Snatched (28 page)

Terry felt like pointing out that he wasn’t the one who always started the arguments, but he held his tongue, because he knew that none of this would ever have happened if he hadn’t been caught in bed with Leanne in the first place. He and Sue would still have split up at some point, because things hadn’t been good between them for a while before it had happened. But, much as he loved Leanne and had no regrets about being with her, he
did
regret the way it had happened, because he should have done the decent thing and left Sue before he got involved with anyone else. But you couldn’t change the past; you could only alter the way you dealt with it in the present.

As if echoing his thoughts, Sue said, ‘I’m not blaming you for everything. We both did things we shouldn’t have done, but we’ve got to let go of all that and concentrate on the kids.’

‘That’s what I’ve been trying to do,’ Terry replied, making a real effort not to sound accusing.

‘I know,’ Sue murmured, her chin wobbling as she struggled to contain the tears that were threatening to spill over. ‘And I know I haven’t made it easy for you. But it’s been really hard for me, because I’ve not just had you to deal with, I’ve had
her
up in my face as well. And I’m sorry, Terry, but I just don’t like her. And neither do the kids.’

Terry didn’t answer, because there was nothing he could say. It was true. The kids didn’t like Leanne, and she couldn’t stand them. In hindsight, he should have kept the two relationships completely separate until everything had settled down. But it wasn’t that easy when you were dealing with someone like Leanne. If you tried to exclude her, she thought something was going on and made your life hell until you stopped doing whatever it was. And that was exactly what he
had
done when things came to a head between her and Sue: stopped seeing the kids. Not because he’d wanted to, but because it had felt like the right thing to do at the time – for them. As Sue had just said, they’d already seen too much nastiness, and he’d thought it fairer just to back off and let them get settled again.

‘I’m sorry,’ Sue said now, her voice so quiet that they all almost missed it.

But Terry heard it, and his eyes were dark with his own guilt as he asked, ‘What are you sorry for? You didn’t do anything wrong.’

‘I must have,’ Sue sniffed, reaching into her pocket for the already soggy tissue she’d been carrying around all day. ‘No, I
know
I did,’ she corrected herself, dabbing at an escaping tear. ‘I let myself go, and you found someone better. But, hey . . .’ Shrugging, she dredged up a sad smile. ‘You’re still with her, so it must have been the right decision.’

It was the first time she’d smiled at him in months, and Terry saw a flash of the girl he’d once loved behind it. It didn’t make him suddenly want to get back with her, but he was grateful that she was big enough to forgive him and wish him well like that. And if she could move on for the sake of the kids, then he would bend over backwards to do his part – whatever shit Leanne threw at him.

‘Anyone for another cuppa?’ Pauline asked, pushing her chair back and standing up. ‘I’m parched, and I doubt we’ll get another chance once the film crew turns up.’

Bustling away when they all nodded, Pauline bypassed the tea urn and rushed out to the toilets, perilously close to bursting into tears with the emotion of it all. She’d been happy enough just playing a part in bringing everybody together today, but she was so proud of herself for having had a hand in getting Sue and Terry talking again. And who knew . . . if they carried on communicating like they were right now, there might be a happy ending for that little family.

It was just a shame that they’d have to start again from scratch – next door to somebody who might not yet have reached Pauline’s level of understanding, and who could make them feel as unwelcome as she once had. But if they made it that far, she was pretty sure they’d be strong enough to cope with whatever else came their way.

Fully aware by now that Terry was in there with
her
, Leanne was desperately trying to get inside. But the doors were locked, and Pauline’s women were refusing to open up, telling her that there was official police business taking place. Infuriated, she started kicking the door – only for her dad to grab her and march her around to the car park.

‘When are you going to grow up and stop being so flaming childish?’ he barked, opening the passenger door of his car and shoving her in. ‘You know the filth are in there, so are you trying to get yourself arrested, or what?’

‘I’m
trying
to get to my boyfriend,’ Leanne growled, folding her arms sulkily. ‘Not that it’s any of your business.’

Reminding her gruffly that she
was
his business, whether she liked it or not, Dave tossed a spliff to her, saying, ‘Get that smoked and chill the fuck out before you do something stupid.’

