Snatched (35 page)

‘Whoopi-doo for you,’ Leanne drawled, tiring of the conversation. ‘But if you don’t want money, what
do
you want? And hurry up, ’cos I’m freezing.’

‘What I want,’ Zak said slowly, ‘is
you
.’

‘Don’t talk crap,’ she retorted irritably. ‘You hate me, and I hate you, so just quit messing about and get this over with.’

‘I’m not messing,’ Zak told her, the look in his eyes letting her know that he meant what he was saying.

Frowning, she said, ‘I don’t get you. We
hate
each other. We were nearly fighting back at Goldie’s that night.’

‘Yeah, ’cos you’ve got a big mouth.’

‘So, why do you want me then?’

‘Dunno.’ Zak shrugged. ‘I just do.’

‘For what?’ Leanne demanded, staring at him. ‘’Cos if you think you’re blackmailing me into having sex with you, you can forget it. I’d rather just go home and tell Terry what you’re trying to do and let him deal with you.’

Shrugging again, Zak said, ‘If that’s how you want to play it, go for it. But you’d best hope you get to him before I get to the police. And don’t test me on this, Lee, ’cos I mean it.’

Leanne felt as if the sky was falling in on her head. She knew he meant it, she could see it in his eyes. But she couldn’t agree to go along with him, because it would destroy her and Terry.

‘Why are you doing this?’ she asked, her eyes glistening with tears now. ‘What did I ever do to you?’

‘You cheated on me,’ Zak said calmly. ‘And don’t deny it, because we both know it’s true. Maybe not physically, but you must have been checking him out while you were still my girl. You lived on the same road and knew him for years, so if you fancy him now you must have fancied him then. And that’s cheating in my book.’

‘I didn’t fancy him,’ Leanne protested. ‘I swear to God it wasn’t like that. Me and you were finished way before I started liking Terry. Ask Goldie.’

‘Yeah, right,’ Zak said scornfully. ‘Like she’s not going to back you up no matter what you say.’

‘Yeah, all right, she probably would,’ Leanne conceded. ‘But not about this. Come on, Zak, think about it. You know what’s she’s like. She knows how much trouble it’s caused, so she’d tell me to admit it and get it over with once and for all, wouldn’t she? Anyway, if it
was
true, she’d probably tell me to tell you just to get back at you for the way you treated me.’

‘I didn’t treat you bad,’ Zak shot back. ‘Yeah, I made a mistake and went with someone behind your back, but I regretted it, you know I did. You just didn’t want to give me a chance to put it right.’

‘It wasn’t just that,’ Leanne reminded him. ‘You were always sniffing around other girls, even when I was right there with you. But if I tried to pull you about it, you’d just laugh it off and say I was being paranoid. Or have you forgotten all that?’

‘You
were
paranoid,’ Zak said. ‘And from what I hear, you haven’t changed, because you’re giving your new man grief about women now. Or should that be
girls
?’ he corrected himself. ‘’Cos we all know he started
you
off young.’

‘You’re doing it again,’ Leanne said, swiping at the tears as they began to fall. ‘Making out like it’s dirty, just because you don’t like it. But I was nearly seventeen when me and Terry got together.’

A woman walked into the bus shelter just then. Seeing the tears on Leanne’s face, she glared at Zak. Sucking his teeth, Zak took hold of Leanne’s arm and marched her out.

‘Pack it in,’ she protested as he pulled her up the road. ‘People are watching. Someone will call the police.’

‘Let them,’ Zak snapped. ‘Then maybe I’ll just tell them what I know.’

Yanking her arm free, Leanne stopped walking. Flinching when he turned back with an angry look on his face, she raised her chin and said, ‘Go on, then. If you want to give me a slap, do it. Right here in front of everyone. Then see who the police believe.’

Peering into her eyes, Zak said, ‘I’m not going to hit you, you stupid cow.’

‘Yeah, well, you’re going to have to if you expect to get anything out of me,’ Leanne hissed. ‘But I warn you now, I’ll fight back. And when I’m done, Terry will finish you.’

Sneering, because he wasn’t in the slightest bit worried about her boyfriend, Zak took his mobile out of his pocket and said, ‘All right, I gave you a chance. Let’s see what your dad’s got to say about it.’

Blanching, Leanne made a grab for the phone. Swinging it out of reach, Zak said, ‘What’s up? You’re not scared, are you?’

