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Our windows weren’t completely obscured. Her bright-blonde hair, and mine, would stand out like beacons in the dull afternoon.
“But don’t we want to stop him and say hi? Greg!” Tobi called.
He wouldn’t be able to hear her cry, nor recognise the car, but if he’d seen us, this was all over. I’d used my very last child maintenance payment to trade in my old car for this one. He couldn’t see us in it.
My pleading with my daughter finally got her to hide with me, and we played a word game, though my brain raced over the sighting. They lived in Dundee. We were in Stirling. The distance wasn’t far, a shade over fifty miles, but I knew the family. There was no reason for him to be in this town. None at all.
Maybe he was just passing through, but why leave the main road and cruise around the suburbs? Was he hunting us?
It felt unlikely, but I wasn’t sure I believed in coincidences.
The family had known I had a friend called Molly, but I’d never told them where she’d moved to.
A minute passed with only the drumming of the rain on the car roof. No engine moved closer. Nothing to say he’d seen us, though he might now know my car model and numberplate.
Carefully, I peeked up then around. The metallic-orange truck had gone.
What could I do? I couldn’t take Tobi back to the aircraft hangar, but if Greg had somehow discovered Molly’s details, we couldn’t stay here either.
Greg’s car might’ve vanished, but my illusion of safety had evaporated with it.
I had no clue what to do next.
Chapter 8
Mia
Dawn crept around the hotel room blinds. Tobi slumbered next to me in the big bed, her rosebud lips parted and her face baby-like in her sleep.
I’d slept, too, despite my brain working overtime.
The red numbers of the hotel alarm clock clicked over to six AM. I should be starting work now, but I was two hours away and potentially on my way to losing my job.
Moving lightly, I tapped a quick message to my boss.
Mia: Just to let you know, I’ve had to move appointments around this morning. I promise they’ll all be done today.
Daisy: Is everything okay? Whatever you need to do is fine. Just let me know if I can help.
No way would I ask for help. I’d already pushed my luck far too much. There had been no choice over what I’d done, though.
After seeing Greg’s car, returning to Molly’s had felt too dangerous, as had setting out on the road, so I’d searched for local hotels with private parking, then brought us straight here.I had a change of clothes, and luckily Tobi did, too, in her backpack. We’d hidden away all evening.
The time alone together had been a gift, as much as a necessity. We’d snuck out to get vending machine snacks for supper, played games and read books, then finally watched Bluey until it was time to sleep.
My phone lit with a call.
I squinted at it, spying Molly’s name, then rolled from bed to answer in the tiny bathroom.
“Hello?”
“Hey, is everything okay? How did you both sleep?” Molly asked.
“Pretty good. Did anything happen?”
My friend took a breath. “No. Nothing. There was no knock at the door or anyone lurking in the street. I made a point of taking the kids next door for a quick chat on the step, just in case your ex-family was watching. I’ll do the same again this morning. Linger about a bit to prove you aren’t here.”
I exhaled relief. “You’re such a good friend.”
