Читать книгу A Man Like Him - Rachel Brimble - Страница 15

CHAPTER SIX

ANGELA GLANCED AT her kitchen clock once again. Morning had broken but with it came no desire to go to the news agents. She closed her eyes. Three cups of coffee and a brisk walk around her garden had done nothing to clear the words of warning circling her brain like damn seagulls around a cliff top. Nor did it help her stop seeing Robert’s face everywhere she looked.

His name and everything he was swirled inside her head, rescarring her heart and making her jump at her own shadow once again. For two years she’d felt safe. Even knowing Robert had been free for a year this coming July, Angela was confident he wouldn’t find her. Why would he have reason to stumble across the tiny and beautiful town of Templeton Cove?

Well, now he had reason. If her picture appeared in the national paper...

Tears stung her eyes and her body shook. Cursing, she slammed her coffee cup into the kitchen sink. The satisfying smash of china against steel soothed rather than agitated her nerves. She wanted to hit something. Hit him. Meet violence with violence. She abhorred such a sentiment, but her choices were running out. She’d followed the law and he was released after serving three pathetic years. Now, after finally starting to believe she might be free of him, might be able to breathe easier, God chose to open the skies at a holiday resort and make it all too easy for Robert to discover her secret haven.

Why? Why here? Why did yet another disaster strike slap-bang in the middle of her new life?

She whirled around, leaving the shards of china where they laid, and rushed out of the kitchen. Snatching the rental car keys from a hook by the door, she strode out into the mid-June heat. In just twenty-four hours, the weather had changed from devastating torrential rain to bright sunshine settled in a crisp blue sky. Not a single cloud marred the purity of it. It would be eerie if it wasn’t so painful.

People were dead, others missing. The flood had ripped through thousands of lives in a matter of hours. When she arrived in the town center, undoubtedly the ripple effect of shock would be written on everyone’s face. Although most of the town escaped the deluge, it was likely everyone knew somebody who’d lost something—if not everything.

She slid behind the wheel and closed her eyes. At least she’d managed to rent a car the evening before so she could keep mobile. It was imperative she had the means to get around the Cove where she was needed. She guessed others wouldn’t be so lucky, managing to get a vehicle this morning when the demand would suddenly be so high. God, she was brooding like a spoiled child.

Gunning the engine, Angela backed out of the driveway. Not only had she come away from the disaster unscathed, but she still had her home intact. A beautiful place to live. Some people had lived in the park for years. People who worked hard for the right to retire in a stunning seaside area, safe in the knowledge their families would like nothing more than to come visit for the holidays.

She’d do everything she could to help salvage at least part of their lives once the police and investigating teams gave the all-clear for the big cleanup. In the meantime, she had to think what she was going to do next as far as Robert was concerned. The first thing she had to do was think like him. Years of abuse had taught her to preempt his every mood, his every thought. There were two choices: run or sit it out and be ready for him when he decided to show.

The appeal of being a lame target waiting for him to strike over the next few weeks held zero appeal—the alternative to leave, even less so. She didn’t want to give up the new life she was beginning to love. She tightened her jaw. The one option she wouldn’t even begin to explore was trusting the police. They’d let her down too many times to be trusted.

The roads into town passed by unseen as plans formed in her mind—each one less and less appealing and quickly discarded. In her heart, she hoped and prayed she wasn’t photographed after all. Could she be that lucky? Would her perfect and quiet little life remain as it was? Or would it be pummeled around and around on Robert’s silent and cruel axis until she threw up from the sheer force of his torment?

There was only one way to find out. Get the morning papers and take it from there. She pulled to a stop outside the news agents’ and got out.

The local paper was piled high on the stand outside and her stomach knotted. The headline screamed from its front page and her feet stuck to the pavement as people brushed past her.

“Disaster Strikes Beautiful Templeton—Lives Lost.”

She willed herself forward and pressed her hand to the nausea swirling like floodwater in her stomach. Drawing in a strengthening breath, she sent up a silent prayer there wouldn’t be a picture of her anywhere within its pages. Surely any journalist worth his salt would focus on the real story. The devastation. The loss. Contemplation of the power of water, the likelihood of a natural disaster. Not her. Not Angela Taylor. She was nobody. Robert had reminded her of that so many times it beat like a mantra in her head.

