Somewhere to Hide (The Estate, Book 1) (33 page)

Cathy shook her head. She knew she was being irrational. Matt wouldn’t ignore her. The signs were clearly there that he’d wanted to see her again. She reread the last text message he’d sent:

 
You really did blow me away. Can’t wait for it to happen again… and to see you again of course! Mx

It didn’t sound like he was giving her the elbow. There must be something wrong. But why would he let her worry like this? It didn’t make sense.

Sighing loudly she turned off the light, hoping that sleep would come to her soon.

The next morning, Liz woke up to what seemed to be another promising day of hot weather. She’d washed and pegged out a load of washing before Chloe got out of bed at seven thirty. At eight thirty, she kissed her daughter goodbye when Emily’s mum called for her. They were going to Chester for the day. It was mid August and since the beginning of the school holidays, Chloe and Emily had become inseparable. It was heart-warming to see Chloe smiling.

Two more loads were done by lunchtime and just before she was due to leave for the community house, she decided to tackle a couple of bits of hand washing that she’d been putting off. She thought about this week’s session as she scrubbed at them gently. It was going to be about self-confidence, something she was really looking forward to learning about. Last week, they’d been given homework to do. They’d been asked to think about what they’d like to change in their lives if they were more confident and to write it down. Liz grinned as she recalled Chloe’s look of astonishment when she’d told her. She hadn’t been so happy at her reply though. ‘You’re far too old for homework, Mum,’ she’d said in the grown-up way that only a child could.

After her initial reservations about the sessions, Liz had started to look forward to getting together with the women at the community house. The group she’d been with were really friendly, especially Suzie Rushton whom she’d bonded with immediately. Getting used to being with people again had been a huge hurdle, one she was still trying to conquer, but as Suzie had said, baby steps were all that was needed.

She folded a pair of Chloe’s shorts and put them on the pile. As she reached over for the peg bag, she knocked a glass of juice over. It splashed over her top, down the washer and onto the floor.

‘Bugger,’ she cursed aloud: she’d only just put it on. Rubbing at it with a cloth made it worse. She glanced out of the window at the washing blowing slightly in the breeze. Perhaps her blue T-shirt would be dry now. In a tizzy, she yanked open the ironing board, unravelled the cord on the iron and plugged it in. She unlocked the door and went outside.

‘Hiya, Liz,’ she heard someone say. ‘You okay?’

‘Oh, hi there.’ Liz could just about see her neighbour, Jackie, over the garden fence. ‘Enjoying the weather?’

‘I sure am.’ Jackie shielded her eyes from the midday sun. ‘I can’t believe we’ve had it for so long. Hardly any rain at all. It’s been wonderful, hasn’t it?’

‘At least your peace won’t be shattered.’ Liz un-pegged the T-shirt as she spoke. ‘Chloe’s out for the day so she won’t be chitter-chattering.’

‘I don’t mind that. I like your Chloe. She’s a real angel.’

Liz laughed as she walked back up the path. ‘You should see her when she’s after her own way. She’s a right little madam.’

‘Are you off out soon?’

‘Yes, I’m going to the community house.’ She checked her watch again. ‘Oh, Lord, I’m going to be late. I’d better get going. See you.’

Liz ran into the flat and locked the door behind her. In her bedroom, she slipped out of the juice-splattered top. As she pulled her head through the clean T-shirt, she caught sight of a shadow at the door. Before she had a chance to react, she saw Kevin blocking the doorway. He had a long-bladed knife in his hand. Fear she’d hoped never to feel again tore through her body.

‘You – you shouldn’t be here,’ she managed to stutter.

Kevin stepped towards her. Liz moved back. She felt her heels hit the skirting board on the wall behind her. He stared at her unfalteringly.

‘Please, Kevin… I …’

Kevin touched the tip of the blade, glazed eyes never leaving hers. Then he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her nearer. In one swift movement, the blade was against her throat.

Liz squeezed her eyes shut. Oh God, he was going to kill her.

