Come Back to Me

drink, and told me I’d denied him the chance of ever knowing his father. He knew about the prison sentence before that, I think, but he said he still wanted the opportunity, that I should have let him make up his own mind before it was too late.’

‘And you didn’t tell him anything,’ Chloe said; a statement rather than a question.

Margaret shook her head, biting her lip, her eyes dewy. ‘I’ve always been so grateful that he was little when it… when we left America. It gave him a chance to forget. I don’t want to take that away from him, ever, even though he’s a man now.’

‘Oh, Mum.’ Chloe put her hand on top of her mother’s. ‘This must all have been so hard for you.’ She paused, thinking; then, curious, asked, ‘Did you love our dad?’

Margaret nodded. ‘I did – well, I thought I did, but I think I was also hypnotised by him. He was a powerful man, with a cruel streak, and it took what happened with Anthony to bring me to my senses. I have always felt guilty about putting both of you through that. Yes, you too, Chloe. You should never have had to experience that. You were a child. I was your mother. It was down to me.’

‘Mum, you didn’t -’ Chloe said automatically.

Margaret moved even closer to Chloe on the sofa, and began to stroke her daughter’s hair, pushing loose strands back behind her ear. ‘Thank you for saying that,’ she whispered. ‘However, although I may come across as a silly old fool at times, when I think of you and Anthony, in my heart I am a lioness, and you will always be my cubs. I want to roar at anyone who threatens you and tear the heart out of anyone who hurts you.’

There was silence for a moment, and then Chloe looked up at her mum, a soft smile on her face. ‘Poor Alex,’ she said.

‘Quite,’ Margaret replied, and smiled back.

93

The last twenty-four hours had been crazy.

When Amy had begun to scream, the man had bolted out the main doors of the courthouse. Alex had been transfixed by both things, but Detective Thompson had set off in pursuit like a cheetah after prey, as did half a dozen court security guards.

They hauled him back in moments later; Detective Thompson coming first, wiping his brow, shirt half-untucked and tie askew. He straightened his clothing and flattened his hair as he walked towards Alex and Amy.

As Amy saw the security men bringing the man back in, she moved closer to Alex and buried her head in his chest, and he put his arms around her.

The detective moved around so Amy could see him without having to move her head.

‘Is that one of them?’ he asked her gently.

Amy nodded.

‘I’m sorry, Amy, but I need you to look at him quickly and make a positive ID,’ the detective said softly.

Slowly, Amy turned her head. The man stared right back at her, remorseless; sneering, almost.

Alex watched Amy as she nodded.

Before he could think, Alex had thrust Amy out of his arms towards the detective. He heard himself screaming obscenities at the cocky monster in front of them, determined to rip him apart. He had almost reached him when one of the guards grabbed Alex’s arms. He writhed to be free and more guards came over. He was bundled outside as he fought back, and they pinned him on the ground.

‘Pull him up,’ a voice said.

As they hauled him to his feet, Alex could feel his face still distorted with the rage that consumed him. When he was upright, Detective Thompson stepped forward until he was so close their noses were almost touching.

‘I know you want to,’ he said, his eyes boring into Alex’s. ‘We all want to. But it won’t help. So calm down. You need to look after Amy.’

As soon as he said her name, Alex spotted her, standing behind them, her face tear-streaked, her expression distressed, and the fight began to drain out of him. He held his hands up in acquiescence, and muttered ‘Sorry, sorry’ as the officers gradually stood back. They didn’t go far, in case, he guessed, he ran indoors again to find the bastard and kill him. Instead he went over to Amy, and put his arms around her once more.

‘It’s all right,’ he said, pulling her close and stroking her hair, whispering against it. ‘It’s all right.’

She pulled back. ‘I thought I didn’t recognise all of them,’ she said, alternately looking at the detective and Alex, her voice shaky and high. ‘But it’s been ten years and I -’

‘The man we just arrested was the brother of one of the men convicted today,’ Detective Thompson informed them. ‘We had some issues with whether the third man belonged to your case as well, as he had an alibi, but it was only a wobbly one; and his brother would have been only eighteen when they attacked you, so we weren’t sure. Without you we had no way of checking.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’ Amy asked, horrified that one of her attackers had been wandering freely so close to her.

‘I’m sorry.’ The detective looked ashamed. ‘I didn’t want to frighten you, as you were already so distressed when I last saw you. I thought that when today was out of the way, we could talk properly.’

Amy looked astounded for a moment. ‘Did you just set that up, so I would see him?’

‘No, of course not.’ Detective Thompson seemed affronted. ‘I’ve never seen him at court before; if I had, I wouldn’t have let him near you. He must have just come in for the verdict, and I’m surprised at that, as, unless they’re in the dock, his family usually stay well away from anything involving the law.’

‘Oh.’ Amy looked at her feet.

‘So what now?’ Alex asked, suddenly aware that this was a very public conversation. People were passing them on the way to and from court, many eyeing them curiously, probably having just witnessed the scenes inside.

‘For now, we detain him for questioning,’ the detective said. ‘You two head back to your hotel, and I’ll come and see you later.’

They returned to their hotel in silence.

‘I’m sorry, Amy,’ Alex said at one point.

‘Don’t be,’ she replied. ‘I wish they’d let you kill him. I would have watched.’

They didn’t say much after that and spent the next few hours feeling restless. The hotel had an outdoor swimming pool so they swam for a while, then came back to their room. Alex was just wondering how long they’d be climbing the walls for, when the phone rang and the receptionist informed them that Detective Thompson was in the lobby.

They headed downstairs and sat with him in the large open-plan reception area.

‘He’s practically confessed,’ the detective said. ‘We’ll be able to charge him, I’m sure. I’ll take a statement from you both about what happened today, and then, further down the line, we might need you back again, Amy.’ He looked at her seriously. ‘Is that okay? Without you, if he decided to try to get off, we wouldn’t have much of a case. I’m hopeful he might spare us all and go with guilty, but we just don’t know what will happen once the lawyers have had their hands on him for a while.’

They all knew he was asking Amy if she was a flight risk.

‘I can do what you need me to,’ she answered, meeting his eyes. Alex believed her. From the look of it, the detective did too. In fact, Alex thought, it looked as though Amy believed herself as well.

‘Well, let’s go down to the station now, and do the statements, and then you’re free to go,’ Detective Thompson said. ‘No point in keeping you here longer than needed.’

The next morning, Alex woke up before Amy, and lay staring at the patch of blue sky he could see through the window. He heard her stirring sometime later, and turned around and smiled at her. She smiled briefly back, then got up, headed for the bathroom and got dressed. When they were both ready, they went down for breakfast.

‘What do you want to do today?’ Alex asked, munching on a mouthful of toast.

Amy looked at her plate, thinking.

‘I want to leave,’ she said, looking up. ‘To find a flight and go – back to England, or anywhere else, I guess; just