Wait to be found? Hope he’ll give up and go? Jump out wailing like a banshee and hope he’ll flee? Yes. I raised my hands ready to shove the door and leap.
Then a child’s voice cracked the silence. ‘Uncle Ricky, hiya.’
Footsteps, hubbub. Clattering sounds, voices.
I let my hands fall. Stepped from behind the door and out of the lounge to find Ricky and Debbie’s daughter in the hall. He looked at me in astonishment. Behind him, in the kitchen, I saw Debbie and the boys, laden with bags and lunchboxes.
I took a couple of paces forward, stared at her.
‘Oh, hiya,’ she looked pale and shaky but she smiled and laughed nervously.
‘Debbie,’ I said ‘I asked you to wait here. I didn’t know where you’d gone.’
Ricky frowned, glanced from me to his sister.
‘I got here and the back door was wide open and he was still there across the street.’
Ricky moved towards the front door.
‘He’s gone now,’ I snapped, ‘and I didn’t get a chance to go after him because you called me and I thought you needed my help, and when I get here it’s like the Marie Celeste and you’re nowhere to be found.’
‘I had to get the children,’ she chewed on her chain.
‘I rang the school,’ I said ‘as I promised I would. I asked you to wait, said we’d go together. I didn’t know what had happened to you. You left the door wide open, you know, anyone could have walked in.’
‘Sorry,’ she giggled again breathlessly and smiled at me. But her eyes were bright with fear. ‘I’m fine now.’
Much as I admired the reserves of strength she must have summoned to get herself out of the house in that state and collect her kids, I still had one overwhelming impulse towards Debbie Gosforth.
I wanted to slap her face.
I had a look round the nearby streets in case I could see the stalker’s car, but had no joy.
Back at Debbie’s the children were watching television and Debbie and Ricky were in the kitchen. I sat down and accepted a cup of tea. Then I collected some more details from her.
The phone calls had continued. She was following the phone company’s advice; they would monitor the situation, see if he got tired of the lack of reaction. There had been another letter. She handed it to me with trembling fingers. The spiky, black writing added an edge to the venomous sentiments expressed. At times he’d pressed so hard that the paper was torn. G quoted some Biblical passages about harlots and vengeance, and went on to claim that Debbie had betrayed their love and tried to destroy him. I will get you, he had written, the words underlined several times for effect. Slag, whore, sister of Jezebel. I will cut off your breasts, rip out your tongue.
‘Oh God, this is horrible.’ I handed the first page to Ricky.
G ended with a plea for reconciliation. I can forgive you, Debbie, and destiny can find its way and our true love shine. Don’t let them poison your mind any more. Don’t let them strangle our love. You know in your heart that what you are doing is wrong. Debbie, my love is a flame that will never die. Now that I have found you I will never let you go. WE WILL BE TOGETHER. G
I sighed and passed Ricky page two.
I had to push and prompt to get Debbie to talk. She had noticed him watching the house as she returned from shopping early that afternoon. He’d approached her. As she got to that part of her story, she began to tremble violently, almost unable to speak. Ricky shifted in his seat, tried to take her hand but her hands flew here and there touching the studs in her ears, grazing the chain, patting her hair.
She laughed incongruously. ‘He said he’d been waiting. He-’ She stopped abruptly, and her face went blank. ‘Are you staying for tea, Ricky?’ Her brother was as nonplussed as me. ‘I’ve got lasagne in the freezer.’
‘Debbie,’ I said gently, ‘did he touch you?’
She looked at me crossly. I was an irritation.
‘What did he do? I need to write it down, for evidence.’
‘I didn’t do anything!’ she exclaimed.
‘I know. You haven’t done anything wrong. This man is frightening you, that’s why I’m here. What he is doing is wrong. We want to stop him. What did he do?’
Her hands lighted on her hair, her chain again, then she crossed them round her neck. ‘He held me.’
‘Like, that round your neck?’
‘He kissed me.’ She began to cry.
‘Jesuschrist,’ Ricky swore and stood up abruptly.
‘I’m sorry,’ she wailed.
‘Debbie, it’s all right. He shouldn’t have done that; it’s an assault. it’s not your fault. Debbie?’ She looked up at me. ‘Did he do anything else?’ She shook her head.
‘What he did, that’s a criminal offence, he can be charged.’
‘Mum.’ A child’s voice from the lounge.
She stood quickly, wiped her face roughly with her hands, and went through to the lounge.
‘Ricky?’ He stood with his back to me, arms braced on the edge of the sink looking out to the backyard. ‘Your sister needs to see her doctor. She can’t take this.’
‘Bastard!’ He banged his fist on the edge of the sink.
‘I know. Look, she shouldn’t be on her own. Can you stay with her? Is there anyone else?’
He nodded. ‘I’ll be here.’ He turned to face me. ‘If he comes within a mile of this place I’ll smash his fucking face in. I’ll do for him, I will.’
‘I can see how you feel but that’s not what Debbie needs at the moment,’ I told him. ‘She needs to feel safer, calmer. Maybe there’s somewhere else she could stay, her and the kids. She needs to get out of here till we’ve sorted this guy out. She’s cracking up.’ I emphasized it.
‘What d’you expect?’ He rounded on me. ‘First she’s in the bomb, that does her head in, then this pervert.’
‘I know,’ I retorted, ‘but the best you can do is to just get her some help. Take her to a doctor, get her out of here. Don’t keep ranting on about the stalker and what you’ll do to him. Concentrate on her. Ring me when you’ve sorted something out.’
He glared at me for a moment then nodded. ‘What about…?’
He jerked his head towards the front of the house.
‘If there’s any sign, ring me. I’m going to brief the neighbours, ask them to look out too.’
‘If you’d followed him today…’ he began sulkily.
‘I couldn’t. I had Debbie in hysterics on the phone and when I found that door open I didn’t know what to expect, what she might have done to herself.’
He looked at me. The prospect of suicide appalled him. ‘Nah.’ He shook his head then laughed dismissively. ‘Nah, Debbie would never do anything like that.’
‘Maybe not, but she’s ill. She’s cracking up, Ricky.’
Debbie came in then. I told her I’d be asking the neighbours to look out for the stalker and let me know when he returned. I said that Ricky had promised to stay with her for the time being. I left it up to him to discuss moving out for a while. Then I asked her where her tablets were.
She looked confused, went out and returned with a bottle. I read the label. ‘Have you had any today?’
She appeared to think about it then her face became dreamy and vague. I checked the date and counted out the tablets. By my reckoning, she’d missed three doses.
‘Take one now,’ I suggested, it’ll make you feel better.’ She complied.
‘I’m fine she said, her smile trembling. ‘Just fine.’ Then her hands began to dance again.
Chapter Seventeen
‘Mrs Deason? Sal Kilkenny here.’ An intake of breath.