‘I could waste you right here,’ he said calmly. ‘But I wouldn’t want Chloe to see you if someone brings her home when they come looking for you.’

Looking for me?
Liz gulped.

‘So I figure, you walk out in front and I’ll follow on behind.’ He moved a smidgeon closer. ‘Don’t make a murmur, a sound, anything to indicate you are scared. You will smile why we walk down the path and then get into my car. Then we’re going for a short drive. Do you understand?’

Liz’s teeth began to chatter. She wasn’t sure her legs would carry her that far. It took all of her strength to nod.

‘Good. Let’s go then, shall we?’ Kevin stared at her with those dead eyes again. She had never seen him this calm, this desensitised before. It was as if he’d planned this down to the last detail. Cautiously, she stepped past him.

‘Wait there a minute.’

Through the pine mirror on the chest of drawers, she watched as he searched in her wardrobe. She wanted to make a run for it but she knew better that that. She had to stay strong for her daughter.

Kevin pulled down her long black cardigan and placed it over his wrist and hand, concealing the knife altogether. Then he came towards her.

‘You can go now.’

Liz arched her back away from him and started to move. She unlocked the door, walked out of the flat and down the three steps to the path, all the time realising that he must have been watching her. When she thought he’d given up searching for her, he must have stayed hidden in the shadows, biding his time. Waiting for her to slip up, just like she had today. In her hurry, she’d left the door open while she’d rushed to get that T-shirt. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

When they got to the gate and it was locked, Liz realised that Kevin must have climbed over it – maybe lying in wait for a while. But where could he have hidden? Her eyes flicked to the small gap behind the bin stores. Was it possible he could have been there? And for how long?

She slid back the bolts and walked out towards the street. Kevin held onto her arm, the knife still pushing on her back, the tip of the blade staying in contact all the time.

Liz looked around the nearby gardens but apart from a man up ahead mowing his lawn, it was pretty much quiet. She’d have to do what Kevin said until she could get away.

As she got into the passenger seat of his car, she looked up to see Jackie watching from her front window. In desperation, Liz widened her eyes, hoping that this tiny movement would raise her suspicions. She didn’t dare do anything else: one wrong move and she’d be dead, she was certain.

Jackie darted out of view. Liz gulped. She wasn’t sure she’d seen her.

Oh Chloe, my darling. I’m so, so sorry.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Jackie Smythe had lived on the Mitchell Estate all of her life. At seventeen, she was married and had two children but the lout had done a runner three years later. At twenty-five, she married again. After two more kids, he left too and alcohol became her new best friend. Now in her late forties, the life she’d led had started to tell on her in more ways than one.

But Andy Baxter liked Jackie. She had a spirit about her that was needed to survive on the estate and since Josie had moved her from the notorious Stanley Avenue, Jackie had calmed her drinking down. At least, he assumed she had: he hadn’t been called out for a disturbance at her property for some time now.

So when she said she was worried about Liz McIntyre, Andy had driven round to see her immediately.

‘It might be something and nothing,’ Jackie told him. ‘You know I’m usually not one for interfering, but I can tell she’s had trouble with a fella. The look that she gave me was like a frightened rabbit. She was trapped. I was trapped. I wanted to run out to her but I didn’t dare in case he did anything stupid.’

Andy took out his notebook. ‘Can you tell me anything else? Colour, make of car? What they were wearing etc?’

‘It was some kind of Ford, navy blue. It was a four door, I think. I’d only just seen her in the garden. I was talking to her and –’

Andy raised a finger as his phone started to ring. ‘Hello? Yes. When? Where? I’m on my way.’ He disconnected the call and stood up quickly.

‘What’s wrong?’ Jackie stood up too. ‘You’ve gone quite pale for a copper.’

‘There’s something I need to check out.’ Andy shoved his notebook back into his pocket. ‘I have to go.’

‘You should finish with me before going off to deal with some scrote on the estate! ‘Liz could be in danger and as usual you don’t give a shit.’

