Page 85 of Loving Jemima
Dave laughed again. “You might want to try talking to the girl first. Maybe a bit of a chat before you light up the night sky with her name in fireworks?”
“Can we get fireworks at this time of year?” Jem asked Rolly eagerly.
“Not outside of Eastern Europe, no,” Rolly said. “And I’m not trusting you with explosives. Come in while I get dressed and we’ll tackle this problem like adults.”
Jem grinned and stepped inside and Rolly enveloped her in a hug so hard she could barely breathe.
Chapter Thirty Four
Mo held onto her hand as the policewoman came back into the room. “Can I get you something? Coffee?”
“No,” Ellie said. “I’m fine, thank you.”
The woman sat down. “I’m afraid I don’t have great news for you. Our powers here are very limited.”
“Meaning what exactly,” Mo said. “He came into her house, he frightened her.”
Which Ellie wished she could deny, but it was true. It was only once Paul was already inside that she realized how much potential danger she could be in. She’d been lucky that the police had come so quickly. But Paul had, quite literally, been dragged out kicking and screaming.
“He did, and technically that’s entering premises without consent,” the policewoman said. “However, having heard the story from both sides, the problem here is going to be that he has a history of being allowed into the house, including a time when he provided medical care.”
“But—” Mo started.
“She’s right,” said Ellie. “It’s he said, she said. I should have locked the door.”
“Currently, I don’t even have enough to take out a temporary restraining order,” the policewoman said kindly. “And I knowthat’s of no help to you right now. We can’t hold him, I’m afraid, which means he’ll be back on the streets in no time. The most I can do is keep him here for further questioning in order to give you an hour or so to go home and pack your things.”
“So your solution is to have her move out of her flat?” Mo said, sounding stunned and disgusted.
Ellie sighed and squeezed their hand. “She’s doing her job, Mo. And she’s right. There’s no pattern of abuse here, there’s no history of him doing anything untoward. He frightened me and I need to be more careful in future. But he’s not exactly done anything wrong just at the moment, has he?”
“That’s the problem,” the policewoman said. She sighed. “Listen, if you want to go back then I can have someone come with you. I can have someone look at the locks on your doors and advise you. I can give you the number of a support service that offers advice to women in situations like yours. But right now, legally, there’s nothing I can do.”
Mo shook their head. “Un-fucking-believable.”
“I understand, sir,” said the policewoman. “I suggest that you start keeping records so that you can prove some kind of pattern should this become an issue. And, as flippant as this advice might sound, I do suggest that if at all possible you move, or at least stay somewhere else tonight.”
“She’ll stay with me,” Mo said.
“Let me go and get the paperwork for you to sign and then we’ll have you on your way.” She stood up and then shook her head. “I really am very sorry, Ms. Baker. No woman should have to be afraid in her own home.”
“Yet so many are,” snapped Mo.
The policewoman hesitated but left without saying anything further.
“Mo, leave her alone, she’s doing her job,” Ellie said.
Mo’s phone beeped. “I know it’s not her personally, it’s the system,” they said as they pulled their phone out of their pocket and unlocked it. “But still, she should…” They trailed off.
“What is it?” Ellie asked.
Mo said nothing, turning the phone screen so that Ellie could read it. There was a message from Carys, just one word, all capitals. TROUBLE.
“What kind of trouble?” Ellie asked.
Mo shrugged. “No idea.” They turned their phone back, ran their finger over the screen and held it up to their ear for a second. Ellie waited, heart starting to throb. “Line’s busy,” Mo said, putting their phone down again.
“It can’t be Paul, he’s still here.”