Witness

by Mandasue Heller

  The paper had been torn at that point and the rest of the article was missing.

  ‘Did your mum know these people?’ Suzie asked.

  ‘No idea.’ Holly shrugged. ‘She’s never mentioned them to me if she did.’

  ‘It’s probably someone she knew before she had you. Or maybe she was related to one of them.’

  ‘Yeah, maybe.’

  ‘I wonder if they ever found the girl,’ Suzie said, pulling her phone out of her pocket to google the names in the article.

  Before she had the chance, Holly heard a key being inserted into the lock of the front door. Panicking, because it could only be her mum, she shoved Suzie out into the hall, then switched off the light and pulled the door shut a millisecond before the front door opened and Josie limped in looking like death warmed up.

  23

  ‘Mum!’ Holly snapped out of her trance. ‘What are you doing home? The police told us they were keeping you in hospital tonight.’

  ‘I discharged myself,’ Josie muttered, holding onto the hall table for support as she waited for the room to stop swaying and her heart to stop pounding. Unable to find a taxi, she had walked home, stopping off at the late shop on the way to pick up a pack of cigarettes and a cheap bottle of vodka with the money she would have spent on her fare. A couple of slugs from the bottle outside the shop had made her legs feel a little less sluggish, and the hit of nicotine had shifted the fog inside her head. But she was exhausted now.

  ‘You look terrible,’ Holly said, her young face creased with concern as she took in Josie’s swollen eyes, the bruises on her cheeks, the split lip and the blood on the neck of the gown she was wearing beneath the unfamiliar coat. ‘What did he do to you?’

  ‘Stop fussing, I’m fine,’ Josie said irritably, slapping her hands aside. Then, staring at the woman who was standing behind Holly, she frowned, and said, ‘Where’s Bex’s mum?’

  ‘Bex’s mum?’ Holly repeated. ‘Why would she be here?’

  ‘The copper told me someone called Suzie was with you.’

  ‘Yeah, that’s right. This is Suzie.’

  ‘You said that was Bex’s mum’s name.’ Josie was confused.

  Blushing guiltily when she recalled the lie she’d told at dinner earlier, Holly said, ‘Er, yeah, it is. They’re both called Suzie.’

  ‘Sorry, we haven’t been introduced.’ Suzie stepped forward. ‘I live across the road.’

  ‘I know who you are,’ Josie said, eyeing her warily. ‘But why are you here?’

  ‘I heard what happened and wanted to make sure Holly was OK,’ said Suzie. Then, smiling, she reached out to take Josie’s arm, saying, ‘You shouldn’t be on your feet, love, so let’s get you sat down. Holly, go and fetch your mum’s quilt while I make her a cup of tea.’

  ‘I don’t want tea.’ Josie snatched her arm away. ‘I want you to leave.’

  ‘Mum!’ Holly protested. ‘She’s only trying to help.’

  ‘We don’t need help,’ Josie snapped.

  ‘I did,’ Holly argued. ‘The police would have called social services and had me taken into care if she hadn’t been here, so you should be thanking her.’

  ‘It’s all right, hon,’ Suzie said softly. ‘Your mum’s had a rough night and needs to rest, so I’ll go home. You’ve got my number if you need me.’

  She went into the living room and gathered her things together, then said goodnight and let herself out. When she’d gone, Holly folded her arms and gave her mum a reproachful look.

  ‘You didn’t have to be so rude.’

  ‘How do you know her?’ Josie demanded. ‘And don’t say you don’t, ’cos it’s obvious this isn’t the first time you’ve met her. And what’s all this hon business?’

  ‘I’ve seen her on the street a few times and said hello. And she calls everyone hon.’

  ‘You’re lying.’ Josie narrowed her eyes.

  ‘No, I’m not,’ Holly replied sulkily. ‘God, why don’t you ever belie—’

  The slap was swift and sharp, and Holly gaped at her mum in shock as she covered her stinging cheek with her hand.

  ‘What was that for?’

  ‘You brought a stranger into our home!’ Josie yelled, grabbing her arm. ‘Have you any idea the damage you could have done?’

  ‘I had no choice,’ Holly cried, wincing when her mum’s nails dug into her flesh. ‘OW! You’re hurting me!’