‘It’s not like that.’ Andy handed her a card and headed for the door. ‘Can you call the police helpline, give them my badge number, explain the situation and tell them everything – anything – you know. I’ll follow up from there.’ Before getting into his car, he shouted to her. ‘You’ve been a great help, Jackie. Thanks.’

Cathy disconnected her phone. She tapped it on her bottom lip. It wasn’t like Liz to be late for the sessions at the community house, let alone not answer her mobile. She looked to the door, any second expecting her to rush through, all apologies, and sit down at the back of the room.

‘We’re out of coffee,’ Suzie shouted across to her. ‘I’m going to see if I can pinch some from The Den.’

Cathy moved to the door. ‘You stay here. I’ll go and look. Do you want to get the group started?’

Andy had seen plenty of horrors since he’d started working on the Mitchell Estate but luckily not too many deaths – and all of them had died through natural causes. This body, however, wasn’t even cold yet. Kevin McIntyre still had faint colour in his cheeks as he hung from the tree in front of him.

‘When did you find him?’ he asked PC Mark White when he reached his side.

‘About twenty minutes ago.’ Mark nodded his head in the direction of an elderly man, a young Spaniel sitting at his feet. ‘He does this walk every afternoon. When he went past earlier, he wasn’t there. When he came back,’ he pointed, ‘he was hanging. Said it gave him the fright of his life.’

‘Nothing prepares you for it, does it?’ Andy looked around. There weren’t many professionals at the scene yet, only two more police officers, but he knew that in less than half an hour, the place would be swarming with them.

He stared up at the body. There was only this one tree in the area that would support the man’s weight and height: the rest were too small. Jackie Smythe had been accurate in her description of Kevin’s clothes: jeans, blue and white striped T-shirt. A black baseball cap had been found a few feet away.

‘He doesn’t seem to have any ID,’ said Mark. ‘But I’ve seen his face enough times to know him. It’s McIntyre, isn’t it? Lived over in Douglas Close. We used to get called there on domestics. I saw him at Cathy Mason’s too.’

‘Yeah,’ nodded Andy. ‘Kevin McIntyre. He was last seen walking his wife out of her property a couple of hours ago. Neighbour reckons she looked shit scared of him. They drove off in his car. I’ve circulated details of it.’

‘Fuck!’ Mark rubbed at his chin. ‘I remember her too. Small, nice-looking, really nervy. They have a young daughter, don’t they?’

Andy nodded. ‘I’m going to drive around the streets nearby. He can’t have got far with her in such a short space of time. I’ve got to find her.’

‘I’ll come with you.’

‘Hi, Josie, it’s Cathy.’

‘Hi, how’re you doing? Have you heard from Matt?’

‘No, but that’s not why I’m calling you. Have you seen or heard from Liz this morning?’

‘No, why?’

‘She didn’t turn up for this afternoon’s session. I’ve seen her twice since last week and she said she was really looking forward to it. I’ve tried her phone but it keeps ringing out.’

‘I’m at a tenant’s house but should be done in an hour. Would you like me to call by her flat then?’

‘No, I’ll pop round anyway. My mind won’t rest now until I’ve seen her.’

‘You don’t think anything’s happened to her, do you? After we’ve just got her back on her feet?’

‘I bloody hope not. I’ll kill that Kevin McIntyre myself if he’s done anything stupid.’

‘I suppose you’re off out with Austin the wonder boy tonight,’ said a bored-looking Jess as she painted her toenails a bright shade of orange.

‘Hmm-hmm.’

Jess tutted her annoyance. ‘You two
are
joined at the hip. I thought you were into having a good time and going out with the girls before you settled down.’

‘I am. It’s just that –’ Becky faltered then thought better of it. ‘Jess, sometimes he scares me.’ She told her what had happened the other day, when Austin had pushed her across the floor. But she pretended he’d made her get out of the car rather than tell Jess they were inside the disused pub. ‘He caused such a stir about me using sex as a way to get affection.’