extremely conscientious. She had managed up until now without anyone’s help, after all. ‘Will do,’ she said. ‘And I’ll bring you some cake from the café as well, since you’re missing out. You’ll need it for energy.’
‘Ooh, I’d die for a slice of chocolate gateau.’ Kim sighed longingly.
‘Josh’s favourite,’ Cassie replied, her voice tinged with sadness.
‘I know.’ Kim laughed fondly. ‘He would eat the whole cake if you let him.’
‘Washed down with vanilla milkshake,’ Cassie added.
‘And half of mine,’ Kim said, and sniffled.
Cassie waited a beat while her heart stilled. ‘I’ll be there with supplies as soon as I can,’ she said, drawing in a breath.
‘Thanks, Cassie,’ Kim murmured, making an obvious effort not to cry.
‘My pleasure,’ Cassie said, her heart palpitating as she ended the call.
Her thoughts were elsewhere as she made her selections in the café and stowed the cake in her shoulder bag. Her mind was on her beautiful boy and his reaction the first time he’d eaten chocolate.
She was coming out of the café when her phone beeped. Wondering whether it might be Kim remembering something else she needed, she paused and fumbled it from her pocket, then froze, panic knotting her stomach.
The text was from the same anonymous caller as before – the woman, she assumed, who’d emerged from her past. Why? After all these years? Goose bumps prickling her skin, she opened it. You took everything that was worth anything away from me, it read. Now you need to pay.
Cassie didn’t reply. Her fingers trembling with a combination of fear and anger, she swallowed back the apprehension rising inside her, switched the phone to silent and dropped it back in her pocket. What did the woman want? Money, clearly. But what if it didn’t stop her?
Sixteen
Cassandra
Distracted, her mind still on the frightening text she’d received, Cassie had got as far as the checkout in Boots when she realised she’d forgotten the bottle warmer she would need for when Samuel stayed with them. Kim had seemed reticent when she’d mentioned it. Cassie realised it would be difficult for her to trust anyone else with her baby when up to now she’d been his sole carer, but she would want a break, some kind of social life, she’d pointed out. And now she could have one, safe in the knowledge that Samuel would be well cared for.
Checking her basket as she walked back to the baby aisle, she found she’d picked up fragranced baby wipes by mistake. Sighing at her incompetence, she swapped the wipes then headed for the bottle warmers. Scanning the shelves, her shoulders sank. She should have researched them online; she was hopelessly out of date. There were different brands, travel varieties, a vast disparity in prices. Staring at them in confusion, she picked one up, attempting to read the bumf, but was still struggling to concentrate. People jostling by every time she tried to crouch down and have a closer look didn’t help.
She would have to leave it. There was no point wasting time here achieving nothing. She was about to go back to the checkout when she spotted a shop assistant flying by the end of the aisle. She left her basket and bag where they were and gave chase.
‘Excuse me,’ she called. ‘Excuse me?’
The assistant turned around. ‘Sorry,’ she smiled and pointed over her shoulder, ‘I’m just with a customer. I’ll be with you shortly.’
Burying a disappointed sigh, Cassie went to collect up her things. Back at the tills, her mind still elsewhere, she queued again and eventually paid for the items.
Glad to be out of the shop, which was becoming claustrophobic, she was halfway across the precinct when a man called out behind her. ‘Excuse me, madam.’
Not sure whether he was speaking to her, Cassie stopped and turned around, and was perplexed to see the security guard she’d passed at the door hurrying towards her.
‘I have reason to believe you have an item in your bag that hasn’t been paid for,’ he said bluntly.
Cassie reeled inwardly. ‘What?’ She laughed, shocked.
‘Do you have a receipt for the items you’ve purchased, madam?’ he asked, stopping in front of her.
Bewildered, Cassie scanned his face. His eyes were steely, hard and unflinching. ‘Of course I do.’ Her throat suddenly parched, she dropped her gaze and searched hurriedly in her carrier bag, only to find no receipt.
‘I paid for everything. I’m sure I did. I had to go to the checkout twice. I picked up the wrong item and… Hold on.’ She rummaged through