Somewhere to Hide (The Estate, Book 1) (10 page)

‘No, not really,’ Becky managed to say. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks.

‘How about doing nothing with me for a bit then?’

‘I wouldn’t have thought walking was your style.’

‘It’s not, most of the time. But sometimes I want to do something different.’ He looked at her pointedly. ‘And most of the time, I get to do what I want.’

He leant forward and kissed her lips so lightly that Becky thought she might have imagined it.

‘Do you fancy going for a ride somewhere tonight?’ he asked afterwards.

For a split second, she stalled.

Jess would kill her.

Cathy wouldn’t be too impressed either.

She glanced up, enough to see the flicker of want in Danny’s eyes. An idea popped into her head: maybe she could kill two birds with one stone. She smiled shyly and nodded before she could change her mind.

‘Cool,’ Danny grinned.

Becky felt as if butterflies were flapping around inside her tummy. She’d never been on a date before. She couldn’t wait, even if there would be hell to pay if she was caught. Danny kissed her again as she made her plan to escape. Even if she had to shimmy down the drainpipe by herself, she would get out to see him tonight. After all, she’d only been in trouble that one night so Cathy would think it was Jess that had led her astray.

‘I feel like I’m starting school again,’ Liz told Cathy as she followed her up the path towards the community house. ‘I’m so nervous.’

‘It’ll be fine,’ Cathy soothed as she opened the front door. ‘Josie will sort you out. Besides, it’s usually quieter in here around lunch time.’

Liz left her nerves in the street and headed in after Cathy. The community house had originally been two semi-detached properties. Doorways had been knocked through from kitchen to kitchen, giving the house six rooms and two bathrooms upstairs, two kitchen areas and two meeting rooms downstairs. The inner wall between the hallways had been removed making a double staircase with one entrance.

Liz spotted the signs on the wall in front of her:
Kids
with an arrow to the right and
Adults
with an arrow to the left. She could hear the deep thud of the base music in the background as they went through the door on the left.

‘Hello, ladies,’ said a young man with short, spiked hair and an abundance of tattoos and piercings. He was sitting behind a desk.

‘Hey, Justin. Is Josie in? She told me she’d be around this morning.’

Justin pointed to a table by his side with a drinks machine. ‘Help yourself and I’ll get her for you.’

Liz sat down on one of two settees pushed back against the wall, a computer terminal at a desk to her right. The room was painted a pale yellow, making it welcoming but not hiding scuff marks here and there, and causing her to wonder how many people came through it every day. Over the fireplace, a notice board advertised local college courses, imminent meetings and places to find advice. A radio played low in the background. Above the door in this room, the sign said
No kids allowed.

A few minutes later, Josie clicked across the laminate floor towards them.

‘Liz!’ She smiled as she drew level and held out a hand. ‘We’ve finally got you here.’

‘Hi.’ Liz shook it timidly, unable to stop shaking.

Josie clasped her other hand around Liz’s. ‘Hey, no need to be nervous about anything while you’re here,’ she reassured. ‘We’re one big happy family.’

‘Actually, she’s right.’ Justin joined them again. ‘She’s like my mother – a bloody slave driver.’

Josie raised her eyebrows. ‘I suppose you’ve met the apple of my eye.’

‘Apple of your eye, my arse,’ Justin quipped. He grabbed a ringing phone. ‘Good morning, you’re through to the community house. How may I help you?’

‘Right,’ said Cathy. ‘I’m off next door to see what’s going on.’ She checked her watch. ‘See you back here in half an hour?’

‘What can I do for you?’ Josie asked Liz after they’d gone upstairs into her office and made themselves comfortable. ‘Please tell me you want to attend one of my women in crisis sessions.’

 ‘Is that okay?’ Liz asked. ‘You don’t do them in batches, do you?’

‘No, you can join in whenever you like.’ Josie took a folder from a drawer in her desk and handed it to Liz. ‘I made the course that way on purpose. You can also come for one week or one hundred weeks. It’s up to you.’

