She was about fifteen minutes away from Mark’s house. Fifteen minutes in which to decide what she was going to say – or do.
She glanced over to her handbag on the passenger seat. She could just make out the handle of the large knife.
Maddie gripped the wheel tightly, conscious of the tiny person behind her. She had sent Gemma a message to tell her that she was taking Jemima trick or treating and had expected a message back telling her to watch how many sweets she ate, but she had received nothing back.
This was madness. What the hell was she doing? Maybe she should turn around, go home, pack up her stuff and disappear somewhere.
But she couldn’t. Jade would talk to the police and then Maddie would always be running, looking over her shoulder. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered what Jade had had on the girl who lived in her flat before her. Lucy. There was definitely a story there. Jade didn’t do anything for nothing.
Looking at Jemima now, Maddie realised she did have a reason to carry on, someone who needed her.
This had to end.
Today.
*
Mark wished he’d bought more sweets – and recorded the football. The cul-de-sac was teeming with kids, dressed in everything from ghosts and zombies to princesses and pirates. He was down to the dregs of the sweet bowl and had resorted to rationing the kids to one lollipop a piece. He would have to hunt in the cupboard for some biscuits or something soon – or stop answering the door. He’d thought about turning the lights off and pretending he wasn’t home once the sweets did run out, but his delight as seeing all the kids dressed up swayed him from that idea.
He’d missed all the goals in the match and instead of avoiding the final score, he’d caught a glimpse of it and knew his team had lost. But it didn’t matter. He was actually having fun.
The gaps between trick or treaters were drawing longer, so he might get some peace and quiet soon, maybe see if he could find the highlights of the game somewhere. He was sitting on the couch, counting the seconds between doorbell rings like a kid during a thunderstorm.
Yes, it was definitely slowing down. He opened another beer and put his feet up.
*
Maddie pulled the car up to the kerb in the cul-de-sac. There were one or two vampires and Buzz Lightyears wandering the streets with hands clasped tightly by grown-ups, along with the occasional teenager still trying to eke out the benefits of free sweets despite being taller than most of the people opening their doors. Sunset had turned the lights down and shadows were lengthening along the pavements and gardens.
Jemima stirred as the car stopped and rubbed her eyes.
Maddie sat for a moment watching number 11. It was a small, semi-detached house, with a neatly paved front garden and a dark red door. Artificial light from a television flickered in the front window. Someone was home.
What if he wasn’t alone? She hadn’t thought about that. She hadn’t thought about any of it. She’d have to take the risk.
She looked over at the cheap, plastic Shrek mask sitting on the passenger seat next to her handbag.
She felt numb, her mind struggling to process what she was about to do, so she tried not to think at all.
She grabbed her bag and the mask, before slipping from the car.
Jemima was still yawning and sleepy, but smiled as Maddie reached in to unclasp her seat restraints. Maddie felt her chest clench. ‘Hello, little pumpkin. Shall we go and do some trick or treating?’
She lifted her into her arms and straightened up the pumpkin suit. Taking a deep breath, she slipped on the Shrek mask. Jemima giggled and reached out to pull on the big, green ears.
Maddie locked the car and looked around. A few houses down, a group of witches and wizards were chatting as they headed off down the street. Maddie watched them go, then stepped towards number 11.
The doorbell sounded like a siren, loud and intrusive, announcing her presence to the entire street.
For a second, she hoped no one would answer. Her pulse was racing and she felt ridiculous and weirdly sinister behind the mask.
A shadow fell over the frosted glass of the door and it was pulled open.
A tall, slim man with a receding hairline stood in front of them, an awkward smile on his face. Maddie searched his face for some sign that he was the man she was looking for, maybe a resemblance to Ben, but there was nothing.
‘Oh, now that is a fabulous pumpkin!’ he said, then added, ‘I’m embarrassed to say I have run out of sweets, but I found some boxes of raisins in the cupboard – will that do?’
‘Oh, er, perfect. Much better for her anyway,’ Maddie replied.
He held out a small box and Jemima took them happily. ‘Brilliant, well, better luck next door I think. They seem to be quite popular with the kids.’ He winked at Jemima and went to close the door.
‘Er, Mark, isn’t it?’ Maddie said a little too loudly.
He paused and turned back. ‘Yeah, do I know you? Or are you in disguise?’ He chuckled at himself.
‘I … I know your son, Ben.’
His face froze. ‘Oh, you do? Is he ok?’
‘Yes, yes, he’s fine. I just… can I come in for a minute?’
He was looking at her curiously. ‘Um, sure, I guess?’
He stepped aside to let her past.
They were standing in a tidy hallway. A pair of men’s trainers lay under a console table on which stood a lightbox saying, ‘Love is all you need’ alongside a large fern. A bowl held keys, loose change and a few business cards. Everything looked like it had a place.
‘Come through,’ he
