New Life?

Gail stood trying to calm her nerves as she was at the last check before getting on the plane backing down was not an option. She just hopped they would not find what they were looking for before she got away. The clerk looks back at her and her son and asks for a colleague “wait here please” orders the boarding card inspector.

3 weeks earlier

“What more can I give you?” Gail shouted down the phone as the line went dead. She nervously lit a cigarette trying not to drop it on the carpet with her shaking hands “Bloody daughter of mine” she mumbled. She hated what her daughter was doing and just wanted to help at the same time. Suddenly there is a loud anxious knock at the door. “Mum let me in. Screamed Gail’s daughter Sharon. “No you should have thought of that before now” Gail replied. “Mum I’m your daughter” Sharon shouted in haste. “Why can’t you just leave me alone. I’ve tried get you off that rubbish but you won’t let me help you.” Gail shouted with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Gail kept on letting the words it was for her own good tear through her head. She hated turning Sharon away but what other option had she especially with Simon living her.

The tears flowed again as she held a picture of Sharon as a little girl. She hated wanting her daughter out of her life but she had tried. The worst time was when the police came round because Gail locked Sharon in and Sharon phoned them on that dealer scum Bugsie’s mobile phone. “Release your daughter or you will be charged with kidnap” the officer told Gail.

Another day dawned and Gail was woken by a knock at the door “Who is it” she said agitated. “It’s the police” they shouted. Gail checked the spy hole then opened the door. “What’s wrong?” Gail asked in a burnt out mood. “Can we come in ?” said the straight laced PC Grant. Gail stepped back her mind whizzing with what might have happened.

“We have something to tell you Mrs Blackwell.” Gail’s heart pounded with dread this was going to be the visit she had never wanted. “Go on it’s Sharon that’s why you’re here aren’t you?” Gail said sobbing. “I’m afraid she has been found dead on the building site next to the motorway where the new shopping outlet is being built” Gail just sat shocked and silent as the guilt of ignoring her last night got straight to her conscience.

Dazed Gail walked into the police station with the two officers by her side. “Oh no” she screamed as the pathologist showed her the site no mother should ever have to see. “That’s my little girl” she kept repeating as she cried.

“Mrs Blackwell” Gail turns and sees Sergant Redmen. Would you like to come with me I need to ask you about Sharon’s friends.” Gail suddenly remembers Simon “I need to pick up my son he’s at school” “Someone can take care of that from here we’ll bring him here to meet you. I need to build a picture of Sharon‘s last few hours”.
Gail sat in the room barely able to feel the warmth, her body was just numb. In walked PC Grant “We have found what looks like the murder weapon. It’s a brick which consistent with the blow to Sharon’s head. Were testing it for fingerprints ” PC Grant informed Gail. “I sent her away the night she died. She would have probably went to her dealer Bugsie. Maybe I could have saved her” Gail wept. “You did everything and she didn’t want to stop taking crack” PC Grant said comforting her.

Gail’s husband is getting home talking on the phone “Just remember what to say” (silence for the person on the other end) “OK” he says. "I forgot you were due back today" Gail said. "We finished the job early love" said Tom. “Daddy” Simon shouts in excitement and Tom picks him up giving him a huge hug. Gail came in looking dazed. "I'm sorry love". "She's gone" Gail sobbed. "If I could take your pain away I would but once that thug got his claws in you know she could not see what was happening." he told her.

PC Grant is putting a tape in the recorder and then reads the police interview introduction. "So Mr Bugart you are known as Bugsie. Where were you last night between eight thirty and ten o'clock?" PC Grant asked dryly. "At home ALONE" Bugsie replied. "Why has someone reported seeing Sharon knocking on your door about quarter to nine?" asks a suspicious PC Grant. "She was not inside my flat I made her wait at the door. She wanted help said she needed to hide. Something she does when she wants a hit. I was on the phone making a deal". Bugsie said. "Why would you want her out the way?" asked PC Grant "Check the cctv you'll see her step dad at my flat last night?" Bugsie said.

The house is silent everyone is in bed. Suddenly the police storm. the house "What's going on?" Gail shouts. "We have a warrant to search these premises" declares PC Grant. Tom's face shows he has something to hide after sitting for what feels like a lifetime PC Grant comes into the room "I think were going to need forensics to look at your washing machine. Tom Blackwell I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Sharon Blandal..." Gail felt the words hit a her like a burst of thunder. "Noooo" she cried hysterically.

Gail is making breakfast for Simon when Bugsie busts in through the back door shouting “I want what your husband owed me” “My husband. What do you mean?” she said shaking “I need to get out of town and I’m owed money by your husband for helping him out listen to this” he hands her his phone and she hears a voicemail message “listen bugs I have your money which I was paying you and her do a runner cause I wanted her out my life after she court me in bed with Julie but it was not enough to shut Sharon up so I had to get rid of her. Once this is all done I'll pay you. " Gail felt her stomach lurch "he killed my little girl" Gail said. "now give me what he owes me" Bugsie demanded waving a knife in Gail's face. "NOW" he shouts and Gail clutches the iron behind her and smacks him over the head and he falls to the floor.

"Were going on adventure love pack your things" Gail tells Simon. "Where?" Simon asks in excitement. "I'll tell you later but you must be quick and you must not phone anyone" she tells him firmly.

So this is it the final check before boarding. It felt like hours waiting in the queue and now they had to hang on. As the boarding card inspector returned Gail kept having images of going to prison "Have a nice flight madam you have won our passenger draw to get your tickets free" said the boarding card inspector giving Gail the cost of her tickets back in cash and getting her to sign the receipt. Gail’s heart relaxed as she went down the gally to the plane entrance and boarded.

THE END