K.B. Fugitt

› 33 ‹

IT WAS AFTER DINNER IN THE PERKINS HOME. Davey was working evenings and it was only Eleanor and Jack who had sat at the table tonight. Jack had finished and gone up to his bedroom and Eleanor was putting Davey’s dinner together to keep in the frig for when he got home. With her back to the kitchen window, she noticed a reflection of blinking lights bouncing off the wall above the sink. She turned and gazed out the front window and noticed police cars in front of Trudy and Charley’s flat. Her first thought was that there had to be an ambulance as well, but she couldn’t see one. She walked closer to the window to get a better look and saw only police cars. She immediately began to worry about Trudy and Ellie.

“Oh, dear,” she mumbled to herself and quickly went back to the sink to wash her hands.

Eleanor went to the stairs and began walking up them to tell Jack what she had seen. She only got to the third step when she saw her youngest son standing at the top.

He asked, “What’s going on across the street?” as he had also noticed the lights and police cars from his front bedroom window.

“I don’t know,” Eleanor answered. “But I’m going over to see what’s going on. You stay here and I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Be careful, Mum,” Jack warned as he watched his mother grab her coat and an umbrella from the entryway coat closet.

Eleanor walked out into the darkness and rain, opened her umbrella and hurriedly made her way across the street. Things seemed to be happening fast as she was stopped by a uniformed police officer from getting too close. He didn’t speak, he just held up his hand as Eleanor addressed him.

“What’s going on?” she asked and saw Charley being led out of his flat by two uniformed officers, handcuffed and head hanging low. Her stomach ached as Charley was followed by Trudy in handcuffs and two more officers on either side of her. My God! What is happening? Where is Ellie? Eleanor turned her attention to the police officer who had stopped her. “I’m the neighbour across the street. I know these people. Please tell me, what’s going on?” she exclaimed and began to panic.

“I can’t say,” the officer replied. “But if you know these people, then I suggest you stick around. One of our detectives may want to ask you a few questions.”

The officer asked her what flat she lived in and Eleanor told him as she saw a female officer walk out of Trudy’s flat holding Ellie wrapped in a blanket. Eleanor gasped and both hands went to her mouth.

“Where are they taking the baby?” she asked in horror at what she was witnessing.

“Sorry, Mam,” the officer replied. “I can’t tell you.”

“What about Trudy and Charley? Where are they taking them?” Eleanor persisted.

“My guess would be jail, Mam,” he said and seemed a little irritated at having to stand out in the pouring rain answering questions from a frantic neighbour.

Eleanor took a few steps sideways to get a better view at the inside of the vehicle Trudy sat in. The mother of Ellie looked out and saw Eleanor standing a few feet away. Trudy was bawling and when Eleanor saw that, her eyes started to mist up and her heart broke.

This is all Charley’s fault. He’s done something terribly wrong. Ellie’s parents are being arrested. They’re taking them to the Liddleton Jail. I have to go there. I have to call a cab. I need to get there. Trudy needs me. Ellie needs me. What has Charley done?”