‘Will I have to talk about anything in particular?’

‘Oh no. Not unless you want to.’

‘It’s hard sometimes.’ Liz looked out of the window for a moment, concentrating on a young mum walking by, dragging her toddler along by the side of another child in a pushchair. ‘God, I’m so embarrassed, having to say all of this,’ she added.

Josie sat forward. ‘Please don’t be. Once you get to know some of the women here, they’ll open up and tell you their stories. The important thing is that you’re not the only one that something bad has happened to. And I think it’ll do you good to hear that. And to talk to people who’ve been through it. I’ll introduce you to Suzie: she’ll tell you her story. It’s a heart-breaking tale but Suzie has come out fighting. She’s a different woman from the one I met last year.’

Josie paused a minute. ‘I’m glad you came at last.’ She smiled warmly when Liz didn’t speak. ‘I knew something was going on, even though you couldn’t tell me. I remember the last time when I visited –’

Liz held up a hand for her to stop. There were tears in her eyes as she recalled the situation Josie was referring to. Josie had been called out from the housing association because someone had complained about the noise again. She and Kevin had been arguing then too. But when he answered the door, Kevin had denied everything being suggested. Liz heard Josie ask to see her and eventually Kevin called her through. Her face had clear marks where his fingers had pressed into her cheeks. Luckily for her, Josie had known better than to question Kevin there and then.

‘I’m sorry,’ said Josie. ‘I didn’t mean to stir up bad memories.’

‘I just don’t want to be reminded of it,’ Liz explained.

‘Then are you sure you’re ready to come to the sessions? Sometimes they can be pretty distressing. Very up-lifting as well, but often heart-breaking. Will you be able to deal with that?’

‘I have to. I need to build up my confidence. I’d like to get a job, something part-time maybe, to work around Chloe’s school hours.’

‘This will certainly get you on that road to recovery.’ Josie smiled encouragingly. ‘Is there anything else that you need to know for now?’

‘Yes. I’m sure when I move from Cathy’s that Kevin will find out where I am. And I’m bloody well not moving out of the area. So…’ Liz glanced down for one split second before sitting upright with assertion. ‘How do I go about getting an injunction or a harassment order or whatever?’

Later that evening, Becky stood in front of the tiny wardrobe mirror in her room checking her appearance meticulously. She wore Jess’s lipstick. She wore Jess’s mascara, Jess’s blusher and eyeshadow and she had Jess’s black and white top on too. She also still had the shoes that she’d been lent. The only thing she could call her own was her trashy underwear.

She pulled up the top and stared down at the once-white bra, one of the only items of clothing she’d arrived at Cathy’s with. It certainly wasn’t seducing material: she’d have to remember not to take off her top. Either that or she’d have to whip her bra off if Danny did.

Thinking of Danny made her recall the kiss they’d shared that morning. She knew from its intensity that he wanted more. So everything had to be just perfect if she was going to have sex with him tonight. If she didn’t look her best, she knew he’d swap her for the more experienced Jess in an instant. Her hands shook as she ran her fingers over her hair again, trying to tame down a few unruly hairs. Had she got enough guts to go through with her plan? It was quite simple really. She would sleep with Danny Bradley and then she would forget everything her uncle had done to her. The memory would be erased. Then maybe she wouldn’t feel so cheap.

Hearing a horn peep outside, she ran to the window. She caught sight of Danny pointing to the end of the street as he drove past quickly. Becky opened the window and jumped out onto the roof. Despite the trouble she’d be in with Cathy, there was no way she wanted to be seen by Jess. She’d risk a telling off.

CHAPTER TEN

Cathy was in the living room that evening when Liz joined her. She noticed her weary footsteps, her pale skin giving her a sickly flush. In need of a wash, her hair was tied back from her face, almost hidden out of the way.

‘Has Chloe gone off yet?’ she asked her as she flopped down beside her on the settee.

