‘Grandad?’
Vince jolted awake, half off the bed before seeing Melanie near the door. He was on top of the covers and still dressed, apart from his boots.
I fell asleep.
A flash of lightning lit the room. Melanie was wrapped in her dressing gown and held Robbie against her chest with the two teddy bears tucked down her front. When thunder rolled over the cottage, she ran to him.
‘Come here, sweetie.’ He lifted her onto his lap. ‘Just a noisy storm. What if we go into the kitchen and make some hot chocolate?’
She nodded and he put her back onto her feet, which were bare.
‘First, go and pop your slippers on. The floor is too cold. Maybe socks as well.’
‘Can you take Raymond Bear and Topsy Bear?’ She dropped them into his hands. ‘There’s not enough space for poor Robbie.’
‘Um, sure. Are you okay to manage?’
‘I’ll hurry and think about the hot chocolate.’ She jumped a bit with more lightning. ‘Hot chocolate. Hot chocolate.’ Her voice faded as she ran to her room.
Good girl.
He put on his boots and grabbed the teddies. ‘Come on, you two.’
In the kitchen, he put them on the table and filled the kettle. That on, he collected mugs and teaspoons, glancing through the window as lightning turned the blackness outside into day for an instant.
Something moved near the clothes line.
He moved closer to the window, waiting.
A flash.
Nothing.
His gut churned.
There had been something out there. Someone.
In the living room he carefully moved a curtain just enough to see out. Through the hammering rain, a figure approached. There was no car. It wasn’t Liz nor anyone else from the force. They carried a petrol can and a rifle.
Dragging on his heavy coat from near the door, Vince ran to the kitchen. Melanie was at the table, an art book open to draw in.
‘Do you have Robbie?’
‘Yes. What’s wrong?’
‘Slippers?’
He opened the backpack and shoved the teddies inside.
‘Shoes. Why are you doing that?’ She was on her feet, fear filling her face.
‘I need to you listen carefully, sweetie. We need to leave the cottage right now. We’re going out the back door and straight up to Lyndall’s house, okay?’
Her words were almost impossible to hear over the rain. ‘Is it the angry man?’
‘I think so. But we’re going to be safe. You, me, and Robbie.’ He slid her art book into the backpack and zipped it up. His phone was on the table and that went into his coat pocket. ‘Can you promise to do everything I say?’
Melanie nodded, tears glistening in her eyes.
‘Are you right with the kitten?’
She lifted her head and moved her broken arm, so her hand covered the top of her dressing gown. He must be inside it like he often was.
Vince shrugged the backpack on. He wanted to carry Melanie, but they might be faster if she stayed beside him.
‘Come on, then. Back door it is.’