‘Stop it!’ Leanne pleaded. ‘Please, Zak, you’ve got it all wrong.’

‘Well, your dad doesn’t seem to think so,’ Zak said, pressing down on one of the phone’s buttons. ‘He already reckons your fella’s guilty.’

‘All right!’ Leanne blurted out. ‘I’ll do it. Whatever you want, I’ll do it. Just don’t tell my dad.
Please.
’

Smiling, Zak snapped the phone shut. ‘You mean that?’

‘
Yes
,’ she cried. ‘But don’t expect me to ever talk to you again after this, because I hate you!’

Inhaling deeply, Zak gazed at her as she sobbed. He felt bad about doing this to her, but it was the only way to make her give him another chance. She would probably resent him for a while, but she’d realise eventually that he’d had her best interests at heart. Terry Day was wrong for her, and if this was what it took to get her to see that, then it had to be done – by whatever means necessary.

Sue’s heart was lighter than it had been in a long time when Dave dropped her off back at Julie’s flat. Over coffee at the little café he’d taken her to – thankfully not the one she’d been in with Terry – she’d told him that she was willing to give it a go with him. And he’d been so happy that he’d turned to the three little old men who were the only other customers, and the bored-looking woman who was serving, and announced, ‘She said yes!’ as if she’d just agreed to marry him. Which got them a free cup of tea and cream éclair each by way of congratulations.

Glad that she’d made the decision, and relieved that Dave had agreed to give her a bit of time before they told anyone, Sue was on cloud nine when she walked into the flat. But one look at Julie’s face told her that the bubble was about to burst.

And boy,
did
it.

‘This isn’t working,’ Julie said, straight out, no preamble. ‘I’ve tried, but I just can’t hack it. You’ve got to go.’

‘Just like that?’ Sue gasped. ‘Even though you know we’ve got nowhere
to
go.’

Shrugging, Julie lit a cigarette without offering her one. ‘Not really my problem,’ she said coolly. ‘All I know is, I’ve done my best to help you out, and you’ve just taken the piss.’

‘How?’ Sue said. ‘I haven’t done anything. In fact, I’ve been tiptoeing around you for the past week trying my best not to
breathe
too loud in case it annoyed you. So how’s that taking the piss?’

Tutting, because she hadn’t expected to have to justify herself, Julie said, ‘There’s all sorts of reasons, Sue. This is
my
flat, but it feels like you and Connor have taken over since you got here. If it’s not you moping about, or him stinking the place out, it’s all the flaming social workers sticking their noses in where they’re not wanted.’

‘Tell me about it,’ Sue retorted. ‘But it’s not like I
want
them here, is it?’

‘Maybe not, but you’re the only reason they
are
here,’ Julie countered firmly. ‘And then there’s the food, and the bills, ’cos you’re not exactly helping out on that score, are you? It’s like you expect me to keep you, and it’s not on.’

‘I gave you money last week,’ Sue reminded her indignantly.

‘Yeah, twenty quid,’ Julie snorted. ‘And I had to lend you some of that back for nappies. Which is another thing . . .’ she went on, a hint of disgust on her face now. ‘He’s
six
, for fuck’s sake. What the hell’s he still doing in nappies?’

‘You know exactly why,’ Sue muttered, her cheeks flaming now. ‘So don’t dare say it’s my fault.’

‘Maybe not,’ Julie conceded. ‘But people finding out where I live is. You had no right fetching that bloke round.’

‘Isn’t that a bit pot calling kettle?’ Sue sniped, getting angry now. ‘Seeing as you bring every Tom, Dick and Harry you meet in the clubs back of a weekend?’

Eyes sparking furiously, Julie said, ‘You’ve got a week, then you’re out.’

‘Wow, that long?’ Sue drawled, struggling to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. ‘Good to know who your friends are in times of crisis, eh? And it’s not like none of this is
your
fault, or anything. God forbid I should remind you that it wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t been so eager to shag a stranger!’

‘Don’t push it,’ Julie muttered, stubbing her cigarette out in the ashtray. ‘I’ve given you a week, and that’s pretty bleedin’ generous seeing as I could have just put your bags outside the door.’

Pursing her lips, Sue held Julie’s gaze for several moments, then turned and walked out. She felt like punching her for being such a bitch, but it wouldn’t do any good. And at least she’d given them a week, so there was still a chance that the council would come through in time. Highly unlikely, but a week was still better than nothing.