‘She’s in bed but she isn’t asleep. I’ve left her reading a book, although I know she should be settled by now. Where is everyone?’

‘Jess is out, probably causing havoc somewhere, and Becky’s in her room.’ She pointed to an open bottle of red wine. At Liz’s nod, she poured her a glass and they sat in companionable silence while
Coronation Street
came to its conclusion.

‘Has Chloe said anything about Kevin lately?’ Cathy opened the conversation again.

Liz sighed long and heavy. ‘I’ve been trying to talk to her tonight about it.’

‘And?’

‘She says she doesn’t want to see him. She says he’s a monster.’

‘Hmm – she got that right.’

‘I miss my home,’ said Liz. Then, ‘I didn’t mean –’

Cathy raised her hand. ‘Don’t mind me. I try my best with this place but it can only be a temporary substitute. Home should always be a special place.’

‘Please don’t think that I’m ungrateful,’ Liz tried to explain. ‘I can’t thank you enough for taking us in. If you hadn’t, I don’t know what would have happened.’

‘I do. You would have gone back, taken a little bit more and then found another way out. And another until you’d got away again.’

There was silence for a moment.

 ‘He turned into a –’ Liz struggled for words to describe Kevin, ‘a – a monster. Chloe was right. It’s the perfect description.’

‘I bet he didn’t want you to go to work either?’

Liz shook her head. ‘He said he earned enough for me to stay at home and look after Chloe.’

‘So he had control over the money?’

‘He gave me enough for the shopping. He paid all the bills though.’

‘Did you ever go out?’

‘Not as a family. Kevin used to meet up with his friends but I lost touch with all of mine.’

Cathy nodded knowingly. ‘He controlled you. That’s a form of domestic abuse in itself. Some men get their kicks out of it. It makes them feel superior, taking their inferior thoughts and hiding them away so that no one can mock them for being a coward. Because that’s what they all are, cowards the lot of them.’

Liz took a sip of wine before replying. ‘I didn’t have any choice. If I let him have his own way, then Chloe was sheltered from it. It worked until a month ago.’

‘Were you with anyone before you met him?’

‘Not anything long-term.’

‘That’s a pity. If he’s the only one you can compare a marriage to, then it’s no wonder you stayed with him for so long. Do you think he’ll ever leave you alone for good?’

‘I doubt it. Though if I’d had the courage to leave sooner, I probably wouldn’t be in this mess. I wish there were more places like this. Instead, all battered women get are scummy bed and breakfasts. They were worse than being with Kevin. No wonder women go back to the life they know yet hate.’

‘And is that the only reason you would go back?’

‘That and the promises he’d make.’ Liz looked shamefaced. ‘I believed him because I wanted to go home, get Chloe settled again. When Josie said that a hostel might be our only choice, I was halfway out of the door. Then she suggested you might be able to help.’

Cathy smiled. ‘I’m glad to be of assistance. I’ve told you before, you and Chloe can stay here for as long as you want. My house is always open to you – although I can’t promise there will be a bed for you if you leave. Unfortunately someone else will probably want it.’

‘All the same, it’s good to hear. I do need to find somewhere else soon but for now I’m staying put. I want to feel safe before I can think about what to do next. A few weeks here will let me clear my head, make me stronger. The more I keep away from Kevin, the better I’ll become. His hold on me will weaken. It will, won’t it?’

Cathy sighed. ‘I hope so. We can try and help you – me and Josie – but you have to do the hardest part of it yourself. Then again, I think you already know that, don’t you?’

‘I was pregnant,’ Liz said, her eyes brimming with tears. ‘The last time he hit me. I was pregnant and he knew.’

‘Was?’

‘I lost it. He took my baby. I can never forgive him for that.’

‘Is that why you were so upset about Becky?’

‘Yes.’ Liz sniffed. ‘How can she be so thoughtless when all I wanted was another child?’

‘She didn’t know you had lost yours.’