Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
ABIGAIL
“Hey, Dad. Congratulations on the arrest,” I said as I juggled my mobile in one hand and let myself into my building with the other after a long day at work.
I’d heard on the radio earlier that they’d made an arrest in the case of the missing men in the area, and I knew it’d put him in a good mood.
Little wins like that always did. He lived for that job.
It scared me that he’d die for it too one day.
But I put that to the back of my mind as the door closed behind me and I stood in the foyer.
“It’s an arrest, not a charge,” he replied, playing it down like he always did.
“It’s better than nothing. And a charge will come soon.”
I went over to the post boxes to check if I had any mail. Most people just had their flat number on their post box, but I’d put my name on mine as well. I’d done it on purpose. I might have a stalker, but I wasn’t shying away from him or anyone else. I wanted to be found. I wanted to face him.
“I hope so. We’re working so hard on this one,” he said, and then he asked in a brighter tone, “We’re having a barbecue later, do you want to pop in for your dinner? Sam and Molly are coming. They haven’t seen you in a while. It’ll be a nice catch up.”
Sam Jenkins was my dad’s old partner from back in the day when he was a detective.
Him and his wife, Molly, were like a bonus aunt and uncle to me growing up.
But as much as a free meal was appealing, I didn’t have the energy to socialise tonight.
I just wanted to lie on my sofa and watch garbage TV while eating cheap crap until I fell asleep.
“I can’t make it tonight, I’ve got a friend coming over,” I lied. “But next time, definitely.” I held my shopping bag as I walked up the stairs to my floor, ready to set up my purchase.
“Okay, love,” he said as I reached my hallway and made my way to my front door. “I can hear you’re busy. Are you almost home?”
“Just at my front door now,” I said, admiring my new, extra secure door lock that’d been fitted.
The locksmith had done an amazing job; he’d even fitted a better spec of lock than I’d asked for but hadn’t charged me for it. I got a text from him saying as much a few hours ago. There were still some good people left in the world.
“Have a good night, Dad, and give my love to Mum, won’t you.”
“Will do. Stay safe. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I hung up and slid my phone into my bag. Then I knocked on Nial and Gail’s door to collect the keys the locksmith had left with them. Gail answered with the keys ready in her hand.
“Thanks, Gail. I hope they weren’t too noisy or disruptive while they were working.”
“Of course not. The lock guy was a cutie.” She winked and then added, “If anyone was disruptive, it was Nial. And he’s bloody bailed on me again. He went out for a smoke earlier and hasn’t been back for seven hours.”
Nial and Gail were always arguing. Most nights, I could hear them screaming at each other from my apartment.
It wasn’t unusual for him to leave and come back days, sometimes weeks later with his tail between his legs.
It was a vicious cycle they lived in, and despite her complaints, she didn’t do anything to change it. Neither of them did.
“I’m sure he’ll be back soon,” I said, giving her a reassuring smile as I took the keys from her and stepped back in an effort to end the conversation.
“Of course he will,” she huffed. “Once the pub kicks him out.” And she slammed her door shut.
I unlocked my door and went into my apartment, just as the phone in my bag began to ring. I picked it up and answered it, instantly regretting that decision when the voice on the other end wasn’t a friendly one.
“Miss Walters?” the man asked.
“Yes.”
“This is BCR Bank. I’m calling in regard to the letter we sent you recently, about the missed payments on your account.”
What could I say? I’d lived on a credit card for months, and now, I couldn’t even afford to pay the monthly bill. But I had my reasons. It was all for a good cause.
“I know I’ve missed some payments, but money has been tight. But I promise, I will sort it out. I just need a bit more time.” I sank down onto my sofa and rubbed my forehead to ease the pressure building in my head.
“If you’re struggling with your finances, Miss Walters, I can redirect you to our debt specialists. They can help to work out a way to manage things—”
I didn’t want to be fucking bankrupt or put onto some debt program it’d take me forever to be free from, so I cut him off. “I just need a few days. I know I shouldn’t have paid the locksmith today with my credit card. But I was desperate, and I don’t get paid till the end of the month.”
“If you give me a date you can make a payment, I can leave a note on our system. But I think at this point it’s best that I refer your account to our debt specialist. They should give you a call in a few days to discuss your options.”
They could call, but I wouldn’t answer.
“I get paid on the thirtieth. I’ll pay my next instalment on the thirty-first,” I informed him, and then, because I couldn’t fucking take any more, I hung up.
Not very professional, but at this point, I didn’t give a fuck.
I threw my phone down onto the sofa beside me and ran my hands over my face.
“I hate my fucking life,” I sighed to no one.
I huffed and then picked it back up again, tapping into the internet and searching to see if anything had been reported about last night. I searched alleyway attack, attack in Brinton Manor, every combination of words to see if anything popped up, but nothing did.
He’d disappeared, hadn’t he?
But I knew, at some point, he’d be back to finish the job he’d started when he jumped me in that alley.
Any normal person would’ve called the police and reported the attack right after it happened. My dad was a cop, after all, and I knew how important it was to report these things early so the culprit could be found. But I didn’t want to worry my dad. And I didn’t do things the way other people did.
I took a few minutes to sit in the silence of my apartment, and then I remembered what I’d purchased at lunchtime.
Yes, another expense I couldn’t afford, but I’d wanted to get it for my own sanity.
I took the box out of the bag and opened it, pulling out the teddy bear.
But it wasn’t any old teddy bear. This one was fitted with a nanny cam.
I would catch the fucker, and when I did, they’d wish they’d never met me.
I sat with the instructions, making sure the camera was fully charged and ready to go. Then I stood up and went over to my bookshelves, moving a few photo frames so I could position the bear on a shelf, so the camera could catch footage of my front door and my living room.
“You’re gonna be my lucky bear,” I whispered with a smile. “Not so lucky for the one you catch though.”
When I was happy it was set up, I turned and headed for my bedroom, opening the door and hanging my jacket on the hook at the back, before flopping down backwards onto my bed and letting out a huge sigh.
Maybe I wouldn’t sit on the sofa, watch TV and eat crap.
Maybe I’d just lie in here and rot. I stared up at the ceiling, then rolled onto my side, and that’s when I noticed a brown stain on the carpet by my dressing table.
“Fuck,” I cursed, sitting up. Where the hell had that come from?
Was there a leak? Was it rust from a pipe?
I looked up at the ceiling, but there was nothing.
I got off the bed and walked over to it, bending down to run my fingers over the carpet.
It was dry. But I had no idea what the brown drops were.
It couldn’t be my make-up. I wasn’t that careless. Or was I?
I went into my kitchen to get whatever cleaning products I could find and then got on my hands and knees in the bedroom and started to scrub.
It helped a little, but not much. These were stubborn stains, and I’d need to get something stronger to clean it off tomorrow.
If I had the cash. Maybe it’d have to wait till payday.
Or maybe it’d just have to stay like that.
I sat back on my ass and threw the cloth down, staring at the ceiling again as I cursed, “Fuck my life. That’s my security deposit gone. Fuck.”
That was hundreds of pounds I’d never see again. And at this point, it was a fucking drop in the ocean. A really shitty ocean. I’d had the rug pulled out from under me so many times, I lived on my ass permanently now. And I was fucking done.