I tried to ignore my rising heart rate. We were just a normal couple. Out for a drive at midnight. With a baby.
The police car parked right next to us. Would a normal man with nothing to hide turn and look at it? My mind wasn’t workingproperly. I just kept staring straight ahead. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw two police officers get out of the car. I gripped the steering wheel. Was I about to get a knock on the window? What could they know?
They hovered. I could feel them standing there looking at me. I leaned over and twiddled with the radio. When I sat back upright, both men were walking toward the petrol station shop.
Haze’s mobile was still in the car. It didn’t matter. She would see them soon enough.
Chapter Two
Haze
I’d used nearly half apacket of baby wipes, but Reggie was finally clean and once again sweet-smelling. I binned the destroyed Baby-gro. Reggie was now rocking nothing but a clean nappy and a cardigan. I stuffed the pack of nappies and baby wipes back into the plastic shopping bag.
I walked back into the shop and past the refrigerated section. That reminded me—milk. We’d run out. I picked up a large carton, and then headed toward the counter, grabbing a loaf of bread, a handful of chocolate bars, and a bag of crisps on the way.
Reggie was balanced on my hip. The cashier beeped everything through. I turned to the sound of the petrol station door opening. Two police officers walked in.
Fuck.
Fucking.
Fuck.
I could picture just how freaked out Fox must be right now. When you failed to prepare, prepare to fail. I gritted my teeth and tried not to think about how ridiculous it would be if, after everything, it was a poo explosion that ruined us.
Reggie, no doubt sensing the difference in tension in my grip, wriggled and let out a little cry. I jigged him up and down on my hip. “Shhhh, shhhh, now.”
I swiped my card.
“Do you want another bag?” The cashier was talking to me.
“No. It’s fine.” I scooped everything off the counter into my bag with the wipes and nappies.
I spun around and gave a small nod to the police officers. Just a normal mother. Grocery shopping after midnight. With a partially dressed baby.
I walked out of the door and tried to not run to the car.
As I got closer, I saw it. The back of the boot had a small smear of what looked like a red handprint. How had we missed that? The forecourt’s lighting was illuminating it. It shone out like a beacon. I reached into the bag and pulled out the baby wipes.
I was two meters from the car when I heard a loud voice behind me.
“Excuse me! Madam?”
I stopped and spun around on my heel, fixed grin in place. “Yes?”
The police officer took a step toward me. “You forgot your card.” He held out my debit card.
“Thank you, officer.” I took it from him and looked up at his face. As long as he kept looking at me and not the car, my hope was he wouldn’t spot the handprint shining out from our minivan’s silver bodywork.
“You’re out late with a little one.”
“Teething. He just won’t settle unless we’re in the car. It’s messed up his whole bedtime routine. And I know he should be self-soothing, but it’s just so tricky to not give in.” I wanted to bore the officer with such inane baby chat that he’d be begging me to leave. “The car just rocks them so perfectly, and when they’re teething they’re total monsters, it’s just—”
“Tell me about it! I’ve got one the same age. Our first. It’s amazing, isn’t it? Exhausting, but amazing. Have you tried the teething granules? I think they’re much better at soothing than the gels.”
“I…Yes. You’re right. Definitely much better.”
“And Sophie the Giraffe. She’s been a lifesaver for our little one.”
