by tomorrow they would be far away from Moorecroft Street .
She fed Lilly then lay down on the bed to plot their escape. Interstate would be best. Maybe Queensland where it was warm. She had Mrs. Harris’ daughter’s address. At least she would know someone there. The more she thought about it the better the idea sounded.
She nearly went out to collect the mail but stopped herself. Instead, once Lilly fell asleep, she crept up the side drive, keeping herself hidden behind the many large shrubs.
Parked across the road was a metallic blue car. She couldn’t see the male driver clearly. Didn’t need to. Back inside the bungalow, she paced the floor. They had to get away, but how?
She heard the front door bell. It had a loud ring because Mrs. Harris was partially deaf and she wanted to hear it out in the garden. How long before the PI came around the back and did a thorough search? Thank goodness, a few items of furniture had been left in the house, so it didn’t look deserted. It would be best if he thought she was out at work. It would buy her a few more precious hours. How could she get away if he stayed there, though? She tried to rack her brain. To come up with something – anything.
Later in the afternoon, Holly sneaked out again and saw the car still parked across the road. There could be no mistake now. The man was watching the house, lying in wait ready to pounce when he saw her .
The backyard shared a boundary with the park. If she could climb over the fence, the PI wouldn’t see her. On the spur of the moment, she couldn’t come up with any other idea.
She piled as much as she could into Lilly’s pink bag and fed her a jar of custard as soon as she woke up. Thank goodness for summer, it didn’t get dark until late.
Putting the bag in the stroller, she carried Lilly over to the back fence. They would go to Justin. This couldn’t be construed as anything but an emergency. Surely he would help them or know someone who could.
She deposited Lilly on the ground and climbed up on the fence. The park appeared deserted. Folding up the stroller, she lowered it over the fence as best she could before dropping it, likewise the pink bag. Picking up Lilly, she held her in one arm, using the other to pull herself up on the fence rails. It wasn’t easy. She trembled as she straddled the fence. Now, what was the best thing to do? If she lowered the baby down as far as she could, there would still be quite a drop. If she jumped down holding Lilly they might both be injured. The best option had to be lowering herself down.
She changed Lilly over to her right arm and slung one leg over the fence, maneuvering herself sideways. A wrenching pain shot up her arm as it temporarily took their full weight. The rough wood lacerated her hand. Because of her short stature, she couldn’t reach the ground. She jumped the last couple of feet and sank to her knees on the grass.
Lilly, thinking they were playing a game, gurgled happily. “Oh darling, what’s to become of us?” Holly whispered, burying her face in the baby’s soft, sweet warmth.
They had no time to lose if they wanted to make good their escape. Strapping Lilly into her stroller, she rested the bag on the hood and briskly walked away. How she hadn’t fallen to the ground in a screaming heap before now was a miracle. Pure desperation and a mother’s instinct to protect her child kept her moving. Her hand throbbed and she realized a large splinter had embedded itself in her palm.
On arrival at the railway station, she collapsed on to a seat. Now what? Get a train into the city before contacting Justin. G et as far away from here as you can. If Justin wouldn’t help, what then? Go to plan B she told herself – Queensland . She should have enough money in her bank account to buy a one-way plane ticket. What if the police were waiting at the airport? Oh God, she hadn’t thought of that possibility before. She might end up on a wanted person’s poster.
Get
She fed Lilly then lay down on the bed to plot their escape. Interstate would be best. Maybe Queensland where it was warm. She had Mrs. Harris’ daughter’s address. At least she would know someone there. The more she thought about it the better the idea sounded.
She nearly went out to collect the mail but stopped herself. Instead, once Lilly fell asleep, she crept up the side drive, keeping herself hidden behind the many large shrubs.
Parked across the road was a metallic blue car. She couldn’t see the male driver clearly. Didn’t need to. Back inside the bungalow, she paced the floor. They had to get away, but how?
She heard the front door bell. It had a loud ring because Mrs. Harris was partially deaf and she wanted to hear it out in the garden. How long before the PI came around the back and did a thorough search? Thank goodness, a few items of furniture had been left in the house, so it didn’t look deserted. It would be best if he thought she was out at work. It would buy her a few more precious hours. How could she get away if he stayed there, though? She tried to rack her brain. To come up with something – anything.
Later in the afternoon, Holly sneaked out again and saw the car still parked across the road. There could be no mistake now. The man was watching the house, lying in wait ready to pounce when he saw her .
The backyard shared a boundary with the park. If she could climb over the fence, the PI wouldn’t see her. On the spur of the moment, she couldn’t come up with any other idea.
She piled as much as she could into Lilly’s pink bag and fed her a jar of custard as soon as she woke up. Thank goodness for summer, it didn’t get dark until late.
Putting the bag in the stroller, she carried Lilly over to the back fence. They would go to Justin. This couldn’t be construed as anything but an emergency. Surely he would help them or know someone who could.
She deposited Lilly on the ground and climbed up on the fence. The park appeared deserted. Folding up the stroller, she lowered it over the fence as best she could before dropping it, likewise the pink bag. Picking up Lilly, she held her in one arm, using the other to pull herself up on the fence rails. It wasn’t easy. She trembled as she straddled the fence. Now, what was the best thing to do? If she lowered the baby down as far as she could, there would still be quite a drop. If she jumped down holding Lilly they might both be injured. The best option had to be lowering herself down.
She changed Lilly over to her right arm and slung one leg over the fence, maneuvering herself sideways. A wrenching pain shot up her arm as it temporarily took their full weight. The rough wood lacerated her hand. Because of her short stature, she couldn’t reach the ground. She jumped the last couple of feet and sank to her knees on the grass.
Lilly, thinking they were playing a game, gurgled happily. “Oh darling, what’s to become of us?” Holly whispered, burying her face in the baby’s soft, sweet warmth.
They had no time to lose if they wanted to make good their escape. Strapping Lilly into her stroller, she rested the bag on the hood and briskly walked away. How she hadn’t fallen to the ground in a screaming heap before now was a miracle. Pure desperation and a mother’s instinct to protect her child kept her moving. Her hand throbbed and she realized a large splinter had embedded itself in her palm.
On arrival at the railway station, she collapsed on to a seat. Now what? Get a train into the city before contacting Justin. G et as far away from here as you can. If Justin wouldn’t help, what then? Go to plan B she told herself – Queensland . She should have enough money in her bank account to buy a one-way plane ticket. What if the police were waiting at the airport? Oh God, she hadn’t thought of that possibility before. She might end up on a wanted person’s poster.
Get
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