Lynette Ford had just served the kids dinner when a frantic banging on the front door startled her.
‘Stay here,’ she said to her children. ‘I’ll be back in a tick.’
With a frown she headed towards the ongoing noise. It didn’t seem right, and alarm bells were ringing even before she’d yanked the door open halfway.
‘Berry what are you doing here?’
The child was pale, tracks of tears had washed a clean path down her grubby cheeks. She stood on the doorstep looking small and frail and clutching her squirming baby brother. Lynette glanced towards the road half-expecting to see Cath McCalister, but the only thing on her lawn was a bright red bicycle lying on its side.
‘Good God, Berry, did you ride all the way here?’ she asked as she bent down and took the struggling Tom from his sister’s arms. Once he was settled on her hip, she placed a comforting hand on Berry’s back. ‘It’s all right, sweetheart. Everything is going to be all right. Come on inside, Berry,’ she soothed as she applied a little pressure in an attempt to guide the child into the house.
Berry stared straight ahead, her eyes open and wide, and Lynette was sure whatever the child was seeing was a memory replaying in her head. She gathered Berry towards her with her free arm and felt her tremble.
‘You’re safe, Berry, I promise.’
There was a small commotion near the kitchen door, along with some fairly ill-disguised whispers. Lynette glanced in the direction and saw her girls, Jodie and Katie, along with little Jessica McCalister staring back at her.
‘Jodie, I think Dad’s in the garden—will you please tell him that he needs to come in, I have to speak to him.’
Jodie didn’t have to be asked twice, she sprinted down the small hall and out the back door.
‘Now, Katie, I need you and Jess to go back and finish your dinner,’ she said. She was surprised that her voice sounded so calm and level, the opposite of how she felt.
The two girls looked at each other before Katie took a step forwards. ‘But Mummy, Berry’s here with the baby. Can’t we stay?’
Lynette shook her head. ‘No, off you both go before your dinner gets cold. Quick now.’
Reluctantly the two little girls walked slowly back into the kitchen, one by one looking over their shoulders to see what was going on.
Lynette waited until they were out of sight before turning back to Berry.
‘Come on, sweetie, come inside and sit down. It looks as if you’ve ridden a long way—you must be tired.’
Berry didn’t speak but this time she allowed Lynette to usher her into the living room. Once she had settled the three of them onto the couch, Lynette tried again.
‘Berry, can you tell me what happened? Why did you come all this way on your bike, and bring Tom?’
A heavy silence hung over the room and Lynette was beginning to think that the child wasn’t going to answer her. ‘Sweetie, can you tell me?’
‘Mummy told me to come.’
‘Did she?’
Berry nodded.
‘You’re very brave to ride all that way in the dark, especially with little Tommy.’
‘Mummy said I had to be brave.’
The words sent a shiver down Lynette’s spine. No parent would send their children into the night by themselves for no good reason.
‘Sweetie, can you tell me why she said that and what does she want me to do?’
The child finally turned her head and looked at Lynette. Her eyes were overbright as tears welled and began to trickle down her face.
‘Ring the police. Mummy needs you to ring the police.’
Lynette caught a movement out of the corner of her eye. Her husband was standing in the doorway with a shocked expression on his face.