  ‘What have you told her?’ Josie shook her roughly. ‘Tell me what you said!’

  ‘Nothing!’ Holly protested, yanking her arm free and rubbing the sore spot. ‘And I haven’t done anything wrong, so I don’t see why you’re flipping out like this.’

  ‘You broke the rules!’ Josie glared at her.

  ‘The rules are stupid,’ Holly shot back, too angry and upset to hold her tongue any longer. ‘I’m nearly sixteen, but you won’t let me answer the door or talk to anyone. It’s not normal.’

  ‘I let you hang around with Bex and that other one – Kelly, or whatever her name is,’ Josie argued. ‘It’s only these nosy bastards round here I don’t want you getting friendly with.’

  ‘Why? What’s wrong with talking to your neighbours? Everyone else does.’

  ‘You know why. It’s dangerous.’

  ‘But Suzie’s not like the others. She’s really nice, and she doesn’t even talk to anyone round here.’

  ‘Shut up about fucking Suzie!’ Josie roared, balling her hands into fists. Then, breathing in deeply through her nose, she lowered her voice and said, ‘You’re not to talk to her again, and that’s the end of it. Now go to bed and give me some bloody peace.’ She brushed past Holly and went into her room, closing the door firmly behind her.

  Sighing, Holly shook her head in despair and went to her own room. Her mum ought to be glad Suzie had stepped in and stopped her being put into care, but, as usual, all she cared about was herself and her stupid rules.

  Josie switched the light on and dropped her bag onto the bed before shrugging the coat off and flinging it aside. In need of another drink, she took the bottle of vodka out of her bag and poured a measure into the dirty glass on her bedside table. Knocking half of it back in one mouthful, she gently rolled her head to ease the tension in her shoulders. When she noticed the wardrobe door standing open, her body instantly stiffened again, and her heart leapt into her throat when she saw the biscuit tin lying open on the floor, the photographs and papers it had contained strewn around it.

  ‘HOLLLYYYY!’ she bellowed.

  ‘What’s up?’ Holly rushed in, her eyes wide. ‘You haven’t hurt yourself, have you?’

  ‘Who’s been in here?’ Josie demanded.

  ‘No one,’ Holly lied. Then, frowning when she noticed the glass in her mum’s shaking hand and the bottle on the table, she said, ‘You shouldn’t be drinking. You’ve only just come out of hospital.’

  ‘Stop trying to change the subject,’ Josie hissed, her eyes blazing. ‘You’ve had that bitch in here, haven’t you?’

  ‘No.’ Holly shook her head.

  ‘Explain that, then!’ Josie pointed at the photos and papers.

  Holly winced when she realized she’d forgotten to put them back in her haste to get Suzie out of there.

  ‘OK, it was me,’ she admitted. ‘The copper told me to bring some stuff to hospital for you tomorrow, and everything fell out of the wardrobe when I was looking for a nightie. But I didn’t look at it, I swear.’

  ‘Yes, you did,’ Josie said quietly, her chest heaving beneath the bloodstained gown. ‘It’s written all over your face. So, come on, then . . . what did you see?’

  ‘Nothing,’ Holly insisted.

  ‘And what about Lady Muck?’ Josie jerked her chin up. ‘Did she have a good nosy an’ all?’

  ‘No, it was only me, I swear.’

  ‘You swear,’ Josie sneered, taking a swig of her drink and wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. ‘I don’t know why I thought I could trust you; you’ve always been a sly little cow. That’s w
hy you looked so guilty when I walked in: ’cos you knew you’d been caught.’

  Upset that her mum had called her sly when she genuinely hadn’t meant to snoop, Holly felt the prick of tears behind her eyes as she watched Josie swallow her drink and toss the glass onto the bed before stumbling over to the wardrobe.

  ‘God damn it,’ Josie cried, clutching at her side when a pain tore through it as she bent to scoop up the photos. She squeezed her eyes shut and leaned against the wardrobe until it had passed, then crammed the photos back into the tin and pushed the lid firmly into place, muttering, ‘I can’t do this any more. All I’ve ever done is try to protect her, and she’s ruined everything.’

  ‘Protect me from what?’ Holly asked, confused.

