As punishment, he stopped sleeping with me. Looking back, I think it was an excuse really.
My life was fine for a while. Daisy took up a lot ofmy time during those early months. I loved bonding with her too. She was my everything. I wanted her to have the life that I never had as a child. Growing up in a beautiful home with loving parents. It was all I’d ever wanted and I was determined that she would be a happy, balanced little girl.
Of course, that was long before my migraines started and I began to feel sick all the time.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
As Juliette left the house that morning, she was glad that she’d called the police. Perhaps a visit from an officer would ease her mind if they said someone had been caught prowling nearby, so that it couldn’t be her imagination playing tricks on her. Mind, she knew she’d be lucky to get an officer to visit over such a small matter.
So she was pleased when she’d been told a police community support officer would call to see her. First she had to nip into Leek that morning. She needed some stationery and had a parcel to post. It wouldn’t take much longer than an hour.
Richard was in his front garden when she went out to her car. Thankfully, she hadn’t seen him since the weekend. She wondered if he’d been avoiding her, so that his clandestine dinner would remain secret.
‘Hi, Juliette,’ he said as he spotted her. ‘How are things?’
‘Oh, they’re fine, thanks.’ She paused. ‘Although I think I saw someone in the garden last night.’
‘Really? What time?’
‘About half past nine. It could have been my imagination, but I thought I’d check with the local police to see if there’s been any reports of prowlers, or the likes.’
‘I hope you weren’t too worried. You know if you ever feel in danger, you must come round to us. Either of us would be happy to help.’
‘That’s very kind of you.’ She smiled. ‘Thanks.’ She was about to get into her car when he spoke again.
‘I’ve been meaning to talk to you all week. It was about when you and Danny saw me on Saturday evening.’
‘Oh.’ Juliette opened the door, wanting to get away as quickly as possible. ‘It’s none of my business,’ she parroted what Danny had said to her.
‘I know and I thank you for being discreet. Sarah and I have an open relationship but best to keep it quiet.’
She nodded. ‘Of course.’
‘It doesn’t happen too regularly,’ he added. ‘I only see Amy a couple of times a month. I’m sure you can see that Sarah and I struggle as a couple and let’s just say the intimacy isn’t there as much nowadays.’
‘I really don’t feel comfortable discussing this withyou, Richard,’ she said, getting into the car. ‘Whatever you and Sarah do is no business of mine, nor of Danny’s. I’m happy for you, if you’re happy.’
‘Sure. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.’
‘I know.’ Her smile was false. ‘I have to go.’
She closed the door and left him standing there. What a creep! All that crap about having an open relationship was a load of baloney to her. She was a one-man woman, couldn’t see the point of affairs. If you were that unhappy with someone, leave them. There were plenty more potential partners out there.
But there was equally something sinister about Richard’s actions. Why would he want to discuss this with her rather than Danny? After all, he was quick to speak to him when he accused her of imagining a child in their back garden.
The local police community support officer visited Juliette as planned. She was a friendly woman, in her mid-forties, who looked around the property and gave her some advice for security. It was to do with installing CCTV and more outside lights. Juliette didn’t want to live in a fortress; another one of the reasons why they were moving out of London was to feel safer. There was no point doing this and recreating a prison. Besides, if there had been someone, it was most probably a thief scavenging through the garden sheds for what they could find, rather thansomeone with a gun waiting to shoot her at the first sign of trouble. Though neither was a good thing. She’d definitely tell Danny to install more outside lighting.
After a hectic afternoon of catching up on work, Juliette made dinner and took it in the conservatory. It was too wet to sit outside, warmer weather had been promised for the weekend.
It was when she was gazing out of the window as she tucked into her food that she first saw it. She paused, fork halfway to her mouth. There was something on Emily’s bench.
As she drew closer, she broke out in goosebumps, pulling her thin cardigan around her. Closer still, and she covered her mouth with her hand as she gave out a gasp. It was Emily’s teddy bear, the one she had put up in the loft.
She reached for it, almost scared to touch it, to see if it was real or if it was a figment of her imagination. Emily had been vivid in her dreams the night before. Was this her way of letting her know?
She shook the silly thoughts from her head and picked up the bear. Sitting on the bench, she looked at it. Her parents had bought the toy for Emily, shortly after she was born. It was one of the things she had latched on to, been unwilling to let go as she grew older. Juliette had been hoping she could give it to hergrandchild in the future. That had been dashed good and proper.
There could be no mistaking this was Emily’s toy. What was going on?
