The tension in the room had escalated, both Brooke and Adele focused on their phones, probably checking for communication from Matt.
I had no idea what he was doing, whether he was on his way with the cavalry, or whether he was still caught up with the fire and hadn’t even checked his calls. But what neither Brooke nor Adele had noticed was Tom had woken up.
While I’d kept them talking, he’d crawled across the shed floor and found the bottle of weed killer. Silently communicating with me, he positioned himself in the shadows. Ticking off his fingers he reached three, and I screamed at the top of my lungs causing both women to spin towards me. Tom ran from his hiding place, hitting Brooke in the eyes with the poison before swinging the bottle at Adele’s head. She staggered backwards and I kicked out my leg, tripping her over. She landed with a bang, blood oozing from her head.
Oh my God! I hope she’s not dead!
Tom jumped onto Brooke’s back as she howled and clutched at her eyes. But she was a fighter, flinging him onto his back like a rag doll. She then hit out at him, punching him hard.
Adele moaned and rolled onto her side. Tom was about to be outnumbered.
I cried. Everything was happening too quickly. Fear consumed me, making me want to close my eyes and hide, but I knew what would happen if I did. Brooke wouldn’t hesitate in killing us both. In fact, as she kicked Tom hard in the ribs, I knew without a doubt she would relish watching us die.
I had to do something. I had to stop her. But how? My hands were bound and without them I was hopeless.
The chair I was sitting on was old and rickety and I wondered if I could break it. Getting to my feet, I held my breath and braced myself as I slammed it into the cement flooring. The timber cracked but held together.
Brooke kicked Tom in the stomach as Adele got onto her knees, her eyes locked on the flame thrower. It didn’t take a genius to figure out her thoughts.
I definitely didn’t want to die in a fire. As Brooke ran for a sledgehammer, her mouth in an ugly grimace, I knew it was now or never.
Saying a silent prayer that my babies would be unharmed, I flung the chair backwards landing with a thump. Pain shot through my back as the wood smashed against the force but I was freed from the broken chair. Rolling onto my knees I cried as I got up and ran for Adele.
She’d reached the flame thrower, her hands shaking as she tried to ignite it. But I had too much to live for. I had my babies, I had Matt and I had my family. A crazy woman with a past wasn’t taking that from me.
Lunging at her, I knocked the tool out of her hand as she screamed with annoyance. Regaining my footing, I pulled my shoulder back, clenched my fist and hit her square on the nose. We both heard the crack as blood spurted and she staggered backwards, falling over a bicycle stand and hitting her head.
My anger boiled as I spun to Brooke. She’d found the sledgehammer and was advancing on Tom and I knew I had to act fast. No time to think. Only a split second to do something. Anything. I hurriedly scanned the room, looking for something that would stop her. I saw a small bin full of saw dust. Hurrying towards it, I picked the bin up and swung its contents in her face.
She coughed, spluttered and screamed, but it slowed her down enough for Tom to gain his footing. I saw him grab the wrench and as he threw it, it hit her square in the face.
Her eyes widened before she fell to the floor, silent.
Epilogue
“Mum, please stop fussing,” I begged as she tucked the blanket a little bit tighter around me.
“You just wait until you have these babies and then tell me to stop fussing,” she snapped. “You never stop fussing over them. No matter how old they are or how much trouble they seem to get themselves into.”
It was a busy night at the Westport General and we’d just added to the chaos. The smell of antiseptic and blood clogged my sinuses as the sounds of police radios crackled outside my cubicle.
“I’m sorry I worried you, but the doctor has already told us that everything is okay with me and the babies. It’s over now. You can relax.”
“Can I? Can I really? After all, both you and Lizzie have had a turn. When is Danny going to nearly get himself killed?” She was bordering hysteria and I discreetly pressed my buzzer to call for the nurse. Hopefully, they could give her something to calm her down.
“Don’t bring me into this,” huffed Danny, his look indignant as Andrew tensed beside him.
“And how many times do I have to apologize?” asked Lizzie, looking freaked to be standing in the ER once again. Riley put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close against him, kissing her just above the ear.
“I keep telling you I don’t want your apologies. I just want you to stay safe!” yelled mum throwing her hands in the air.
Grandma Mabel shuffled in behind her, taking her arm and leading her to the nearest chair. “Come on, Nelle. This isn’t good for your blood pressure. You’ll have a stroke if you’re not careful.”
Mum allowed herself to be led, then sat with her head in her hands. My heart broke a little for what she’d been through, but as I’d already pointed out, it was hardly my fault. I hadn’t asked for Adele to turn out to be a psycho.
I had asked Ed what had happened to both Adele and Brooke, and apparently, they were being treated in another ward. Brooke was getting her head scanned and Adele was having her broken nose taped. He congratulated me on my right hook, before informing me that the gold charm found next to Harper in my apartment, matched a broken link on the bracelet Brooke wore. It seemed she had no way to deny she was in my apartment that day.
Tom had been taken to get a scan to ensure his skull wasn’t fractured. When Brooke had decided he made a good scapegoat, she’d hit him hard. Too hard. But I was assured he was going to be okay and the good news was neither of us had died in a shed fire.
Matt took my hand and held it between both of his. It turned out Brooke wasn’t a very good kidnapper as he’d never received the message from her to bring the diary before she’d start to cut off my appendages. When I’d run into Tom’s house to call for help, Matt and Ed had jumped into action and had arrived on the scene within ten minutes, bringing the cavalry with them. Ed had been amazing. As his constables secured the area, he cuffed both Brooke and Adele before providing both Tom and I immediate medical attention while we waited the few minutes for the paramedics to arrive.
Upon seeing me, Matt had cried like a baby. But then that could have been me. Oh, who knows. All I knew for sure was there were a lot of tears and neither of us cried like a lady. He now held me so tight I feared he’d cut off my circulation.
Dad ambled towards me, one hand shoved deep into his pocket. He was paler than usual and had a look resembling a kangaroo stuck in headlights.
“So, I’m not really following what happened tonight,” he said, scratching his whiskers. “I understand what that woman Adele did, but I don’t understand how you’re a part of this, Matt?”
Oh oh.
Mum and grandma both snapped their heads in Matt’s direction, obviously not understanding either. Danny, Andrew, Lizzie and Riley all silently slinked from the area. Not that I blamed them. I, too, would have run away from this conversation if I’d had the chance.
“Ummmm,” Matt stalled for time, his face searching mine as he tried to find the right words.