Page 77 of Seal of Approval

I awoke to soft talking. “Jasmine, wake up.”

I peeled my eyes open. Ethan was standing beside the bed. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains.

“Come into the hallway,” he said almost in a whisper.

I followed him.

“Max’s car is out front. I’ve called the police.” He paused, as if waiting for me to catch up. “I can see him in the car, just staring at the house.”

I went to make for the hallway. Ethan took hold of my arm. “He doesn’t know that I’ve seen him. I don’t want to tip him off.”

We were sitting ducks.

“How long ago did you call the police?”

He showed me his watch. The stopwatch said seven minutes. They’d be at least another twenty-five. Would Max wait that long before making his move?

Bailey and Rose were both sitting up in bed, listening. Rose clutched her trauma bear.

“The way I see it, we have two choices,” Ethan said. “We wait here and hope the police arrive before Max blows.” He grimaced. “Or you take the kids out the back door and head into the bush. I’ll give you a few minutes to get free. Then I’ll go out into the kitchen and pretend it’s like any other day, giving you more time. He won’t find you before the police arrive.”

Bailey got out of bed and got dressed. Rose didn’t move.

“Rose, honey, Bailey is going to help you get dressed.”

“Put on your sneakers or hiking boots,” Ethan added.

Had he already chosen for us?

He pulled me down the hallway. “You will be able to get away before he knows you are gone. Once he’s out of the car, it’s too late.”

“Why can’t we all escape?”

Ethan pointed to the living area. “If one of us doesn’t go out there soon he’ll get suspicious. This may not be the first time he’s watched us. He might know our normal movements, what time we wake and get going.”

He was right. We needed to keep Max distracted. Out there in the bush, we’d have a chance. But we’d be sacrificing Ethan to Max and his erratic behaviour. My hands shook. I clutched them together. Rose and Bailey stood in their doorway.

“I need to get dressed.” I strode to my room and got dressed quickly, my sweaty, shaky hands making an ordinary task difficult.

A car door closed. Fuck, we were too late. I gulped in air. Ethan was next to me before I’d even called his name. Rose and Bailey were right behind him.

“We need to get the kids to safety,” I said.

“Go,” Ethan said.

“It’s too late.”

I needed to stay now. I needed to distract Max, so the kids had time to escape. If I went with them, he might figure out more quickly that we were gone and hunt us down. If I pretended they were still here, they could get away.

I’d planned for this. Planned it until there was nothing left to plan. Their escape was what was important here. I grabbed Ethan’s wrist. Seventeen minutes to go. In seventeen minutes, Max could have the children. He could take them by boat seeing that car wasn’t an option—one road in, one road out. In seventeen minutes, we could all be dead.

I took hold of Bailey’s shoulders. “Bailey, you need to take Rose. Go to Jack and Lily’s. Take the long way so no one can see you.”

“No, Mummy. I want to stay with you,” Rose begged.

I crouched down in front of her. “I can’t protect you.”

“But Ethan can.” She latched onto him. He smoothed her hair and picked her up. Outside, Max was yelling incoherently. Rose clutched onto Ethan. He pushed her back gently.

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