The Catalyst | Joanne

Chapter 45

Dianne decided to walk from the station back to Joe's apartment. It wasn't too far, and she wasn't entirely sure what she was going to do when she got there. A bit of fresh air might, she thought, help her to come up with a plan. She had left Zoe's house in a fit of anger and sadness. It had been an instant reaction, and nobody had stopped her. Now, she was alone.

As she walked, Dianne thought about what she could do now. Her immediate need for comfort and support would usually take her to Joe but, without him, the only place she could think to go was home. Home to Australia. It would be an extreme move, even for her, but all she wanted was a hug. A cosy, comforting hug from someone who loved her, from someone who would tell her it was all going to be OK.

Dianne's parents only knew snippets about what had been happening. She hadn't wanted to scare them, so she had been scant with the details. They had both been able to sense she was upset, though, and it must have been clear to them that she wasn't telling them the whole truth. They wouldn't have pressed for more, she thought, because they knew Joe was there. Supportive, trustworthy Joe. The man she loved with all her heart. The man who had stood on the doorstep and watched her walk away without saying a word.

She sighed. She felt completely isolated from everyone. As she passed the place where she had once seen the girl staring at her, she couldn't help but pause. Maybe, she thought, this was what she had wanted all along. This girl- whoever she was- had purposely driven a wedge between her and Joe. Between her and everyone. In order to get her alone. This way, she imagined, it would be much easier to get to her.

As Dianne reached the doorway to the apartment building, her feet pulled her to a halt. She couldn't get closer. Something was stopping her. Walking around the corner, she found a short wall and sat on it. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she scrolled through her contacts until she found someone who, she hoped, would be able to help. As she sat, she watched as the cars began to move through the traffic, revealing a girl in a black hoodie stood on the side of the road. She felt a shiver run through her but breathed a sigh of relief as her friend finally answered her call. Without even waiting for a greeting, she began to speak.

"Oti? It's Dianne. Are you free? I think... I need your help."

///

"Do you think she'd go home alone?" Zoe asked. Joe's stomach sank as she called it 'home'. Right now, it felt like anything but.

He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't think she'd stay, even if she did."

"Who would she go to?"

Joe took a moment to think. Plenty of her friends lived in and around London, but there were very few she would trust to see her like this. Pulling out his phone, he tapped a quick message. The reply came almost instantly.

"She's not with Amy. But she says she'll ask about and see if anyone has seen her."

Zoe leaned back on her chair. "I can't believe this is happening. Bless her, she must be terrified right now."

"Don't remind me" Joe said quietly. "I'm so worried, Zo. Not because she can't hack being out there by herself. She's 30 years old and she's more than capable. I... I'm worried because there's someone out there looking for her and..."

"So, you do believe her?"

Joe was shocked at Zoe's response. "What?"

"The whole reason she left was because you acted like you didn't believe her. And now you're saying you do. I don't understand."

Joe shrugged. "I... I don't either. I really don't know. Part of me thinks she's right, and that someone is following her. Part of me wonders whether it's got bigger in her head than it actually is. And part of me is really cynical and thinks someone would have said something about this. Like, if someone was a real threat."