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Chapters (60)
  1. CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR LEIGH RUSSELL
  2. Glossary of acronyms
  3. Prologue
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. Acknowledgements

Reluctant to antagonise her new friend, Jessica let the matter drop. Ella was right in saying it was not her business and even though she knew her advice was sound, Ella was clearly unwilling to follow it. Jessica smiled sadly. They had more in common than Ella realised, despite the difference in their circumstances. Jason was an evil bastard too. She fervently wished there was a way she could get rid of him. If she could have been certain he would never find her, she wouldn’t have hesitated to pack a bag, walk out and not look back. She would have gone anywhere to keep Daisy safe. But she was terrified of making the situation worse if she tried to run away. And in any case, with no money of her own and no friends, there was nowhere for her to go to be free of him. She did not want to end up penniless on the street, starving, with a baby as spindly as Lily.

She left the parent and baby drop-in session early, despite Ella’s request that she stay, and hurried home. Jason was at work, but occasionally he appeared in the middle of the day, purportedly to join her for lunch. She knew he was checking up on her. Before going home, she dashed into the corner shop and bought a few pieces of fruit and a bottle of milk, and filled another bag with nappies, although she had plenty. If Jason had come home, she had her excuse lined up for having gone out. He was not there, and he did not return until the evening, and she spent the afternoon comparing her own situation with that of the woman she had met for the first time that morning, the woman who was poor but free. Given the chance, she would swap places with Ella, whatever hardship she might have to endure as a result. At least she would be free of fear.

5

5

Geraldine frowned enquiringly at the constable. ‘And how is that my job, all of a sudden? I do have a workload of my own to get through.’

As a detective sergeant it was true there was always plenty for Geraldine to do, but nothing on her desk was currently urgent.

‘Please, Sarge,’ the constable wheedled, pressing his palms together in mock supplication. There was an edge of desperation behind the comical gesture. ‘I’m convinced that nothing short of your magic touch will be able to get any sense out of her, if there is any sense to be had.’

‘Oh, all right, I’ll speak to her.’ With a sigh, Geraldine stood up. ‘It’s not like I’m that busy right now, to be honest.’

She knew the constable had approached her for help not only because she was an experienced detective sergeant, but because she had a reputation for dealing effectively with hysterical women. It was not a reputation she relished.