It was egotistical, stupid and selfish to think for one minute a photographer would zoom in on her, out of the hundreds of survivors. No. It would be fine. Everything would work out. She tilted her chin and lifted a copy of the paper from the rack. The front page showed a full aerial view of the holiday park.

She released her held breath; it was going to be okay. She trembled. Opening the pages was like pulling back the lid on Pandora’s box.

The breath left her lungs as she came face-to-face with her worst nightmare.

Bringing her trembling hand to her mouth, Angela stared at the full-page image. She and Chris stood with their arms wrapped around each other. They stared into the other’s eyes, seemingly oblivious to the devastation and fear all around them.

“Oh, my God.” Angela’s whisper caught in her throat. “Oh, my God.”

Another—her face buried in his chest, his eyes closed as he held her tight. His brow was furrowed with concern, his muscular biceps strained and secure around her. If Robert saw this, he’d surpass anger and move to fury in seconds.

Her mouth drained dry and when someone nudged her as he reached for a paper, Angela stumbled backward on legs of rubber.

The man touched her elbow. “Sorry, I didn’t mean... Hey, are you okay?”

She met his eyes; concern mixed with caution stared back at her. She forced a smile. “Sure. Terrible, isn’t it?”

He frowned. “Yeah. Yeah, it is.”

He moved past her and disappeared inside the shop. She had to get out of here. An unwelcome, once familiar feeling of claustrophobia threatened and Angela forced a slow, steady breath through pursed lips. She wouldn’t do this. She would not go back. Never back.

She tossed the newspaper back on the stand and spun around. Marching to the rental car, she yanked open the door. Her hand shook as she tried time and again to get the key into the ignition. On the fourth attempt, it slid into place and she gunned the engine. Slamming the car into First, she pulled away and into traffic. Robert would come. She felt him. Heard him. His laugh loud in her head...

She closed her eyes.

The smash of metal against metal ricocheted through her body, slamming her teeth sharply together. Angela snapped her eyes wide-open.

“No, no, no.”

She’d hit the car in front, which was dutifully stopped at the traffic light.

Snapping off her seat belt, she got out of the car, her body shaking. The car door of the person in front opened, and a guy built like a WWF wrestler emerged, his face a mask of rage. Panic shot through her and she instinctively took a step back when he came toward her.

“What the hell are you doing, lady? Look at my freaking car.”

She stared, her body numb, her mind whirling as she fought for composure. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking—”

“Damn right you weren’t looking. Jesus Christ.”

Taking another step back, Angela raised her hands. “Look, if you just give me a minute, I’ll take down your details. We can get this sorted out.”

“Yeah, sure. Ring around insurance companies, making phone calls. Don’t give me that crap. Look at it.”

The impatient blaring of horns started behind her and Angela’s eyes burned with unshed tears. Goddamn it. Didn’t this guy realize? Wasn’t it written all over her face that she couldn’t handle confrontation right now? Her gaze shot left and right. She needed to get out of there.

“Hey, are you listening to me? I said I want cash. Now. I’m not waiting for any insurance company to pay out. You pay me now.”

She stared at him. Her body wound tight. The sudden urge to sink to the ground and cover her head with her hands before the guy moved from angry to violent surged through her. It would only be a matter of seconds before he rained blows down on her and kicked her in the ribs. The same anger showed in his gaze that showed in Robert’s...

“I said, are you listening to me.” He took another step closer.

“Hey!”

Angela snapped her head to the right. A redheaded woman marched between the cars toward them. She held one hand up toward the cars behind them and the other carried what looked like a badge. A police officer. A woman.

She met the officer’s gaze. “I hit him. It’s my fault. I wasn’t looking.”

The officer stared at her, seemingly oblivious to the hulk of a man towering above her. “Are you...” She shook her head and her expression instantly changed from surprise to irritation. She faced the guy Angela had hit. “Why don’t you take a few steps back, sir? If you want to intimidate a female, how about you make that female me?”

The guy glared. “You think that badge scares me, lady? This isn’t a police matter. This is between me and her.” He nodded toward Angela.

Instinctively Angela pulled back her shoulders. Her wavering strength had been nothing but a blip. She was fine. She was in control. Robert wasn’t there and she was as she’d been for the past two years. Strong. Capable. Independent. Nothing had changed. She tilted her chin.

