They turned around the corner and Sandy held Terry's hand instinctively. “Tell me, what are your plans for Gracie?” Terry stammered and Sandy looked up at him in the darkness. “You are not leading her on, are you?”
Terry shook his head. “No. No. I think she is wonderful.”
Sandy thought for a moment. “Yes, she is. But you will look after her, won't you?”
“Yeah. As much as she'd let me. She was talking about taking off earlier with you and said you might want to go back to Denmark.”
Sandy snorted. “No. We are definitely not going to Denmark. She likes you, she told me. But she is scared of letting go, she is very afraid all the time with everything we do. You need to make her jump. She never takes risks.”
“Make her jump?” Terry asked, a little confused and Sandy nodded.
“Yes, she has parachute and won't jump from plane. You need to make her.”
Terry grinned and squeezed Sandy's hand. “I'll try. But I have to go back to work for a couple of days. But I'll be back on Wednesday.”
“You drive tonight?”
“Yeah. There'll be nothing on the roads, it'll take me no time to get back,” Terry guessed but wasn't completely confident in his assurance. He would probably arrive home around sunrise.
Terry had managed to negotiate a couple of days off work mid-week and was sat in Grace's lounge idly playing with her tits. It was Sandy's twentieth birthday the day after but she was not celebrating it, the rape at knife point and beating she took still scaring her.
Grace had repeatedly suggested that they leave London and go elsewhere but Sandy had become insular and was not conversing fully. She wanted to be left alone and it scared Grace; she had never seen Sandy like that.
Since Grace had known Sandy she had been very strong, and stood up to everyone and everything that had been thrown at her. She had coped with so many horrors in her life, but this was almost one step too far, and this terrified Grace. They needed a change of scenery.
Terry had testified to the fact that there was a thriving sex scene in Manchester and Birmingham and she left the suggestion in the air but Sandy was not able to make a decision and Grace made sure that she ate three meals a day and did not over-consume on alcohol.
The Wednesday they were alone in the lounge when Sandy walked in. “What you doing tonight?” Sandy asked clinically and Terry shrugged, a little surprised. Sandy had barely spoken to him since he had arrived earlier in the day and didn't immediately appreciate why she was doing so now.
“Dunno. Might stay here, keep you company.”
“There is some good music on in the pub down the road. That Irish band we saw a couple of weeks ago,” Sandy told them and they nodded.
“Yeah OK. If you want to see them.”
Sandy shook her head. “No. I need to sort some stuff out.” Grace looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders. “Police paperwork. I've been putting it off, I just need it done.”
“I'll help. I don't want to…” Grace started and was unsure how to finish it. She didn't want to tell Sandy she didn't want to leave her alone, or alone at night as that sounded weird. Certainly she had cancelled some of her shifts so she could spent more time in the flat with her, although Sandy had surprisingly refused to cancel her shifts at the casino, especially as she was convinced her rape was now connected with the illicit gambling. She said she wouldn't let him win, but Grace could earn enough money to keep them solvent for weeks if they needed to.
“I'll go tomorrow. We can celebrate my birthday. Promise,” Sandy said. “And we can talk about our new business venture.” Grace and Terry looked at each other, but with Sandy's insistence they left the flat ten minutes later.
Grace whispered in Terry's ear. If he could be quiet later, he could fuck her ass. She just didn't want Sandy to hear.
Grace laughed as she unlocked the door to their small flat. Terry had his arms around her shoulders and was telling her about the problems a certain builder had caused. He was certainly knowledgeable about business and would provide guidance to Sandy and herself when they did set up on their own. She called out to Sandy when she came in but there was no answer; she's obviously gone to bed early.
Terry walked through to the kitchen and filled the small brown kettle. “You having one?”
“Please,” Grace replied and put her small handbag on the table and turned around to go into the bathroom. The cheap lager had made its way down to her bladder and she needed to release.
“You have milk, right?” Terry called and Grace replied that she did. He picked up the milk from the fridge.
Grace let out a piercing scream that chilled Terry to his bones; he dropped the milk onto the floor and ran into the bathroom, skidding abruptly. He immediately turned Grace to bury her face in his chest when he saw the sight that had caused her to yell.
Spinning from the ceiling joist was a naked and ashen-faced Sandy, suspended by a rope on her neck. “Call the police,” was all he could say and he pushed Grace out of the room. It wouldn't do any good, it was suicide, the chair kicked away from underneath her, but they had to do it.
He blinked and put his hand to his mouth. “You stupid girl,” he muttered and wiped a tear from his eyes. He had liked Sandy, she had been good to him and he knew how much Sandy meant to Grace. He had no idea that the rape had affected her so badly but there was no other reason why she would want to take her own life. Surely?
There was an envelope on the sink and he picked it up before respectfully closing the door.
Chapter VII
Dear Gracie,
I am sorry you had to find me like this but I just could not go on any more. I'm sure the bastard was stalking me to the shops yesterday and I know he is going to get me. Next time he will kill me and if you are there, he'll kill you too. Neville knows I know all his secrets and wants me dead.
I know you are thinking that I am weak and cowardly for taking the easy way out, or that I was insane, but there is no-one who can help me and this is the simplest way.
I am at peace now. No-one can make me unhappy or scared any more. No more perverted uncles trying to force me into under-age dog porn or abusing me. No more sweaty clients humping me. I have moved on to a better place.
I have put all of my money that I had saved up in your drawer. I have also taken all the money from Neville's casino safe and hidden it in Terry's car under the spare tyre. Please take it and have a good life with it. You deserve it.
I have also sent Neville's secret book where he keeps all the information about his dodgy dealings to the Police. Get out of London, the parlour may get raided.
I have fed Puddles and there is some chicken in the fridge for him tomorrow morning. I was going to have it for my dinner but didn't feel like it. Please don't let the little thing starve.
Please, please forgive me for being a coward. You are the only person I ever loved, you made me happy and my life worth living but I know you are in good hands with Terry.
He is a good man, I wish I could have found someone like him. Don't push him away, you need him now and he needs you.
I love you forever, see you in fifty years or so!
Sandy.
Chapter VIII
