Santa Baby (37 page)

‘Shouldn’t you be in hospital?’ she said to him.

Sean couldn’t drag his eyes away from the screen. ‘There are things I have to do.’ He pointed at the masked man. ‘I’m sure I recognise him. What do you think?’

Angel looked at the man. It was impossible to see anything distinctive as the mask covered his entire face as well as his hair. She shook her head. ‘I’ve no idea who he is.’

She watched as Sean pressed Play and continued to stare intently at the grainy black-and-white images.

‘Sean, shouldn’t you be in hospital?’ she repeated.

‘I’m OK, they ran a CAT scan and it was clear. It
doesn’t
matter about me anyway. Have you any news at all of Tiffany?’ He was ashen-faced with worry.

‘Nothing now,’ Angel replied, her eyes filling with tears as she thought of how terrified her sister must be.

‘I should have protected her,’ Sean said quietly. ‘I let her down … failed her when she most needed me.’

Angel’s heart went out to him then, and she hugged him. ‘You didn’t,’ she told him. ‘If anything, it was my fault for trying to get the pair of you together and leaving you alone in the house.’

Cal intervened, ‘Stop beating yourselves up. The police reckon that the burglars took Tiffany on the spur of the moment. They think they’re pretty amateurish. We’re definitely going to find her.’

‘God, I hope so! I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to Tiffany.’

And with that heartfelt comment Angel realised that Sean’s feelings for her sister ran far deeper than they had guessed.

She looked at him, seeing the anguish in his eyes. ‘You love her, don’t you?’

He nodded. ‘Yes, I do.’

And suddenly Angel felt a new surge of determination. ‘Well, we’d better get our girl back then, hadn’t we? So you can tell her. You will tell her, won’t you?’

‘I’m not going to waste any more time,’ Sean replied with conviction.

Cal insisted they should all sit down while he made tea for everyone. Angel didn’t especially want a cup of tea but it felt good to have something to do while they waited for news. For a few minutes they sat around the table in silence. Sean continued to go through the footage and Angel cupped her hands round the mug to keep warm.

‘My sister’s a pretty amazing person, isn’t she?’ she said finally. ‘I thought that, when we met, it would be
all
about her learning how to live in my world, but it turns out I’ve had so much more to learn from her.’

Cal looked at her. ‘What do you mean, babe?’

‘I’ve been thinking about how she’s been able to forgive Tanya and even feel sympathy for her. Tiffany paid for her to go into rehab, did you know that, Sean?’

He shook his head, without taking his eyes away from the screen. ‘It doesn’t surprise me.’

Angel took a deep breath. ‘Well, I’m going to take a leaf out of Tiffany’s book. When she gets back, I want to go and see Tanya with her. Life’s too short to hate anyone.’

‘I think it would be amazing if you could do that,’ Cal told her.

Suddenly Sean slammed his hand down on the table and exclaimed, ‘I know who it is! It’s Colin Mason.’

Angel and Cal both got out of their seats and looked at the screen. ‘How can you be so sure?’ Angel asked, failing to see anything that would identify the man.

‘He’s got a way of rubbing his hands together that I remember. It’s him! I know it.’

At that moment, one of the detectives, a woman called DCI Wayne to whom Angel had taken an instant liking for her calm, no-nonsense attitude, walked into the kitchen. Sean immediately filled her in on his suspicion.

‘We’ll get on to it straight away,’ the DCI replied. ‘I also wanted to check with you whether Tiffany had her mobile phone here? We’ve been through all her things and can’t seem to locate one.’

‘Yes, she does, I’d just given her a new one – it’s a customised BlackBerry – with black-and-white crystals as she said my pink one was too girlie for her. I know she had it with her as I saw it in her bag just before I left.’

‘Could you let me have the number?’

Angel was about to check on her own phone but Sean beat her to it, reeling it off.

‘Do you think she’s got the phone on her?’ Angel asked.

‘I doubt she’s got it but maybe one of the burglars took it. And we’re hoping that they may have left it switched on.’

Angel looked puzzled and DCI Wayne added, ‘If it is switched on then we’ll be able to pinpoint where Tiffany is.’

Angel glanced over at Sean and it was clear that he was thinking exactly the same as her.

Do it then! What are you waiting for?

