Breach of Faith (20 page)

Frank nodded, “of course.”

I reached out and grabbed his hand, “please don’t tell them about Will,” I begged, “I’ll tell them everything when I get home. Just tell them I’ll be home this afternoon and they’re not to worry. Also ask them not to come up here, I don’t want Kensie and Tom to get scared.”

As Frank slipped through the curtains, I sank down into my pillows. What the hell was happening to Will? He’d never been violent before, not in all the time I’d known him. He was one of the most gentle, kind and generous men I’d ever known. Could my betrayal really make him turn into what seemed like a totally different person? Was that even possible?

I looked up as the curtains were drawn back once more, expecting Frank back from the telephone. “Angus,” I exclaimed, “what on earth are you doing here?”

My old friend grinned, “I can’t stay long. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I’m fine, just a bit of a headache. How did you know I was here?”

“I was visiting someone else when I saw them bring you in.” Angus frowned, “what happened?”

“I fell, hit my head. Nothing serious.” I hesitated, “I had a dream about you.”

Angus raised his eyebrows in surprise.

I rubbed my face, suddenly realising how tired I was “It was weird. Do you remember when we were at school we all went to a party at someone’s house? I think it was someone’s grandparent’s house, they’d gone on holiday?”

Angus grinned sheepishly, “the neighbours called the police.”

I giggled, “do you remember what we did?”

Angus laughed, “in the bathroom, you mean?”

I felt the blood rush into my cheeks. We hadn’t gone all the way that night, in the bathroom of a stranger’s house but if the police hadn’t come along and spoilt the fun, who knows what could have happened. I nodded, “I dreamed about that. I was with you, I know I was with you but you didn’t look like you. You looked like my friend, Frank, the man who was just in here.”

Something indefinable flashed across Angus’s face, gone almost before it had appeared. “And here’s me thinking that your fantasies are all about me. He’s sick, is he, this bloke Frank?”

“Sick?” I sat up in the bed. “How’d you know?”

Angus took a step back, an obscurely guilty look on his face, “oh, well, he’s here, isn’t he,” Angus replied vaguely, “in the hospital I mean. Lots of sick people here.”

“But –”

“Sorry, Kate, I have to go. I’ll see you soon, okay.”

And with that he flicked back the curtain and was gone.

“Oh,” I exclaimed as the curtains twitched again. “It’s like bloody
Piccadilly Circus in here.”

Frank’s head appeared around the material, “what was that?”

“Nothing, I just had a visit from an old friend of mine, a rather strange visit. You’d have seen him as you came in, he literally left a second before you came back.”

Frank frowned, “didn’t see anyone.”

I stared at him, “are you sure? You would almost have bumped into him as he left.”

Frank shook his head with half a shrug, “there was no-one.”

I rubbed my face once more. It was all starting to sound like an extension of  my recent dream, except it was real, and a tiny shiver ran up my spine. Like someone walking across my grave.

5 January

I climbed gingerly out of the taxi, still feeling fragile and looking forward to a good, strong cup of tea and sleep, blessed sleep. Mum opened the door as I approached and gave me a hug. “Don’t you ever do that again,” she scolded. “Do you realise how worried we’ve been? I told you not to meet with that man, Kate, he’s obviously bad for you.”

I could hardly keep my eyes open. “I know you were worried, mum, but none of this was Frank’s fault, if you want to blame anyone, blame me. Right now I would kill for a hot drink.”

Mum took my coat and bag then pushed me down into a chair. “Your father’s putting the kettle on now. I still think you should have stayed in hospital, you look terrible.”

I touched the scrape on my head and winced. “It looks worse than it is and they did an ultrasound, the baby’s fine.” I snorted, “in fact, apart from my head, the only thing that I’ve hurt is my pride.”

The door opened and I smiled in pleasure at the steaming cup my father held out. I sipped, letting the warmth flow through my body. “Damn, that feels better.”

