Chapter 18
Emma gazed into the bathroom mirror, hardly recognising herself. Not really one for lots of makeup, tonight’s face looked a tad dramatic in comparison to her normal natural look. Mascara and bronze eyeshadow emphasised her amber eyes, while the cherry-red lipstick and touch of blusher added extra depth and dimension she didn’t even know her face possessed. Her chestnut curls were tied up in a silver scarf, which matched the silver biker jacket she’d worn for her interview with Jennifer. That seemed almost a lifetime ago, thought Emma as she’d slipped the cold leather on against her bare arms. The tie-dyed dress she wore underneath didn’t give much warmth either, but the adrenaline surging through her veins would soon heat her body.
Felix and Madeleine were waiting in the hall as she came down the stairs.
‘Ooh la la!’ called Madeleine in delight. ‘You look just the part,’ she exclaimed.
Felix swallowed. Words failed him. Emma looked tentatively in his direction, waiting for some kind of reaction.
‘Amazing, you’ll knock ’em dead,’ he said as jovially as he could muster, when inside he was crashing. The last thing he wanted to do was watch every man at the gig lust after her – just like he was.
‘Well, let’s go, my dears,’ Madeleine shooed them to the front doors, ‘the taxi will be ready to collect you at midnight,’ she instructed.
Emma smiled at her. ‘Thank you, Madeleine.’ They both knew she wasn’t just thanking her for the lift and arranging transport, but for her support too. It meant a lot to Emma, especially as her dad didn’t know about all the business with Anika. Once he came back after his holiday she’d fill him in, but didn’t want to worry him beforehand.
‘Not at all, you must enjoy every minute,’ she replied, ushering them all out of the doors.
Felix, for once, wasn’t hiding himself. He wore jeans and a black quilted jacket but no mask, shades or hat to cover his face. Emma glanced sideways at him as they both got in the back of his Range Rover.
‘What if someone recognises you?’ she said.
‘They’ll be too busy looking at you,’ he smirked. To be honest, he was past caring. He lived in Samphire Bay now and wanted to be accepted as a local, which also meant the surrounding area getting used to seeing his face. Once it was common knowledge, he’d be yesterday’s news. After all, what was the alternative? To stay prisoner in his own home? And what was the worst that could happen? He was already being stalked.
He and Emma agreed he’d enter the brewery discreetly, rather than make an entrance together.
‘I feel nervous.’ Emma shivered as Madeleine set off to Lancaster.
‘It’s only natural to feel nervous. Once you’re out there, you’ll be brilliant,’ he assured her.
‘Is that what it was like for you, when acting?’ asked Emma looking at his dark profile. How handsome he was. She knew despite his remark he’d be getting attention tonight.
‘When I was in the theatre, yes,’ he answered.
‘But not in front of the camera?’
‘Not really. It became the norm.’
They were soon entering the heart of Lancaster and Emma directed Madeleine to the back of the brewery.
‘It looks like a good venue,’ Felix remarked, taking in the huge, red-bricked Victorian building. There was a pebbled courtyard, enclosed with black railings in the centre, leading to large wooden double-doors where the main back entrance was.
‘It is,’ agreed Emma.
They parked up and after a final ‘Good luck!’ from Madeleine, set off to the rear entrance and up to the mezzanine balcony overlooking the brewery downstairs. Already the place was filling as Mitch and Gaz were setting up.
‘Hey, Emma!’ called Sophie from the far end of the room.
Emma turned and mouthed ‘Wish me luck’ to Felix following at a distance behind her then darted off.
Felix watched quietly from the bar. He saw the four band members group hug and smiled to himself, whilst a small part of him envied their closeness. Ordering a double Jack Daniels and coke, his eyes scanned the crowd, now building momentum. He felt a tap on his shoulder and turned abruptly.
‘You’ve dropped something mate,’ said a man standing beside him.
‘Oh, thanks.’ Felix bent down and picked up his wallet, then shoved it into his back pocket.
Within quarter of an hour the place was heaving and the band was almost ready to start. Felix noticed an older man weave his way to the front and give Emma a big hug. That must be her dad, he thought fondly.
Disappointingly for Felix the opening song was sung by Sophie, who, in his opinion wasn’t a patch on Emma. Whilst Sophie sang Felix queued to get another drink. Once being served, he turned back to see Emma now take the microphone. He took a long sip and savoured the taste of whiskey as much as the sight of Emma.
