Francesca stumbled out of the function room through the bi-fold doors, one arm outstretched and her other hand across her mouth. Looking at her, she’d already been sick once down her bridesmaid’s dress and Holly wasn’t going to stick around to watch what was coming. Seeing Francesca throw up would be the very thing that would tip her over the edge, no matter how soothing the breeze was.
The gatecrashers fought, the staff tried to break things up, the mother-in-law ran out and began yelling across the garden like a banshee, and Holly felt numb to it all. Could she trust him? That question was filling her mind as chaos broke out.
As Francesca turned, he shifted his position so that she would only catch sight of his back. ‘I’ll see you in a bit. I’m just going to sort out this mess and I’ll be up.’
Holly turned away from him, tearing a handful of flower heads from one of the table decorations as she hurried to her room. As she slammed the door behind her, she noticed the squashed carnation petals spilling from her clenched fingers. She sat on the bed and began picking out the petals and dropping them to the floor. Confused is how she felt. She’d wait and she’d see exactly what he had to say.
Half an hour had passed, then an hour. If he turned up, he turned up. She brought her knees up to her chest and pulled the quilt up to her chin. He wasn’t coming. She switched off the light and closed her eyes, ignoring the revellers on the terrace below her room. She applied a light amount of pressure to her stomach hoping her baby would move again, but he or she didn’t. The gentle beat of the music was hypnotic and soon she lost the battle with her heavy lids as sleep took over.
Heart in mouth, Holly jolted up in bed as a knock broke her dream. She almost tripped over her dress while stumbling across the unfamiliar room in the dark. She can’t have been asleep for more than a few minutes, at least it felt like that and the music was still playing. As she opened the door a white flash of pain filled her face. Through peppered vision, all she could see was the dark outline of a head, backlit by the fading light from the corridor. That soon disappeared as the intruder closed the door.
Her nose stung as blood sprayed out. Why had he hit her? He’d come to talk. She tried to focus but her eyes had teared up from the blow to her nose. Was it even him? She tried to focus but all she could see were blurred dark images. Another flash of pain hit as her attacker grabbed her wrist and thrust her onto the bed.
‘Don’t hurt the baby,’ she whimpered. Maybe he’d come to act on his promise. ‘Don’t kill me. I didn’t say anything.’ She had been naïve to doubt him. Another blow to the head came from nowhere. She had to get away.
Fight. Hit out. Thrash and run away. If only she could get to the corridor and shout like mad. Someone would wake up.
She opened her mouth to scream and her attacker thrust a pillow over her face, pushing hard. Winded by her attacker, she tried to wriggle beneath. Dark – she couldn’t open her eyes. Dry material that tasted freshly laundered filled her mouth, along with the blood that was slipping down the back of her throat, drowning her.
Trapped and voiceless, two feelings that she was more than familiar with.
Panic rose as she tried to gasp but her attempt was fruitless. The sound of her own heart booming filled her ears as she continued her interrupted dream. The one in which she was walking her newborn in the park and people stopped to say how beautiful she was. In her mind it was a girl. As she slipped away, she kept thinking. He wouldn’t kill her. He’d bring her around. Like at the apartment when he’d gripped her throat, it was just a threat.
The pulsating heartbeat in her ears faded as she slipped into another world. She strolled over to the calm lake, baby in her arms looking out at the ducks. Then it stopped, everything stopped for a second. It was as if time had stood still. No breeze, no trickling of water, the people stood like statues. What was happening? The shining sun got brighter and brighter, dazzling her, filling the whole landscape until she could no longer see as she entered her new serene world of nothing.
Chapter Two
The sound of the ten o’clock news finishing filled the room as Detective Gina Harte pressed stop on the film she and her daughter, Hannah, had been watching.The NeverEnding Storyhad been Hannah’s favourite movie as a child and they’d both watched it a million times but it still brought a smile to their faces. Hannah was sprawled out on the settee, hand half hovering over the tub of popcorn.
‘I still love that film. It’s a shame Gracie didn’t get to see the end.’ Hannah pulled the settee throw over the little girl who had fallen asleep on the floor. Strands of her long light brown hair reached over the cushion and a trail of dribble slid down her cheek.
Gina smiled. ‘How’s she getting on at nursery?’
‘Good. She loves playing with the other kids. Every day I come home with another work of art for the fridge, which is why I brought a few over for your fridge.’ Hannah paused. ‘It broke my heart the first day I left her there.’
It had been well over twenty years ago when Gina had taken Hannah to preschool but it was a memory she’d never forget. Her little girl had immediately wanted to play with all the other children and Gina had hidden the lump in her throat and the tears in her eyes until she’d driven off to attend police training.
‘They grow up so quick.’ Gina paused. Her relationship with Hannah hadn’t always been this good but they’d been talking more over the past few months. ‘I’m glad you both came to visit. I mean it. It’s lovely to have you here.’
‘I’m glad you took some time off to be with us. Gracie always jibbers on about you. You’re her hero.’
A lump formed in Gina’s throat as she kneeled on the floor and gave her granddaughter a kiss on the cheek. ‘I don’t say it enough but you really have done a brilliant job with her. She’s perfect.’
Hannah uncomfortably looked away. Gina knew she struggled to take a compliment.
‘How’s Greg?’
Hannah bit the skin on the side of her finger. ‘Fine. Work is good. He’s got a job for a building company now. New builds. He’s away for the next week.’
Her smile was forced. Gina knew the effort it took to pretend. A smile that is natural takes little effort but Hannah had a grimacing line on her forehead and a smile that didn’t match it. The light twitch in her temples showed Gina that she was subtly clenching her teeth together.
‘So all is good with you both?’
‘Couldn’t be better.’ Hannah placed the lid on the popcorn and swung her legs off the settee before stepping over her sleeping daughter and stretching.
‘You know you can talk to me about anything.’
Hannah shook the crumbs from the snuggle blanket. ‘I don’t need to talk. Gracie and me, we’re happy. Greg is doing well. My job is good and now that Gracie is at nursery, I’ve upped my hours.’