Dad passed mum a cup and sat down beside her. “So what happened? I must admit, we’re both a bit confused about what you were up to this morning.”

I looked blankly at my father, “Frank said he called and told you.”

Disapproval flickered across my dad’s face which I decided to ignore. “He did, but his version of events didn’t tie in with what your husband told us.”

“Will?” I glanced at my mother, eyebrows raised and Mum nodded.

“Will suggested that your friend Frank attacked him on the beach.”

“What?”

“According to Will, this man was taking advantage of you. He told us,” she paused, scrutinising my face, “you were trying to push this Frank off but he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Will said he told Frank to leave you alone, they had a bit of a fight and finally Frank left. Will said you wanted to be alone for a bit and he was going to meet you later and that’s where you parted company.”

“He also said,” added Dad, “that if he’d realised this Frank was going to wait for you and attack you again, he wouldn’t have left you.” He leaned forward and took my hand in his own. “Kate, you have to report this. He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this.”

I stared open mouthed at my father.

Dad looked annoyed and released my hand, reaching across to pick up the cordless telephone. “I’ll call the police for you.”

“No!”

“Kate,” Mum had concern written all over her. “I know you have a connection with this man,” she looked pointedly at my midsection, “but he can’t be allowed to get away with this. He will try again and you have to stop him before it’s too late.”

Exasperated, I jumped to my feet and grabbed the telephone out of my father’s hand. “Frank did nothing wrong.”

“Kate –”

I threw the telephone on the chair behind me, “Frank had some bad news and I was comforting him, like any friend would. Will grabbed me from behind.” I thrust my cup onto a table and pushed my sleeve up, revealing an angry bruise on my arm.

Mum gasped, “Will did that?”

“Frank told him to stop but he wouldn’t let go.” The frustration had left me tired and breathless as
I looked imploringly at my mother. “He was so angry, mum. I’ve never seen Will like that before, he scared me.”

“What happened next?”

“Frank said something to him, told him to leave me alone I think.” I sat down suddenly on the chair. The telephone was digging into my buttock but I didn’t care. “Will pushed me, hard, and attacked Frank. I stumbled and fell; banged my head on a rock.” I rubbed absently at the colourful injury on my forehead. “So you see, it wasn’t Frank’s fault. It wasn’t even Will’s fault, not really, he just … lost it.” I yawned and picked up my cup again, “how long before you spoke to Frank did Will call?”

“Not long; half an hour, maybe. He said he’d come straight from the hospital.”

As groggy as I was, my mother’s words took a few seconds to register and I looked at her in surprise. “He came here?”

Mum nodded, “he said you’d asked him to come. He’d been due to visit the kids today, anyway, hadn’t he?”

“He looked a bit the worse for wear,” added Dad, frowning. “Tired and bleary as if he hadn’t slept a wink. I wasn’t sure whether he was capable of looking after them, the state he was in.”

A sinking feeling tugged at my stomach. I peered out through the lounge room door; the rest of the house was quiet, too quiet. I looked back at my mother. “Where are they?” I asked, already dreading her answer, “Kensie and Tom? I thought they’d be desperate to see me. Are they asleep?”

Mum glanced at Dad. “What do you mean, where are they? Will’s got them.”

I dragged myself painfully to my feet, the blood draining from my face leaving my skin feeling tight and cold. I felt the tea cup fall from my nerveless fingers, powerless to stop it.

Obviously concerned, Mum got up too, taking my cold fingers in her own. “He said you’d asked him to come and get them, look after them while you were in hospital. He picked them up a few hours ago.”

“But he’s lost it. He’s furious, not thinking straight. Where’s he gone?”

“Kate, he’s their father, I’m sure they’ll be okay.”

Dad stood up and patted my shoulder. “It’s just a misunderstanding, love. Are you sure you didn’t say something to him when you were in hospital? To make him think you wanted him to take the kids? You have had a bit of a knock on the head.”

