The Babysitter(70)

‘She needs some sun on her face, that’s all. And she’ll soon have it. As long as you do your bit tonight. I can count on you, can’t I, Dylan?’ Sighing soulfully, Jade made sure to look uncertain and vulnerable.

Dylan melted. ‘You can rely on me, Jade,’ he said manfully, reaching out a big paw for her hand. ‘I won’t let you down, I promise.’

‘Nor I you.’ Jade smiled tremulously. ‘I just can’t wait for all this to be over. For us to be together, as we should be.’ Aware he might need a little reminder of what their being together meant, she moved closer, one hand pressed to his cheek, her other seeking his groin, which had Dylan squeezing his eyes closed and emitting a low throaty groan in an instant.

Shit! Jade’s eyes sprang open as Dylan pressed his lips hard against hers and, clearly excited, proceeded to stuff his tongue deep into her mouth. Shuddering inwardly as he probed deeper, his tongue sliding around like a repellent slug, Jade moved her hand lower, applying just enough pressure to his balls to leave him wanting more, rather than with irreparable damage. ‘Tomorrow,’ she said breathily, easing away before he got it into his head that she was going to go the whole hog and give him a blow job.

Dylan emitted something between a wince and a moan. ‘Promise?’ he asked hoarsely.

‘Most definitely,’ Jade said, lowering her eyelashes and leaning in to press a placatory kiss to his overripe cheek. ‘Now, you know where you’re going, yes?’ she asked him, unclipping her seatbelt and climbing out.

‘Uh-huh.’ Dylan nodded, climbing across to the driver’s side of Melissa’s car, grimacing a bit as he went. ‘I’m following the satnav, and then when I reach my destination, I’m going to drive around a bit.’

‘And?’ Jade prompted him.

Dylan knitted his brow. ‘I’m going to drive slowly,’ he managed, with a decisive nod.

‘That’s right. And what else?’ Smiling, Jade encouraged him on.

‘I’m going to stay close to the kerb,’ Dylan said, looking pleased with himself.

‘Perfect.’ Jade beamed him another smile. ‘And remember, you’re doing this for your poor mother too, Dylan. We owe it to her to make sure that DI Cain gets hurt where it hurts most. We need to make sure his reputation is under suspicion. That he’s labelled unfit to be a policeman and a father. They’ll take him in for questioning. And as soon as they do that, I’ll be free. I can take my children and leave. No one will believe his word against mine once they realise what kind of person he is. Especially when I have a stable home with you if social services come snooping, which they’re bound to.’

She hoped the halfwit didn’t mess this up. Evidence Mark had been touring red-light districts was all Jade needed. She knew Melissa couldn’t possibly tolerate it.

‘Don’t forget to drive past the speed cameras fast,’ she reminded Dylan. ‘But not too fast.’ She wanted him to clock up a speeding ticket or two in the suspect part of the city, not get stopped. If that happened, Jade would have to claim he stole the vehicle, or kill him.

‘I won’t.’ Dylan fastened his seatbelt and clutched the steering wheel, his expression now one of steely determination.

Man on a mission, Jade thought wearily, rolling her eyes as she walked around to the tailgate to collect the bag Mark would have assumed was for her London trip, but which, in fact, had contained her necessary change of clothes for her meeting tonight. The question was, what to do with him when he’d accomplished his mission and she had no further need of him? A fall from the barn roof, possibly? No. She’d have to climb up there with him, or drug him and haul him up, which would be nigh on impossible without winching equipment. Hauling him over a beam in the barn, however? Yes, that might be an option. He’d murdered his mother, after all. That he’d chosen to hang himself rather than live with his conscience would be the natural tragic conclusion.





Forty-Six





MARK





Dr Meadows wasn’t being majorly helpful. And with Evie in his arms, Mark was attracting attention he could do without. He moved away from a group of mothers, all of whom were smiling indulgently in his direction, no doubt thinking he looked lost, like a fish out of water. If only they knew how lost he was.

‘I’m not asking you to break patient confidentiality, Dr Meadows,’ he said into his hands-free as he walked. ‘I’m asking you to listen. She needs psychiatric evaluation. She needs it now. I’m concerned. Very.’

‘Is she a danger to herself, Mr Cain?’

‘Yes. No.’ Mark sighed heavily. ‘I… don’t know.’

‘Has she tried anything?’

‘No, but I think she might,’ Mark answered honestly.

‘Has she had any psychotic episodes?’

What the fuck defined psychotic episodes? With one eye on the school gates whilst trying to placate Evie, who was growing fractious, Mark tried to think. How to explain. Where to start. How the hell to get some urgency injected into this.

‘Hallucinations?’ Dr Meadows went on. ‘Delusions?’

‘Both of the above,’ Mark confirmed.

‘Do you think she might be a danger to her children, Mr Cain?’ Meadows asked pertinently, causing Mark to draw in a sharp breath. ‘I’m sorry to ask these questions,’ he went on when Mark hesitated, ‘it’s just that in order to make a proper evaluation…’