Chapter 53
Fifty-Three
Gemma
As Ethan and I run towards the banging door, I feel like my heart might give out. It’s like the night that Diggerty was in there but a million times worse because I know my baby girl is in danger. I can hear her laughing and cooing.
We enter the room quietly. Using my phone for light, I follow Ethan towards the voile. Morgan is standing on the balcony in the snow, wearing nothing but her slippers, track bottoms and a sweatshirt. She’s shivering as she holds her hands out. Then I see Cora laughing on the edge of the balcony.
‘Come to Mog. Please, Cora.’
I take a step closer to them, but Ethan drags me back by the coat. ‘We can’t startle her.’ I flinch as a small chunk of concrete crashes onto the slabs below.
I think of Aunt Dorette lying dead only a few months before and it will kill me if that happens to Cora too. I think about Jasmine’s body downstairs. The house isn’t taking Cora too.
I’d give my life for Cora but all I can do is stand here and hope. My baby girl chuckles as she feeds herself a mouthful of snow from the edge of the balcony, then she goes to stand.
‘Cora.’ Morgan takes a step closer but the balcony starts to creak and a brick drops to the ground. It’s disintegrating more with each second.
Ethan takes a step closer, and I follow.
Between us, we have no choice but to make a grab for Cora because our little one can’t see the danger she’s in.
I’m crying now, and Morgan is holding back her tears and forcing a smile as she holds her hand out for Cora to come to her.
Morgan can’t step any closer, because if she does, that part of the balcony will drop to the tiles below.
I picture my little girl dead in the snow.
I knew this place was sick and bad and I failed to trust my instincts.
We should never have come, and I will never stop resenting Ethan for giving us no choice.
I also realise now, we always had a choice but we chased the money – he chased the money and I went along with it.
We should have accepted our losses, sold this place as a project and got on with our lives.
We should have bought a smaller house out of the city and started again.
It’s too late now. There’s no going back on the decision that will have led to the end of my baby’s life.
I’ve never felt so powerless. The front door was open again – someone left it open or someone has a key.
The person who killed Aunt Dorette has been playing us from the start.
They knew we’d find Jasmine’s body, and I can’t believe my lovely aunt killed Jasmine.
Whoever is doing all this has to be Jasmine’s killer.
My heart won’t stop pounding. The world sways a little and snow lands on us but I’m no longer cold. I’m numb.
‘Mog.’ Cora holds out her hands to grab Morgan.
Morgan leans in as much as she can then there’s a huge crunch.
Morgan and I scream as Cora drops off the balcony. The last thing I see is the look of shock on my tiny girl’s face, and my heart stops.
My baby, she’s gone. I scream like never before.