A new song started, one Felix hadn’t heard her sing before. He leant against the bar, absorbing her. She was an absolute natural with the crowd, who sang along. Emma played to her audience, dancing and waving, occasionally pointing the odd person out and beaming at them. She ducked down to shake one teenage boy’s hand, who cheekily pulled her scarf out so all her glossy curls came tumbling down, to the cheer of the crowd. Felix groaned inwardly, finding it unbearably sexy. There was no doubt, Emma had charisma and far more presence than the previous singer, Sophie.
The whole band sang Moves Like Jagger , with both girls singing the female lyrics and the two boys the male. This was met with a roaring applause. Felix ordered another drink and really started to relax. Then came the ultimate song, well, for him anyway. Emma sang What Am I To You and the whole place was on fire, whooping and clapping to her seductive movements. Felix stared rigid, his body tingling from head to toe.
‘Has anyone told you, you’re the spitting image of Felix Pascal?’ said a female voice in his ear.
Annoyed at the interruption, he spoke without taking his eyes off Emma.
‘Never heard of him,’ he replied flatly.
The woman knew when she was snubbed and walked away.
After several more songs, the band finally finished with Hey Jude , sung by both Sophie and Emma together. As anticipated, everyone swayed and sang to the chorus, including Felix.
All in all, the gig had been a resounding success. After the band bowed to a thundering applause, the crowd gradually started to disperse. Emma didn’t feel comfortable introducing Felix to the other band members, who assumed she’d been dropped off by her dad. They still didn’t know who she worked for. Instead, after the usual celebrations and saying goodbye to her dad and Bunty, she secretly stole away to meet Felix at the back of the brewery as arranged, where a taxi was waiting for them.
Emma was on a high from the triumphant performance and hastily got into the back of the car, where Felix sat with a huge smile. He too was feeling suitably ebullient, not surprising given the many drinks he’d had.
‘Brilliant, Emma, you were absolutely brilliant,’ he congratulated, opening his arms out to her. She sunk into his embrace, inhaling the smell of his tangy aftershave.
‘Thanks,’ she sighed in joy, as the taxi set off home.
In their contented state, Felix didn’t completely let go of Emma, but kept his arm round her shoulders all the way home, much to Emma’s pleasure. She adored his reassuring touch and wallowed in it. Once the taxi had arrived, Felix got out and opened the door for her. As the car drove off, they climbed up the stone steps together. Emma felt Felix lean into her a little and took the keys from him, suspecting she’d be far more adept at unlocking the front doors. After several giggles and ‘shushes’ not to wake Madeleine, they stumbled into the hall arm in arm. Unable to conceal his desire, Felix reached out and stroked her hair.
‘I love this wild mane of yours.’ His eyes met hers and for a moment time stood still. He slowly moved his mouth towards hers. Emma met him halfway, pulled towards him as if by an invisible string, and their lips touched. The kiss was passionate, all the pent-up emotion from both of them spilling out. It became urgent, and they grabbed at each other, bodies pressed together and hands roaming. Finally, Felix pulled back and with a ragged breath spoke gruffly.
‘Stay with me tonight?’ He wanted her and couldn’t stand the thought of them separating at the top of the landing into separate bedrooms. Emma slowly nodded her head in agreement. She too was tired of pretending. She wanted him too.
Felix and Emma walked up the staircase holding hands as quietly as possible. The last thing either of them wanted was for Madeleine to be disturbed and catch them in the act. Silently creeping into Felix’s bedroom, Emma’s eyes homed in on the big double bed. Felix didn’t waste any time in undressing and was soon in there.
Emma was transfixed by his muscular physique. He drew back the covers and beckoned her to join him. She began to undress, but then halted. Had she locked the front doors? She couldn’t remember and the nagging practicality meant she was unable to relax.
‘What is it?’ Felix frowned, praying she hadn’t changed her mind.
‘I’m not sure I locked up,’ she hissed.
He paused, at pains to dismiss her worry, but couldn’t, not in the current climate.
‘I better go and check,’ she said and hurried off.
Felix sighed and closed his eyes. A wave of fatigue hit him hard. All the alcohol had caught up with him and within seconds he drifted off.
Meanwhile, Emma was rapidly turning the front door handles and making sure they were bolted. Good, she had locked up. She was just about to go back up the stairs when she heard a loud crash coming from the kitchen. What the hell was that ? She made her way there to investigate.
Emma flicked on the kitchen light and saw a bottle of wine smashed on the slate floor, its glass shards in a red pool. She stood, startled. How had that happened? Then she gasped at seeing the sash window half open.
‘I warned you to stay away from him,’ said a low, menacing voice from behind her.
Emma jumped in fright. With her heart thumping, she turned to face Anika, standing by the door. She was dressed all in black, her blonde hair hanging limply, covering half her face.
