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“It’s him. He’s found me.”
“Let me in. You owe me that money, you thieving cow.”
“Why has he followed you?” Charlie couldn’t bear any more drama this evening. Torn between returning Elda’s call and dealing with Kim’s angry boyfriend, she chose to sort the crisis right in front of her first. Elda would have to wait. “Stay in the kitchen. I’ll deal with this.” She summoned the last shred of calm remaining in her body. The door shook at its hinges with another round of punches. She opened it to reveal the bulky frame of Kim’s latest flame, Darren. His eyes were blazing with rage, and he showed no signs of moderating his behaviour.
“Please, I have neighbours. Could you lower your voice for me?” She spoke quietly and hoped that he’d mirror her.
“Fuck you. Where’s Kim?”
She raised her eyebrow, not expecting such a vile greeting. “Nice to meet you. I’m Charlie.”
“I know who you are. You’re the posh bitch who thinks we need your charity.”
Charlie’s abdomen tensed like she’d taken a punch to the gut. “That’s unkind. Kim and the children mean the world to me. They’re like family. I don’t offer them charity. I look after them when they need me.” Her heart was pounding. “Which is more than you do.”
“Piss off.” He moved closer and leaned into her face. “They’ve taken everything I have, the greedy bastards. She owes me.”
Charlie stepped further into his space, not giving in to his threatening leer. She met his glare with an icy scowl. The stench of his breath filled her nostrils, but she didn’t pull back. “You need to leave before I call the police.” She stilled the tremor in her hand.
“Kim, get out here.”
He burst past Charlie, shouldering her into the doorframe. Her head bounced off the wall and pain shot through her neck. He’d done some damage, but she had no time to think about it. “Kim, call the police,” she shouted. Her shoulder hung limp, sending jolts through her nerves with every step. Charlie ran after him. She had to get to Kim before Darren hurt her.
A scream echoed through the wall before Charlie made it. She thought of her phone on the kitchen counter, too far to reach. She bolted up the stairs two at a time to meet Sam and Chloe on the landing.
“What’s going on?” Sam’s mouth hung open.
“Who’s screaming? Is that Mum?” Chloe asked.
“It’s your mum’s boyfriend.”
“Darren?” Chloe began to sob.
“Call the police, Sam. Tell them where we are.” Charlie gripped the banister. “Go into my room with Jacob, out of the way. Stay up here, all three of you.”
Adrenaline pumped through Charlie’s veins as she descended the stairs. She knew just two things. She had to keep the children safe, and she wanted that piece of shit out of her house.
“I didn’t take anything, I swear!” Kim’s screams burst through the kitchen door as Charlie swung it back on its hinges. She cowered at the table, with Darren looming over her tiny frame.
“You liar. There was five-hundred quid in that drawer, and it’s not there now. So hand it over.”
Charlie weighed it up. Blind fury was unpredictable, but she could work with threatening behaviour. She’d spent enough time in custody cells to know the difference. “I’ll give you the money, Darren.” She drew his gaze from Kim, maintaining eye contact. “I’ll give you the cash. But you need to calm down and leave.”
Her phone rang again.Elda.
“Shut that phone up. I can’t think.” He screwed up his face with anger and pushed Kim shoulders.
She shook with terror, sobs catching in her throat. “Darren. I know that you’re angry right now, but you can’t storm into my house in the middle of the night.”
It was a gamble. He looked confused by her calm exterior, but it was enough for Charlie to position herself between him and Kim. “Let’s talk about what you need so you can leave, and we can come back to this conversation when everyone has had some sleep.”
“I want my five-hundred quid back. Every penny.” His shoulders sagged. Without the volume to his voice, he sounded as defeated as he looked.
“Police! Can we come in?”
Charlie breathed again at the sound of a female officer, knowing that the situation didn’t lie solely in her trembling hands anymore.
“You called the police?” He rushed at Charlie with his fist in the air.
