CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
I couldn’t stop shaking as I rushed around at home,making sure I had everything I needed for a few days away. But when I foundmyself getting into a full-on panic, I made myself sit down on the bed and takesome deep breaths.
All I really needed was a change of clothes, a fewtoiletries and my bank card, so that I could book a place for us to stay. Andnow that I had those, it was time to go. I leaped up, grabbed the hastilypacked overnight bag and ran down to Poppy, who was waiting quietly by thefront door.
‘Right. Let’s go!’ I gave her a big smile, hoping she mightthink of this as a big adventure, rather than a desperate escape from acontrolling monster. At the last minute, I dived into the kitchen and grabbed abox of her favourite chocolate cookies, and a minute later, we were drawing upoutside Rachel’s house.
She was standing on the doorstep with a suitcase, talking tosomeone on the phone. And when she saw us arrive, she sent me a look ofdesperate panic.
I told Poppy to stay in the car and I jumped out to get thesuitcase.
‘What’s wrong?’ I mouthed, as Rachel continued to listen towhoever it was on the other end.
‘It’s Darren. The police want to talk to him.’ She put it onspeaker phone and immediately the air filled with loud and furious curses.
‘I can’t bloodybelieveyou phoned the police. Whydid you do that, Rachel? You know I never meant to hurt you. And let’s face it,you were asking for it. Christ, why would youdothat to me?’
Furious, I grabbed the phone and yelled, ‘Actually, Darren, itwasmewho phoned the police.Itold them what you did, so don’tgo blaming Rachel. That woman has never been anything but kind to you,forgiving you over and over again when no one else would. And for yourinformation, she’s leaving with Poppy and me right now, so if you try to comeback here, you’ll find the house all locked up, and if you try to break in, I’msure the police will be even more interested in talking to you.’
He yelled a few choice curses at me, but I brushed them off.
‘Not listening. Right, we’re going now, Darren. Some placeyou’ll never find us. So get lost, you controlling bastard!’ And I ended thecall.
Grabbing the suitcase, I practically threw it into the boot,still trembling with rage. We got in the car, Rachel in the back seat besidePoppy, and I managed to find first gear and drive away.
I’d no idea where we were going. I was planning to justdrive into the country but I had no plans beyond that. We’d work something outas we went. For now, it was just imperative that Darren was kept away fromRachel. I couldn’t risk him taking his revenge on her for getting the policeinvolved. Or talking to her and managing to wheedle his way back into heraffections, as he’d done so many times in the past...
But as we drove out through Torminster, Poppy – who’d beensilent in the back, cuddling into Rachel – suddenly sat up and pointed.‘There’s Grandma Rosemary!’
I looked up ahead and sure enough, Rosemary’s little bluecar was sitting at the entrance to her driveway on the left, and as we passed,our eyes met. She was talking to someone on the phone and by the furious lookon her face, I just knew it was Darren. Seeing me, she ended the call andclutched the wheel, looking frantically both ways, trying to get out of herdriveway.
My heart was beating so fast, I could hardly breathe. Darrenmust have told her what we were doing – that we were leaving without him.Rosemary would be frantic she might not see Poppy again.
Poppy was turning around and waving as I glanced anxiouslyin the rear-view mirror. There was a steady stream of traffic behind us, andluck seemed to be on our side because one of the vehicles was a slow-movingtractor, some way behind us. Rosemary was still having difficulty getting outonto the road and I watched the tractor lumber past her gate with a sense ofrelief. The last thing we needed was for Darren’s mother to catch up with us andfollow us to our destination, wherever that might be...
I hit the accelerator and overtook the van in front of us atthe first opportunity. Now out of the town, we had a clear way ahead and I spedoff, leaving Rosemary moving at a snail’s pace behind the tractor.
‘Where are we going?’ Rachel’s voice sounded tremulous. ‘Doyou think Rosemary will catch up?’
I shook my head and murmured, out of Poppy’s earshot, ‘Notif I have anything to do with it. She looked really angry. He must have toldher I’d reported him to the police for hurting you. She thinks butter wouldn’tmelt, as far as her darling Darren is concerned. He can do no wrong in hereyes. So she no doubt thinks we’re lying.’
‘But I want to see her,’ fretted Poppy, still looking behindher to try and catch a glimpse of Rosemary’s car.
‘You will, love,’ comforted Rachel in a soothing tone. ‘It’sjust that right now, we have something we need to do. You, me and AuntieEnzie.’
‘Like the old times? Can we go to the beach?’
‘Definitely.’ I smiled at her in the rear-view mirror. ‘Andwe’ll have raspberry ripple ice-creams and a paddle in the sea.’
‘Today?’
‘Not today, my love. Today, we’re going to find a lovely placeto stay the night, so that’ll be nice, won’t it?’
‘Will I have my own bedroom?’
‘Maybe. We’ll have to see,’ smiled Rachel, rallying alittle. I noticed that with every mile we drove from the house and Darren, sheseemed to be growing in strength.
I’d been taking little side roads, getting deliberately offthe beaten track and checking constantly in my mirror to make sure Rosemary wasn’tfollowing us. So far, so good. At last, feeling safer, I turned left down a narrow,tree-lined lane and parked well into the side, under a canopy of leaves.
