Lizzie looked up at Tasha, tears overflowing and running down her face but nodded at the woman looking to take care of her and keep her safe.
“You two look pretty cosy as it is but I think a little kiss to start with.” Mickie grinned.
Lizzie looked mortified as Tasha gave a slight nod in her direction. She gently cupped her face to turn her position so she was closer to the door into the hall and gently placed a kiss against Lizzie's closed lips.
“A little tame, but we'll get you there. I think some tongue action now,” she cackled, slapping the courgette in her hand.
Tasha looked down at Lizzie, smiled and then winked as she gently kissed her again at the edge of her mouth before tracing a path to Lizzie's ear where she whispered, “When I say run, you run.”
With a barely detectable movement, Lizzie offered the tiniest of nods, confirming that she understood what was being said to her, but also that she would comply. Tears were freely running down her face at the realisation that this was coming to an end, although she had no idea what that end would look like. Would Mickie flip out completely once Lizzie made her move? Would that run for freedom be successful and if it wasn’t what would the consequence to that be? Would Mickie punish her? Hurt her? Kill her? She had zero answers for herself, but knew that she had to do what Tasha was telling her to if she stood any chance of really getting out of there.
She looked up at Tasha, another, small smile of love and gratitude for her stepmother in all but name and suddenly became concerned for her at Mickie’s hands, especially once she herself had made her break for freedom. Lizzie had no doubt in her mind that Mickie would hurt Tasha, badly and her part in orchestrating Lizzie’s departure may well be the final straw for her father’s former lover.
Pulling away now, Tasha smiled down at the sobbing girl whose face she still cradled before turning to face Mickie putting herself directly in front of Lizzie, effectively shielding her from the crazed, gun waving woman before her.
“Still a bit tame, Tasha. A little tender for Jim I think,” she sneered.
“Really?” asked Tasha. “Not in my experience; Jim is the best lover I have ever had, but he is so gentle and tender that it takes my breath away at times, but maybe that's because—” Tasha stepped closer to Mickie who was wavering courtesy of the scotch, “—he doesn't just fuck me, he loves me, and he makes love to me because I'm the woman he's going to marry.”
Tasha’s instincts were spot on about how Mickie, whose movements weren't as steady or as fluid as they would have been without the alcohol she'd consumed, would react were spot on. As she wobbled and flailed Tasha seized the opportunity to grab for the gun, but that was the one thing Mickie was still in control of, battling to hold onto it.
“Lizzie, run and do not stop until you find your dad and tell him I love him. Run!” she screamed in case there was any confusion as to what she was telling her to do.
Immediately, without hesitation she ran as fast as she could but felt as though she was a cartoon character running and running, but getting nowhere.
Tasha continued to struggle with Mickie, who despite the volume of liquor in her system still had greater strength than Tasha possessed, although Tasha was still recuperating from Mickie's previous attempt on her life. With Mickie seeming to gain greater control with every second that passed, Tasha dearly hoped that she might find some kind of superhuman power or at least an inner strength that would see her come out on top here.
****
Bobby had just finished listening to the negotiator's summary that he didn't believe negotiation would work and before he’d be willing to open talks with Mickie he wanted SWAT fully in place, briefed and ready to go in.
“Let's do it then,” agreed Masterson. “And let's bring your brother up to speed,” he said to Bobby.
They found Jim back in the formal lounge with Sara, Lenny, Philip and Juan.
“Why did she take Lizzie and Juan? I don't understand,” mused Sara as Bobby appeared with the detectives.
“Ma'am, I don't think Miss Adams planned this out in such detail. We set the trap for her to turn up here, knowing there would be the party and reasonably this was her best shot at getting to Tasha, maybe her only real chance. I think beyond deciding to come here she wouldn't have planned anything else. The other lady, Amanda? She barely recognised her as she was tonight, in disguise, but said there was something in the walk that was familiar. Her ending up over the road, first with Juan, and then your daughter was unfortunate for them and probably fortuitous for her. I doubt she could have planned on Tasha turning up there as she only went over as a favour to your son. Mr Maybury, the negotiator,” started Masterson, addressing Jim before noise from outside alerted them all to something happening.
Rushing out towards the front door they all saw the image of Lizzie running across the drive from Philip's home to Jim's crying inconsolably as she screamed, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!”
Jim barged past the police and picked Lizzie up as if she was a little girl, pulling her tightly against him as her cries got louder and louder.
“Daddy, Tasha said to run. She made me promise to do as she said and she said run, so I ran.”
“Good girl.” Jim kissed her head gently. “Lizzie, where's Tasha, is she okay?” he asked, scared of the answer.
“She was standing between me and Mickie, she said to run and not stop until I found you, they were fighting with the gun, Daddy,” sobbed Lizzie as Jim set her down on the threshold of his home where her mother was ready to receive her tearfully. “Daddy, Tasha said to tell you that she loves you.”
“This has gone on long enough and has certainly gone far enough!” roared Jim. “If you can’t end this, I will.”
Jim barged past the police assembled, preparing to enter the house where Tasha was when a single shot sounded from Philip's home resulting in a series of screams and cries around them.
Jim paused for a split second before resuming his plan and ran towards the house but was intercepted by the police who had appeared from nowhere, presumably these particular officers had been secreted around the properties. There were countless voices, all talking at once, to each other and via police radios before the SWAT team invaded the house simultaneously. Confusion ensued and Jim used it as a sufficient distraction to make the remainder of the short trip across the drive and entered the house. He heard Sargent Masterson say something about,the fucking boyfriend is entering the property, do not shootbut he hadn't considered his own safety. He just needed to find Tasha and see her, hopefully alive and if not, he would kill Mickie, actually kill her, murder her because without Tasha he had no reason to live anymore. Tonight really had proven that to him.
Charging through the house, calling Tasha's name, Jim headed straight for the kitchen where he knew Mickie had kept her and as he reached the doorway stood rooted to the spot at the sight of Tasha lying on the kitchen floor, slumped against the cabinet covered in blood; in her hair, across her face and neck, her beautiful dress that had looked so phenomenal earlier that evening, stunning everyone at the image of her wearing it was now drenched in blood.
“No, she's dead,” said someone in the room prompting pain like Jim had never known, lancing through every muscle in his body right to his core. His soul and very being were being crippled as he absorbed the words he'd heard and the scene before him.
