Chapter 40 Charlie
CHARLIE
“Oh my God, what’s happened?” rasps Charlie, rushing to Freya’s side as she lies shivering on the floor.
He pulls wildly at the rope that binds her hands and feet, desperate to free her from their restraints.
“There was a…,” she starts. “There was a man … he…”
Charlie’s airways narrow, making him feel as if he can’t breathe.
“In the house?” he asks unnecessarily, already knowing the answer.
Freya nods numbly.
“What did he do? Did he hurt you?” Charlie holds her away from him as if inspecting the damage.
Freya rubs at her burned wrists, the rope marks evident. “He tied me up…,” she says, wiping a tear away. “I didn’t know what he was going to do to me. I thought I was going to die.”
Charlie’s jaw spasms and he pulls her into him, for fear that she will see the truth in his eyes. Fuck. This wasn’t part of the plan.
“He dragged me.…” She sobs. “He got hold of my hair and I couldn’t … I couldn’t get away.…”
“Shh, it’s okay. He’s gone and I’m here.”
“But … what if.… what if he comes back…?” she croaks.
Charlie looks around the devastation of the living room, with its upturned coffee table and slashed sofa cushions.
Drawers have been emptied, ornaments have been smashed, books have been pulled off shelves.
When he said, “Make it look like a burglary,” he hadn’t expected to walk in to find total carnage.
“He’s not going to come back,” says Charlie, far too confidently. “He chanced his arm and can see we’ve got nothing worth taking.”
“He went through everything. I tried to stop him, but…”
“You were so incredibly brave,” says Charlie. “But possessions should never take precedence over your safety.”
Freya nods and bites down on her lip. “We should call the police.”
Charlie’s nerves jangle at the thought, his well-rehearsed reaction unprepared for this scenario.
This was not what he had practiced for. He was supposed to have stumbled upon the scene, been shocked and devastated by what he was confronted by, and then called the police.
This unexpected turn of events has thrown his whole plan out of the window, and he can’t decide if he’s angry or relieved.
All he knows is that someone has fucked up.
“Is it worth it?” he quips, unwisely.
But before he has a chance to right the wrong, Freya has pulled away from him, her expression a complicated mixture of shock and confusion.
“A man has violated our home and attacked me, and you don’t think it’s worth calling the police?”
Charlie grits his teeth. He needs time to think this through. “No, I mean … we just need to be careful,” he says. “We don’t want to draw too much attention.”
“Well, if you’re not going to do anything about it, then I sure as hell will.” Freya goes to get up, but Charlie puts a firm hand on her to hold her down.
“You’ll not do anything,” he says. “Until I say so.”
She looks at him, as if questioning whether she’s going to push it, but his eyes should tell her she’s best not to.
He can’t have her going off half-cocked, throwing accusations around without realizing the impact they might have.
She’ll be interviewed by the police. She’ll be asked to identify her assailant.
Had she seen his face? Would she be able to pick him out of a lineup?
If it comes to pass, she may have to give evidence in court, sealing the fate of a man who’d only done what had been asked of him.
Sweat springs to Charlie’s pores as he imagines the consequences of it getting that far.
He’ll not be spared in pursuit of justice.
His name will be offered up the moment they pull the guy in.
He’ll tell the police that Charlie contracted him to carry out a very specific job, and they’ll no doubt want to know why.
What drove him to take such drastic action?
What made him send an intruder to confront his wife in their own home?
They’ll delve into every part of their lives to find the answers. Dissecting their relationship and their past in their efforts.
They’ll wonder why they left London in such a rush. They’ll talk to Frank and Coco. Track down Tess. Look into Marcus Harding’s death. And all the while, Anita will be standing in the wings, waiting patiently for her close-up.