‘I’ve telephoned the health centre and asked her GP to come out.’ Aware of Mel’s resistance to visit the surgery, Lisa’s tone was guarded. ‘I thought, under the circumstances…’
Mark nodded. He didn’t like the idea, but sedation was probably the only way Mel would get through the first few hours. After that… nothing would help her, nothing but her child safe in her arms would pull her back from the abyss. Mark knew that with certainty.
‘We’ve called in forensics,’ Lisa called, behind him. ‘And obviously Edwards has all available bodies on it.’
Mark nodded again, grateful for that much. He needed to be at the station, on top of this, but not before he’d seen Mel, tried to reassure her, though he doubted he could.
‘Poppy?’ He turned back to Lisa, a new fear twisting his stomach.
‘We’ve despatched a squad car to the school. I’ll let you know as soon as— Hold on.’ Stopping, Lisa checked her radio. ‘She’s safe.’
And Mark allowed himself to breathe.
Sixty-Seven
LISA
Her heart breaking for them, Lisa paused between calls, watching as Mark walked across to where Melissa stood by the window, her arms wrapped tightly about herself, as if trying to keep the emotion inside. She didn’t seem to be aware of Mark’s presence, jumping as he reached out to touch her.
‘I’ll find her, Mel,’ he said quietly. Cautiously, he moved closer, gently coaxing her around to face him. ‘I will find her, I promise,’ he repeated, his voice thick with emotion.
Poor bastard, he looked worse than Lisa had ever seen him. Even after losing little Jacob, when he’d been struggling on all fronts, drinking too much, sleeping little, he hadn’t looked so utterly drained.
Clearly as exhausted as he was, Melissa allowed him to pull her closer. Lisa hoped to God they could find some comfort in each other. They didn’t deserve this on top of everything else. Relieved as she saw Mel drop her head to Mark’s shoulder, Lisa was about to discreetly leave when Melissa spoke.
‘Why?’ she asked sharply, pulling away from him. ‘Why, Mark?’
Lisa’s heart sank as Melissa glared up at Mark, her expression a toxic mix of raw pain and pure anger.
‘Why did you trash everything?’ Melissa demanded. ‘Throw your family away? Try to drive me half out of my mind? You bastard!’
Shaken, Mark struggled to answer. ‘Mel, don’t,’ he tried, attempting to close the space between them.
‘I can’t do this. I can’t. I want her back! I want my baby!’ Backing away from him, Melissa screamed it.
‘Mel, please…’ Desperation in his voice, Mark stepped back towards her. ‘Please, don’t—’
‘No!’ Melissa lashed out, landing a blow to Mark’s arm. ‘I want her back! Do you hear me?’ She hit him again, the flat of her hand curling into a fist, thumping into his chest. ‘Where is she?’
Mark didn’t defend himself or attempt to stop her; he just waited until her blows became useless, ineffectual flails, and then, gently, he caught hold of her wrists. Still, he didn’t speak. Silently, he pulled her close and lowered his forehead to hers. ‘I’ll find her,’ he said hoarsely.
Guessing now was a good time to leave them alone, Lisa turned for the hall, pondering the whereabouts of Jade as she went. She couldn’t believe Mark hadn’t pushed Mel regarding the background check. If only he’d answered her texts. But then, he had been preoccupied, she supposed. And the ‘perfect’ babysitter had soon installed herself in their lives and made herself indispensable. It might be nothing to do with her, of course. She might be the angel sent from heaven that Mel had seemed to think she was. In which case, Lisa would be extremely interested to find out why she’d been fired. She’d ask Mark as soon as she could. At the station would probably be best. He would undoubtedly want to be hands-on with this, the alternative being to go slowly insane.
Sixty-Eight
JADE
‘Jade?’ Cummings sounded surprised when he answered the phone. ‘What’s happening, babe? Where are you?’ He sounded caring – as if he gave a damn in reality. The man was a chauvinistic Neanderthal of the worst kind, to whom women existed only to satiate his perverted appetites. He hadn’t needed much persuading to play games in the bedroom, throwing himself into his role with gusto. Oh, how Jade would have enjoyed bringing this sadistic little prick down. Her plans regarding the delightful Cummings, however, had changed.
‘Babe? Talk to me,’ he urged her, an impatient edge to his voice now. ‘You need to let me know where you are. You know we have people out looking for you?’
‘Looking for me… Why?’ Jade made sure to sound puzzled.
‘Cain’s kid.’ Cummings hesitated, as if he might be having an actual thought about anyone but himself. ‘She’s gone missing. You need to come in and—’
‘Poppy?’ Jade cut over him, alarmed. ‘Missing?’
‘Not Poppy. The baby,’ Cummings went on. ‘We need to know what time you last saw her. Whether you saw anyone prowling—’
‘Evie? Oh God, no.’ Jade squeezed her eyes closed, getting into the role as she emitted a heartfelt sob. ‘When? How?’
‘This morning,’ Cummings supplied. ‘We need to know what time you last saw her. Whether she was—’
‘I haven’t. I didn’t,’ Jade cut in quickly. ‘Not this morning. I… left. Suddenly,’ she said cautiously, as if not quite sure how much to disclose. ‘Last night. I had to get out. I didn’t want to leave the children, but I was scared and I didn’t know what else to do, and—’
‘Whoa – scared? Why?’
Jade gulped back a huge breath and sniffled for effect. ‘They had a row,’ she continued, after a second. ‘A dreadful argument.’
‘About?’
‘I’m not sure. What started it, I mean, but I think…’ Again, Jade paused, not wanting to appear keen to divulge.
‘It’s okay, Jade. Take your time,’ Cummings said, attempting to be sympathetic. ‘You know you can confide in me.’
Jade rolled her eyes at that. Yes, right. Hurry up and dish the dirt, you silly bitch, was more likely what he was thinking, desperate as he was to get something on Mark.
‘Melissa,’ Jade went on falteringly, ‘I think she had an affair. Mark… He’d been drinking, heavily. He was shouting. Really angry. I was upstairs, with the children. I couldn’t help but overhear.’
‘Overhear what, sweetheart?’
‘He was calling her names, awful names. He…’ Jade paused for another timely sniffle. ‘He thinks the children might not even be his.’
‘Bloody hell!’ Cummings gasped, astonished. ‘Well, well, that explains a lot. Poor bastard,’ he commiserated – and then chuckled. Clearly, he was highly amused.
Excuse me, distraught victim of crime on the line here, Jade thought, disgusted.
‘He turned on me,’ said Jade, cutting his merriment short. ‘When I came downstairs. Melissa had gone out. I’m not sure where, and he… He turned into an absolute monster. I tried to run, to fight him off but he’s so much heavier than me. I… I didn’t have any choice, Pete. Honestly, I didn’t. He…’
Jade trailed off, waited, and sure enough…
‘Are you telling me he raped you?’ Cummings asked, his tone a mixture of utter disbelief, outrage… and excitement. Definitely excitement. He would be orgasmic, Jade had no doubt, revelling at the prospect of using the information to destroy Mark Cain.
Result, she thought. Then, ‘Yes,’ she cried, emitting a wretched sob.
‘You need to come in,’ Cummings said brusquely. ‘I’ll come and fetch you.’
‘No, I’m… with a girlfriend. I’ll come to the station.’
‘As soon as possible,’ Cummings instructed. ‘We can’t let the bastard get away with this. Don’t wash away any evidence, babe,’ he said, tempering his tone to something near concern. ‘And keep this between you and me for now, will you? I don’t want him getting wind we’re onto him before we can bring him in. Okay?’
‘Uh-huh,’ Jade said timidly.