’s sad, though?’ she asked him. ‘Chloe’s only eight. I can’t stop thinking about it. What would have happened to her if they’d both died? I –’

  ‘Shut up with your rattle, will you?’ Austin sat up and reached for his cigarettes. He lit one and took a long drag before lying back again.

  Becky cuddled into his side. ‘But it’s such a shame.’

  ‘How do you know she didn’t deserve what she got?’

  ‘That’s not a nice thing to say.’

  ‘I’m not a nice person.’

  Becky smiled, even though she was a little unnerved by the tone of his voice. She tried to boost his mood.

  ‘Of course, you are,’ she replied. ‘I th
ink you’re fab.’

  ‘I’m not what you think I am.’

  ‘How would I know? You still won’t tell me anything about your parents.’

  Austin took his arm from her shoulder and placed it behind his head. ‘There’s nowt to tell. My mother abandoned me when I was born and I never knew who my father was.’

  ‘Haven’t you ever wanted to find them?’

  Austin smirked. ‘You obviously don’t know me at all.’

  ‘But I want to.’ Becky sat up on her elbow to face him. ‘You just have to let me in. There’s something eating you up. Maybe I can help if you talk about it?’

  ‘I told you, all right. There’s nowt to talk about. But I will say one thing.’ Austin turned towards her. ‘Everyone will know my name soon.’

  The look on his face made Becky’s skin crawl. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘It’s my birthday at the end of next week. My twenty-first, my coming of age. The day that I get to be a grown-up.’

  ‘Why didn’t you say?’ Becky whined. ‘It doesn’t give me much time, does it? I’ll have to go shopping, get something special for you. We have to celebrate.’

  Austin nodded, looking happy for the first time that day.

  ‘Yeah, let’s celebrate,’ he said. ‘The day’s going to end with a bang anyway. One way or another.’

  Becky frowned: he was talking in riddles again.

  Austin jumped up and pulled on his jeans. ‘Come on, let’s go. I’ve got things to do this afternoon.’

  ‘Yeah, I’ve got lots to do now.’ Becky stood up and flung herself into his arms. ‘Austin Forrester, I love you so much.’

  A bewildered-looking Austin gave her a smile. ‘Really?’

  ‘Yeah, really. I love you and I’m going to make this birthday one to remember.’

  Austin smirked again. ‘You don’t need to go to any trouble. I’m capable of doing that all by myself.’

  Josie and Matt were sorting out a store room that had gone haywire at the community house. There were all manner of things stacked on shelves, not to mention the floor.