The Broken II: Tainted Trail Read online

At this Matthew jumps up, the chair producing a toe-curling screech as it scrapes back across the floor.

  “Oh, hit a hot spot ’ave I…? Go on, what you gonna do ’bout it, big man?”

  Breathing rapidly with frustration and once again gritting his teeth, Matthew closes his eyes and manages to regain control of his emotions as he sits back down. He has got too much to lose by giving this bully the smack in the face he deserves.

  “That’s it, you be a good boy and sit back in your naughty seat.”

  Lamont is laughing hysterically, clearly utterly amused with his taunting methods. Appearing satisfied with Matthew’s reaction, he collects the paperwork from the table.

  “Well, what do we have here, then? Bail terms and conditions for Matthew Honey. I don’t know who you’re payin’ off to get this, but I promise you, I’m gonna do everythin’ in my power to find out how and why you’ve done what you’ve done. And then, I’m gonna ensure you never walk the streets again. You just watch your back, Honey!”

  Fed up with his bullying ways, Matthew bites back. “You just keep trying. You’ll be the fool when I prove my innocence. And, when I do, because I am innocent, the first thing I’m going to be sure of is that you get stripped of your job and lose all your power, you pathetic bully. So I suggest you just watch your back, Monty! Now are you going to tick my name so that I can leave, please? Or are you charging me with something? If so, I want my lawyer present, you utter joke.”

  Biting his lip and retrieving the pen from the internal pocket of his jacket, Chief Inspector Lamont leans over the table and reads Matthew his brief bail terms and conditions. Once finished, he ticks Matthew’s name and writes his initials next to this. Collecting the clipboard from the table, Chief Inspector Lamont leans right into Matthew’s face as he says, “I will get you. You’re one sick puppy, and I promise to get justice for your poor innocent wife and kid. I am always watching. Wherever you go, I won’t be far away. Whatever you say, I will always be listening. You will fuck up. Everyone leaves a trail, no matter how good they think they are.”

  Feeling sick at the stench of second-hand cigarette smoke on this bully’s breath, Matthew replies, “Get out of my face.”

  “Or what, big man?”

  Getting to his feet, Matthew pushes his own face forward, “I don’t have to tell you. You already think I’m a murdering scum bag, so all I have to say is – don’t you push me.”

  “Wanna have some fun, Honey? Believe me, I don’t need to push you. You are a scum bag and I’m gonna ’ave that horrid little mug shot of yours all over the globe by the time I’ve finished with you. Now get out my station.”

  “With pleasure.”

  Matthew heads for the door. Before leaving the room, he turns and looks at the enemy, who is standing tall and staring down his nose at him. He crosses his arms as he watches Matthew leaving the room. Pausing with his hand on the door handle, with his back turned, Matthew shares his final thoughts. “I’m going to find my daughter. Like you said, everyone leaves a trail. My advice to you: don’t continue your attachment with your desk or colleagues. I will win this war you’ve started. That’s a promise.”

  “Be seeing you soon.”

  Putting his hat back on his head and pulling his hood up, Matthew leaves the police station.

  Chapter Four

  See You on the Other Side

  “What time are you both coming home?” Alice Parkinson says into the phone wedged precariously between her shoulder and ear as she makes her way into the dining room, juggling a handful of laundry. She waits for her stroppy teenage son to reply.

  “I don’t know, later.”

  “Right… okay… so will you be having supper?”

  “I said I don’t know.”

  Unimpressed with his response and tone, she continues, “I told you, Lewis, you both must be home before it gets dark.”

  “Mum, I’m sixteen now you can’t just—”

  “Listen,” Alice interrupts. “I don’t care that you’ve turned sixteen. What you need to understand, Lewis, is that there are four other children who live in this house. They’re all a lot younger than you, and guess what?” She pauses, but not for long enough to give him a chance to answer. “I have to look after them, too.”

  “Yeah, I’m not stupid, Mum, I do know that. We’ll be back by midnight.”

  “Categorically, no way! Lewis, I’m not staying up all night worrying about you both. Just make sure you’re back before dark.”

  “Well, eleven, then?”

  “Lewis, this is not up for discussion.”

  “Fine!”

  “Thank you… See you later, son. I love you.”

