I know what happened to Georgie’s face,’ Lizzie continued. Lizzie’s strength was returning as the antibiotics took hold. Antibiotics had been flowing for twenty-four hours now, knocking the infection, and the difference was amazing. ‘I hardly noticed her face this morning but now I have, and the police have been in to get my statement. But they said Smiley’s going to jail, no matter what I say, so I may as well be truthful. It didn’t make sense but then I saw Georgie’s face. I really saw …’
‘I ran into a door,’ Georgie muttered, and put a hand to her cheek.
‘Called Smiley. I know his punches. I can practically recognise his knuckle marks.’
‘It doesn’t—’
‘He had it in for you,’ Lizzie said, and the woman looked shyly up at Alistair, trying to explain. ‘My last birth … with Megan, I bled and bled. I was OK in the end but this time Georgie told Smiley that if he didn’t bring me into hospital when I went into labour she was going to use his testicles for fish bait. She said it real casual-like, and when he laughed she got quiet and said, “Don’t push it, mate, ‘cos I’ve got the entire Hell’s Riders bikers’ gang behind me and they don’t like you any more than I do.” So when I had pains he brought me in, just like it was his idea, but I know he hated it.’
‘You need to leave him behind,’ Georgie said softly, and Lizzie’s eyes filled with tears.
‘Yeah, but when he gets out of jail …’
‘He won’t be back for a while. With his suspended sentence, plus what he gets for this, it’ll be at least a couple of years.’
‘Even then …’
‘Then you need to refocus,’ Alistair said, watching Georgie thoughtfully. Maybe some things needed to be faced. ‘You know that Georgie had it tough when she was a kid?’
‘Hey,’ Georgie said, astounded.
‘You told me people used to punch you,’ he said softly. ‘So it seems you went out and got a black belt in karate.’
‘I did,’ she said, and she managed a smile.
‘But Smiley still punched you,’ Lizzie whispered.
‘Only because you wanted him to punch you,’ Alistair said.
There was absolute silence in the room at that. Davy was big-eyed, unsure of what was going on but smart enough to keep his mouth shut and listen.
And Lizzie figured it out, just like that. ‘You did that for me?’ Lizzie whispered.
‘She did it to give you another chance,’ Alistair said. ‘Do you think you might take it?’
‘Lizzie’s tired,’ Georgie interjected, embarrassed. ‘We shouldn’t be pushing it now.’
‘There’s never a better time to take a stand,’ Alistair said. ‘A line in the sand. Lizzie, yesterday Smiley was your dog-ugly, violent partner. Today he can be your ex-partner, a bad memory you can use the law to protect yourself from.’
‘You reckon I could learn karate?’ Lizzie asked, half-joking, but Alistair didn’t smile and neither did Georgie.
‘You can have your first lesson before you get out of here,’ Georgie promised. ‘As soon as you’re up to it.’
‘I’d … I’d like that.’
‘Then it’s a deal,’ Georgie said, and rose and nudged Alistair. Her message was clear. Lizzie had had enough.
‘You’ve made my mummy better,’ Davy said suddenly, snuggling down against his mother and smiling up at them.
‘Would you like to learn karate, too?’ Georgie asked, and the little boy’s face lit up.
‘I’ve seen karate on telly. Pyjamas and kicking. It looks cool.’
‘It’s also fun. You and your mum could have fun together.’
‘Fun,’ Lizzie whispered, as if it was a foreign word, and Georgie smiled and turned and left the room, leaving Alistair to follow.
He caught her before she reached the outer doors. She was sagging again, her shoulders slumping a little as she pushed against the glass doors. He caught her and pulled her inside again. What he wanted to say couldn’t be said in the fierce wind.
‘How much did you sleep last night?’ he demanded, tugging her back and letting the doors swing closed again.
‘Enough.’
‘Not enough,’ he growled. ‘You’re grey around the edges.’
‘I am not.’
‘Not outwardly but inside …’
‘Oh, cut it out. You sound like Charles. Trying to make me stay in bed.’
‘If Dr Wetherby was saying you need the day in bed, I concur.’
‘I can’t,’ she said.
‘Why not? Is anyone in labour?’
‘No, but—’
‘There you go, then. The entire medical staff of Croc Creek is stuck indoors, waiting for this weather to clear. Plus there are at least half a dozen spare doctors here for the wedding. Before Megan’s drama Gina was so bored she resorted to putting ribbons around chicken bones.’
Georgie smiled at that. Albeit weakly. ‘I should help her. And the wedding’s at four.’
‘No,’ he said, gently but firmly. ‘You need to sleep. No one’s going to be upset if you miss the wedding.’
‘I need to phone—’
‘Who do you need to phone?’
‘Anyone who might know where Max is.’
‘Do you have a list?’
‘I … Yes.’ She gave a shamefaced smile. ‘I sort of … found it last time Ron was here. When I knew he was taking Max away. He stayed overnight at the pub. I suggested to the publican that he might let me into his bedroom. I borrowed an address book he had.’
‘You borrowed …’
‘I copied out every phone number,’ she said. ‘Just ‘cos I knew he was taking Max and I thought …’
‘It was a great idea. You’ve been ringing the numbers?’
‘Yes.’
‘So how far through the list are you?’
‘About a third.’
‘No response?’
‘No.’ She bit her lip. ‘Some of them recognise me. They know my stepfather hates me.’
‘So
