AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She looks just fine,” she says. “What a lovely baby you have. And you’re a lucky girl having such a brave mummy, aren’t you?”
“I’m not her mum,” I say, my bottom lip trembling. “I’m just her nanny.”
Janie frowns, clearly puzzled, but James interrupts whatever she’s about to say as he walks up and asks, “Is she all right?”
“A bit shaken up,” the other paramedic says. “Are you hurt anywhere else?”
“No.” All I can think is that I’m so relieved Leia is okay.
“Rest and TLC,” Janie says cheerfully. “You’ll be right as rain tomorrow.”
“What about Blue?” I ask as I see a police officer walking him down the steps toward the car.
“I’ll call my lawyer later,” James states. “That man will never come anywhere near you or Leia again.” He speaks firmly, with authority, and both police officers just nod.
“We’ll need you both to come in and make a written statement,” one of them says. “Tomorrow will be fine.”
“Thank you.” James walks away with them, and they chat for a few minutes before the officers finally head away.
The terrace is still full of people, mainly staff from Kia Kaha, talking amongst themselves and looking horrified by the turn of events.
“Is there anything we can do?” Missie asks.
“I think we’ll be okay,” James says. “I’ll take them both home now.”
I let him help me to my feet. Ooh, I feel as if I’ve been run over by a bus.
“Give me Leia,” he says. He takes her from me and clips her into her seat. She doesn’t want to go and starts squealing.
“She’s upset,” I say tearfully.
“She’ll be all right,” he says. “Come on.” He slides a hand beneath my elbow.
“Call us if you need anything,” Alex states.
“Will do,” James says.
Gaby gives me a hug. “Call me later, okay?”
I nod. James takes me over to the car, opens the passenger door, and helps me in. Then he buckles Leia into the back seat before getting in the driver’s side.
He waves to everyone watching as he pulls away and heads for home.
Leia is still wailing, and I wish I’d thought to give her a dummy. I ferret in my purse and find one, then twist in the seat to give it to her.
“Ow,” I say as a sharp pain stabs my side.
“What is it?” he asks.
“Just my elbow.” I give Leia her dummy, and she quietens.
“I want you to tell me what happened,” he says. “Step by step. You don’t have to do it right now if you don’t want to, but I need to know. I’m going to call Ethan and take out a restraining order. With any luck Blue will do some time for assault, too.”
“I don’t mind telling you now.” I go through it with him, explaining how Blue was standing there waiting for me. “He was angry that we’d gotten married,” I say. “I think he decided on the spur of the moment to take Leia. I don’t know why—I don’t know if he was thinking about asking for a ransom, or if he just thought that because she was his, he deserved to have her, but—”
“She’s not his,” James says curtly. “She’s mine. And I’m not going to let him within an inch of her again.”
I look at him. His face is white—he’s furious, and also, I think, terrified at the thought of what happened.
