Jade had made her decision then. They didn’t deserve to be parents. They didn’t deserve Daisy. They deserved to burn in hell. First, though, they needed to learn, to realise what they’d done. They needed to lose the child, whose innocence they were stealing, whose childhood they were breaking, whose love and trust they were abusing.
Obviously frightened of them, Daisy had come willingly when Jade had told her she was going to keep her safe – which she’d every intention of doing then. The girl had reminded her of her little sister. Annoyingly, just like her little sister, she was becoming a nuisance. Poppy had, too. But Poppy, of course, had also turned out to be spoiled beyond belief and far too demanding of Mark. Jade still hadn’t come to a decision about her. She’d so hoped Poppy would have some redeeming features. She didn’t want Mark to go through the unbearable grieving process of losing another child unless he absolutely had to.
This one, though… It was hard work, keeping the girl occupied and fed with Dylan constantly fretting and ringing her. And now things were moving on with Mark, she’d become a liability Jade didn’t need.
Jade sighed as Dylan fussed and twitched behind her, scared to death his mummy would discover his secret and realise what kind of a pathetic idiot he really was. She peered down at the girl, who was sleeping contentedly enough, thanks to a large dose of Calpol. ‘She’s fine,’ she told him, turning from the bed. ‘It’s just a cold. She’ll feel better after a nap.’
Dylan stared at her stupidly for a second and then, wiping his shirtsleeve under his nose, he followed her to the bedroom door. ‘You sure?’ he asked, once on the landing. ‘It’s just, she didn’t seem to be breathing right when I looked in on her last night. Chesty-like, you know?’
Jade looked him over, taking in the worry lines furrowing his brow like a five-bar gate, his jeans which were an inch too short – obviously turned up by his mother – and the wet patches under his armpits, and suppressed her immense agitation. ‘I’m her mum, Dylan. I’m also a qualified nursery nurse. I think I should know, don’t you?’
Smiling sweetly, she stroked his cheek – God forbid she should have to stroke any other part of him today – and then, feeling nauseated at the stench of body odour mingled with pig shit that seemed to permanently emanate from him, she turned quickly for the stairs.
Grabbing up her bag, she headed across the tiny living room and straight for the front door.
‘You going already?’ Dylan asked, following her like an annoying little lapdog as she stepped out and breathed in some blessed fresh air.
‘I have to pick Poppy up from school.’
Jade sighed as she watched him lumbering after her, wondering again how a man who was built like a brick shithouse came to be scared of his own shadow. It was useful, of course, along with the fact that he’d obviously been born stupid, but she did worry it might be her downfall. Dylan would undoubtedly spill the beans if he were cornered – he couldn’t lie convincingly to save his life. Jade would probably have to do something about him too, which was a shame, but needs must.
‘So, will you be taking her soon?’ Dylan asked, shrugging his huge round shoulders awkwardly. ‘It’s just that me mum comes out to talk to the pigs sometimes.’ He nodded to where the disgusting creatures were snuffling and grunting in the field adjoining the cottage,
Jade had to stifle a laugh at that, the image of his sour-faced, frumpy mother talking to the pigs. Mind you, she wasn’t surprised, with only Dylan for company.
‘I will, I promise. It’s just…’ Jade faltered. ‘You know he doesn’t want her,’ she went on, looking tearfully back at him. ‘He’s bound to do something awful to her. She really is much better off here for now.’
‘He’ being Mark, who Dylan believed to be the father of the girl, and who was as capable of doing something awful to a child as he was his needy wife. His inexhaustible patience was becoming a bit of a concern. Jade needed Mark to realise that Melissa was nothing but a ball and chain around his ankles, pulling him down. He needed to leave her. Jade had no intention of sharing him for much longer.
Puffing up his chest manfully, Dylan looked her over and nodded. ‘I know,’ he said sympathetically, placing a huge paw around her shoulders. Jade’s skin crawled. ‘It’s okay,’ he said gruffly. ‘She can stay a bit longer. I’ll try and keep me mum away.’
‘Thanks, Dylan.’ Jade smiled at him, and silently thanked God she’d convinced him to change the locks. With his miserable mother wandering around, she was going to have to do something about the girl sooner rather than later, she realised. ‘I knew I could depend on you. I’ll see to her soon.’ Checking her watch, she sighed regretfully. ‘I’d better go.’
Giving him a peck on the cheek, Jade turned, resisting the urge to wipe her mouth. She wasn’t sure how, exactly, she would see to her. Feed her to the pigs? Pondering her options, Jade hummed softly to herself as she went. Hush, little baby…
Thirty-Six
MARK
‘Hey, Poppet.’ Mark swept Poppy up as he came through the front door. He was late. Way later than he’d expected to be, having been on site at a demolished property within the search radius for Daisy Evans. Discovering the building had a basement, it had been worth checking out, but to no avail. Now, Mark felt exhausted and frustrated. ‘Shouldn’t we be in bed?’ He nodded to the hall clock, where Poppy could see that the big hand was way past the half past seven mark.
‘I was going.’ Poppy made huge eyes at him as he put her down. ‘But Mummy said she would come up and tuck Dory in.’
‘Ah, I see.’ Mark nodded, then furrowed his brow, pondering how, exactly, one tucked a goldfish into bed. ‘So where is Mummy?’
‘Working,’ Poppy said, following him towards the kitchen. ‘She’ll be utterly sausted,’ she added, with an elongated sigh.
‘Exhausted,’ Mark corrected her, looking curiously towards Jade, who was busy loading bottles into the steriliser.
‘She’s been in the workshop since this morning,’ Jade explained, turning to flick on the kettle, which was now plugged into a socket well away from the freezer, he noted.
‘She’s been working all day?’ Mark was surprised. He’d worried the side effects of the drugs, which he knew to be difficult to handle for the first few weeks, might make it impossible for her to work. But then, Mel was a fighter, he reminded himself. He’d never known her to give up on anything easily, an attitude of which their two beautiful kids were evidence. Plus, she found her work therapeutic, which might actually help. Staying out there the whole day and half the evening, though? He hoped she wasn’t overdoing it.
‘She’s been in to check on Evie once or twice but that’s about it,’ Jade said. ‘Do you want me to take Poppy up and read her a bedtime story while you go out and have a chat with her?’
‘That’d be great. Thanks, Jade.’ Mark guessed Poppy wouldn’t be too devastated at having Jade read her a story in lieu of him. Mark was grateful for Jade’s help, and amazed at how adaptable she was prepared to be. Grateful also for the effort she made to be a friend to Mel. She would certainly need one, particularly now her friendship with Lisa had cooled. Mark still couldn’t get his head around what the hell had been going through Mel’s mind. But that, he suspected, was probably a subject best left alone for now.
‘Yay! Lily the Little Mermaid!’ Poppy clapped her hands gleefully.
Definitely not devastated. ‘I take it she does Lily better than me?’ Mark asked.
‘She’s a girl, silly. Lily’s a girl mermaid,’ Poppy informed him.
Mark sighed theatrically. ‘A lesser man would be crushed, you know.’
Poppy pressed her hand to his cheek as he leaned down to kiss her goodnight, searching his eyes worriedly, and then giggling when Mark went cross-eyed. ‘You’re teasing,’ she said, trying very hard to do likewise and make her pupils meet in the middle.
‘A bit,’ Mark said, planting a kiss on her cute button nose. ‘Good job I know you love me bigger than the sky, isn’t it?’
‘And the moon.’
‘And all the stars. Night, Poppet. I’m assuming you’ve had no further trouble from the bug monster?’