Joe nodded sharply, released the locks and yanked the driver’s door open. ‘Make sure to fasten your belt,’ he said throatily.
Fifty-Nine
Joe pulled up close to the building where he’d shared an apartment with Courtney. ‘That’s hers,’ he said, nodding through the windscreen.
Sarah looked up to the apartment he indicated, a corner penthouse on a development of waterside properties refurbished sympathetically to preserve the history of the area. It had large Victorian windows overlooking the deep basin and huge locks where canal and river combined. There was a straight drop into the basin under two of the windows, Sarah realised, her breath stalling. On the other outer-facing wall of the apartment, running the length of two windows and a set of patio doors, was a long balcony. The one where Joe had found his ex-wife attempting to take her own life, she thought, cold foreboding washing through her.
‘You might do better to stay here.’ He turned to her, his eyes filled with trepidation, sending a fresh prickle of fear down her spine.
‘Joe, I can’t. I have to know.’ He couldn’t stop her, he wouldn’t try, but she willed him to understand. ‘I might be horribly mistaken. I—’ She stopped as her phone rang again, causing her heart to jolt in her chest.
She checked it. ‘It’s her,’ she said, her stomach turning over.
Joe nodded tersely. ‘Can you put it on speaker?’ he said, his eyes growing a shade darker.
Her hands trembling, Sarah did as he asked, then breathed deeply to stop the tears flowing. ‘Courtney?’ she said, trying to relate to her while her world was collapsing around her. ‘Do you have him? Please tell me. Is Ollie—’
‘He really is a beautiful little boy, isn’t he?’ The woman cut across her.
‘What do you want?’ Sarah swallowed back the shard of glass in her throat. ‘Why have you—’
‘You know what they say.’ The woman sighed expansively. ‘Fair exchange is no robbery. You stole what’s mine …’
Oh God. Nausea burning her throat, Sarah locked petrified eyes with Joe.
Inhaling hard, Joe reached for the phone. ‘Courtney,’ he grated. ‘What in God’s name … Courtney! Fuck it!’ Ramming his door open, he pulled his own phone out, radioing for help with one hand as he raced towards the apartments, calling someone on his phone with the other.
Her heart pelting in her chest, Sarah spilled out after him, catching up with him as he punched a security code into the intercom at the entrance. ‘Kayla? Joe,’ he said into his phone, swinging the door open and pushing through to the foyer. ‘She’s fine. She’s here with me. I’ve called it in, but I need backup fast, no sirens. My old address, Severn House apartments. I think Ollie may be here.’
Jabbing the lift buttons, he cursed liberally. ‘Where is the fucking thing?’ Glancing up at the elevator display, he dragged a hand over his face, then, ‘Jesus, Sarah, I’m sorry,’ he said, his voice choked. ‘Why the hell didn’t I—’
‘The stairs,’ Sarah stopped him. The lift wasn’t coming. It was stuck, sitting on the third floor while … She would kill her. She would kill her if she harmed one hair on her baby’s head.
‘Shit!’ Stumbling as she climbed, her shin screaming with pain, Sarah limped upwards, waving Joe on as he faltered. It was taking too long. Much too long. The woman’s mind was twisted with some need to seek vengeance. What was her warped reasoning urging her to do? What was going through Ollie’s mind? Don’t let her have hurt him. Please don’t let her have hurt him.
Her heart splintered as Joe rammed the front door open and went straight to the bedroom, each piece piercing her chest like an icicle. ‘Ollie …’ she said, her voice trembling, her body shaking as she took in the scene before her. He was on the balcony, standing on the balustrade. He hadn’t been there a short while ago. She must have brought him out to stop them… Stop them what? Her blood froze as she noticed Mr Whale tucked under his arm. Sitting next to him, one arm around him, her legs facing out over the water, was the woman who’d taken him for reasons Sarah could barely comprehend.
‘We’ve come out to look at the pretty boats. We can see them better from here, can’t we, Ollie?’ Courtney said, her voice light, harmless – unthreatening.
He’s just a child! My baby. Sarah almost crumpled.
‘Tell Mummy which one is our favourite, Ollie,’ the woman urged him.
‘The red one.’ Ollie pointed out at the water. ‘It has Donald Duck on it. See, Mummy?’
‘Yes!’ Sarah lurched forward as he twisted to look at her. ‘I see it, Ollie. Keep still, baby. Please …’ She forced back the sob that racked her body. ‘Keep still, sweetheart.’
‘Courtney,’ Joe took a tentative step towards her, ‘it’s cold up here. How about you let Ollie come inside and we’ll talk, just you and me?’
‘You came, then? I thought you might, my very own hero,’ Courtney said, her voice still deceptively light. Smiling, she glanced over her shoulder and then back at the water. ‘Who will you save, Joe, I wonder, if I let go of him?’
Sixty
Her heart frozen with fear, Sarah sank to her knees. She couldn’t stop the tears. Couldn’t breathe.
‘Mummy, what’s wrong?’ Ollie asked, his small voice quavering.
‘Mummy banged her leg, Ollie, that’s all,’ Joe tried to reassure him. ‘Don’t worry, we’ve called the paramedics. She’ll be fine.’
‘Will I see them?’ Ollie asked, his voice filled with awe as he anticipated blue flashing lights.
‘No!’ Joe said quickly, taking another step onto the balcony as Ollie leaned forward. ‘They’re friends. They’re coming in their car. They’ll be here soon.’
‘Oh.’ Ollie sounded disappointed. ‘Can we go inside now, Courtney?’ He looked at her. ‘I want to hug Mummy and make her feel better.’
‘Soon,’ Courtney said. ‘We don’t want to miss the long boat coming through the lock from the river, do we?’
‘No,’ Ollie said uncertainly.
Joe took another small step. ‘Why are you doing this, Courtney?’ he asked, his throat hoarse.
‘Do you remember our honeymoon?’ she said.
‘Venice,’ Joe answered, sucking in a tight breath.
‘It was beautiful, wasn’t it? This view always reminds me of it. We were good together then, weren’t we, Joe? The perfect couple, everyone said.’
Joe kneaded his temples. He didn’t reply.
‘I thought we could go back there. You know, try to fix things,’ she went on. She was completely delusional, living a fantasy. Sarah stared hard at her, taking in her long flowing hair. She was a beautiful woman, competent and confident on the outside. Successful. Bereft and broken on the inside. She couldn’t have Joe, so she would destroy him. Destroy everything he loved.
‘You chose her, though.’ Courtney shrugged. Ollie teetered.
Sarah’s heart stopped beating.