Snatching the lighter out of his hand, Leanne lit up, even though she knew it would mellow her out – which she didn’t want, because she desperately wanted to let Terry see how mad she was.

‘I hate that bitch so much!’ she snarled. ‘She’s been trying to get her claws into Terry for months, and now the pair of them are locked away in there together. But she’s not having him back. I’ll
kill
her first.’

‘Don’t talk shit,’ Dave said calmly. ‘No one’s going to kill anyone.’

‘Wanna bet?’ Leanne muttered, her dark tone letting him know that nothing he or anyone else said was going to deter her.

‘Behave,’ Dave snapped, peering at her sternly. ‘I thought you’d have learned your lesson thinking you can take Sue on from the last time.’

Furious with him for reminding her about the pasting Sue had given her, Leanne said, ‘She got lucky and caught me off guard. But it won’t happen again. And there’s no way she can take me
and
me mam on, so let’s see how she copes with that.’

‘Leave your mam out of this,’ Dave warned her sharply. ‘I mean it, Lee. No more. Just let Sue be and get on with your own life. You’ve already got her man, so drop it.’

Taking another hard pull on the smoke, Leanne glared at him with narrowed eyes. ‘How come you’re always sticking up for her over me?’

Shaking his head, Dave stroked a finger down her cheek, saying, ‘What did I tell you earlier? Didn’t I say you’re my little darlin’ and you always will be? Yeah, so quit talking shit about me taking sides, ’cos my loyalty’s with you.’

‘No, it’s not,’ Leanne retorted sulkily, jerking her head away from his touch. ‘Even me mam says you were out of order over that fight. That’s why she kicked you out.’

‘She didn’t kick me out, I left, and Sue had nothing to do with it,’ Dave told her coolly. ‘Anyhow, I’m not interested in what your mam thinks. I’m trying to get
you
to wise up, ’cos the more you kick off, the more you’re letting Sue know you’re scared of her.’

‘I’m not fucking scared of
her
!’

‘Threatened, then,’ Dave corrected himself. ‘If you react like this every time Terry goes near her, she’s bound to wonder what you’re so worried about. And if she thinks that
you
think she’s still in with a chance, she might just think it’s worth holding out for him. So if I was you, I’d make out like you wouldn’t care if she was standing in front of him bare-arsed naked, ’cos he’s yours.
That
will let her know where she stands.’

Chewing this over, Leanne realised that he was right. But it was hard to pretend you felt secure when you didn’t. And what if she was wrong and Terry
did
still have feelings for Sue? If she backed off, wouldn’t it make it easy for them to get back together?

‘It’s all in the way you play the game,’ Dave told her, smiling slyly. ‘You watch; it’ll all come right in the end – for everyone.’

Giving him a quizzical look, Leanne said, ‘Watch it, Dad. You almost sound like you don’t mind about me and Terry any more.’

Shrugging, Dave said, ‘Life’s too short for me and you to be falling out. So if you want to be with him, I’ll just have to swallow it, won’t I? Like you said earlier, you’re not a baby any more.’

Unaware of his real reason for this sudden change of heart, Leanne felt a rush of love towards him. He talked shite a lot of the time, but when it really counted he always had her best interests at heart. And if he was finally getting used to the idea of her and Terry being together, then that couldn’t be a bad thing, because there was nothing she’d like more than for her family to get back together. She’d always loved her dad, so it would be great if she could invite him round to the flat at last. Maybe tomorrow. She could cook a proper Sunday dinner, and it would be just like the old days – her dad and Terry having a drink and a laugh, while Leanne and her mum . . .

No, sack that last bit. She didn’t want her mum coming round any more often than she already did. But it
would
be good to see more of her dad. And if she could get him and Terry back to being mates, Terry might chill out – which would be fantastic.

‘Eh up,’ Dave murmured, gesturing with a nod towards a large white truck that was turning into the car park. ‘Looks like Pauline was right about the TV thing.’

Seeing the Granada logo on the side of the truck, Leanne felt a thrill of excitement course through her. It was
major
, getting yourself on telly. She’d been stopped once on Market Street and asked what she thought of some shit to do with the government, and loads of people had recognised her for ages afterwards. And she’d only been on screen for a few seconds that time, so how much better would it be to actually be involved in whatever they were reporting. And she
was
involved – whether Sue liked it or not. She was the missing girl’s stepmother.

