‘He’s done it. They should be on their way…’ Then Jed heard the familiar tone indicating that his battery was about to go. He panicked. ‘Please keep ringing her. Don’t give up. Tell her I’m on my way and I lov–’ The phone went dead, the screen blank.
Gripping the driver’s headrest Jed did the only things he could, which was to beg the driver to hurry and pray that Frankie was okay. She had to be.
35
Frankie came back down the stairs carefully, slowly, her steps precise so she didn’t trip while looking at her screen, slightly perplexed because thanks to the Frenchies and their yapping she’d missed loads of calls from Jenny.
As soon as she got rid of the woman she’d ring her straight back but as Frankie reached the last step, the light dawned and a terrible thought occurred to her:What if something bad’s happened! Oh God, Jed.
Stopping in her tracks at the bottom of the stairs she’d momentarily ignored her visitor, so wrapped in worry was she until she looked up, remembering her manners.
‘Sorry about that, I’ve missed some calls so I need to ring them back.’ Frankie’s head was all over the place. And when she spotted her visitor, the sight threw her even more off balance.
The woman had moved the Frenchies’ cage and was perched on top, her calves holding the door shut as she flicked the catch up and down with her left hand, while from inside, Oscar whined and Belle growled.
‘Excuse me, but what the hell do you think you’re doing? Move away from the cage right now. How dare you move my dogs!’ Before another word was spoken Frankie’s eyes were drawn to more movement, a slow tapping against the side of the cage, which is when she spotted the large carving knife in the woman’s right hand.
Frankie gasped, fury swiftly turned to abject horror, a flash, memories, a blade, the cool slice of steel piercing skin, Andrej, pain, blood. And then her phone began to ring, the vibration causing her already trembling hand to quiver.
Before Frankie could make a move, the stranger spoke. ‘I wouldn’t answer that if I were you. Not if you want these two to stay in one piece.’ The woman jabbed the tip of the blade through the roof of the cage, scaring Belle and Oscar who cowered with each action.
Frankie was in turmoil yet somehow common sense managed to penetrate the panicked thoughts:Don’t make her angry, stay calm, bargain.‘What do you want? Is it money because I haven’t got much… look, just take what you want, anything, then go. I promise I won’t even ring the police but please, don’t frighten the dogs, okay?’
It was lame, Frankie knew that, but what else could she do or say? When the woman started manically laughing, and her phone started to ring again, panic crept in.
‘Dear, dear, dear. You silly little girl. I don’t want your money, that’s not why I’m here. But I will kill these mutts if you don’t do exactly as I tell you. Now throw the phone on the floor and kick it towards me, DO IT!’ The woman slammed the back of her heel against the cage and this time Oscar and Belle really did get the message, letting out yelps, then lying down, their heads tucked tight between their paws, brown eyes focused on Frankie.
It was in that spilt second, when she saw how scared her precious puppies were that Frankie obeyed, dropping her phone on the tiled floor, then kicking it towards the woman. Frankie knew what she was going to do before it reached her feet and tried to remain impassive as the heel of a brown suede hiking boot smashed the screen.
‘There, that’s that sorted. But as for these two, I do hope they keep quiet. They’re starting to give me a migraine.’ The woman then began to drag the tip of the blade across the roof of the cage, the clacking noise spooking Belle and Oscar who stood again and stamped their feet, clearly distressed.
Seeing her puppies this way triggered Frankie. Rage snuffed out fear. She had to fight back. No way was some psycho coming into her home, acting like she owned it and threatening her pets. Frankie had two options: charge and try to disarm her; or whack her with something; but there was nothing to hand.
Then she spotted the drill that Spud had left on charge. It was on the kitchen unit, no more than three leaps to her right. She could throw it and distract her.Good, a plan, do that. ‘Well stop tormenting them, then, and anyway, you didn’t tell me why you’re here if it’s not to nick the silver, so go on, amaze me.’ Frankie’s mouth was dry. What if she was pushing her luck? What if she was playing this all wrong?
‘Don’t you recognise me, Frankie? Haven’t you worked it out yet?’
When she heard the woman say her name Frankie was sure her heart stopped for a second but she tried not to betray how shocked she was. ‘No, I don’t… Why would I? You obviously think you’re someone really fucking special. So let’s have it. Or is it a quiz? Because to be honest, love, I’m really not in the mood.’ Defiance and sarcasm echoed in every word and perhaps surprised by Frankie’s reaction, the mystery woman’s eyes rounded.
Frankie took a small step to the right, drawing no comment from the woman who merely stared. Gripping the handle of the knife tightly she remained seated, her skin white, anger barely hidden. Her voice was laced with it. ‘Your silly friends didn’t recognise me either, poor Scarlet and Bea. Two more scummy little tarts from Elkdale. WellI’mthe one who taught them a lesson and now, Frankie dear, it’s your turn to die, right here, right now, in your lovely new kitchen. I’ll try not to get blood on the walls.’
‘Oh dear God…’ Frankie could barely believe it.
A sadistic smile played on the woman’s lips as she straightened. ‘Well that’s more like it. Good girl, Frankie, I’m glad you’re getting the message. Now kneel.’
Frankie’s lips quivered as she tried to compute what the woman meant, terror and confusion making it hard to think straight. The room span. ‘W-what do you mean?’
The woman’s voice was raised yet firm, her outstretched arm tense, her hand flicking the knife in the direction of the floor. ‘Kneel down, there, now. Go on, hurry up or one of these will go first.’
When the hideous truth hit home, Frankie thought her legs were going to give way, her bowels churned, as she staggered towards the worktop, her right hand resting upon it for support as she sucked in air. It was impossible to hide her feelings of despair, more so when the woman smirked, drinking in Frankie’s anguish.
Fighting to keep upright and regain her composure, a zillion questions barged through her brain, all of them elbowing the other out of the way, wanting answers, jostling for first place in the queue. ‘Y-you killed Scarlet, and Bea– Oh my God, what have you done to Bea?’ Frankie didn’t know about Bea.When? How?She could feel her heart pulsing in her ears and then nausea… She was going to be sick.Get a grip, get a grip.
Throwing her head back the woman snorted, then mocked, flicking the latch on the cage again, taunting Frankie with a babyish voice. ‘What have I done to Bea? I’ll tell you what I did, I punished her for lying and ruining my life, just like you did. Thing is, Frankie, they didn’t know what hit them but you will. You’re going to be my favourite kill of all, oh and the poochy-woochies. I’ve never put an animal out of its misery so I’m really going to enjoy that.’
Frankie straightened, her eyes never leaving the blade pointing in her direction, threatening, keeping her at bay. So when the woman stood and bent to open the cage, the room echoed with a scream. ‘No, please don’t hurt them! I’ll do anything, anything just leave them alone, I’m begging you. Please, let’s talk, please, I’m begging you. If you’re going to do this at least tell me, please. I don’t understand what I’ve done to upset you. I’ve never met you before in my life so why do you want to hurt me?’
Screeching her reply in an ear-piercing outpouring of rage, the woman leapt forward, two strides and she was on her, catching Frankie by surprise, the point of the blade prodding the soft flesh of her neck.
