Chapter 32
THIRTY-TWO
JADE
The soft tap at the door had me jumping up from the chair at the kitchen table, rushing to answer it before Annie came in from the back garden.
She’d moved on from digging the pit at the front, it seemed, and now kept disappearing off down the long winding path at the back instead.
I was still reeling from her confession earlier, sick to my stomach over what she’d told me, and I’d been glad when she’d subtly excused herself under the guise of letting me rest. It had taken all my willpower not to vomit as she spoke, not to rush out of the house, Amala safe in my arms, and get as far away from this place as I could manage.
I suppressed a shiver and opened the front door to find Aaron waiting there.
He held out a small cardboard box, and I broke into a relieved smile at the sight of it.
‘You got the phone! Thank you,’ I breathed.
I had been worried sick about what I would do without it.
I had to have access to the internet in order to make my plans.
Annie was living in the dark ages here, and without a computer, I had no way of figuring out where I was heading next.
I gripped the box to my chest, hoping the SIM card hadn’t been damaged in her assault with the hammer.
‘It wasn’t a problem. I hope I got the right one. ’
‘I’m sure it’s fine,’ I said.
He was staring at me, I realised, but without the intensity I had grown to expect. Instead, there was a warmth, almost sympathy, that had me confused. He’d been like that this morning too, I remembered. It made me more uneasy somehow.
He stepped back. ‘I was going into town anyway. I had to pop into work.’ He twisted his mouth.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘For how I treated you this week. I thought… I don’t know what I thought.
But I got it wrong. I’m just protective over Annie, you know?
It makes me sick to think that piece of shit is still out there, ruining lives.
You did the right thing in leaving him. Coming here.
I apologise if I made you uncomfortable when you were already going through so much. ’
I stared at him wide-eyed as I realised Annie had shared my story with this man. This police officer. He’d said he had to go into work… was that because of me? Because of Ryan? I gripped the box against my chest, my knuckles turning white.
Aaron’s eyes widened, and he held up a hand in apology.
‘Please don’t be afraid. I know this is sensitive and we have to act with the utmost caution.
I won’t do anything until I’ve spoken to you.
He doesn’t have any idea we’re aware… I shouldn’t really have said anything, I just wanted to make sure you knew you can always talk to me. I’m here if you need me, okay?’
I nodded, unable to speak, and I could see that Aaron was regretting his words, wishing he could take them back so as not to unsettle me. I choked out a muttered thanks for the phone, then pushed the door closed, leaning my head against it. Time had run out. Everything was about to fall apart.
I ripped open the box and took out the new phone, then with shaking hands pulled the SIM from my pocket and slid it into the slot, dread swirling in my belly at what I had to do next.
I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath, knowing I had no choice.
I had to call the man I’d hoped to never speak to again.