Grimacing as the word entered her head, Leanne pursed her lips thoughtfully. She might hate Nicky, but she didn’t have to tell the TV people that. As far as they need be concerned, she was just as worried and upset as Terry. And Terry wouldn’t contradict her, because he’d just be glad that she’d stopped having a go at him.
And
, it would get right up Sue’s nose if she was there, supporting him, and showing the world how much in love they were. A total win-win situation, with the added bonus of getting her face on TV. But she’d have to be really careful not to cry, because that would ruin her make-up. And not too much worried frowning, or she’d end up looking as old and wrinkly as Sue. And no big smiles, either, because she was supposed to be concerned. Just a nice in-between level of caring, while still managing to look stunningly gorgeous.

Chuckling as he watched the thoughts flitting so openly across his daughter’s pretty young face, Dave said, ‘If you’re planning on getting yourself in on this, you’d best straighten up, ’cos your eyes are red enough to light a prozzie’s doorway.’

Grinning at his choice of words, Leanne handed the spliff to him and rolled the window down, breathing deeply to let the fresh air liven her up.

‘Better?’ Dave asked after a minute. ‘No more stupid ideas about Sue?’

‘Nope.’ Leanne smiled contentedly back at him. ‘You’re right. I’ve got to stop letting her think she’s getting to me, then she might just get the message and piss off out of our lives for good.’

Winking, Dave said, ‘That’s the way. And, you watch: soon as she realises she’s got no chance, she’ll get herself a new man and you won’t see her for dust.’

‘So long as it’s not you, like me mam seems to think,’ Leanne said mock-sternly. ‘’Cos I’d have to
kill
myself if that happened.’

‘As if,’ Dave drawled, grinning secretively. No point telling her anything just yet. Anyway, there wasn’t much
to
tell. But there
would
be – he was determined about that. However long it took.

‘You coming in?’ Leanne asked now, pushing the door open.

‘Nah.’ Shaking his head, Dave glanced at his watch. ‘I was supposed to be in town before your stupid mam sidetracked me. But we’re all right now, aren’t we? No more falling out?’

Saying, ‘No chance!’ Leanne threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

10

Terry felt sick. Up on the stage at the table the TV people had set up for them, he was sitting on one side of Sue, while DI Hilton was sat on the other. They weren’t actually touching, but he was close enough that he could feel the fear pouring off her, and he could clearly see how badly she was trembling. But he didn’t dare look at her or offer her any kind of reassurance, because Leanne was staring up at him from the front row.

She was smiling, but they hadn’t had a chance to talk before she came into the hall with the rest of the audience, so he had no clue what could possibly be going through her mind. She was probably seething, though, and he had no doubt that he’d get it from both barrels as soon as she got a chance. But she was behaving herself for now – thank God.

‘So, if anybody remembers seeing Nicky Day on or after Friday, the sixteenth of November, at any time from nine o’clock onwards,’ Hilton was saying, peering intently into the camera as he came to the end of his rambling speech, ‘please call one of the numbers displayed at the end of the programme.’ Then, pausing for several beats, he said, ‘Now Nicky’s parents would like to make an appeal of their own.’

Sue swallowed loudly when he turned and gave her the nod and her eyes danced with fear as she tried to locate the camera. Body and voice shaking with equal intensity, she said, ‘Nicky, if you’re listening to this, I, um, just want you to know that we love you and want you to come home. We know you’re probably scared because you think you’ve hurt Connor,’ she went on, a tear sliding down her cheek now, ‘but he’s fine, sweetheart. He’s just missing you so much. We all are. So please,
please
come home. Wherever you are, just come home.’

On the back foot when she dissolved into sobs, and the camera panned towards him, Terry said, ‘Er, yeah . . . Nicky, if you’re watching . . . like your mum said, we just want you to come home. I promise you’re not in trouble, and nobody’s been hurt, so there’s nothing to worry about. We’re just really worried about you, and we need to know where you are. And even if you don’t want to speak to us, just call someone –
any
one – and let them know you’re okay. Whatever’s wrong, we can fix it.’