I rounded on my father. “He didn’t even come to the hospital,” I cried. “I haven’t seen him since the beach.” I turned to my mother, “he hurt me, mum. What if he hurts them too? Where has he taken my kids?”

5 January

I flung the telephone onto the lounge feeling helpless and impotent.

“What did they say, love?”

I grimaced at my father, “they said there’s nothing they can do because the kids have only been missing for a few hours and it was their father that took them. I couldn’t even tell them where he’s staying because I never even thought to ask him.”

Dad groaned. “Maybe he mentioned something to your mother.”

I felt glum. Last week I’d never have believed Will capable of hurting anyone; Will wouldn’t hurt a fly. But the last couple of days had changed everything. First of all, the incident here yesterday, threatening my baby; just the thought made my shiver. Then the aggression towards Frank. His anger was justified, but a punch-up on an international flight? I shook my head; what was he thinking?

Not to mention the situation on the beach, I rubbed absently at the bruises on my arm. There had been a look in his eyes, a look that was more than just anger or hate. Maybe it had been gone almost as soon as it had appeared but the momentary insanity had scared me.

Dad pulled a face, “I did tell you, didn’t I? I told you that the police wouldn’t do anything about the kids. After all he has rights.”

I scowled, “well, thanks, dad. I’m sure that saying
I told you so
is really helpful. Wow, I feel so much better now.”

“There’s no need to be sarcastic, I was only trying to help.”

I gave my father an apologetic half smile, “I know, I’m just worried. I’ll go and quiz mum again. See if she remembers anything else.”

As I wandered into the kitchen feeling deflated, Mum was putting the final touches to yet another pot of tea. If in doubt, put the kettle on; that was my mother’s mantra. She swore by the healing properties of tea.

“What did the police say?”

I shrugged, “not a lot. Nothing they can do.”

Mum took my hand, squeezing my fingers. “I’m sorry, Kate. I should have checked with you before letting him take the kids. I just assumed –”

I held up my hand and shook my head, “it’s not your fault, mum. I’m sure they’ll be all right, he’s their father and he loves them. It’s just that he’s been acting so erratically… no, he wouldn’t hurt them, I’m sure of it. I just wish I knew where they were.”

Mum passed me a pity cuppa. “I know you’re worried about Kensie and Tom but I’m sure they’ll be okay. You have to think of yourself and the baby, stress isn’t good for you.”

Suddenly, I had a brainwave. Why hadn’t I thought of this earlier? “Maybe Frank knows.”

Mum frowned, “knows what?”

I ran out of the kitchen, the cup of tea forgotten. “He sat beside Will on the plane. He might know where Will’s staying.”

Snatching up the telephone, I called the Towers Hotel. With fingers and toes crossed I waited for my call to be connected to Frank’s room.

“Hello?”

He sounded tired and I bit my lip. I really didn’t want to dump yet another problem on his plate but I knew he’d want to help. He’d do anything for me and for that I’d be eternally grateful. I pointedly ignored my father’s accusatory glare and with a sulky grunt he left me alone. Even after everything I’d told him, he still didn’t approve of Frank’s involvement in my life but right now, I couldn’t care. All I cared about were Kensie and Tom, and my father’s sensibilities would just have to wait.

“Frank it’s Kate.”

“Kate? What’s up? You told me you were going to sleep for a week.”

“I know but I need your help. Do you know where Will’s staying?”

“Will?” Frank sounded disappointed but resigned. “Why?”

In brief sentences I filled Frank in on the recent happenings, “… and I just want to know they are okay,” I finished.

Frank was silent for a moment. “I’m sure he didn’t say anything while we were on the plane but … he had a couple of brochures and one caught my eye because it was bright pink, you know, almost fluorescent. It was for some kind of hotel because at the top of the brochure it said rooms were one hundred and forty pounds a night and I remember thinking that I wish
my
room had cost one hundred and forty a night, instead of almost twice that much.”