‘No, you can’t! Please. Please don’t say anything.’
‘We have to, Hannah. Otherwise it will carry on. You’ve got me on your side now.’
‘What if she doesn’t believe you?’ She runs a hand over the top of her head and pulls at the ends of her hair.
‘Why wouldn’t she? Of course she’ll believe you.’
‘What if she confronts Stephen and he hurts her? Or hurts my sisters?’ Hannah turns and paces to the far end of the kitchen then turns around and paces back.
‘He won’t hurt her,’ I say, trying to catch her eye, trying to get her trust me, ‘because we’re going to put a stop to this, all right? We’re going to put a stop to him. Today.’
But Hannah continues pacing and starts chewing her nails again.
‘I know it’s scary to be doing this,’ I continue, ‘but if we want him to stop, then we have to tell your mum. You’ve already been incredibly brave by coming over here and telling me. I just need you to be strong for a little bit longer while we sort this out.’
‘What about him? Stephen?’ She stops in the middle of the kitchen and turns to look at me. ‘What will happen to him?’
‘Hopefully they’ll put him in prison and throw away the key,’ I say, thinking he deserves far worse.
‘Can I stay here while you tell my mum?’ Hannah asks. ‘It’s just… I don’t think I can do it. I can’t tell her.’
‘Of course,’ I say. ‘Of course you can.’
Hannah nods several times and stares off into the distance. I can’t imagine what she must be going through.
With Daisy in my arms, I make my way next door. But I realise that this isn’t going to be easy. I’m about to shatter all Lorna’s illusions. I’m not even sure how I’m going to break the news to her.
She answers the door with her usual scowl. But behind the anger, I see pain and tiredness. I realise she could probably have done with a friend these past few years.
‘Hi, Lorna. Mind if I have a word?’
‘Haven’t you caused enough drama this week, Kirstie? Hannah’s ill in bed today, and I blame you for that. What were you thinking, coming over here and accusing her of such an awful thing? She assures me she hasn’t so much as looked at Dom, and I believe her. I pity your husband.’
‘You’re right, Lorna,’ I say. ‘I was wrong about Hannah and Dom. It was Callum who told me about it, but he got hold of the wrong end of the stick.’
She sighs. ‘Between you and Callum, you’re going to send me to an early grave. If you’ve come here to apologise, that’s fine, apology accepted. I’d also appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about Leo. We’re trying to protect Stephen’s reputation and stop the school gossip-machine swinging into action.’
It’s a bit late for that. I murmur something non-committal.
‘Now if you’ll excuse me…’ she says, pushing the door.
With Daisy still clinging to me, I put a hand out to stop the door shutting in my face. ‘Wait! There’s something else…’
‘Give me strength,’ Lorna mutters under her breath.
‘Can I come in? It’s not really something I can say on your doorstep.’ I tilt my head so I can see through the crack in the door.
‘Fine, come in,’ she says, pulling open the door once more. ‘It’s not like I’ve got fifty packing cases to fill or anything.’
I follow Lorna in to the lounge where she gestures for me to sit down on the sofa. As I do so, plopping Daisy on my knee, she raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to explain myself.
‘I’m sorry, Lorna. What I’m about to say isn’t easy. Maybe it’s better if you sit down too.’
She huffs and perches on the arm of the other sofa, pushing her fringe out of her eyes. Her left leg is jiggling up and down – a nervous tick perhaps.
‘Hannah came round to see me this morning,’ I begin.
‘Hannah? No, she can’t have. She’s upstairs. Like I said, she’s ill.’
‘She’s not ill,’ I explain. ‘She just said that so she could stay home today.’
‘Wait there a minute.’ Lorna leaves the room and I hear her footsteps pound the stairs. Seconds later she’s back down, a look of angry confusion on her face.
‘Where is she?’
‘She’s at mine, Lorna, and she’s upset. She wants you to know something but she’s scared to tell you, so I said I’d come and speak to you on her behalf.’
Lorna sinks down onto the sofa, a weary look of resignation on her face. ‘What’s she done now?’
‘She hasn’t done anything. It’s what’s been done to her that’s the problem.’
Her face drains of colour. ‘Kirstie, you’re scaring me. Just spit it out please.’
‘Lorna,’ I try to speak as calmly and clearly as possible. ‘Stephen has been abusing Hannah. Leo is his child.’
Lorna grips the arm of the sofa, her knuckles whitening. ‘You’re lying.’ Her eyes flash. ‘Like I said when you came round before, you’re a delusional bitch.’
‘I know it’s hard to hear, but I’m telling you the truth.’
‘Where is she? Where’s my daughter? What have you done with her?’ she yells, rising to her feet, eyes wild.
At that moment there’s a sound from above. A baby’s angry cry.
‘Fuck’s sake,’ Lorna mutters. A tear drips down her face and she swipes at it with her fingers. ‘Where’s Hannah? At yours?’
I nod.
‘I need to see her.’
‘Don’t shout at her, Lorna. She’s pretty fragile at the moment.’
‘Don’t tell me how to speak to my daughter! Of course I won’t shout at her. What kind of mother do you think I am?’
I don’t answer.
Thirty-Nine
Back from the police station, we exit the car and walk up the driveway, emotionally battered, like we’ve all just fought in a war. I fumble for my keys and open the front door, Daisy in my arms. Lorna and Hannah tentatively follow me out of the sunshine and into the shade of the hallway; Hannah carrying a sleeping Leo It feels like days, not hours, since I was last here.
We spent all afternoon in the police station, going over everything with DS Callaghan and her colleagues. They wanted to know every gory detail from each of us. Precise dates, explicit descriptions, everything. I was debriefed separately from Hannah and Lorna, explaining all of it, from the baby-monitor incident, right up to the events with my spiked drink and then Hannah’s awful revelation.
Hannah had a social worker sitting in on her interview. She and Lorna were in the station far longer than me, but I waited in my car for them. I didn’t want them to have to get a taxi home alone. At the end of their interview, the detective asked Lorna where they could find her husband. Lorna told her he would be finishing work soon and heading back home. Callaghan said they would come to the house to bring Parkfield in to the station.
Lorna and Hannah have been assigned a family liaison officer – a woman who will keep them informed of what’s happening with their case, and who they can go to if they need any further help or information. They will also be receiving a visit from social services to check on Leo and the other girls. It’s all pretty overwhelming for them.
Neither Lorna nor her daughter want to be home when Stephen returns from work – which I completely understand – so I said they could come to mine and stay for as long as they needed to. Lorna has already arranged for her other daughters to spend the night at friends’ houses.
Both Hannah and Lorna are jittery as rabbits as we head into the lounge. I settle Daisy upstairs in her cot for a nap and we decide to put Leo in her room too, where it’s quiet. I offer tea, but no one wants it. Hannah keeps drifting over to the lounge window, staring into the peaceful afternoon sunshine, waiting for Parkfield to get home.
‘What if he knows?’ she asks, turning to look at me and Lorna, her eyes wide, face sallow. ‘What if he’s found out that I told you? That I’ve told the police?’
‘He doesn’t know,’ I reply, shaking my head. ‘How could he? He’s been at school all day.’