Marching out of the flat now, she headed into the park and sat down on a bench near the gates. Pulling her jacket collar up around her throat, she shoved her hands into her pockets and waited for Terry to bring Connor back.

Terry was bang on time. Holding Connor’s hand when he got out of the car, he carried the two bags of clothes and toys that he’d bought for him over to Sue.

Smiling tightly, she took a last drag on the cigarette she was smoking and tossed the end onto the floor. ‘Had a good day?’

‘We’ve had loads of fun, haven’t we, Connor?’ Terry said, squeezing Connor’s hand to get him to smile, because he seemed to have gone down since he’d seen his mum. And she looked troubled, too, but he sensed that whatever was going through her head, she wouldn’t appreciate him asking. Handing the bags to her now, he said, ‘I’ve bought him a few things.’

‘You didn’t have to,’ she said quietly.

‘I wanted to,’ he said. ‘He’s my boy, and we haven’t had much of a chance to spend time together lately.’

Taking this as a dig, Sue’s lips tightened.

‘I didn’t mean that the way it probably sounded,’ Terry told her quickly. ‘I just meant . . . well, I haven’t spent anything on the kids in a while, so I thought I’d spoil him for a change. Don’t mind, do you?’

Shaking her head, Sue stood up. ‘No, I don’t mind. And I’m sorry if I made you feel bad. I’ve just got a bit of a headache.’ Picking up the bags now, she reached for Connor’s hand. ‘Best get you in out of the cold. Say bye to Daddy.’

Bending down to kiss him, Terry felt a tug of sadness. They’d had a great time today, and even though Connor hadn’t said a word Terry had really felt as if he was close at times.

‘Can I give you a ring mid-week?’ he asked, walking with them towards the road. ‘Arrange another visit?’

Nodding, Sue said, ‘Yeah, that would be fine. But don’t just turn up, because I don’t know where we’ll be.’

Frowning now, Terry watched as she walked Connor across the road. He hoped he hadn’t offended her by buying Connor clothes. Obviously she couldn’t afford to replace all the stuff they’d lost, but maybe he’d been a bit premature in jumping straight back into the provider role.

No
, he told himself, climbing into his car. He wasn’t going to feel guilty about that. He always
had
been the provider, and it was her who had stopped him by refusing to take the maintenance when he had offered it. She’d said that she would rather die than take anything from him, and didn’t want him to think he was buying the right to see the kids. So if she felt bad about it now, tough.

Not that he was going to get into an argument about it at this early stage. But if he had the money, then he would treat the kids.

Or, rather,
kid
. Because he had no clue when he would next get to treat Nicky.

Sighing, Terry put the car into gear and went home.

He’d made two big decisions today. One: no one was ever going to stop him from seeing his son again. And two: Leanne was going to be a part of their future relationship – whether she
or
Sue liked it.

Leanne was curled up on the couch watching TV when he walked into the living room. Giving her a nervous smile, praying that she hadn’t heard where he’d been today and who with, he said, ‘Hi. Have you had a good day?’

Forcing herself to smile, Leanne nodded. ‘Yeah, it was okay. You?’

‘Fine,’ he said, relieved that she hadn’t attacked him, because that meant that she probably hadn’t found out.

‘Cup of tea?’ Leanne asked, getting up now and padding through to the kitchen.

‘Yeah, great,’ Terry said, slipping his jacket off. ‘You been cooking? Something smells good.’

‘I made lasagne,’ she called back. ‘And I got you some of that garlic bread you like.’

‘Sounds lovely,’ he said, sitting down. She was acting so nice, he’d be sure that
she
’d been up to something if he didn’t know better. But he presumed she was probably just feeling guilty about having spent the day with her dad. Although she needn’t have worried, because he was hardly going to object – not when he knew how important it was for a child to see its father.

‘Did you go to town?’ Leanne asked, bringing his tea through a couple of minutes later and cuddling up next to him.

‘Might have known you wouldn’t forget that,’ Terry teased, reaching for his jacket. ‘Close your eyes and hold your hand out.’

‘What is it?’ she asked, guilt momentarily forgotten in the excitement of knowing she was about to get a present.

Taking something out of his pocket, Terry placed it on her hand. Eyes still closed, Leanne’s heart began to thud in her chest as she ran her fingers over the small square box.