Page 59 of Samuel
I nodded and turned back to Josh, waiting for him to continue.
“So you shagging him now, the kid’s dad?”
“Mr. Brent,” Tracy said with a sigh. “Is that really relevant? You asked to see Miss West, you’ve seen her so maybe you should tell us where Frankie is.”
“I said I wanted to talk to her,” Josh snapped. “And I haven’t finished.” His eyes were narrowed onto me as he tapped a finger on the table. “So answer me.”
I straightened my shoulders and looked him in the eye. “No, I’m not. He wants to have a relationship with Frankie, but there is nothing at all going on between me and him.”
Josh studied me for a few seconds and then whispered something to his solicitor.
“Mr. Brent would like it be known that he was still down as an authorised person on the pickup list at school and has been like a father to the boy for four years. Giving him guidance and providing for him financially.”
My heart dropped because he was right – anyone on the outside of the nightmare would probably agree he hadn’t done anything wrong. He was simply a man wanting to see the boy he had raised as a son.
“You shouldn’t have taken him, Josh.” I couldn’t help the sob that came with my words, for all I was trying to appear strong in front of him, I wasn’t and I would feel empty and lost until Frankie was in my arms. “You don’t care about him, you don’t even like him.”
“Just catching up with him,” he replied nonchalantly. “Are you going to let them have a relationship?”
I leaned forward, shocked that he would even care. “Yes, he’s his father.” I said the words without even thinking. Even after what Sam had told me and the latent anger I had at him not wanting Frankie, even questioning he was his, I had no doubt that I would let him have a relationship with his son. After a few short days I already knew he would be better for Frankie than Josh had ever been.
“So everything I did for him counts for shit. I raise my hand once and that’s it, all the money I spent feeding and clothing him, the time I had to listen to that shit music he likes, take him to damn parties and swimming club, it’s all for nothing because I’m not his father. Whereas his father,” he said with venom, “can swan into his life after eight fucking years and do no wrong. Which kinda leads me to fucking believe you were already shagging him.”
I shook my head breathing heavily through my nose as the anger rose up in me. “No, I wasn’t. I haven’t seen him for years, not until he took over coaching at the swimming club and you resented every single thing you ever had to do for Frankie, so don’t pretend to me that you’re hurt.”
His eyes went dark and he shifted uneasily in his seat.
“Whatever,” he scoffed.
A cloying silence fell over us as we watched each other warily. It was almost a battle of wills, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me break in front of him.
“Where is he, Josh? My son that you don’t care about, where did you take him?” I kept my voice strong and looked him directly in the eye. “You’re on the school CCTV taking him off the premises, so you’re not going to get away with it, so just tell me where he is because I know you only did this to get at me, to upset me. Well you’ve managed that, so tell me where Frankie is, now.”
Finally Josh curled his lip at me and spoke.
“He’s with Marie and Carl Roberts, he’s a guy I work with. Frankie is playing with their kids.”
“Address?” Tracy demanded.
“Seventy-nine, Primrose Avenue and Marie and Carl have no idea we split, so don’t even think about dragging them into this.”
Tracy looked up at Clive who had come into the room without me realising. “Book him for the assault and Child Abduction.”
“He hit me first,” Josh bellowed. “And I was on the fucking list.”
“You took a child out of the unlawful control of his parent, so it’s abduction,” Clive snapped.
Ignoring Josh’s protestations Tracy got up, scraping her chair on the floor. “Okay, Maisie, let’s go and get your son.”
Sam
the present
The minute Frankie ran into Maisie’s arms, I knew I would do whatever necessary to protect him in the future. He was fine at Josh’s friend’s house, playing with their kids, but he was obviously confused and worried and as soon as we got him outside and into my car, leaving the police behind to question the couple, Frankie burst into tears.
“Hey, come on,” Maisie soothed, cradling him against her chest. “You’re okay.”
“You’re not mad at me for going with him?” he sobbed.