  Alice throws the mound of laundry onto the solid dark oak dining table and drops the phone next to the heap. Surrounded by pile after pile of clean laundry, Alice shakes her head and rolls her eyes. This is often her expression following a conversation with her teenage son. She pushes her overgrown fringe out of her eyes, catching a whiff of baby sick mixed with sweet perfume on the sleeve of her long red and white chequered boyfriend shirt as she does so. How did she come to look so neglected at thirty-six, she wonders, looking down at her casual black leggings. Pulling her long dark brown hair, which is flecked with blonde, into a ponytail, she breathes in deeply, inhaling the strong scent of freshly washed clothing that is lingering in the air. She looks around at the dining room. It might be cluttered, but at least it’s clean. Three of the walls are painted light grey, and opposite the double wooden glass-paned doors sits an elegant vintage-style centre piece in pastel colours. Alice commissioned a local talented designer to create the exclusive one-off creation.

  This room was once the heart of the Parkinson home. The only time every member of the family came together was at mealtimes. At least twice every week religiously, they would all get together and sit around the family table to simply enjoy one another’s company. Alice sighs as she remembers how she would constantly be trying to keep the little ones sat on their chairs and preventing food fights during, in her words, “feeding time at the zoo”. Admittedly, most of the time this was because her husband, the family clown, had started a food fight, especially when peas were on the menu. There was warmth, laughter and love. This family unit was strong. Well, that’s what they thought. Now, Alice reflects, the energy within this room is very different. Now, all this room holds are memories and a place to sort the clean clothes. No more food fights, no more games and no more planning for the future. This table will never again be complete. One of the grey painted walls showcases family photograph after family photograph, the Parkinson shrine dedicated to the missing family member, Phil Parkinson. The head of the family.

  As she turns back to her mammoth task of folding clothes, Alice begins humming along to a familiar, jolly theatrical song coming from the television in the front room. The volume is almost at maximum, the children’s programmes blaring out through the speakers. A hyperactive colourful entertainment show keeps the little ones highly amused with singing and dancing, replaying the same annoying illustrations on a loop every day. Alice realises that this hypnotising channel isn’t the best for her little ones, but any such concerns are outweighed by the level of quiet she receives as it occupies their little minds.

  At present, although times are mentally challenging for the Parkinson tribe, the innocence of the young makes it hard for the adults to be consumed by grief. These mini family members are fast paced and remain solely dependent on the adults surrounding them. Stopping her task and standing still for a brief moment to gather her thoughts, Alice peers out of the window. Gazing at the serenity of the sky, and taking in the peaceful ambience, suddenly, within the clouds, Alice sees a huge vibrant rainbow appear. This beautiful addition to the sky is so big it deceives her mind. It’s so close, it appears as though she could jump straight through it. This breath-taking creation makes Alice feel warm inside as she quietly says, �
�Hey, baby.” Alice’s eyes begin to smile as she daydreams about happier times.

  Snapping out of the vision, Alice brings her focus back to reality and the task in hand as she grabs her next item of laundry from the pile. Hearing the pitter-patter of footsteps on the wooden flooring, Alice peers over her shoulder to the doorway.

  “Mummy, I hungry now.”

  Smiling, she places down the item of washing she was folding and makes her way across to the door. Kneeling down, she says, “Oh, really! Come here, my mummy’s baba. Are you hungry here?”

  Tickling her four-year-old ray of sunshine Terence on the tummy, Alice continues her loving attack by dramatically pretending to eat his stomach, then begins kissing his cheeky chubby baby face. Terence can’t hold it in any longer and begins giggling loudly. Continuing to chuckle he says, “Mummy, you can’t eat me. I hungry, not Mummy hungry.”

  Once again feeling warmth in her heart at hearing her handsome boy speak, Alice sits on the floor and places him on her lap. Squeezing him tightly she begins singing the nursery rhyme song she created when Lewis was born. The same song which she has sung to every single one of her children, “You are amazing… you are amazing… I… love… you… I do…” Looking across to Rupert, who is also making his way into the dining room, she sees he’s holding onto something he shouldn’t be. “Oh, ah, ah, ah, Rupert. Put that down, my little prince, we don’t play with that.”