  ‘Them!’ Josie said, tossing the biscuit tin into the wardrobe and slamming the door shut. ‘You’ve got no idea how fucking hard it’s been for me, have you? Having to hawk you around and work my arse off for shit wages to keep you safe. Well, that’s it. We can’t stay here after this.’

  Concerned that the combination of alcohol and medication was affecting her badly, Holly said, ‘Why don’t you go to bed, Mum? You’ll feel better if you get some sleep.’

  ‘It’s too late for that,’ Josie said, a wild gleam in her eyes as she looked around the room. ‘We need to get out of here. Go and pack a bag.’

  ‘What?’ Holly screwed up her face. ‘It’s nearly midnight. Where are we supposed to go?’

  ‘Stop arguing and get your things,’ Josie ordered, sifting through the clothes on the floor and flinging some aside and others onto the bed.

  ‘No.’ Holly stood her ground. ‘I like it here. I’m not leaving.’

  ‘Do as you’re fucking told!’ Josie roared, lunging at her and pushing her out into the hall.

  ‘No!’ Holly pushed her back. ‘This is stupid, Mum! I’ve got my exams in a couple of months. I can’t change schools again.’

  ‘If you hadn’t let that bitch in here we wouldn’t have to,’ Josie screeched, her hands bouncing off Holly’s raised arms as she tried to slap her. ‘They’re probably on their way here already, you stupid girl! And they won’t just kill me, they’ll kill you as well! It’s you they’re after, not—’

  She abruptly stopped speaking and her face twisted with pain as she clutched at her side again. Alarmed when sweat started trickling down her deathly white face and she sank to the floor, Holly rushed to her.

  ‘Mum, what’s wrong? Are you OK?’

  ‘Need to . . . go . . .’ Josie mumbled, her eyes flickering before rolling back.

  Scared now, Holly raced to her bedroom to call an ambulance. Her phone wasn’t there, so she ran into the living room and looked around. Unable to find it, she tore back out into the hall where her mum was still slumped against the wall. Edging past her, she went to the bed and rifled through her mum’s handbag for her phone. It was dead, and a whimper of fear slipped from Holly’s lips as she dropped it and rushed out into the hall. She didn’t know what to do, but Suzie would, so she grabbed her key off the hall table and charged out of the flat.

  Suzie had jumped into the shower as soon as she got home and had scrubbed her skin and double-washed her hair to erase the stench of mildew that was clinging to her. In a fresh pair of pyjamas now, her clean hair lying damp on her shoulders, she was heading to the kitchen to get a drink when the doorbell rang, followed by a volley of raps on the knocker. Concerned when she peeped through the spyhole and saw Holly in tears on the step, she quickly opened the door.

  ‘Hey, what’s wrong?’ she asked when Holly fell into her arms. ‘Is it your mum? She didn’t take a bad turn after I left, did she?’

  ‘She – she went mad after you left,’ Holly cried, the words tumbling out of her mouth. ‘She knew we’d been in her room and seen those photos and she flipped. She said we had to leave ’cos someone was coming to kill us, and we were arguing. Then she went funny and collapsed and her eyes rolled back. I thought she was dead and I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t find my phone, and hers was dead, and—’

  ‘OK, calm down,’ Suzie said, taking control. ‘I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think. She probably came out of hospital too early, that’s all. Just give me a sec and I’ll come over with you.’

  Praying that she was right, Holly swiped at her tears and hopped from foot to foot as Suzie grabbed her coat off the hook and ran upstairs.

  When they got back to the flat, Holly unlocked the door with shaking hands and rushed inside. She stopped dead when she saw that her mum wasn’t where she’d left her, and Suzie ran into the back of her, almost knocking her over. Her first thought was that her mum had done a runner to escape the imaginary killers she was expecting to arrive at any minute, and her heart was pounding so hard she didn’t immediately hear Suzie calling her name.

  ‘Holly . . .’ Suzie hissed, a little louder this time. ‘She’s in here.’

  She pointed through Josie’s open bedroom door and Holly took a faltering step towards it, scared that she was going to see her mum lying dead on the floor.

  ‘See, I told you it wouldn’t be as bad as you thought,’ Suzie whispered, stroking Holly’s arm as the shivering girl stared at her mum, who was lying in the bed now, the grubby quilt pulled over her.

