Uprising

Chapter Forty

Lavender Close, Wallingford

12.16 p.m.

Gillian Hawthorne parked the Rover 75 in the drive before carrying the Sainsbury’s shopping bags round the passage to the back door, the way she always did.

‘Mrs Hawthorne?’

Gillian turned. She let out a loud huff when she saw Dec Maddon approaching from next door.

‘What do you want?’ she snapped. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be in prison or something?’

‘I want to see Kate,’ he said.

‘Do you indeed? No chance.’

‘Is she all right?’

‘That’s no concern of yours.’ Gillian turned her back on him and continued up the path.

‘I’ve got to see her,’ he yelled after her.

She wheeled around. ‘You’ve caused enough trouble as it is. Stay away from my daughter, or I’ll have the police down on you again. And don’t forget that Kate’s father is a solicitor.’

‘Please, Mrs Hawthorne—’

‘Get lost.’ Gillian stomped round the back of the house, leaving him standing there looking forlorn. As she turned the key in the back door lock she glanced up at Kate’s bedroom window. The curtains were still tightly closed.

Dumping the shopping bags on the kitchen surface, she turned on the grill, opened the pack of sirloin steak and sliced some bread. When the steak sandwich was prepared, she laid the plate on a tray with a glass of milk and carried it up the stairs.

Balancing the tray on one hand, she turned the handle of Kate’s door and went inside.

Her daughter was still lying in bed, on her side with her back to the door and the duvet pulled up tightly around her neck. It was dark, and the air in the room was stale.

Gillian felt like pulling back the curtains and throwing open the window, but thought better of it. She laid the tray down on the bedside table.

‘Kate, I brought you something to eat.’

No response.

‘Come on, darling. Dr Andrews said you needed to get something down you.’

Kate didn’t reply.

‘For God’s sake, I’ve just cooked this specially for you. I know you’re not feeling yourself, but I’m getting a little tired of this routine.’ She reached out to shake Kate’s shoulder.

Dr Andrews was the first to get the call.

‘I’m sending an ambulance,’ he told the hysterical mother once he’d drawn a breath and collected himself from the shock of the news. ‘And I’m on my way.’

And minutes later there were sirens and flashing blue lights all over Lavender Close and Dec Maddon standing there in the middle of it all screaming what’s happened? What’s happened?