More banging.
The navy-blue car that took me sits proudly in the middle of the large lock-up. Oil droplets adorn the concrete floor and there are tools and fishing equipment everywhere. My eyes stop on the crowbar. Without hesitation, I smash the car window and take my bag. I reach in for my phone but the battery has been removed. Running to the back of the car, I strain as I lever the boot until it opens.
A muffled scream comes from inside. I slip the blanket off the wriggling person and stare into the terrified woman’s eyes. ‘Natalie.’ A trail of dried up blood comes from her nose.
She muffles out some more words so I reach in and remove the gag from her mouth.
‘We have to get out of here. He’s going for Millie.’
As I free her, she places a hand on my wrist. ‘I’m sorry, Kate. She’s missing. The police were called just before I was hit over the head and thrown into this boot.’
Nothing has ever hurt so much. The little one I carried for nine months, the screaming baby that I pushed from my womb, those invisible binds that tie a mother to a child are now broken and I can feel it. I’m never going to see Millie again and that is a pain I cannot bear as I double over and let out the most primal yell ever. The pain of loss runs deeper that any physical pain and nothing can make it better except saving Millie.
‘My father was meant to be looking after them.’
‘It happened so quickly. We were searching for you.’
I frantically gaze around the large unit. ‘Where are we?’
She wipes her sleepy-looking eyes. ‘I don’t know.’
‘How long ago was this?’
Natalie shrugs. ‘Not long.’ She yawns. ‘He forced me to drink water and…’ She slumps in the boot, gibbering on about my daughter and the shops they looked in and she mentions Damien.
‘You saw Damien?’
Natalie murmurs.
‘Natalie. Did you say my husband was there?’
The woman yawns and nods.
He came back for me. I have to get out of here. More than anything I need his strength but at the back of my mind, I fear that he’ll be even more upset with me now. I lost our little girl. I don’t have any time to waste. The best thing I can do is get out of here. I search Natalie’s pockets for a phone but I can’t find one.
I crash into the metal garage door, hoping to break the lock but it’s not budging. Wedging the crowbar into the minute gap, I try to lever the lock but I can’t.
My focus catches everything, then I spot a long window but it is too high up to reach. Rain clashes against it and I have no idea how high the drop is on the other side. Ladders?
I spot a set of steps leaning up behind an old engine. Forcing them out, I yell as I free them. After placing them against the wall, I grab a hammer and an old coat before climbing up. There are no openers, which means I’m going to have to smash it open. With one mighty blow the glass crashes, now I have to get through that window and find Millie. Knocking out all the bits of glass, I peer through. There’s about a ten-foot drop from a ledge and at the bottom, concrete. I swallow and take a deep breath. Everything hurts and my head pounds like never before. Fatigue numbs me and I wonder if I will make it without spraining or breaking an ankle. That’s a risk I have to take.
As I take another deep breath, I listen to the sounds outside and I can hear the seagulls. It’s like they’re telling me to get a move on. For a second a shiver runs through me. It’s like Jess is with me. I throw the coat over the ledge then I feed my first leg through. After that, I follow through with the second leg then I perch on the ledge. If I was standing on the pavement below, this drop would look like nothing but from here in my injured state, it looks like I’m about to drop to my death.
I have to do this. My child’s life depends on it. I won’t let what happened to Jess happen to Millie. I close my eyes and count to three then I feel the breeze lift my hair as my body goes down.
As I fall, I roll onto the pavement, flinching as a pain shoots through me. I don’t know where I am. ‘Help,’ I call out but the place is deserted. The only thing I can do is run. As I take a right past the units, I can see the harbour. I’m up on the hill, past Laura’s house. Half hopping and running, I hurry down as fast as I can, hoping that I’m not too late.
FIFTY-THREE
KATE
Within minutes, and sodden from the rain, I’m scurrying down the steep hill, past the bookshop and into the town. I glance up and down, searching for a crowd. If Millie is missing there must be a search party going on. I frantically push people out of the way until I get to the cottage and hammer on the door. It’s empty.
Where can my father and Damien be?
Rushing back into town, I head towards Laura’s shop but that too is closed up. The Old Smuggler, maybe they’re there. The closer I get, I notice that there is a crowd and PC Bickerford is asking people questions.
‘Kate.’ The PC looks my way and leaves the man she was speaking to.
