‘No, I was waiting for you and your mum to come up.’ He looks like he has the world on his shoulders. It’s no excuse for him not locking the door though. Mum has a key. ‘Cora can’t open the door. Did your mum come back?’
I shake my head. ‘No, she’s outside, upset, and Cora did open the door. There have been more letters but it’s okay, she’s talking to Zoe.’
He presses his fingers into his temple as if massaging a headache.
I don’t tell him that I was in Dorette’s office. There is no need. ‘I was coming upstairs and I saw Cora on the landing. She could have fallen down the stairs, Dad.’
He frowns. ‘I know this is a big ask, but please don’t tell your mum. She’s got enough to worry about.’
I want to shout about how much Mum would worry if she knew she couldn’t leave Dad for five minutes alone with Cora. It would stress her no end. It’s stressing me.
‘It was just a slip up, love. It won’t happen again.’ He pulls his jeans from the back of the settee and starts dressing under his towel. It’s as if he has only just taken in what I said a moment ago. ‘Did you say there have been more letters?’
I shouldn’t have said that. I wasn’t meant to be out there spying on Mum.
‘What did they say?’
I bite my bottom lip.
‘Morgan.’
‘I wasn’t meant to be there, okay? Mum told me to go up, but I stayed on the drive listening and I couldn’t hear everything.’
He lets out a long breath. ‘Okay, we’re both having a bad day. I was wrong to leave Cora alone while I had a shower. Please know that it won’t happen again. I know you’re doing so much already to help with your sister and I know this has stressed you out and’ – he picks Cora up and kisses her on the head – ‘I don’t know what we’d have done if anything had happened to her. Thank you for being there, Morgan, and if you have to tell Mum I get it, but I need to know what was in those letters.’
I clear my throat before answering, ‘I think whoever’s writing them has been in everyone’s houses. They seem to know what makes them vulnerable…’ I pause, impressed with how I’m sounding here. Detective Morgan is in the room. I can help Mum and Dad and I want to, so I’ll carry on investigating until we catch whoever’s behind them. ‘The woman next door, Ruby. There was a threat to her with her balcony and the letter mentioned that her gas fire might be faulty, something to do with carbon monoxide poisoning.’ I’ve heard Dad talk about that before when he’s taken over a new property. He always arranges a gas inspection on new places. ‘Then there’s Tessa. The writer knows she walks around in the dark so as not to wake her husband and how easy it might be to fall down the stairs. They also threw stones at a camera belonging to Ray, breaking it. Then they went into his house and put razor blades in his bed.’ My jaw trembles. ‘Is someone going to hurt us, Dad?’ I just want to know who it is, and I can’t get Quinn out of my mind. I glance at the door. ‘Are we getting more locks fitted? I’m scared, Dad.’
‘As soon as this weather clears, I’ll go get some and fit them but we are safe in this apartment. No one can get in.’ Dad stares into space. I know he has something else running through his mind. He looks up then his gaze comes back to me before he clears his throat.
‘Can Jake or Robbie get them?’
He shakes his head. ‘They’re going back to Bristol for a few days because the weather is set to get worse. If they don’t head back now, they’ll have to stay here and they have to get home.’ He grabs his coat and puts it on. ‘Stay with Cora.’
‘Dad, don’t go down there. Please. Mum is with Zoe, she’s okay.’ I don’t want my dad to lose his temper and end up being arrested again. He passes Cora to me, and before I get to say another word, he’s gone. I place Cora on the settee and kick the door several times. I’m once again trapped in this apartment with Cora and I can’t leave. I don’t want this. Tears start to meander down my face. All I want is for us to go back home to Bristol.
Cora tugs my jumper. ‘Mog, drink.’
I let out a roar, stomp towards the fridge and pour her a sippy cup full of filtered water. She takes it from me, throws it across the room and sobs her heart out. She’s as sad as I am. I lift her up, angry with myself for losing my temper in front of her. As I go to sit, I’m reminded of the notebook stuffed down the back of my waistband. I pull it out and hide it under a cushion in case Dad bursts back in, then I sit and comfort Cora while we both watch Mika. As I stroke her head, she nestles into my chest and rests. She’s exhausted and so am I.
A moment later, I’m able to edge her next to me. I pick the notebook up and open the Jasmine book. I didn’t mention Jasmine or what was in Zoe’s letter to Dad because I really wanted to read the book first. There isn’t much in this book but there are a few drawings. My breaths quicken as I see an illustration of a girl sitting on a log with a bag in the shape of a dog. On the next page, she is being sucked up into the forest by the fog that takes her with it. I heard what Zoe said to Mum, what was in her letter. It’s like all my senses are alight. I know all that’s happening has something to do with Jasmine.
Cora begins to snore lightly so I grab the remote and turn the TV off. That’s when I hear Mum’s screams coming from outside.
Thirty-Nine
Gemma
I knew from Zoe’s horrified look that something was wrong, but I could never have guessed what. I can’t believe I didn’t feel the blood seeping through my jeans. I’d been running the content of those letters through my mind. My internal dialogue had and is still running rife, but now it’s telling me not to panic because I don’t want to stress Beanie out. ‘Hurry, Ethan.’ He runs towards the house to bundle the kids up. There’s no way I’m leaving them alone in the apartment after last night’s break-in and I need a hospital urgently.
I’m losing my baby and I’m angry that I’ve ignored my body telling me that something is wrong. The lower back pain that has niggled away – I didn’t get that with my other two. The slight burning when I peed recently. I have an infection. It’s this place, it’s trying to ruin us. Terror rips through me. For so many years we struggled to conceive Cora. We’d badly wanted three children. The little bean inside me might be my last chance, my little miracle. He or she can’t leave me.
Snow falls heavy. It’s beautiful, but there’s nothing beautiful about the experience I’m having now. Those intricate flakes are a potential trap, so we need to get out of Clover Lane immediately before we’re snowed in.
I’m cold so I sit on the ground shivering as Zoe crouches and puts her arms around me to keep me warm. I look up and see Ray at his bedroom window. He closes his curtains on me and my pain and then I remember, no one even knows I’m pregnant except the person who’s been writing the letters, but I suspect Zoe knows now. I glance up at Ruby’s window and she’s still there, and this time, there’s a lamp backlighting her face. Her brows are furrowed and for a moment, I think I see worry etched on her face. I tear my gaze from her.
‘My baby. I’m losing my baby,’ I say while weeping and placing a hand on my tummy. ‘Hang on, Beanie.’
‘How far gone are you?’ Zoe gently asks as she hugs me.
