The Babysitter(64)

Cocking her head to one side, Mel studied him curiously. ‘It’s one you opened. I put a spoonful in the bolognaise sauce. Would you like to breathalyse me? Scrape some up from the floor and get your forensics team to test it?’

Great. Mark blew out a long breath. ‘Mel…’ He stepped towards her. ‘I’m sorry. I just…’

‘Assumed?’ Mel finished.

Sighing, Mark nodded wearily. ‘Wrongly,’ he admitted. ‘I’m sorry. I…’ He trailed off, not sure what else to say.

Mel studied him a second longer. ‘So am I,’ she said disappointedly, pulling her unimpressed gaze away from his and walking into the hall.



* * *



Mark had cleaned up, fetched his toolbox, and was about to investigate the situation under the sink when Jade and the kids arrived, Poppy chattering excitedly as they bustled through the front door. About her teacher’s big belly, Mark gathered, as they came towards the kitchen.

‘But how did the baby get in there?’

Mark winced as he heard her ask.

‘Little baby Jesus put it there to keep safe and cosy until it’s fully grown,’ Jade answered smartly.

‘Like we put Dory in the fish bowl to keep safe and cosy till she’s grown?’ Poppy asked.

‘Just like that.’

Well done, Jade, Mark thought, smiling as the babysitter and her charges arrived in the kitchen. He wasn’t sure how he would have fielded that one.

‘Daddeee!’ Poppy did her usual and flew over to him, regardless of the under-sink paraphernalia Mark had in each hand.

‘Hi, gorgeous girl. How was your day at school?’

‘Good.’ Poppy nodded, unhooking herself from his neck and allowing him to straighten up. ‘We felt Miss Winters’ tummy. It’s huge!’

So were Poppy’s eyes. Mark couldn’t help but laugh.

‘They’re learning about the birds and bees early,’ Jade said, as she lowered Evie carefully down in her carrier.

‘God, I hope not.’

‘The child-friendly version, I think.’ Jade smiled as she walked over to him, and then frowned as she peered in the sink. ‘Oh.’ She eyed him sympathetically.

Mark shrugged, feeling for Mel. He owed her one hell of an apology. He just hoped she’d accept it, once he’d unblocked the sink and sorted out an alternative to spaghetti bolognaise.

‘What’s for dinner?’ Poppy stood on tiptoe and peered into the sink.

‘Takeaway McDonald’s,’ Jade said, steering her away. ‘You can come with me to fetch it.’

‘Yay!’ Poppy whooped, obviously all in favour of that.

Mark breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thanks, Jade,’ he said, feeling indebted, yet again.

‘No problem,’ Jade assured him. ‘I’ll take Evie too. She’s not due a feed for another hour or so. We should be back by then.’

Grateful, Mark went back to the under-sink cupboard. ‘Fuck,’ he uttered, extracting something that didn’t belong there.

‘Daddy!’ Poppy whirled around. ‘That’s a really naughty word.’

‘I, er… It is. An extremely bad word. Sorry, Poppet. I banged my head.’ He smiled tightly, his eyes travelling to Jade, who’d clearly gathered the reason for him cursing out loud.

‘Oh no!’ Looking alarmed, Poppy hurried across to him. ‘Does it hurt?’ she asked, her little brow now creased with sympathy.

‘Yes. It does. It hurts quite a lot,’ Mark said throatily, turning to park the bottle of vodka he’d fished from the cupboard on the work surface.





Forty-Two





JADE





Noting the number of the incoming call, Jade left Poppy to her cereal and dashed out the back door to answer it.

‘It’s my fault!’ Dylan blurted in her ear, before she had a chance to speak. ‘It’s my fault. She’s just lying there, and I—’

‘Whoa, Dylan, slow down. What’s happened? What’s your fault?’

‘Me mum! She’s… dead! She’s…’ Emitting a guttural sob, Dylan broke off.

‘Stay where you are,’ Jade said firmly. ‘Don’t touch anything or say anything. Not to anyone, Dylan.’

Dylan choked back another distraught sob. And another.

Hell, he was losing it. ‘Dylan!’ Jade felt panic twisting inside her. ‘Do you hear me?’

‘It’s my fault!’ Dylan repeated, sounding like a distraught parrot.

‘Dylan, it is not your fault! You weren’t even there,’ Jade barked. ‘Were you?’ she tacked on quickly.

Dylan sniffled snottily. ‘No,’ he said timidly, after a second. ‘I was fixing the barn roof, and when I finished I couldn’t find her. I thought she’d gone out, like you said, but…’ He broke off with another sob.

‘No one will blame you, Dylan, I promise.’ Jade softened her tone. She needed him to get a grip. God forbid he should get it into his thick head to dial 999. ‘But you have to listen to me. You need to stay calm, stay there and not talk to anyone – don’t even use the phone. Can you do that for me?’

There was a hiccuppy pause. ‘Uh-huh,’ Dylan replied uncertainly. ‘Will you come?’