Chapter 41

FORTY-ONE

The following morning, Joanna had been with Eliza for a couple of hours and had just popped out to check whether DC Lineham had left a message when she got a call from Sally. ‘Come and meet me on the bench outside the main entrance.'

The sun had strengthened since Joanna had arrived early that morning and it burned the back of her neck as she made her way to the bench where Sally was waiting. When she got closer, she could see that she'd laid out some kind of breakfast picnic for the two of them.

‘I knew you wouldn't have much time to eat, so I brought pastries and all the good stuff. How's our baby girl this morning?'

The sun gave Sally's smile an even warmer glow. It was so good to see her. ‘She's doing well. But I don't know what to do with myself. Waiting for the consultant's visit tomorrow is almost painful.'

Sally nodded. ‘I know. Time goes backwards, doesn't it? Has Annabelle been in again?'

Thankfully, she hadn't shown her face today. ‘No. And I don't think I can control myself if I see her, Sally. I really think I might do something to her. I want to hurt her like she hurt Charlotte.'

Yesterday, she'd been in some kind of shock. Between Freddie's revelation, the news about the scan, and Annabelle's threats, she hadn't known which way was up. With a night spent tossing and turning through the scenario in which Annabelle had pushed her beautiful daughter, had caused her catastrophic injuries, had lied about it to everyone, her anger had grown and grown until the need for violent retribution threatened to overtake her.

Sally didn't look shocked, but she shook her head. ‘I understand. But that isn't going to help anybody. Eliza is your priority now. You have to go about this the right way. Have you spoken to the police?'

‘I don't know who to call aside from DC Lineham. I've left her a message again, but she did say that she's on a case this morning. If I just ring the police station, they're going to think I'm crazy. And I'm worried about what she'll do.'

Sally tilted her head and frowned. ‘DC Lineham?'

‘No. Annabelle. If she knows that I've gone to the police, she'll tell the social worker all those things about me. That I might lose the house and that Charlotte and I argued. She could spin it however she wants. And I'm so worried that, with all this going on, the social worker will just decide that Eliza is better off without any of us. It's such a mess.'

Sally reached across and squeezed her arm. ‘Breathe. Just take it one step at a time. First thing is finding out about this scan for Eliza. Then we'll make sure that nasty piece of work gets what's coming.'

Joanna placed her hand over Sally's. ‘You're right. The consultant is coming tomorrow morning. I'm trying not to think about it too hard. Tell me something else. What's happening with you and Graham? Have you talked about how you're feeling?'

‘Yes. We have. I was honest with him about how scared I feel and he understood. But he still thinks that it's the best thing for Harry. He said it was much better for him to start learning how to live on his own in one of those places while we're still here and young enough to support him. I think there was a huge subtext of "we won't be around forever", which was a bitter pill to swallow.'

‘I can imagine.'

‘He's right, though, isn't he? I do need to let him try this. He's actually pretty excited about it. Harry, I mean. I think I was expecting him to say he wanted to stay with me, but the little rat was quite happy to wave me goodbye when we went to look at the place.'

She laughed to show she was joking, but there were tears in her eyes. Joanna really felt for her. ‘You've been to visit?'

She nodded. ‘Yes. And it's very nice and feels very safe and supportive. Although, when I asked if they'd be checking whether he'd heated his dinner properly, they did look at me as if I were a crazy lady.'

‘Which of course, you are. But that's another subject. I'm proud of you. I know it's not easy.'

‘Thank you.' She breathed out and gave a little shrug. ‘Now, back to you. How are things progressing with the solicitor?'

‘I completed the last of the forms she sent me last night. I know you were going to help, but I just wanted to get things moving.'

Sally passed her a pain au chocolat and a napkin. ‘Well done. What's next?'

That was the million-dollar question. ‘I don't know. I'm waiting for DC Lineham to call me so I can tell her about Annabelle. I suppose I'll be guided by her.'

‘The only problem is, if Freddie has confessed, they might want to leave well alone.'

That worried her, too. ‘It's so strange. I've spent days wanting him to pay the worst penalty possible, and now I find myself fighting his corner.'

‘You weren't to know, Jo.'

‘I could have listened to Charlotte.'

‘Give yourself a break. A year ago, you lost Steve. You weren't thinking straight for months after that. You did the best you could.'

She was right. There were days and days after Steve's funeral that she didn't even want to get out of bed. Sally was perhaps the only person in the world she could confess her feelings to. ‘I was so angry, Sally. So angry at Steve for leaving us.'

Sally reached out for her. ‘Of course you were. Grief is so complicated. You need to be kind to yourself.'

‘I have to make sure that Freddie gets to look after his daughter. I have to find a way to fix this. For Charlotte. And for Eliza.'

Sally nodded. ‘Good. What do we need to do?'

Joanna appreciated the ‘we' but this one was on her. ‘I need to go and see him again. I need to persuade him to tell the truth.'

She had to find a way to make him understand. He might think that what he was doing was the best thing for his family. But she knew better than anyone how easy it was to get that wrong.

‘What do you think you can say to persuade him?'

She thought about Eliza. And Charlotte. And what he'd said to her as she left the prison visit. Look after Eliza, Joanna. Please.

She wrapped the last of the pastry in a napkin as a plan started to unfurl in her mind. ‘I think I've got an idea.'