The Neighbour

THIRTY

🌷Ana🌷

"What do you mean someone's taken her?"

Panic claws its way up my throat in the form of my pepperoni pizza.

"Someone picked her up from nursery two hours ago."

"Was it Nic?"

"No."

Fuck!

"Where are you?" I ask, already reaching for my jacket. "I'm coming to you."

The speed in which my heart is thumping is alarmingly fast, but I don't pay much attention to it. Jumping to conclusions in these situations is never wise, but it's hard not to when the safety of someone you love is threatened.

"I'm at the police station."

"I'll be there soon."

I fly around Nan's house, making sure everything electrical is turned off before leaving. I'm moments away from powering down the TV when something on the screen catches my eye. It's the local news channel, reporting on a man and a baby stood on a bridge. The footage lacks quality and focus, but I'd recognise that obnoxiously pink coat anywhere. That's charlotte, and the man holding her is my ex boyfriend.

"Freddie..."

He's in my ear a second later. "What is it? What's wrong?"

He's so observant, able to pick up on even the slightest change in my tone.

"Josh has her."

"Fuck—Ana, where?"

I turn to the TV, noticing the lack of police presence there.

Why is nobody helping?

"Turn on the news," I urge.

I read the text underneath the presenter, desperately trying to figure out their exact location. It's the M 40, that much is obvious. But I need specifics. I need fucking coordinates.

"Where the fuck is that?" he asks.

I hear rustling on the other side, followed by frantic voices.

"Ana—it's junction 8A. I'll meet you there!"

The line goes dead, and I bolt from the house, not far from there. I swing open Nan's front door, startled by the figure at the end of the path. Night-time is nearing, the sky moments away from being throw into complete darkness. Wind rustles the figure's hair, momentarily making it wild. The shadow turns, eyes desperate.

"Steph?"

Josh's sister.

"Oh my God, Ana! It's Josh. I think he's going to do something stupid."

"He already did it," I say, pulling her along the path, towards my car.

I all but force her into the passenger seat and slam on the accelerator.

"He left a message on my phone. Something about taking what's his and ending things."

My stomach churns.

"When I couldn't find him at home, I came straight to your Nan's house. I would've gone to yours, but I don't know where you're living now."

Steph is frantic as she fills me in on events.

"I think he wants to hurt you."

"No," I inform, driving way over the limit. "Not me."

Steph frowns.

"Josh has taken Freddie's daughter from nursery," I explain. "He's got her on a bridge."

"A bridge?"

I nod.