S is for Stranger by Louise Stone

Author:Louise Stone [Stone, Louise]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008189914
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2016-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

I slunk further down into my coat, and headed toward the Tube. My heart was hammering in my chest. What if someone saw me leaving? What if I was arrested? Then the police would never trust me. I felt as if I was falling: out of control, no plan, but I needed to find Amy. I could see that things were taking too long with the police. The officer outside my house unnerved me: it wasn’t for my safety, I saw that now. The way the detective looked at me: did she suspect I had Amy? As I slipped between the closing doors of the Tube train, I remained facing away from the other passengers. As the train sped up and we left the bright light of the station and descended into the underground’s depths, I caught my own tired reflection in the glass. I didn’t look the same. The last few weeks had taken their toll. Ever since I saw that woman outside the burger joint.

I headed east, the number of passengers soon dwindled the further out we travelled, and I was relieved when the carriage only contained one other person. I glanced over, not wanting to draw attention to myself, and gasped inwardly. She looked like the back of the woman at the fair, the one at the burger joint, the one watching Amy in her play. My heart was racing, and I gripped the yellow pole, steadying my suddenly weakening legs. I could feel the familiar humming in my ears, the carriage had started to spin. Slowly at first, then faster.

I clawed my way to the nearest seat and gulped air. My eyes remained on the woman’s back and I was just about to yell out to her, when I noticed a young girl by her side.

I held my breath. Was it Amy?

The doors were opening again. I needed to get to the woman.

‘Stop,’ I called. ‘Please stop!’

She had stepped off, refusing to turn around, the girl at her side.

I flung myself at the window, my palms on the cool glass, as the train pulled away. The woman turned just as we sped away and I realised it wasn’t her, nor was the girl Amy. My breathing had started to slow but the tears came fast.

I got off at Whetstone, my legs shaking uncontrollably after the attack. Walking as purposefully as I could, I made it past the transport police unnoticed and headed out. Within minutes I had found a B&B. I just needed a base for the time being, whilst I planned out my next move. I felt out of control, my nerves jagged. Just around the corner from the B&B, I spotted a corner shop and picked up a few supplies. I paid with cash and avoided eye contact with the man on the till: I did not want to draw attention to myself. Stuffing the items in my bag, I headed off quickly, head down.

Having checked into the B&B, I looked around the

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