Desperate Measures. Kitty Neale

with a mum and a dad – unlike her own childhood. She would shower them with love and cuddles, something that she had never known, and her life would be perfect.

      Ian Parker had taken her virginity and destroyed her dreams. Along with that, he’d left her with a fear of men, a fear of ever being touched again. She would never forget the pain, the way she’d been left feeling used and dirty. Yes, she hated Ian Parker – but most of all she feared him.

      ‘Are you all right, Paula?’

      She turned to look at Betty, almost crumbling when she saw the sympathy in her eyes. If she could have chosen a mother it would have been somebody like Betty, and if they weren’t sitting in the park she would run into her arms. Instead she lowered her head, just saying, ‘Yeah, I’m fine. I … I’m just gonna miss you all.’

      Betty scrabbled in her handbag and, pulling out a piece of paper, she wrote on it before handing it to Paula. ‘Here’s my phone number – you can ring me any time.’

      ‘Fanks, it’s good of you, but it won’t be the same.’

      ‘It won’t be for long,’ Val said. ‘Once we make sure that everything is covered, that nothing can go wrong, I think we can make our move in about a month.’

      ‘A month! But that’s ages,’ Paula gasped, horrified at the thought. She went to work all week and was stuck in every evening, with only her weekend meetings with them to look forward to.

      ‘It’ll soon pass,’ Cheryl said, ‘and it’ll be worth it to see Ian Parker behind bars.’

      Paula nodded, but was still unhappy. Since the rape she had stopped going out with her old friends, too afraid and too ashamed to tell them what had happened to her. Val, Cheryl, and now Betty had taken their place, and she would miss them something rotten. She had never expected to have friends like Val and Cheryl, both older than her and both so different. Val was the eldest, an upmarket sort of woman with a good heart, whilst Cheryl was a nurse, who she now saw as a sort of older sister. They had both taken her under their wings; and now there was Betty too – a kind, motherly sort, she felt, though she’d had little time to get to know her. Despite this, she felt safe with Betty, safe with the others, felt a bond, but now …

      As though aware of her feelings, Betty reached across the table to pat the back of Paula’s hand, saying gently, ‘Never mind, love. As Cheryl said, the time will soon pass.’

      ‘Yeah, I suppose so.’

      Treacle began to whimper, straining at his lead, and with a small shake of her head, Val said, ‘He wants a walk so I think it’s time to break up. As I said, from now on we mustn’t be seen together. When you get home, go over my plan again, and if you can think of anything that I’ve left out, give me a ring.’ She then turned her head. ‘Betty, we’ll go home separately, but as long as none of the other tenants sees us, we can meet up either in my flat or yours.’

      With a gulp, Paula managed a small smile as Val said goodbye, then shortly afterwards Betty stood up to leave, her smile kindly as she said, ‘We’ll meet up when this is all over, but until then, take care of yourself.’ She then said goodbye to Cheryl, lifting a hand to wave as she walked away.

      Cheryl touched Paula’s hand. ‘You were right, Betty’s nice – but, come on, no matter what Val said, I don’t think it’ll do any harm if we walk home together.’

      ‘It feels like we’ve only just got here and it’s still early.’

      ‘Yes it is, so let’s go for a stroll around the park before we leave.’

      ‘What if Val sees us?’

      Cheryl grinned. ‘If we go in the opposite direction, I don’t think she’ll spot us.’

      ‘You’re on,’ said Paula, relishing the thought of a little more time outdoors before she returned to her poky bedsit. Four weeks, just four more weeks, and Ian Parker would be locked up – and with that would come her freedom.

       Chapter Twelve

      During the following weeks, Val and the others were so consumed with their plan that they seemed unaware of what was going on in the world around them. Cheryl was still worried about pulling off her part convincingly, of her lies being discovered, and was finding it hard to keep her mind on her work.

      Val too was nervous. The plan was hers, the onus on her, and it had to be perfect. If anything went wrong she would never forgive herself. As she sat in reception now, typing a letter, Val cursed when she hit a wrong key. Tutting with impatience, she reached for the Tipp-Ex, knowing that any mistakes in her plan wouldn’t be wiped out so easily.

      Paula had taken to ringing Betty two or three times a week, but now on a Saturday in mid-August they were nearly ready, with one last thing to do. Betty was worried about Paula. It was going to be so hard for her, but Val insisted it was necessary and, in reality, she had to agree. When the telephone rang she went to answer it and wasn’t surprised to hear Paula’s voice.