Maddie helped her daughter shower and wrapped her in a big fluffy towel afterwards. Something about cleansing yourself. Being clean. Being supported. She grabbed jeans and a t-shirt for Jade to wear, back to Goth black, but Maddie couldn’t find anything else.
Jade wanted her phone back, needed it. She’d prepared a series of recordings she was using for her exam preparation and she was adamant they had to go and get it. And pick up the clothes she worn earlier.
She broke down into tears at her own internal conflict. “I want to get them. But I don’t want to see Donald again. I can’t see him again,” she said to her mother in some distress. “I just can’t. Don’t make me, Mum.”
“I have no intension of making you, darling girl. Should I go to collect them? Or would that make it worse?”
“No. No, you don’t have to. Really.” She sat up, pushing her hair out of her eyes just like she used to do when a small child. “I’ll do it. But maybe you could give me a ride.”
“Of course,” Maddie murmured, well aware of her role as just being there. “Let’s plan it out. All the ‘what ifs’.”
Jade nodded. “You drive me. You park outside the door. Even if someone else is there, you stay close, okay?”
“Double park if necessary. Agreed.”
They made a plan. Maddie would accompany Jade to the door. She’d engage Donald in conversation. As if she had not been told what had happened between them earlier. Jade would hurry upstairs and grab her gear. If Donald insisted on going upstairs with her, Maddie would tag along as well. It was as good a plan as any.
The last thing Maddie wanted to do was to have to see Donald Dymock. But needs must and that was all there was to it. She had no intention of letting Jade go alone.
As Jade dressed, Maddie could see she was near tears several times. Not her usual self. Obviously conflicted. She dithered; fussed with her hair; couldn’t find her favourite shoes. Maddie didn’t want to push her, but if they wanted to collect the phone and clothes, they had to do it soon. After all, Donald had told Jade he was off to New York today.
“Come on, darling. There’s a certain safety in being a twosome,” Maddie said. “I won’t leave you.”
They set out to drive the short distance to the Dymock house, both now silent.
As they drove up, they spotted Donald in front of his house busy fitting several suitcases into his boot. He had not yet left but it looked as if he was close to doing so.
Maddie slowed the car as she drew her car up alongside his. She lowered her window. “Hello, Donald. Glad we caught you.”
Donald looked momentarily startled, then relaxed into his usual smile.
“Jade’s left some things here. She needs them, if that’s all right.” Maddie squirmed at her own middle-class politeness.
“Ah, Madeleine.” He gave a self-assured smile. “I’m just off to New York. And a plane waits for no man, at least, no ordinary man.” He smiled at Jade. “Your clothes are still upstairs. I’ll pop up to get them.”
“She can do it, Donald.” Maddie smiled but she knew her smile was steely.
“I’ll just be a minute.” Jade managed a wobbly smile, opened the car door and scooted towards the house.
“Tell me, Donald, what are your plans for the rest of the summer? Your term wouldn’t start until September, I presume?” She prattled on, hoping Jade would grab her things and rescue her. Trying to control her anger at this man. This man she had trusted.
Donald answered her in desultory tones, also watching for Jade’s reappearance. He obviously felt as awkward as Maddie, if not more so. Definitely he should feel more awkward given what had transpired.
Maddie stayed double parked with the engine purring. Donald couldn’t drive away until she did and she was not going to give this muscular man an opportunity to do anything untoward. She decided to play it cool and they switched topics just to keep up the pretence of being sort of friends. The barbecue, the people there and his plans for his new job in New York.
Time passed. And Maddie was rapidly running out of topics. Donald was looking increasingly twitchy.
Still no Jade.
Jade had grabbed her clothes from Freya’s room immediately. Where was her phone? She remembered putting it on the bed beside her clothes. Had it dropped onto the floor? She searched in the vicinity and also under the bed in case she’d inadvertently kicked it there.
But no. Where was it? She stood, her clothes in one hand, her eyes searching every surface. She put the clothes back onto the bed and sorted through all pockets and rummaged through her backpack. No phone anywhere.
Jade wandered out into the corridor and stood listening. Thinking. She could barely hear murmuring voices through the open door below.
The phone wasn’t where she left it. Definitely. So, where would he have put it? She cautiously opened a door. A cupboard for clean laundry, extra bedding and other stuff. She closed it and walked to the door opposite. A bedroom. A large bedroom. She spotted a carry-on bag. It had several outside pockets. Would he? She reached inside first one then a second pocket. Yes. Two mobile phones. She made a quick decision.
“Jade?” Her mother’s voice. Not outside. Coming up the stairs.
Jade scurried out of the room and into Freya’s bedroom, shoving the phones to the bottom of her bag. She jammed her clothes on top and swung the backpack in place.
“Ready to go?” her mother asked.
Jade didn’t reply, just pushed past her mother and headed down the stairs as Donald came out of his bedroom, his carry-on bag in one hand.
