Silent - Sheer Danger

Two Years Ago, Lucy

Footsteps on the stairs. Faint, unlike Arthur's more laboured steps.  She froze, held her breath.

Someone coming up the stairs.

Not Arthur.  

The figure in the tree, watching, waiting.  Climbing the steps to get to her.  

But she'd just locked and bolted the kitchen door.  No one could have got in through the kitchen door.

The footsteps were getting closer.  She glanced around Arthur's bedroom.  Nowhere to hide, apart from the wardrobe.

The footsteps stopped outside the bedroom door.  

Door opening.

'Gotcha,' a voice said.

***
Arthur's grandson Steve stood grinning at her.

'How did you get in?' she demanded.

'Easy. I have a key.  When I saw you lock the door, I went round the front and used my key.  Boo-hoo, Lucy. What are you doing in my granddad's bedroom?'

'Nothing.'  Then: 'You shouldn't be here.'

'Why not? My granddad says I can have the cottage when he dies.'

'I thought you were in Scotland.'

'I didn't go.'

'But Jace said…'

'I lied, innit? Jace is like that, gullible.' The grin faded, replaced by a scowl. 'So what are you doing in my granddad's bedroom and what's that envelope in your hand?' Steve came closer and snatched the envelope from her. Ripping it open, he let the wad of notes fall to the floor. 'What's this?  Stealing from an old man?  Tut-tut, Lucy.'

'I only borrowed the money.'      

'Not sure I believe you, Lucy.  It's not nice to lie.'

'I'm not lying. I was about to write Arthur a note promising to repay the money.'

'Don't believe you,' he sang. 'Tut-tut, who's in trouble? Lucy's in trouble.  Big, big trouble.'  

He took a step towards her.

'Go away,' she said.

'Or what?'

She edged away, backing against the wall. 'I'll tell the police you started that fire outside the B & B last night. I'll tell them I saw you running away. You'll get into real trouble for that.'

'The police won't believe you. My granddad owns every police force in the area. I'm invincible.  But do you want to know why I started that fire last night?  It's because you and Jace have done the dirties on me and you both need teaching a lesson.'

He must have seen her and Jace talking on the beach yesterday. 'Get lost,' she shouted, trying to disappear through the wall. 'Or I'll scream.'

Steve started to grin again. 'Scream if you like,' he said. 'No one will hear you. And your boyfriend Jace won't rescue you. Jace is a big wimp. All talk. I could have him any day.'  

She froze once more. Steve was standing right in front of her, looking her up and down, mentally undressing her. She detected a shift in mood, anger switching to excitement.

'Get lost,' she screamed.

'I've really missed you, baby. You're gorgeous. You know that, don't you? Dead gorgeous and sexy.  We could do it here. Granddad's had to go out suddenly.'  

'No,' she said, staring beyond him at ways to escape. 'Get away from me.'

'Aw, come on. You know you want it, baby. That's why you came back.'

'No, I don't.'

'Playing hard to get, Lucy. I bet you didn't play hard to get for Jace.'

'You're revolting.'  She shoved Steve in the chest as hard as she could, and dashed past him, out of the room with her bag.

'Oi,' he shouted.

'I'm calling the police,' she yelled as she fled down the stairs, towards the front door.

Thundering footsteps on the stairs. Steve was just behind her now, three quarters of the way down the stairs, one hand around her waist, the other grabbing her hair.  Yanking it hard. She screamed. Dropped her bag. Kept on screaming.

'Time for some fun now,' Steve whispered.  Pulling her down to the floor.  She could feel him on top of her. They were toppling down the rest of the stairs together, Steve red-faced, panting.  He was pinning her down, ripping at her clothes.

'Hey!' Banging at the front door.  'Everything all right in there?' a woman shouted through the letterbox.

'Everything's fine,' Steve said.

'Call the police. I'm being attacked.'

'My husband's already called them.'

'I'm going,' Steve whispered to her. 'But say a word to the police, and my grandfather will arrange an accident for you. A nasty accident.  Watch your back.'

Steve bolted, though the back, leaving her to escape through the front.

***
The neighbour ushered her indoors and gave her a bath towel, as Steve had ripped her clothes.

'Where's he now?'

'He ran off.'

'Typical coward. Well, the police are on their way. And this time, they had better do something about it, or we'll write to our MP and kick up a fuss.  We are sick and tired of seeing that lad get away with murder. He's a menace, a blinkin' menace and scourge on society. And his brother Scott is not much better. The pair of them.'
 
'I need to make a phone call,' she said.

'Do you want to make it from here?'

'I'm hoping I've got my phone.' She searched in her bag. The phone was still there.

'Would you like some privacy? We can wait in the kitchen while you ring whoever you need to ring.'  

'Please.'

***
She rang Maxine in Richmond.

'Disaster. Please come and get me.'