The Secret Mother(67)

Fisher lowers the phone, his shoulders drooping. ‘Look, I don’t know what you want from me,’ he says, running a hand through his hair. ‘Why can’t everyone just leave me and Harry alone? That’s all we want, to be left in peace.’

‘Dr Fisher,’ Ben says softly. ‘Why don’t we sit somewhere and discuss this calmly? It might be better than shouting and hurling accusations at each other.’

Just then, the doorbell’s dull chime startles me. I catch Ben’s eye and we both look at Fisher, who seems equally surprised. Has he called the police already? If he has, they’ll probably arrest me. I need to prepare myself for that. Ben and I move out of Fisher’s way as he walks to the door, turns the handle and pulls it open. I brace myself for trouble. Ben takes my hand and I grip it tightly.

But the person standing on Fisher’s doorstep is not a police officer.

It’s Scott.





Chapter Thirty-Three





‘Dr Fisher?’ Scott says, extending his right hand.

Fisher shakes it, a bewildered expression on his face. ‘Who are you?’ he asks.

‘I’m here to apologise for my wife’s intrusion,’ Scott says, standing on the doorstep, the wind tugging at his overcoat, messing up his hair. ‘Tessa’s been under a lot of strain recently, and I’m sure she regrets coming here to disturb you and your family.’ He casts a puzzled glance in Ben’s direction and then gives me a pointed look, jerking his head in the direction of the road, trying to indicate that I should leave.

I’m so outraged by his patronising words that I almost want to laugh. Almost, but not quite.

‘Yes, well…’ Fisher clears his throat. ‘If you could take her home, I’d be much obliged. I was actually about to call the police. She’s breaking the law coming here, you know. She’s already been warned to stay away from me and my son.’ As the wind whips through the open door once more, Scott and Fisher look at me as though I’m some naughty child who hasn’t done as she’s told.

‘Excuse me,’ Ben says, stepping up to the two of them. ‘But Tessa and I aren’t going anywhere. Not until she gets the answers she came for.’

‘Who are you?’ Scott barks, puffing out his chest.

‘I’m Tessa’s friend. My name’s Ben Moretti.’

‘Oh, right, you’re the chap she works for,’ Scott says dismissively. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Moral support. You know, Scott, you should be sticking up for Tess, not apologising for her.’

Scott’s face turns scarlet. ‘Who the hell are you to tell me what I should or shouldn’t be doing? I’ve known Tess for a lot longer than you. And she needs help. Professional help. So back off, mate.’

‘Scott,’ I snap, pushing my way forward. ‘If you haven’t come to help me, you should just turn around and go home. When I saw you at the door, I thought you were here for me.’

‘I am here for you. I’m here to make sure you don’t make a fool of yourself and get yourself in even more trouble. I’m not leaving here without you, Tessa. First, you abduct this poor man’s son, then you come to his house and harass him. If you make another spectacle of yourself, the papers will be all over us again, and I can’t put Ellie through that. Not while she’s pregnant. You’re just being selfish.’

‘Selfish!’ I yell. ‘I’m trying to find out the truth. You’re the one being selfish – worrying about your new, cosy little life. Forgetting about me and the children we had together.’

‘I can’t live in the past any more, Tess.’

‘You think I want to?’ I cry.

‘Actually,’ Scott says, ‘yes, I do. I think you’re too scared to move on. And becoming obsessed with this poor man’s son is not helping anyone. Least of all yourself.’

‘Scott,’ Ben interrupts. ‘It wasn’t Tessa who took Harry. Why won’t you believe her?’

‘Because she’s unhinged!’ he yells. ‘I want to believe her, God knows I do, but Tessa has a hard time differentiating between fantasy and reality.’

‘I think you want to believe that,’ Ben says, ‘to ease your conscience. If you tell yourself your wife has lost the plot, then it leaves you free to move on with your own life, guilt-free.’

Scott barges past Fisher into his hallway and squares up to Ben. ‘You need to mind your own bloody business. What’s this got to do with you anyway, Moretti?’

Ben gazes calmly at Scott, but doesn’t reply.

‘Will you all just GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!’ Fisher roars as the gusting wind catches the front door, slamming it shut with an almighty bang.

I almost jump out of my skin.

Silence descends on the hallway.

‘Daddy, why are you shouting? Who are all these people?’

I whip my head round to see Harry leaning over the banister, his gaze sweeping over everyone, eyes wide. Poor boy. He must be wondering what on earth is going on down here. I want to give him a reassuring hug, but Fisher would go ballistic if I approached him.

‘I told you to stay in your room, Harry,’ Fisher says, his breathing ragged. ‘I thought you were watching your Thomas the Tank Engine film.’