M. Arlidge - Pop Goes the Weasel

‘Put her down and get out of here.’

‘I can’t do that, Ella.’

Ella flinched at her name.

‘PUT HER DOWN!’ she screamed.

The baby started whimpering now, scared by this noisy face-off.

‘It’s over, Ella. I know what you’ve been through, I know how you’ve suffered. But it’s finished. For your sake, for your baby’s, it’s time to hand yourself in.’

‘You give her to me right now or I will stab you through your fucking eyes.’

Helen held the baby close to her, as Ella took a step forward.

‘What’s her name?’ Helen asked, backing off, but maintaining eye contact.

‘Don’t fuck with me.’

‘Tell me her name, please.’

‘Give her to me.’

Her voice was threatening, unstable, but she halted her advance. Her eyes flicked between her baby and Helen, weighing up her options.

‘I am not going to do that, Ella. You’ll have to kill me first. My only concern is for you and your baby’s welfare. You’re not well and you both deserve better than this place. Let me help you.’

‘You think I don’t know what’ll happen? As soon as we’re out of here, I’ll be in cuffs and I’ll never see her again.’

‘That’s not what’ll -’

‘You think I’ll fall for that? Well, forget it. She’s not leaving here and neither are you.’

As Ella advanced, Helen turned to shield the baby from attack. Ella’s eyes were black, she was panting with anger, and in that moment Helen knew she had made a fatal mistake.

Charlie hurried away from the Fairview estate, struggling to keep up with her superior. Harwood was spitting blood, furious that their ‘lead’ had turned out to be a waste of time. They had sped to the estate, with Tactical Support and most of the station’s CID team in tow – all of which was quite a surprise for the sixteen-year-old girl who was hiding out in her mate’s flat, following her clumsy attempt to steal some make-up from Boots. She did look passingly like Angel, but she was far too young and, besides, her long black hair was genuine. Once she and her mate had recovered from the shock, they’d started to get lippy, asking if they always called out guys with guns to pick on young girls – none of which improved Harwood’s mood. In another light, in another world, it would have been funny. But the stakes were too high for that, so Charlie followed behind, her heart in her boots.

‘What the hell is he doing here?’

Charlie snapped out of it to see Harwood gesturing towards Tony, who was chatting to a uniformed officer he was friendly with. Harwood stared at Charlie, her eyes full of suspicion, but for once Charlie was innocent of all charges.

‘No idea.’

They hurried over.

‘You can’t be here,’ Harwood announced without introduction. ‘Whatever you think can be gained by coming down here -’

‘Would you shut the fuck up?’ Tony barked back at her, silencing her instantly. There was something in Tony’s eyes that brooked no argument.

‘Helen knows where Ella is. She’s gone to find her.’

‘What?’

‘She wouldn’t tell me where she was going. Or how she knew where she was. But I think she’s in danger. We’ve got to help her.’

The words poured from him, forced out at speed by his anxiety.

‘How the hell did she know?’

‘She wouldn’t say. I came to the seventh floor to hand in my report and then… She told me not to say anything… but I can’t do that to her.’

‘Get uniform onto it. I want to hear from anyone who’s seen her or her fucking bike. Check the traffic cameras – see if we can trace her route,’ Harwood said, turning to Charlie. ‘Get McAndrew back to the nick. Get her to go through Helen’s write-up. See if there’s anything in there.’

‘What about her phone? If we can triangulate that -’

‘Do it.’

Charlie hared off, Harwood following close behind.

‘What about me? What can I do to help?’ Tony asked.

Harwood paused, then turned:

‘You can go to hell.’

She was trapped. Helen had backed into the tiny bedroom to escape Ella’s advance, but was now boxed into a corner. For days she had been praying for this moment – when she would finally come face to face with their killer – but now it was here and death would be the only outcome. Helen hugged the baby closer to her chest, as Ella took another step towards them.

Had she deluded herself that she might be able to save Ella? That there would still be some residual humanity within her? She had to engage her if she could. Look past the madness and find a way in.

‘So you kill me, then what? The whole of the Force is out looking for you. They know your name, what you look like. They know you have a baby. Swampy downstairs knows I’m here, knows who you are, so you can’t stay. What are you going to do – go on the run with a baby?’

‘She’s not coming with me.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I don’t know what’ll happen to me, but it ends here for her. She’s been through enough.’

‘You don’t mean that.’

‘Why do you think I got the fucking formula?’ Ella shouted back. ‘I’ve got the pills. I was going to give them to her today. It could all have been so… right.’

‘She’s just a tiny baby. For God’s sake, Ella, you’re better than that.’

‘Stop saying my name. Ella is dead . The kid is going to join her and if I have to kill you to get to her, I bloody will.’

She took a step closer. She was only a foot away from Helen now. Helen tensed, expecting her to strike at any moment. Then:

‘Do it then. I’ll make it easy for you.’

Helen bent down, placing Amelia on the bed.

‘If you really want to kill her, I’ll make it easy for you. There she is. Do it.’

Surprised, Ella looked from Helen to her baby and then back again. The baby kicked out on the bed and – freed from Helen’s warm embrace – started to cry.

‘GO ON!’ Helen shouted suddenly.

Still Ella hesitated. Helen had been coiled tight, ready to spring if Ella made the slightest move towards the baby, but she didn’t. And in that moment, Helen knew she had an opportunity.

‘Ella, listen to me. I know, ok? I know that you are in Hell, that you feel the world is against you, that it’s full of vicious, violent men who want to hurt you. And you’re right. It is.’

Ella eyed her suspiciously, unsure if this was a trick. Helen took a deep breath and continued:

‘I was raped when I was a kid. More than once. I was sixteen, trying to find my way out of care, but I made bad choices. And I paid. I’m still paying. So I know where you are right now. I know you believe there is no way back, but there is .’

Ella paused, staring intently at Helen.

‘You’re making shit up.’

‘Would you look at me?’ Helen replied, suddenly angry. ‘My bloody hands are shaking… I’ve never told a soul about this, not a single soul. So don’t accuse me of lying.’

Ella didn’t break her stare. Her hand gripped the knife tightly.

‘I can’t pretend to know you,’ Helen continued. ‘I don’t know what your dad did to you, what those men did to you, but I know this doesn’t have to be the end. You can get through this. Whatever you’ve done, you did for a reason and when Amelia is older she will want you. She will need you. Please don’t abandon her, Ella, I beg you.’