“Stop.” Donald said in his teacher’s voice bellow. His voice quietened. “I believe you have something of mine.”
Now at the half way point, Jade stopped and glanced up.
Her mother was at the top of the stairs, Donald in the corridor, coming up behind her. “What?” Jade asked. Things were deteriorating.
“Give it back. It’s not yours.”
Still at the top of the stairs, Maddie half turned to Donald. “What are you talking about?”
Jade saw his chest heaving. Emotion poured out of him. Anger.
“She knows what.”
Jade turned a defiant face towards him. Her mother must have recognised what was going on inside her. She gave a slight shake of her head. But no way was Jade going to give up on this. Never. This was a stand-off and she could run faster than he could. She’d already proved it.
“I said, give it back. Put it down on the stairs.”
Her mother frowned. “For heaven’s sake, what are you two talking about?”
At that point, Donald grabbed Maddie from behind, his thick forearm around her throat, choking her. “Put it down, Jade, and nobody will get hurt.”
Maddie struggled, panicking. She couldn’t breathe. Donald was cutting off her air supply. She arched her back, instinctively grabbing his arm, trying to loosen it so she could breathe. He shifted slightly and that allowed her to grab half a breath.
“I said, put it down. Now.” His voice was too loud, her ears too close for the volume. “You don’t want your mother hurt, do you, little Jade?” He glanced over the balustrade to the floor below. “That’s a stone floor down there. Pure and hard. Look at it.”
Donald pushed Maddie against the railing of the bannister. She knew that floor and she felt faint with terror. Cold and dark. Right below where they stood. Fashionable slate. She’d noticed it the first time she’d been in the house.
Jade said nothing. Maddie knew Jade understood the threat. She would think he wouldn’t dare. Think it was intimidation with no substance behind it. Maddie knew better. Donald Dymock was a murderer. Her heart thumped inside her chest; she could feel her face reddening with lack of blood flow. She had to do something. Or she’d black out.
“You’ll be responsible. It’s up to you. Well, Jade?” He pushed Maddie onto the railing again, tightening then loosening his arm for a second or two. Cat and mouse. But it allowed her to grab half a lungful this time.
What could she do? What? Think.
First, calm down.
He straightened. Tightened his hold on her and she fought panic again.
Think.
She’d had been taught plenty of self-defence courses over the years. Never had to use the techniques. Rusty. Out of practice.
Think.
“I can upend her in two seconds. A floor like that will do the rest.” He shifted again. “You know what hitting a slate floor does to a head? It explodes, Jade. Picture those brains splattered all over the walls. You want that, Jade?”
Maddie’s training came surging back: First attack the weak points.
Eyes.
No go. Her arms could hardly move and she could reach nowhere near his eyes.
Groin.
Also no. She was facing away so she couldn’t knee him where it hurts.
His thick thighs were pushing against her again. She could no longer breathe. She could feel giddiness coming and going. She didn’t have much time.
What did that last self-defence guru say? ‘Never be a victim.’
Too late.
No, not too late. She was not a victim. Never.
‘Hit hard.’ Can’t with that arm around her throat. Donald shifted a bit again and she got a little air out, some in. Playing with her. Two stories here – number one was Jade. Number two was Maddie’s air supply.
‘Only use techniques your muscles remember.’ The only thing left is, what muscles?
Oh.
The roll. Yes, the roll.
Energy surged back through her body. Did her muscles remember? They’d better.
She’d practised and practised it way back when.
Jade? Could she get out of the way? She had to trust she would.
Donald straightened again. Adjusted his forearm. Maddie grabbed a little air.
Now or never.
She suddenly dug her fingers hard into Donald’s forearm. He jerked back. Not much but enough to get another breath. Her thoughts swirled: squat, shove the hips back and pull. All at once. Squat, hips back and pull with all her might.
She squatted, shoving her bottom hard into his groin and at the same time she put her whole weight onto his arm to roll him over her head.
Yes!
Up and over he went, bumping on his back down the stairs. Screaming, his arms flailing. Past Jade who scrambled out of the way.
Got him!
“Let’s go,” she yelled at Jade who nimbly jumped over her groaning tormentor, closely followed by her mother. They raced out the door to the car. Maddie had hastily turned off the engine when Donald had decided to investigate why Jade was taking so much time. And she’d left the car double-parked. No way would she have allowed him alone with her daughter.
Now they were at the car.
In it.
Engine started and she pulled away.
“Have a good trip, Donald. Tada,” Maddie called out as they drove off, as if Donald could hear. “Give my love to Sharon and Freya.”
Jade glanced at her mother and grinned.
That did it.
“Bumpity, bump, bump,” Maddie squealed.
“Ooooow,” Jade cried, grabbing her head just as Donald had done.
They broke down in uncontrollable giggles that lasted the whole way home.