  ‘I – I thought she was . . .’ Holly tailed off and swallowed loudly as the fear began to subside, leaving a nauseous feeling in its wake. ‘She looked so bad, Suzie. Really sweaty and pale, like a ghost.’

  Tiptoeing into the room, Suzie went over to the bed and peered at Josie’s face before lightly touching her cheek.

  ‘She is a bit clammy,’ she whispered when Holly crept up beside her. ‘But she’s been through a lot today, and it’ll have taken a massive toll on her.’

  ‘You don’t think we should call for an ambulance – just in case?’ Holly asked.

  Suzie pursed her lips and peered at Josie again. Then, shaking her head, she said, ‘If the doctors at the hospital had thought there was anything seriously wrong they wouldn’t have let her discharge herself, so let’s wait and see how she is when she wakes up, eh? Chances are, she’s exhausted and needs to sleep. And that won’t have helped, if she’s had any since she got home,’ she added, indicating the bottle of vodka on the bedside table.

  ‘Yeah, she has,’ Holly said, hugging herself as she recalled the way her mum had been knocking it back before flying off the handle.

  ‘No wonder she’s out cold, then,’ Suzie said. ‘She took quite a beating by the look of it, and they would have given her strong painkillers at hospital. Them and alcohol don’t mix, so you’re not supposed to drink while you’re on them.’

  ‘Do you think she’ll be OK?’ Holly asked.

  ‘I’d say so,’ Suzie said, backing away from the bed. ‘But she’ll probably have a massive hangover, so make sure she drinks plenty of water when she wakes up.’

  Nodding, Holly followed when Suzie went back out into the hall.

  ‘Thanks for coming over,’ she said, feeling daft for panicking now she knew it was the booze that had sent her mum funny.

  ‘You don’t need to thank me, hon,’ Suzie said, heading for the door. ‘We’re friends, and I’m happy to help. Now try to get some sleep, ’cos your mum’s not the only one who’s had a rough night. If anything happens or you get worried, ring me. OK?’

  ‘If I can find my phone,’ Holly said.

  ‘Last time I saw it was when we were watching the film,’ Suzie told her. ‘I think you shoved it down the side of the cushion.’

  ‘Oh, yeah,’ Holly murmured. ‘Thanks.’

  When Suzie had gone, Holly retrieved her phone and turned it on. She hadn’t told Suzie, but she had turned it off earlier, sick of seeing the messages that had been coming in throughout the day and evening – all along the same threatening lines as those that had been sent to her that morning. There were several new ones when the screen lit up, and she was deleting them when she saw that the last two were from Bex, along with four missed call notifica
tions.

  Hey Holls, are you OK? the first message began. Ju’s mum told her someone’s been attacked round your way. I tried to ring but you’re not answering. Please let me know you’re all right xx

  Holls ring me!!!! the second, more urgent message read. Ju’s mum’s friend is married to a copper and she said it was a woman called Josie who got attacked. It wasn’t your mum was it???? Please ring me babes xx

  Blinking when unexpected tears welled in her eyes, Holly went to ring Bex but stopped herself when she realized her friend would be fast asleep. About to reply to her messages instead, she snapped her head up at the sound of a groan coming from her mum’s room.

  Josie had rolled onto her back and the quilt was on the floor beside her. Holly picked it up and was gently laying it over her when she rolled over again. The hospital gown had ridden up, and Holly’s gaze was drawn to a large bruise on her thigh between a cluster of smaller ones. It was purple and black, and had fainter lines zig-zagging through it, like the sole of a trainer. Upset to think that the beast who had attacked her mum must have stamped on her, she wondered if the police had noticed it. In CSI: Miami, one of her favourite TV shows, the detectives were always finding footprints in soil outside windows and in pools of blood at crime scenes, and they always took photos to determine the shoe size and type of footwear. It invariably led them to the killer, and she wondered if she ought to take a photo of this imprint on her phone and ask Suzie to pass it on to that nice copper who’d come round earlier.

  Josie flopped over again before Holly had a chance to open her phone camera. She was agitated, thrashing her head from side to side, and Holly remembered what Suzie had said about making sure she had something to drink after she woke up when she saw how dry and cracked her lips were.