The cop fisted her hands on her hips. “It is a police matter when I have a line of cars waiting to get past an accident. An accident. Get it? Now I want you to take a seat in your vehicle and count to fifty. By then, you’ll be calm enough to talk to me in a way that doesn’t have me throwing your ass in jail for the night.”

Admiration mixed with inadequacy furled in Angela’s stomach. The cop couldn’t have been any taller than five-eight or -nine but made Angela feel every inch of her five-six as insignificant. The woman was as fiery as the color of her hair. Inhaling a deep breath, she dragged back to the surface the inner strength she’d worked on since Robert’s incarceration.

The man threw another glare at her and then the cop before cursing and heading for his car.

The policewoman watched him until he slid into the seat and slammed the door. She turned and smiled. “Mind on other things when you rammed him, huh?”

Angela forced a smile, unease rolling through her stomach at the knowing look etched in the cop’s eyes. Does she know who I am? Does she know I’m the woman who was beaten and raped? Who put her husband in prison and then ran for obscurity? “Something like that. I told him I’d take his details—”

“Angela Taylor, right?”

Angela met her gaze. “How did you know?”

“I saw the paper. You’re the park manager.”

“Right.” Angela swallowed. It was barely eleven in the morning and already the town’s detective inspector recognized her. Robert was coming whether she liked it or not.

The cop cupped Angela’s elbow. “Come with me.”

Angela stiffened. “Where?”

Kindness shone softly in the cop’s eyes. Eyes that stupidly reminded her of Chris Forrester’s. “I want you to sit tight while I sort out Mr. ‘Big I Am,’ okay? Go and take a seat in your car. I’ll be with you in a few minutes.” She winked. “I won’t be long and then you and I can have a chat.”

Before Angela could say another word, the DI walked behind Angela’s stalled car and seconds later vehicles slowly moved past. Angela walked to her car and got inside. “Then you and I can have a chat.”

Defeat crawled over her shoulders and sat there heavy and unwelcome.

* * *

AN HOUR LATER Angela walked into her house. Her chat with Detective Inspector Catherine Garrett, nee Forrester, had left her in a numbed state of disbelief. What were the chances of her meeting Chris Forrester’s sister? Now she was in a bigger emotional mess than ever. Inspector Garrett was bound to tell Chris they’d spoken. Then what? Would he contact her? Not care one way or the other?

She tossed her keys onto a side table by the door, her thoughts running at a hundred miles per hour. The one thing this had to mean is that Chris had no connection to Robert. Why would Robert enlist the help of a DI’s brother? Surely that would just be stupid and far too risky. The one thing Robert wasn’t was stupid, and risks were something he abhorred. His pursuit of her would be as gradual and as tormenting as his abuse.

Softly, he’d approach her. Silently, he’d pursue her.

Angela pulled back her shoulders. Her biggest defense was her in-depth knowledge of how Robert thought and analyzed before he struck. Whatever happened next, it was imperative she acted alone. The police would make the situation worse by assuming Robert’s actions incorrectly, as they had before, leaving her wide-open to danger.

Nobody knew her ex-husband like she did.

She walked through the house and out onto the balcony leading from the living room. Lucky enough to rent a place on the beach, she sat at the small bistro table and stared out toward the sea. All she could do now was hope and pray she’d misinterpreted the look in Chris Forrester’s eyes that betrayed an interest in her. She had no right involving him in her life. No right involving him in a potentially explosive situation if Robert saw the newspaper and decided to come and get her, as he’d threatened so many times in his letters.

Even though DI Garrett hadn’t said as much, Angela could tell by the concern in the detective’s eyes and the occasional gentle touches to Angela’s arm that Chris had told his sister about her stupid, albeit terrified, admission about Robert killing her.

Now not one but two people knew she was in Templeton hiding from her ex-husband. Tears stung her eyes and the view blurred. How could she have been careful for so long, only to blow everything? DI Garrett was most likely at the police station right now running a check on her.

She’d discover Angela had been living there for two years. She’d read all about her court case, her history and her horrendous—and very publicized—marriage. She tightened her jaw. Whatever DI Garrett’s reaction was to what she discovered, Angela had rights. Until she requested help, the police couldn’t get involved. She’d lived alone and happy for a long time and there was no way in hell she’d allow her way of life to be governed by Robert’s actions again.