  Placing Terence on the floor next to his little brother she takes the plug from the hoover out of two-year-old Rupert’s hand just as it is about to make its way into his mouth. Dragging the heavy household appliance out of harm’s way she says, “Right, what shall we put on the TV, boys?”

  Terence instantly shouts, “Watch Sam Sam, the firing man.”

  “You wanna watch Sam Sam?”

  In perfect symphony both Terence and Rupert shout out, “Yeah.”

  Walking with the boys into the front room, which is coated with layers of children’s toys, Alice switches the television channel over to their favourite programme so that she can continue her household chores, hopefully this time, undisturbed. Smiling as the boys are now content, she walks back down the long hallway and resumes her position in the dining room. No sooner had she picked up her next item to fold she hears, “Mum…! Mum…!”

  “I’m in the dining room, Freddie. And shhhh, you’ll wake your sister, she’s sleeping.”

  Alice’s second-born son, Freddie, rushes into the dining room. Covered in dirt and looking like he just climbed down from a tree, the scruffy eight-year-old quietly says, “Sorry.”

  “It’s fine, son. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. When’s the food ready? And what time do I have to be home?”

  “Your dinner will be ready around six and I want you home before then.”

  “Sweet, I’m going back to Jack’s for a bit, then.”

  Not hanging around for his mum to change her mind, Freddie heads straight down the hallway to get back outside to his friend. He is almost out the house when Alice shouts, “Don’t be late, Freddie, and don’t slam the d—” The door slams before she has time to finish.

  “Mummy. Me, Rupert and Sam Sam hungry.”

  Huffing to herself at this further interruption but laughing at his innocent scavenging attempts, she replies, “And Sam Sam?”

  “Yes, and Rupert, and me.”

  “Okay, well, you, Rupert and Sam Sam can have some veggie sticks because dinner will be ready soon.”

  As she walks into the kitchen, Alice reaches into the huge American-style double-doored black fridge freezer. Following her into the kitchen, an innocent expression on his face, Terence jumps up and down with excitement as he waits for his mummy to appear with his veggie treats. She removes a child-sized blue plastic plate from the fridge. This has a variety of healthy and colourful snacks and is covered in cling film to keep the treats fresh. It’s coated with layers of bright orange carrot sticks, juicy green cucumber slices and red peppers. On the side of the plate is a generous dollop of cream dipping sauce. Peeling the cling film off, she passes this to Terence, who says, “Dank you, Mummy,” and begins to make his way back into the living room.

  Carefully carrying his plate of colourful treats, Terrence puts this down on the small wooden square table in front of the TV. He pulls out his big boy chair and seats himself. Engrossed in Sam Sam the firing man, he begins munching away without a second thought to Rupert being hungry. Eating the carrot sticks like a little rabbit, Terrence begins chuckling away at the TV. As Rupert makes his way across to the table to get his fair share, Terrence chucks two of the cucumber sticks onto the floor. “Dat’s Rupert’s. D’ese mine.”

  “Ah, ah, now, now, Terence, you share. They’re not just for you.”

  Alice is about to distribute the snacks out equally between the boys, but before she has chance to, her phone rings. Assuming this is Lewis mithering to stay out past midnight, she runs back into the dining room to answer the call. Surprised at the name flashing on the screen she says, “Oh, hi, Mum.”

  “What’s wrong? You sound flustered.”

  “Nothing. Sorry, I thought it was Lewis… Everything okay?”

  “Yes, my dear, I’m just checking on you and the children.”

  “Yeah, we’re fine. Well, I’m just attempting to sort the house out.”

  “Do you need me to call round? Actually, I’ll just call round.”

  “Mum, I don’t need you to call round, it’s fine. I’m fine. The children are fine.”

  “Are you sure? Honestly, my dear, you sound busy. I can just sit with the children for a bit and help out.”

  “Mum, honestly, I’m fine.”

  “Okay. If you’re sure, my love. So, where is he?”

  “Who?”

  “You know I don’t want to speak his name.”

  “At some point you’re going to have to, because despite what you think, he’s going nowhere.”