‘What are you doing here?’ Emma yelped, petrified by the way this woman was glaring at her.
‘What are you doing here more like,’ replied Anika in that same deadly tone.
Emma swallowed, trying to stay calm whilst terrified inside. A layer of sweat broke out over her skin. She slowly started to walk backwards, heading towards the cellar door which was open, but Anika edged forwards to her.
‘I… I work here. I’m the housekeeper…’ she tried to appease.
Anika let out a harsh laugh.
‘So, he’s sleeping with the bloody staff, is he?’ she spat.
Then, to Emma’s horror, Anika bent down to pick up the neck of the broken wine bottle from the floor and advanced threateningly in her direction.
‘Stop, please—’ begged Emma.
‘Shut up, you slut!’ shouted Anika, then raised the sharp glass in the air. Emma screamed as she watched it high in the air, right above her head. Then, as it was about to come down, suddenly Anika fell forward with force and was pushed through the cellar door, down the steps. ‘Aargh!’ she shrieked.
Emma’s eyes widened and suddenly Madeleine was there, standing where Anika had just been standing.
‘Quickly, Emma,’ she urged, pointing to the cellar door. Without delay, Emma bolted it. They could hear Anika groaning in pain as she crawled back up the steps.
‘Let me out!’ she roared, hammering on the door.
‘I’m calling the police,’ said Madeleine, ‘you go and wake Felix.’
Emma ran at breakneck speed up to Felix’s bedroom. Shaking him awake, she was hyper by now.
‘Anika’s broken into the house,’ she gabbled.
‘Wh—what?’ Felix rubbed his eyes.
‘Anika. She’s here,’ hissed Emma.
That was enough to rouse him. Anika, here? In his house? He quickly dressed and followed Emma back downstairs into the kitchen. By now Anika too was hysterical, ramming on the cellar door.
‘Let me out, you bitch!’ she yelled.
Madeleine was remarkably calm.
‘The police are on their way,’ she said in a cool voice.
Felix took in the scene – the open window, the smashed bottle of wine and a very shaken Emma.
‘She… was about to stab me,’ she whimpered in a strangled voice, then burst into tears. Felix pulled her into his arms.
‘Shush, it’s all right.’ He rocked her whilst looking over her shoulder at his mum with alarm.
‘I came in the nick of time,’ said Madeleine, crossing her dressing gown around her. ‘I heard something smash and made my way downstairs. When I came into the kitchen, Anika was holding a piece of glass over Emma’s head.’
‘Oh, my God.’ Felix closed his eyes in utter horror and clutched Emma tighter. ‘She’s going down for this,’ he choked in a thick voice.
The police arrived and arrested a very subdued Anika. Having fallen down the steps, plus ranting, raving and hammering on the cellar door for over half an hour, she had worn herself out. Two burly police officers bundled her into a van, where she was taken to the station. It looked like Anika was going to be spending time behind bars, adding attempted murder to her previous convictions.
Way too alert to sleep, Emma, Felix and Madeleine sat in the drawing room drinking coffee. Felix had laced Emma’s with whiskey to help with the shock of her encounter with Anika.
‘I’m so, so sorry, Emma,’ Felix apologised once more.
‘But it’s not your fault,’ replied a very pale-faced, traumatised Emma.
‘Emma is right. Anika is one crazy woman, who needs locking up,’ stated Madeleine.
‘You’re not wrong there,’ replied Felix.
‘It is over now,’ continued Madeleine. ‘It was a pleasure to push her down the cellar steps.’ Indeed the satisfaction it gave her was immense. Her son was no longer to be haunted by this woman any longer, or Emma for that matter. They could all rest easy.
‘I’ll need to get the kitchen window fixed,’ said Felix, once the police established how Anika had broken it to gain entry.
‘Don’t worry about that for now,’ replied Madeleine. ‘We have had quite enough excitement for one night.’
They all slowly made their way upstairs, each heading to their own bedroom. As Felix’s head hit the pillow, he had a lot to contemplate. What a night. Just when he’d finally made his move on Emma Anika had decided to break in and… it didn’t bare thinking about. Even so, the fact Anika was finally in police custody gave him some gratification. That and knowing the absurd stalking had at last ended.
Emma too was processing the eventful evening. Eventually, as the early hours came, her mind surrendered to sleep.
Madeleine, however, didn’t have any trouble sleeping at all. She was soon out like a light, in the satisfying knowledge she had sorted out that hideous ex-girlfriend of her son’s. As usual, mum to the rescue. Not a lot had changed.