So, why then were tears searing hot behind her eyes? Why did it feel as though her heart was being squeezed? Like Robert’s fist pushed clean through her chest, bruising and hurting her once more.

Covering her face with her hands, the tears broke and Angela cried harder than she had in months. Cruel images of a wedding, children, first days of school and birthday celebrations appeared in garish Technicolor behind her closed lids. Her body shook and her heart ached for a life she was beginning to believe she’d never have.

Once her tears were spent and her throat sore, she inhaled a deep breath and swiped at her cheeks. Done. No more. Tears didn’t get things done. Didn’t protect her life or those she loved.

Those I love.

Angela leaped to her feet. She needed to warn her family. Her parents. Her sister. Forewarned was forearmed. Who was to say Robert wouldn’t contact them before her? She went back inside, snatched up the phone and dialed her sister’s number.

Eloise picked up on the third ring. “Hey, you.”

Angela released her held breath. Her sister sounded the same. Happy. Free of worry or concern. “You haven’t seen today’s Daily News, have you?”

“No. Why?” The smile left Eloise’s voice. “Is everything okay?”

“No. I’m afraid it isn’t.” Angela walked into her open-plan living room and collapsed onto the leather sofa. “You need to get today’s paper.”

“Why? What’s happened?”

Angela leaned her head back against the sofa and closed her eyes as a sharp thud took up residence in her temple. “There was a flash flood yesterday. Part of the Cove was completely washed out.”

“My God. Are you all right?”

“Yes...” Thanks to one man. “So far twenty-five people are dead. The holiday park was completely devastated. Nothing spared.”

“Oh, Ange. I’m so sorry.”

“There’s a picture of me in the paper, Ellie.”

Silence.

Angela opened her eyes and stared ahead. Her sister’s muffled curse came across the line and then Eloise blew out a breath. “So, you’re leaving Templeton, right? You know you can’t stay there.”

“I’m staying.”

“What? No. You can’t.”

“I can, and I will. He’s not making me change my life again. No way.”

“He’ll go there. If he sees that picture... Look, I’ll pack a bag and be there by tonight, okay? Tomorrow we’ll grab what we can and get you back home with Mum or me. We’ll let the police know what we’re doing before we leave.” Her voice cracked. “Everything will be all right.”

Angela’s heart ached for the renewed pain the photographs in the newspaper would cause her family after the peace of mind they’d had knowing she was safe—if a little lonely. She sighed.

“I’m pretty sure the police will be knocking on my door anytime now, so don’t worry.”

“Why would you say that?”

Angela sighed. “I met the town’s police inspector today.”

“You’ve been to the police already? Thank God. I didn’t think you would...” Eloise’s breath rasped down the line. “Well, that’s something, at least.”

Angela stared across the room, not bothering to correct her that she hadn’t been to the police but rather they happened upon her. Having placated the guy whose car Angela hit with promises of a full insurance follow-up, DI Garrett had slid into the passenger seat of Angela’s car like it was the most natural thing in the world...and asked her absolutely nothing. It was clear from the intense look in her eyes and the set of her shoulders that she was waiting for Angela to tell her about Robert. Angela hadn’t said a word, either. The minute she did, her life would no longer be her own—again.

Angela blew out a shaky breath. “I just wanted you, Mum and Dad to be aware that Robert could already know where I am. What he chooses to do about it, none of us knows.” She paused. “We’ve just got to hope he won’t be angry enough to land himself back in prison for longer than he could’ve dreamed of.”

“So, you’ve told this inspector everything, right?”

“Right.” Angela grimaced, the lie feeling horrible in her mouth.

Even though Inspector Garrett hadn’t directly asked her anything, her eyes asked so much Angela had squirmed under their gentle scrutiny until she’d been forced to stare out the windshield or crumble. She’d curled her fingers around the steering wheel, silently begging God to make DI Garrett leave before everything came spilling out. Her gaze was so much like her brother’s; Angela had felt herself weakening. She just hoped she didn’t see Chris again—the potential for disaster was wide-open.

She closed her eyes. “There’s more, Ellie.”

“More?”

“I told someone Robert will kill me. After all this time, it just slipped out.”

“Who? Who did you tell?”

“Her brother.”

“Her brother? Whose? The inspector’s?”

“Yes.”

“But how? You’re so careful. How could you tell the inspector’s brother? Was he with her at the station? Who is he?”