Forty-seven
The previous evening had been difficult. When Joe arrived with the news Erica’s husband was in town, it had taken Gill and Erica by surprise. And Gill wondered if her suggestion Erica stay in the apartment till he had left town had only made things worse. But it was the only thing that made sense.
Joe had been good. He’d supported her, telling Erica it wouldn’t be for long, and she’d be safe in Gill’s apartment. Gill hoped he was right. By the time Erica retired for the night, she had seemed calmer, but Gill doubted she’d got much sleep. Her eyes had been bleary at breakfast, and she’d been disappointed to miss her early morning swim. Even though it was doubtful her husband would be on the beach at sunrise, it was best to take care.
After Erica had gone to bed, Gill had curled up with Joe on the sofa, but for once, they had shared nothing more than a cuddle, both worried about what Geoff might do next, and neither willing to speculate. Before he left, earlier than usual, they’d agreed to continue to spend their evenings together to keep things as normal as usual for Erica in these days which were far from normal. Even Coco had sensed the tension in the atmosphere and had stayed close to Erica until she went off to bed.
‘I wish you didn’t have to go to work,’ Erica said nervously, as Gill prepared to leave. ‘What if…’
‘He’s not going to find you here,’ Gill said. ‘And I need to go to the office. I have meetings, appointments… I’d stay if I could,’ she said, seeing Erica’s eyes moisten. ‘You’ll be fine. Call me or Joe if you’re worried about anything. Either of us can be here in minutes.’
‘I know… It’s just…’
‘I’m sorry. I understand you’re worried, afraid Geoff will somehow find you, but there’s no way he could know you’re here. How could he?’
‘I know. You’re right.’ Erica sighed. ‘I’m sorry I’m being so difficult. You’ve been so good to me.’
‘No, I’m sorry,’ Gill said. ‘I do understand your concern. I see it every day in the women I meet. I see their fear, their doubt, how it fills their minds so they can’t think of anything else. But it won’t last. I can promise you that.’
‘It was okay when I could go to work. Caring for other people helped me forget about my own troubles. But being here all day, alone, with nothing else to think about… It’s going to do my head in.’
‘Why don’t you try watching a movie, or a series on Netflix? I know it’s not a real solution, but it might help take your mind off Geoff for a bit. I’ll give you a call when I’m between appointments, and Joe said he’d drop in at lunchtime, didn’t he?’
‘Thanks. You’re right. You’re both so good to me.’
‘Now I must go. I’m sorry. Take care and don’t answer the door unless it’s Joe or me.’
As soon as she’d spoken, Gill regretted her last words when she saw how Erica flinched. But it was too late to retract them. ‘See you tonight,’ she said as she headed for the door.
*
Gill had a busy morning but she made time to call Erica a couple of times to ensure all was well with her. She still sounded troubled but assured Gill she was okay and apologised for being such a wimp.
It was close to lunchtime. Gill was between clients and about to send out for a sandwich, which was all she was going to allow herself today, when her PA appeared in the doorway.
‘There’s someone to see you,’ Josie said nervously.
A large man, overweight with a florid appearance was standing behind her.
Gill knew who he was immediately. Erica had described her husband to her over coffee one morning, when they’d returned from their early morning swim. What was he doing here?
‘You,’ he said, pushing past a surprised Josie and pointing a finger at Gill. ‘I know about women like you, you and your like. You think you’re so smart, don’t you? Encouraging women to leave their husbands, telling them they have rights, fabricating laws to make them think they can get away with it. You’re no better than those witches they used to burn at the stake. Bitches, the lot of you. You deserve to be…’
‘Enough!’ Gill said, pushing to her feet.
The man practically snarled, nostrils flaring. ‘Where is she?’ he said, ‘I know you’ve hidden her away somewhere.’
Gill took a breath, trying not to show how much she was trembling. ‘I don’t know you, or the person you’re looking for, but you need to leave right now before I call…’
‘Call who? The cops? For what? Demanding my rights? You’re nothing but a waste of space, just like the rest of them, holier than thou, think you’re God’s gift…’
‘Josie, call the police, right now,’ Gill said, backing off to the side when Geoff stepped up to her.
As Josie went to pick up the phone on a nearby desk, Geoff strode over and batted it off the desk, sending it clattering off the wall.
‘Now,’ he said, turning back to Gill, ‘I know my rights. You need to tell me where my wife is, right now, or so help me I’ll…’
Gill reached for the phone on her desk, but he was there in a flash, snatching the receiver from her hand and slamming it down.
‘You don’t get it, do you?’ he said, right up in her face.
‘Oh, I get it alright,’ Gill said, ‘you’re nothing but a coward who doesn’t think twice about hitting a woman. You have no rights here, and certainly no right to be in my office. Get the hell out!’
‘You’ve got some bloody nerve,’ he yelled, the fierceness in his eyes making Gill wish she’d kept her mouth shut. ‘Last chance, you bitch, tell me where she is or I’ll…’
His loud tirade suddenly stopped, he put up one hand to clutch his chest, uttered something between a moan and a groan and collapsed with a thud to the floor.
‘Josie!’ Gill yelled to the woman who was still standing by the desk, a shocked expression on her face. She fell to her knees and put a finger to his neck. Thankfully, there was a pulse. ‘Josie!’ she yelled again, seeing her PA hadn’t moved other than to put one hand to her mouth, ‘call an ambulance. I think he’s had a heart attack.’
For Gill, it seemed as if everything happened in slow motion, but it was only a few heart-pounding minutes before two paramedics appeared to join her and manoeuvre her out of the way as they checked Geoff for signs of life. She and Josie watched on while they opened his shirt, performed CPR then attached sticky electrodes to his skin before lifting his body onto a stretcher and carrying him off.
‘Who the heck was that?’ Josie asked when they had all left.
‘A client’s husband.’ Gill wondered what had brought him to her office, but it wasn’t too difficult to work out. He must know Erica had consulted a solicitor to arrange the AVO. It wouldn’t have taken too much asking around to discover she was the most likely one for her to have consulted. Anyone in Pelican Crossing could have told him she was the most popular divorce lawyer in town. She couldn’t recall if her name had appeared anywhere on the documents, but even if she hadn’t been his first port of call, he’d have found her eventually.
She collapsed onto her office chair.
‘Tea?’ Josie asked and, without waiting for a reply, went off to make it.
When she returned, Gill realised she was shaking. ‘Thanks,’ she said, taking a gulp of the hot liquid, and grimacing at its sweetness. How much sugar had Josie added?
‘Do you want me to cancel your next appointment?’ Josie asked, clearly seeing Gill’s distress.
‘No, I’ll be fine in a few minutes. But could you go out and get me a sandwich?’
‘No problem.’
When she had gone, Gill took another gulp of tea and picked up the phone. She had to let Erica know what had happened.