Winded, she lay still, then hope surged through her… if she wriggled a bit she could free her right wrist… yes… one good pull – yes! Her right hand was free.
Barely taking time to catch her breath, Nina pushed up into a half-sitting position, yanked her left hand free and tugged the gag from her mouth before sliding over to the drawer for a knife to cut the rope from her feet.
She was free. Thank Christ. Nina leaned on the sticky sink unit taking deep breaths of revolting air. Both wrists were bleeding, but the wounds were superficial. Her ankles were okay, her jeans and socks had saved them from the worst of the chaffing. She couldn’t move, though – her feet had gone to sleep and were tingling back to life. It hurt almost as much as the bonds had.
Come on, Nina, she thought savagely. You can be a wimp later. You have to call the police.
A quick check through the downstairs rooms revealed no phone and Nina moaned aloud. The only other option was to go to a neighbour for help, but would they help her if she did? What kind of people lived round here?
Loneliness swept through her as she realised that she couldn’t risk it. But Paul had driven past a row of shops on the way here. She would find them, get someone there to call the police for her, and then come back in case he returned with Naomi.
Nina ran to the front door and jerked it open, stopping dead on the threshold as the sound of rough voices yelling obscenities came from her left. Shit, kids were fighting round the corner. She could hear thuds and screams and the sound of glass breaking. She would go right, then, as fast as she could. No sooner had she made this decision than a crowd of youths appeared from the right too, and Nina slid back into the house and closed the door. It sounded like hell out there. Maybe, if she was lucky, the police would come to break up the fight.
More youths were careering down the street now, and Nina went to look out the back, but yobs were racing along the lane there too. She stood at the front room window – the fight itself was out of sight, but there was a lot of running about and shouting, and the occasional tinkle of glass breaking. Surely someone must have phoned the police, even here. The arrival of a police car would be the answer to her prayers.
The fight continued, more and more kids joining in. And still no police – wait – there was a car coming… Nina’s hopes rose, then plummeted.
Hot frustration filled her as she watched Paul park in front of the house and stride up the path, a plastic bag in one hand. He was accosted by a tall youth, who ran up screaming something, and to Nina’s horror her cousin pulled out a gun. The youth backed away, hands raised in the best Wild West fashion, and ran off down the road.
Nina leaned against the living room doorway as Paul entered the house. She would show him she wasn’t afraid. But she was afraid, she was terrified she wouldn’t get out of here alive. But at least Paul was alone; he hadn’t got Naomi yet.
‘Aren’t you the clever one, all untied and making yourself at home.’ He waved the gun at her. ‘Good job I have this, that’s a nice little war going on out there.’
He had a large bandage on his left arm, clearly a professional job. Nina felt sick with dread. Had he managed to get hold of Naomi after all – was her daughter locked up somewhere else? Horror chilled its way into her very soul. There was no point in asking; he could tell her anything and she wouldn’t know if it was the truth or not. But she had to show she wasn’t beaten.
‘Paul – we need to get out of this situation. Let’s work out what I can do to help you.’
His eyes were bright. ‘I’ve been thinking about that. You and Naomi – especially Naomi – will be the perfect bait for my poor innocent victims.’
Nina’s mouth went dry. He gestured with the gun in the direction of the kitchen.
‘What do you mean?’
He gave her a little push towards the kitchen and she walked in front of him, only just managing to breathe normally. But panic would help no one. He grabbed her shoulder from behind and forced her down on the one remaining chair.
‘We could get them easily, Nina. Nice pic of Naomi on the right websites and they’ll be queuing up to get her.’
‘I hope you’re joking,’ said Nina, determinedly calm. He laughed, and she slumped in the chair. It was no use; he was playing with her. All that effort had been for nothing – she had failed. Dear God, would she ever see her little girl again? She offered no resistance as he lifted the rope from the floor and bound her hands in front of her. When he was satisfied she wouldn’t be able to use them he grunted, and Nina smelled both beer and curry on his breath. She let her own breath out slowly. No way could she be sick here.
‘Well, the police are busy searching for you a long, long way away,’ he said, taking a can of beer from his bag. ‘And your boyfriend’s with them. Seems a pity really, all that effort for nothing. But they’re all very concerned about you. I’ve told them everything I know and I’ve been sent home to rest; they won’t be looking for me till nine tomorrow when I have to go and make a statement. But I’ll pop round and get Naomi first. That old couple won’t be able to stop me. Nice little dog they have, but it isn’t what you’d call a Rottweiler, is it?’
Nina’s mouth went dry. He’d found out where the Harrisons lived and gone to have a look at the place. She spat the words at him before she could think. ‘Leave Naomi alone. You don’t need to involve her in this.’
He ignored this. ‘As soon as she’s safely here I’ll get her pic on the web, along with one of me when I was a nice little kid too, and go on with my search. Shit, Nina, I wish you’d stayed away from Bedford and left me in peace to do this.’
How she wished that too, but Nina said nothing more. He didn’t have Naomi yet. There was still time to escape.
‘Right. Upstairs,’ he said roughly, pulling her to her feet.
Nina’s gut went into a painful spasm. Was this when he raped her?
He manhandled her up the stairs and into the largest room. A stained and smelly double mattress was the only piece of furniture, and Nina was hard put not to moan. Paul kicked his shoes off. He made no attempt to touch her inappropriately, though he stood outside the disgusting toilet while she used it, then made her lie beside him on the mattress and bound her left foot to his right. Nina couldn’t stop the shudders as she lay there, Paul’s leg warm against her own.
‘Sweet dreams!’ he said mockingly, and placed the gun inside his trousers.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Claire’s story – Glasgow
Claire stood in the doorway, her eyes roving the six-bedded bay. The smell and the atmosphere here were almost identical to those in another hospital almost twenty years ago, and for a second the past shimmered in front of her. It was noisier here, with visitors round nearly every bed and children running up and down the corridor. The event she’d been anticipating for months had happened.
Nina was lying on top of a bed by the window, eyes closed. Beside the bed was one of those see-through hospital baby cribs, and in it lay Claire’s brand-new granddaughter.
For a moment Claire stood motionless, emotion making it difficult to breath. This was the next generation of her family. In spite of her fears time was passing and life was going on, and in a sudden flash of understanding she realised she had no control, she had never had control, that things happened and would continue to happen in their own momentum. Worrying made no difference.
Her eyes fixed on the baby, she crept over to the crib. Nina didn’t waken, but the baby’s eyes were open. She looked exactly as Nina had the day after she was born. Claire pulled up a blue hospital chair, and for a long moment she and the baby held each other’s gaze. Claire could feel the smile on her face spread to become joy in her heart.