Gain his commitment
Secure mortgage on my dream house.
Build trust in the bedroom
Offer him a threesome.
Chapter56Stalking
Thursday, 2 January
Hollis has been away for Christmas visiting his mum and dad in Melbourne. He called me several times and I just ignored his calls, as I have enough to deal with. He did ask me to join him shooting today, which is why Cait and I are now at Blackheath Rifle Club, in the middle of nowhere, which is located on the outskirts of Surrey.
The lane is so narrow that the car brushes hawthorn twigs as we creep between two overgrown hedgerows, good for wildlife but not for a large SUV. I don’t mind a little bit of nature if it’s clipped or caged, but to be perfectly honest, it’s just a relief to get away from the house.
‘Are you sure he’s here?’ says Cait, brimming with eagerness. I’m doing my best to keep her investigative enthusiasm under control. She now blogs quite openly about her experience of domestic abuse, which is a sign of progress, and has garnered a large online following.
‘This is where he comes to practise shooting,’ I explain. ‘It’s what assassins do.’
‘I’m ready for him,’ declares Cait, and opens her large, ill-fitting anorak (donated by Sophie who’s a giant in comparison to Cait)to display a John Lewis carving knife still in its plastic sheath stuck into her belt.
‘What’s that for?’
‘Protection,’ she says. ‘And don’t worry, I bought it for cash. No trace. If he goes for one of us, I’ll shank him.’
‘It’s not an easy thing to do,’ I say. ‘Especially if you hit cartilage or bone. The knife can get stuck and it’s quite messy.’
‘He’s ruined my life, Lalla,’ she says. ‘I think I’ll manage.’