TIFFANY MUST HAVE
fallen asleep, but she woke up suddenly when the door was unlocked again. Immediately she sat up, pulling the duvet round her. She was expecting Colin so it was a shock when Buzz walked in. She recognised him by his stocky build and the smell of cheap aftershave. He sat on the bed and Tiffany hugged her knees to her protectively. Now she could smell alcohol on his breath. She felt a prickling of fear.

‘I’ve seen you on telly but you’re much prettier in real life.’

‘Where’s the other one?’ Tiffany asked, trying to hide the panic she felt at being alone with Buzz.

‘Busy. Why, do you like him more?’ He moved closer.

Keep him talking
, Tiffany told herself, needing to play for time.

‘No, I just wondered what he was doing, that’s all. What’s your name then? Because it’s not really Buzz is it?’

A mean laugh from him. ‘I’m not going to tell you my name! Do you think I’m stupid?’

Tiffany shook her head and wondered if there was any chance she could make a run for it. Buzz seemed to fill the room with his bulk; she couldn’t see how she could possibly escape him.

‘What time is it?’ she asked, desperate to hold him in conversation.

He shrugged. ‘Around nine.’

God! She’d been there all night …

‘It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow, I’d really like to be back with my family.’

‘Ah, poor Tiffany. If big sis pays up then ’course you will be.’

He reached out and tried to touch her face; she reared back.

‘Don’t touch me!’ she hissed.

‘Or what? No one’s going to hear you. It’s just you and me.’ He laughed and tried to grab hold of her. Tiffany kicked out, but he was too strong for her. He ripped off the duvet and pinned her to the bed. She struggled with all her might, tried to claw his face through the mask. He was yanking her top up, trying to force down her jeans.
No, no, no! This cannot be happening to me!
She struggled more furiously; he retaliated by slapping her hard round the face. And just as Tiffany had given up all hope, the door burst open.

‘Give me a break, mate!’ Buzz exclaimed, rolling off Tiffany. She looked over, expecting to see the masked man. Instead there was Sean. He didn’t hesitate for a second but charged into the room and punched her attacker hard in the stomach. The room was suddenly full of armed police, two of whom grabbed Buzz and handcuffed him.

‘Did he hurt you?’ Sean asked urgently, reaching for Tiffany. She clung on to him.

‘No,’ she whispered. ‘No.’ She didn’t want to go down the route of what could have happened. ‘Your head?’

‘I’m tougher than I look. Come on, let’s get you out of here.’

*

‘Are you awake?’

Tiffany opened her eyes to find Sean sitting on the edge of the bed. He was dressed, had shaved, and seemed to have suffered no ill effects from the blow to his head, whereas Tiffany felt exhausted and drained of energy.

‘What time is it?’ she asked, wincing in the bright light streaming into the room.

‘Three o’clock’

She struggled to sit up. ‘It’s so bright in here.’

‘That’s because it snowed a couple of hours ago and settled.’

A White Christmas.

Sean reached out and stroked her hair. ‘How are you?’

‘I feel so weak.’

‘I’m not surprised – you had a terrible ordeal.’ He hesitated. ‘I’m so sorry that I couldn’t protect you, Tiffany.’

Typical Sean! ‘You’d been knocked out. It wasn’t your fault. And you were there when I needed you most.’ She reached for his hand and held on to it.

‘Everyone’s downstairs, dying to see you.’

Tiffany closed her eyes, not sure she was up to dealing with so many people. She felt Sean lift the duvet and slip into bed beside her. He put his arms around her. ‘But you don’t have to see anyone you don’t want to. We can stay up here. Just you and me.’

Tiffany rested her head against his chest. It was tempting, but she felt she had to pull herself together. ‘I want to get up. I want to forget about what happened.’

The nightmare, the raw fear she had felt for Sean, the terror when Buzz had attacked her; then the door being broken down and Sean rescuing her. Afterwards the police, the statements, being comforted by her
sister.
Apparently the break-in was a last-minute plan of Colin’s, triggered when he had found out that Angel and Cal wouldn’t be keeping him on when Sean returned. That figured; it had felt to Tiffany as if the robbery was personal. It was a simple slip-up by Buzz that had led the police to the B & B in Shoreham – a small town along the coast from Brighton. He hadn’t been able to resist taking Tiffany’s Swarovski crystal-studded BlackBerry, and he had left it switched on, enabling the police to track the GPS signal. If he hadn’t done that … Tiffany dreaded to think how they would have found her. If they would have found her. But, no, she wouldn’t think of that now. Not with Sean’s arms around her.

