The House Across the Street by Lesley Pearse

Author:Lesley Pearse [Pearse, Lesley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780718189266
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2018-09-05T22:00:00+00:00

12

The day after Reilly brought Katy the pork pie and other things, then went off in a huff, he returned.

Katy was surprised. She’d eked out the cake, expecting that he would stay away for days. Having the electric fire and warm clothes had improved things, but she wished she had something to read to pass the time.

So when he appeared again, wearing a very wet raincoat, his hair dripping, and carrying a bag with four paperback books, a toothbrush and paste, and her handbag which held her make-up and hairbrush, she didn’t pretend indifference because she felt like hugging him. It looked like he was softening; she even wistfully hoped he might release her. That was an unrealistic wish, of course.

She had to wash in cold water, there was no towel or soap, and she could feel her hair getting greasier and greasier. But then did any prisoner expect the Ritz?

‘It’s good to see you,’ she admitted, looking into her handbag. The only thing missing was Edna’s notebook, but she’d expected that. She had a pen now, and a mirror. Even though she didn’t want to put on make-up, it was comforting to have it. ‘Thank you for these things.’

‘You are an odd girl, you haven’t asked about food,’ he said. ‘Does that mean you don’t want any?’

‘Yes, I do want some, please,’ she said. ‘I was being polite. It seemed ungracious to ask for food when you’d been generous in bringing the other things I asked for.’

‘I’m not going to bring you food any more,’ he said.

A cold chill ran down her spine. She looked at him in horror. What sort of a game was this?

‘I thought we’d reached an understanding,’ she said, trying hard not to cry. ‘Look, I know you don’t really want to kill me. I’ve got an idea which will mean you won’t be caught. I’ll say you wore a mask, and I have no idea where you took me. Then I could say, one night you bundled me blindfolded into your car, and drove a long way, only to release me in the middle of nowhere. I kept walking until I came to a house and asked them to ring the police.’

‘You’ve got it all worked out, then?’ The chill in his voice was alarming.

But Katy had to carry on and try to convince him. ‘Don’t you see? It’s a brilliant idea.’

The answer was a hard slap across her face. ‘I don’t want any ideas from you. You keep your mouth shut and let me decide what I want to do.’

Quick as a flash, and without thinking, Katy retaliated by slapping him back, putting all her weight behind it. ‘Didn’t you get told as a boy that men do not hit women?’ she screamed at him. ‘Of course you didn’t. I dare say you had a mother who snivelled to your father, and put up with hell from him. Is that why you do it?’

His face was almost black with anger and he came at her, hands outstretched, as if he was going to strangle her.

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