  “Well, not right now, I don’t. He’s preying on you because you’re not strong at the moment. I know a controlling man when I see one – lord knows I put up with your father for all those years. Horrible man he was, too. And don’t even get me started on that daughter of his. What a strange girl! Something just doesn’t sit right with them two, and I’m telling you now, Alice, that girl is going to be a terrible influence over our young Lewis – mark my words.”

  “Right, let’s not even go there, Mum. Seriously – his daughter? You’re really going to pick a fight and start slagging off a child? Can we get off this conversation now? You and I both know where this gets us and I’m too tired to argue.”

  “Argue? Who’s arguing? I’m your mother I have a right to be worried about you and the children. So where is he, then?”

  “Oh, please just don’t start, mother. Jesse is actually upstairs sorting Hope out.”

  “Sorting Hope out! You’ve left him alone with Hope? Oh, Alice, if Phil could see you now he’d be furious. You’re leaving his one and only daughter to be put to bed by a strange man who she doesn’t even know.”

  “Well, Phil isn’t here is he, Mum? And, for your information, she does know Jesse thank you very much. She’s my daughter and I’m more than capable of trusting my instincts on who I leave her alone with. Plus, she’s taken to Jesse. She settles easier with him than she does me.”

  “Oh, I worry about you, Alice. I worry about all of you.”

  “Well, you don’t need to. I’m a grown woman, Mum. I am a mother to five children, in case you hadn’t noticed. I do know what I’m doing.”

  “Alice, you have a broken heart, my love. No one can truly function with a broken heart. You shouldn’t be with this man – the timing isn’t right. Actually, the whole situation isn’t right. He’s not right for you, I know it.”

  “Mum, we’ve been over this. Are you just trying to piss me off? I’ve told yo
u to leave it.”

  “No, never, I’m just worried, Alice. You’ve all been through so much and I just want to be there for you all.”

  “I know you’re worried, but really, Mum, you don’t have to be. Listen, I’ve got to go and sort the boys out.”

  “Well, shall I call round later?”

  “Only if you’ll be nice.”

  “Okay, I promise, I will. I love you, darling, see you later.”

  “See you later. Love you, too.”

  Once again rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Alice puts the phone down and sits at the dining table. With her hands over her face, she breathes deeply, remembering the times when life wasn’t so complicated. She smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes, and she sighs.

  She is caught off guard by a clear vision appearing in her mind, a memory of her and her husband. They’re lying in bed one early Sunday morning gazing at one another deep in thought whilst embracing each other’s freckles, tiny laughter lines and individuality. Alice truly thought this was it, she was set for life. She’d found and married her soulmate. Everyone who knew the Parkinsons envied their huge loving family unit. Well, they don’t anymore. Now they put their heads down with empathy at the sight of Alice Parkinson. The single widowed mother of five. A woman who has been forced into living this life by circumstances way out of her control.

  Snapping out of her vision and regaining her composure, Alice heads to the front room. Peering in and seeing that the boys are perfectly content with snacks and Sam Sam the firing man, she walks to the staircase and closes the children’s safety gate at the bottom after her. Tip-toeing, she heads towards Hope’s bedroom. She slowly twists the doorknob in case her baby girl is sound asleep inside. As she enters the room, she smiles at the sight of Jesse, pausing for a moment to appreciate this very attractive, masculine male. With an impressive height of six foot four inches, he looks like a giant leaning over Hope’s white wooden cot. His wavy, surfer-dude style, shoulder-length dark blonde hair is tied in a bun, with two front pieces draped on either side of his face. His facial bone structure is strong and his jawline is prominent, with stubble perfectly sculpted in all the right places to accentuate his features. Wearing a light blue polo t-shirt and dark denim Levi jeans, he pulls off the casual look with ease. He’s almost a mirror image of Alice’s deceased husband. Using all his concentration he’s in a trance, gazing intently at six-week-old baby Hope as she sleeps. Under his breath, he’s humming a familiar nursery rhyme. At the sound of a creak at the doorway, he breaks his contact with Hope and turns. Seeing Alice creeping into the room with a big grin on her face, he smiles from one side of his mouth and his deep brown eyes light up. Alice tip-toes her way across to Jesse so as not to disturb her daughter and places her head on to his shoulder as she too begins to gaze at her precious baby girl. Feeling content and proud she whispers, “Thank you.”