‘Looking forward to the panto on Monday!’ I called to her,and she turned her head again and tried to smile.
I felt as low as Poppy’s mood, but I told myself that atleast she was back at school in a few days’ time. Seeing all her friends againwould cheer her up. And then there was Monday’s treat to look forward to.
At that point, I had no idea that this year, we wouldn’teven make it to the pantomime...
CHAPTERTWENTY
It was the first Sunday in January – the day before Iwas due to take Poppy to the pantomime – when everything with Rachel and Darrencame to a head.
I’d been to the supermarket in Torminster in the morning,doing my usual weekly shop. After doing jobs around the house, I’d just satdown at the kitchen table to go through my emails and look at my work schedulefor the week ahead, when there was a knock on the door.
Even as I got up to answer it, the knock came again, loudenough to alarm me.
Poppy was shouting my name. ‘Auntie Enzie! Auntie Enzie! Letme in!’
I flung the door wide, expecting Poppy to bolt straight intothe house. But she wasn’t alone. She was standing there, holding the hand of aworried-looking blonde-haired woman in jeans and a leather jacket.
‘What’s happened?’ I asked, glancing from one to the other.Poppy looked as if she’d been crying.
‘Mummy’s fighting with Uncle Darren and we can’t get in,’she burst out, flinging herself at me.
I wrapped my arms around her, smoothing her hair as I lookedanxiously at the woman for an explanation.
She leaned forward slightly and murmured, ‘My name’s Karen.Sorry to bother you but Poppy said you’d be able to help?’
‘Yes, of course.’ My heart drumming faster, I glanced overthe street to Poppy’s house.
Karen frowned. ‘Poppy was at my daughter’s birthday partythis afternoon and Rachel said she’d collect her at three with all the otherparents, but she didn’t turn up. I thought she must be running late, but when Iphoned her at three-thirty, I couldn’t get an answer, so I drove Poppy back.’ Shelooked perplexed. ‘The thing is, I could hear people in there, but we’ve rungthe bell a few times and we can’t get an answer.’
Poppy, still holding onto me tightly, looked up. ‘I’mfrightened, Auntie Enzie. I looked through the window and Uncle Darren waswalking around, shouting at Mummy on the sofa. I knocked on the window andMummy saw me, but Uncle Darren wouldn’t let her get up. He kept pushing herdown again.’
‘Right.’ A cold hand twisted my insides. I needed to get toRachel. ‘Could you stay with Poppy while I... ?’
Karen, assessing the situation, nodded quickly. ‘Yes, ofcourse. No problem. You just go.’
‘Great.’ I tried to smile at Poppy but I couldn’t. We were bothpast pretending that everything was okay. So I gave her a squeeze and murmured,‘I’ll sort it out, my love. Don’t worry. Take Karen into the house.’
‘I hope Rachel’s all right,’ Karen murmured. Then sheglanced at Poppy, putting her arm around her and squeezing. ‘She’ll be fine.Your Auntie Enzie will make sure of it.’
My heart was in my mouth as I left them on the doorstep andheaded for Rachel’s house.
When I got there, I rang the bell but there was no answer,so I hurried to the window. They weren’t there, so I ran round the back andpeered in through the kitchen window, and I saw Rachel slumped over thecounter, her back to me.
I knocked softly on the window and she turned, and my heartlurched at the sight of her bruised and bleeding face. Frantically, I pointedat the French doors and mouthed, ‘Let me in!’
She glanced fearfully at the door to the hallway, and I assumedDarren was still in there somewhere. I needed to get her out before he stoppedher from leaving.
Rachel came to the doors and to my huge relief, startedunlocking one of them. ‘Is Poppy all right?’ she mouthed, and I nodded. ‘I’vegot her. She’s safe.’
Suddenly, she froze and I heard Darren’s voice in thebackground, shouting for her. Hastily shooing me away, she turned the key againand hurried out of the kitchen, and I stood there helplessly on the other sideof the locked doors.
With trembling hands, I reached for my phone and dialled theemergency services.
I felt sick but it had to be done. Even if Rachel hated me everafterwards for taking action, she needed protection from that brute of a man.And Poppy, too.
The operator put me through to the police control room and Iquickly explained what was happening – that Rachel had been assaulted and herattacker was still in the house. She took details and assured me that thepolice would be with me shortly, if I could wait at the house for them to arrive.
My legs felt shaky as I walked back round to the front ofthe house. It was no use ringing the bell again. It was clear Rachel was too afraidto come to the door, even if Darren allowed her, which seemed unlikely. Butjust as I was resigning myself to waiting outside, the front door opened andDarren himself appeared, barging out of the house, slamming the door andstriding to his car. I don’t think he even noticed me standing there.
