Carly was hugging her torso tight. ‘There’s nobody’s here.’
‘The boot’s open.’ Teresa shuffled forward, her heels clicking on the tarmac. ‘Why would anyone leave it open like that?’
Carly crouched, cupping her hands on the glass to look inside.
A hand covered Teresa’s mouth.
A bulky arm grabbed her from behind.
Someone whispered in her ear, ‘Shhh.’
Then the hand went, but something still covered her mouth. Fabric maybe? A sleeve?
Was it Hayden playing a joke on her?
Pretty sick, even for him.
Would Carly’s man do it? Before they’d even met?
Carly was playing with her phone, not even looking over. ‘Where the hell is he?’
Something cold touched Teresa’s neck. A knife! Someone had a knife on her!
She tried to scream but it was just a quiet moan. She tasted oily rag.
‘Get in the boot.’ She was lifted clean off her feet and dropped into the boot.
‘Please!’ But her words were all muffled.
The boot clicked shut and she was in darkness.
‘What the hell?’ Carly, outside.
‘Help!’ Teresa hit the inside of the boot, and the metal clattered. ‘Help!’
Heels clicked off the tarmac outside. Carly running? Maybe.
Teresa thumped the boot again. Felt like something cracked in her hand.
She was trapped inside Carly’s boyfriend’s car. What the hell?
Someone shouted. A man’s voice. She couldn’t make it out. ‘No. No, no, no.’
That was much clearer.
What the hell had happened?
A car door slammed. The car revved and shot off, pushing Teresa forward. Her head hit something hard.
1
Vicky lifted Bella up to look out of the window. Maybe they didn’t live in the best part of Carnoustie, but at this time of year, with all the decorations and lights, it looked so lovely. Nothing too flashy or blinking or bling, just subtle and warm and friendly. ‘Can you see Auntie Karen’s car there?’
Bella tilted her wee head around, frowning. Her dark hair was getting pretty long, maybe time to cut it. Should’ve done that last week. Wouldn’t get her into the hairdressers until after New Year, and even then, she’d squirm and wriggle and complain. And Vicky wouldn’t be allowed to do it herself.
‘No, Mummy. Where?’
She sighed, feeling a pang of pain in her heart, and pointed at the red Volvo with 13 plates. ‘Zulu, alpha, 13. Sierra, Juliet, Bravo.’ God, she needed to turn off the police part of her brain for a few days. ‘See?’
A hand was waving through the windscreen.
‘Oh! There she is, Mummy!’ Bella waved back.
‘Come on, Bells.’ Vicky hefted her back down onto the floor. ‘Let’s go and see her.’ She grabbed Bella’s tiny hand and led her through the living room, with that massive tree Bella wanted sitting in the corner. That area underneath was still free for “Santa” to ram full of wrapped presents later, not that the little minx would go to bed until late.
Karen was at the front door, misting the glass with her breath and drawing a love heart.
Vicky opened the door. ‘Hey, Karen.’
‘Evening, ladies.’ Karen swooped Bella up in her arms. ‘How’s my little princess?’ She carried Bella through to the living room.
Vicky stepped outside and picked up the massive box sitting on the step. A doll’s house wrapped and just small enough for her to carry it herself. Karen’s daughter’s friend’s mum’s sister’s old one, but the kid was at high school now, so it was an absolute steal. Vicky shuffled it into the porch and nudged the door shut with her hip.
A wail of giggles erupted from the living room.
Now.
Vicky grabbed the box and lugged it up the stairs, thumping on each one, but the giggles and squeals got even louder. The plan was working to perfection. She got it into her bedroom and dropped it on the far side of her bed. Chest heaving. Christ, she needed to get running again. Chance would be a fine thing.
All of Bella’s presents were under the bed, ready for Santa to work his magic once the wee beastie had gone to bed.
Vicky took a deep breath, her heart rate back under control, then shut her bedroom door and set off down the stairs.
Karen and Bella were on the sofa, opposite the TV mounted above the fireplace. Not quite at the right angle, thanks to her dad and her brother’s half-arsed attempts and stupid arguments.
Vicky collapsed into the armchair. ‘Can I get you a drink, Kaz?’
‘Thought you’d never ask.’
‘Wine?’
‘White.’
‘White? Christ.’ Vicky raised her eyebrows. ‘You’ll be smashing the place up before Bella’s gone to bed.’
‘I’m not that bad, am I?’
‘No, but you’re not that good.’ Vicky heaved herself up and padded through to the kitchen. The bottle of white looked sad in the fridge, filled with kids’ treats, salads and not much else. She poured out two glasses and took them back through, just as that song blasted out of the speakers.
Bella had already got her way, getting Karen to put Frozen on. Not that it was ever out of the DVD player.
‘I see she’s already asked.’ Vicky handed Karen the glass. ‘And you’ve already agreed.’
‘I’m a soft touch, Vicks.’ Karen sniffed her glass, but it was like she was sucking in the aroma rather than testing it for freshness, though she had been known to sometimes do subtle. ‘Colin’s the one who does all the hard stuff in our house.’
‘He’s not working tonight, then?’
‘No. He’s looking after kids. New neighbour a few weeks ago. He’s coming in for some wine, letting his boy play with our two.’ Karen looked up from her glass. ‘Should maybe have invited you over. He’s hot.’
‘Kaz…’
‘Seriously, Vicks. Don’t you thi—’
Vicky’s smile cut her off. ‘Maybe after she’s gone to bed.’
‘Okay.’ Karen rubbed Bella’s hair. ‘Just that she could’ve had some friends tonight, that’s all.’
‘Well, we’ve been saying we needed a girlie night for a while. My brother’s got me Top Gun and Dirty Dancing and—’
‘Top Gun. No question.’
Vicky raised her glass to her lips and tasted the sweet wine.
Just as her mobile rang.
Vicky put her glass down on the side table. ‘Who’s that?’
Karen shrugged. ‘Ignore