So much in her life had changed for the good. Now Angel and Cal knew about her and Sean, and apparently were fine about it … more than fine. Angel and Jez had revealed early this morning that they were the ones who had arranged for Tiffany and Sean to find themselves alone together in the house, and so their relationship was well and truly out in the open.

Angel, Cal, Rufus and Jez were sitting round the kitchen table when Tiffany and Sean walked into the room. All traces of the burglary had been cleared away. The table was dominated by an arrangement of mince pies, Stollen cakes, satsumas, a chocolate log and a mountain of nuts. Pride of place was occupied by a home-made Christmas cake with an exceptionally camp-looking Santa holding court over a snowman and elf in the middle of the white icing. The cake was obviously Jez’s contribution. A saucepan of mulled wine was simmering on the stove, filling the kitchen with the spicy aroma of cloves. ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ was playing on the stereo. Clearly Jez’s mission to have the perfect Christmas had begun.

‘Here she is!’ he declared as soon as he saw Tiffany. He immediately leaped up to enfold her in a tight hug. ‘How are you feeling, sweetie?’

‘Much better, thanks,’ she replied. She didn’t admit that she also felt quite overwhelmed.

Angel hugged her next.

‘Thank God you’re OK now, Tiff,’ she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

Jez clapped his hands together. ‘Come and sit down, and have something to eat. I’m turning all domestic goddess. Have you noticed my cake?’

Tiffany nodded, searching for the right word to describe it. ‘It’s very … festive.’ And she couldn’t resist adding, ‘Is Santa propositioning the other two?’

‘Tut-tut, lowering the tone, Miss Taylor. You’re obviously feeling better.’

He pulled out his iPhone and checked something. ‘Right. Eat, drink and be merry because then we can go for a walk in the snow, make snow angels, have some more mulled wine, and watch a choice of movies:
It’s A Wonderful Life
– a timeless classic – or
Love Actually
, if you need something modern and in colour. I prefer a classic myself, but I’m open to persuasion. Then it’s champagne and canapés and a game of charades.’

Tiffany’s head was spinning. Sean put his arm round her. Tiffany liked the gesture. She leaned against him while he said, ‘Actually, I’m going to make Tiffany some scrambled eggs and take it from there.’

‘Jez wants the perfect country Christmas. He’s got it all mapped out, literally, on his iPhone,’ Rufus put in.

‘I did tell you how I felt about Christmas!’ Jez pouted.

‘So absolutely no pressure at all then,’ Tiffany teased, adding, ‘I will come for a walk. I think the fresh air will be good for me.’

‘Great! Wear something photogenic for the pics as they’ll all be going on Facebook. I’m going to get my Cossack hat.’ Jez nipped out of the room.

Angel rolled her eyes at Tiffany. ‘I’m sure he’ll calm down
eventually
.’

Angel and Cal then set off to pick up Honey from her parents’. Tiffany wandered over to the French windows and looked out at the snow. It was as if it had wiped away all traces of last night’s terrifying events, turning the garden into a winter wonderland. The lawn was an untouched blanket of white, perfectly ready for Jez to make his snow angel; the trees looked like delicate sculptures. It was beautiful. Everything was going to be all right …

She turned back to find that Sean had set a plate of scrambled eggs on the table – they almost looked as good as the ones her dad made – and a mug of hot chocolate.

‘It’s got brandy in it – I think we could both do with getting slowly drunk.’

‘I’m not sure that’s on Jez’s list until later,’ Tiffany replied, putting her arms round him.

‘What’s not on my list?’ Jez overheard as he walked back into the room looking very dapper in a silver fake-fur Cossack hat and floor-length grey coat. And he was holding a matching fake-fur muff.

Tiffany burst out laughing. ‘I bet that’s the first time you’ve got your hands on a nice muff.’

‘You definitely are feeling better!’ Jez shot back.

Tiffany polished off her scrambled eggs and the hot chocolate; the brandy made her feel pleasantly relaxed. Sean was looking at her. She put a hand to her mouth. ‘Have I got something there?’

‘No, I just like looking at you,’ he said quietly. Then he turned to Jez and Rufus.

‘Actually I don’t think Tiffany is up to a walk just yet.
So
would it be OK if you guys went on your own? I think she needs a rest.’

Tiffany was about to protest that she was fine when Sean winked at her and it was clear that a rest was not what he had in mind at all.