When I gave Darren the gift, he’d thanked me politely andsaid I’d just missed Rachel and Poppy, who’d gone shopping. I smiled politely andwalked away, although I had the weirdest feeling that Rachel and Poppy wereactually in the house and not out shopping at all.
I looked back as if I’d see an upstairs curtain twitch, butthe windows stared blankly back at me, and I told myself I was imaginingthings.
But then a few weeks later, I was brought to earth with anasty shock...
CHAPTERTWELVE
Towards the end of November, Poppy came rushing overone Sunday morning to tell me some news.
She was going to be flying on a plane for the first time.Darren had booked a Christmas break for the three of them in New York.
‘Mummy says we’ll be going skating and Santa will be thereand we’ll be going to a giant toy shop and there’ll be lots of Christmastreats.’
‘Wow, that sounds amazing, Poppy. You’ll have a brillianttime.’ I smiled, caught up in her dizzy excitement.
She nods, her eyes shining. ‘And Uncle Darren says I can takeJemima with me.’
‘How generous of him,’ I muttered to myself, as she did alittle dance around the room, holding her beloved doll out in front of her. Irecalled how delighted Poppy had been when Darren first gave her the doll. Itseemed he was now using it as leverage to make Poppy behave. There was almost asadistic element to his actions that turned my stomach.
But I felt powerless and could only pray that Rachel andPoppy enjoyed their Christmas – their first one away from home. It wastradition that I’d take Poppy to the local panto on Christmas Eve, while Rachelwas at home wrapping presents for her daughter. But luckily, this year, there’dbeen no tickets left for Christmas Eve by the time I got around to arrangingit, so I’d booked a date in early January.
‘I wish you could come with us, Auntie Enzie,’ Poppy said,flopping down breathlessly in an armchair opposite.
I smiled. ‘You’ll have a great time in New York with yourmum and Uncle Darren, and then you and I will be off to the panto when you getback.’
‘Yay!’ She sprang up, dropped her doll on the chair and ploppedherself down on the sofa next to me. ‘Can we have ice-cream and fruit chewslike last time?’
I hugged her, laughing. ‘Of course you can, poppet. Butlisten, does your mum know you’re here?’
She shook her head guiltily.
‘No? Well, I need to phone her and let her know where youare.’
‘No.’ She pulled away, a troubled look on her face. ‘Mummyand Uncle Darren were arguing so I sneaked out because they were being so loudmy ears hurt.’
My heart lurched with dread.
‘I’ll get into trouble if I go back.’ She looked scared.
‘Come on. It’ll be fine.’ I took her hand. Leaving the doorajar in my hurry, we marched across the close to Rachel’s house, where the doorwas still open, as Poppy presumably left it.
Just as we got there, the door was flung wide and Darrenstormed out, yelling, ‘And I won’t be back!’
Horrified, we froze as he strode over to his car, gunned theengine and drove off.
Turning, I glimpsed Rachel through the open door. She was sittingon the bottom stair, her face in her hands, and she hadn’t seen us.
‘Mummy,’ Poppy whispered. She ran inside and sat down besideher on the step.
Rachel looked up, startled.
Her eyes were puffy and it looked as if blood was minglingwith the tears on her cheeks. I could see a swelling to the side of her lefteye that was starting to bruise.
Shocked, I hurried over the threshold. ‘Rachel? Oh, my God,what happened? Are you all right?’
She stood up and pushed me away. ‘Look after Poppy, willyou?’ she said in a strangled voice, and as I stared at her in horror, she ranupstairs and disappeared.
Poppy looked scared so I mustered a hasty smile. ‘Your mum’sa bit tired, that’s all, love, and she’s gone for a lie down. Come on, let’s goand watch some TV, shall we?’
