Present Day
Caroline stepped out of the taxi and opened the gate, already Kate was opening the front door. "Hello!" She glanced at her watch. "I wasn't expecting you for another couple of hours!"
"I got bored and discharged myself." Caroline smiled. "Just so glad to be out of hospital!"
"I know, I hate being in hospitals myself!" Kate laughed. "Here, let me take your bag and you come on inside. It will be nice to have someone else around the house." Kate showed Caroline into the front room. "Now, you will be in the spare room, it isn't massive..."
Caroline smiled holding up her hand. "You know the room I share at the yard, this is luxury in comparison!"
"Well you stay as long as you want." Kate paused. "I'll let you settle in and then we will have some dinner as soon as Adam has come home."
***
Caroline closed the door and dropping her bag on the floor slumped onto the bed. It's softness compared to the hospital bed was amazing and she snuggled down pulling back the duvet and getting comfortable. Perhaps just a few minutes sleep would make her feel so much better. She closed her eyes and was fast asleep in moments.
***
Adam locked up the office and pushed the keys into his jacket pocket. It had been a long day and he was glad to be going home. He started walking down the driveway when he saw a black Range Rover approaching, he paused as the vehicle stopped and the doors opened. "Sorry, we are closed now-" Adam's sentence was cut short as the passenger door swung open.
"I know that you are, and if you don't pay me you will be closed for good." The woman smiled coldly.
"What are you doing here? You told me I had a week to pay you..."
"I did didn't I." She sneered. "I lied."
"I..." Adam paused. "Look I don't have your money yet."
The woman laughed. "I know that." She pulled out a collection of papers waving them towards Adam. "Your bank statements, your credit card bills, the outstanding invoices."
"Where the hell did you get them?" Adam lunged forward, trying to grab the papers.
"Ah, ah!" She smiled. "I own you Mr Bishop, don't you ever forget that." She paused. "And I also know that you are not going to give in if I hurt you. You are just like some dumb toy, I can beat you or try to hurt you but you will just keep bouncing back." She smiled. "But the people you love..."
Adam blanched - "If you touch Kate I'll..."
"You'll what?" She laughed. "Go on, I do love such bravado! But it is so misplaced. Let me make this clear. You find a way to pay me or you will regret the consequences." She turned on her heel stepping back to the Range Rover. Adam leapt forward grabbing the door.
"Look please! Anything..."
"Try pleading." She sneered. "Yes, down in the dirt, kneel down and plead to me. Beg like the worthless worm you are..."
Adam paused before slowly kneeling before her. "Please, don't hurt Kate..."
She shook her head, climbing into the car and slamming the door. Adam watched as the window whirred down. "I pity you?. Here is some advice, two things. First, get the money." She closed the window, Adam stared up at the darkened glass before it opened again. "Oh and second?. Get up you snivelling bastard."
He watched as the Range Rover sped away spraying him with grit.
***
Kate opened the cottage door as Adam arrived. "You're a bit late..." She paused looking into his eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing..." Adam was tired, he felt a weariness that went further than purely physical exhaustion. He sighed, how could have put Kate at risk, all for money. "I'm okay..."
"Aright..." Said in a tone that meant anything but. "Okay, I've made dinner and Caroline is here too, she discharged herself from hospital." The conversation rapidly lightened up, Adam and Kate were soon discussing the day, the customers they had been teaching and the horses conditions. After a few minutes Adam excused himself and softly climbed the stairs to get changed before dinner. He glanced across to the spare room, the door was ajar and he could hear Caroline moaning and struggling in bed.
"Caroline?" He stepped towards the door pushing it gently. "Are you alright?" There as a sudden movement and the door was slammed shut. Adam staggered back. "Wow sorry!" He said to himself. "Dinner will be ready soon..." There was silence in the guest room. Adam went downstairs and waited with Kate for Caroline, after another ten minutes he went back upstairs. He knocked on the door. "Caroline?" When there was no answer he slowly opened the door. Caroline was lying fully-dressed on the bed. "Hello Caroline..." She stirred, stretching and smiling.
"Oh hello. Sorry I must have dozed off." She smiled.
"No doubt after the last time I came up you must have gone back to sleep."
"Last time?" Caroline frowned. "Now I must be more tired that I imagined. When did you come up before."
Adam laughed. "Well, ten minutes ago you slammed the door on me!" He smiled at Caroline's puzzled face. "Oh come on sleepy head, we better get downstairs or we will both be in trouble!"
Caroline smiled and they both walked down to the kitchen where Kate was dishing out bowls of chicken pasta. "Hello, do you feel better now?"
"Yes thanks Kate." Caroline sat down and started to wolf down the warm pasta hungrily. "Wow this is great! Better than the hospital food."
Kate smiled. "I am glad you are enjoying it! Here have some more bread!" They relaxed around the table, the conversation again falling back to horses. Caroline polished off her bowl of pasta before tucking into seconds. The evening passed with them sitting in the front room chatting and laughing, before, just a couple of hours later Caroline became drowsy and was soon fast asleep in the armchair.
"I suppose we had better wake her to go up to bed!" Kate smiled and stood up. "Caroline. Wakey, wakey!" She gently rocked Caroline's shoulder, her eyes snapped open causing Kate to step back in shock. "Are you okay?"
"Oh yes..." Caroline snarled loudly. "This will be so much fun..."
"Sorry?"
"You will be..." Suddenly Caroline slumped forward groaning. She looked up timidly. "Kate?." Her voice was now quiet, broken. "Help me..."
"What?" Kate knelt in front of her.
"The girl?. Please help me..." Caroline grabbed for Kate's hands gripping them tightly. "Don't let her take me..." Caroline gave Kate one last frightened look before collapsing.
Kate stepped back with her hand to her mouth. "Adam, can you tell me what the hell just happened there?" She sat down heavily beside Adam. "What was that?"
"Caroline is ill. She shouldn't have left the hospital." He stood up.
"I suppose you are right." Kate shrugged.
Kate was still concerned the next morning. Adam had called the hospital and driven Caroline back where she was admitted. She had not woken to be put into the car and stayed unconscious until he watched her being wheeled away on a trolley.
***
Kate had called the hospital just a few minutes before but had been told that, as she was not next of kin, the data protection act prevented them passing on any details. She had slammed the phone down. Caroline was family, not in the eyes of the hospital but she was as close.
Visiting time was still some hours away and Kate had work to do, she was glad of the distraction but could not push away the uneasy feeling as she grabbed her hat and crop and left the office to take out her usual hack.
***
"Come on then." Harriet was one of the five ladies Kate regularly took out on a hack. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing..." Kate smiled.
"Bollocks!" Harriet laughed. "We just had a conversation about famous horse people we would sleep with and you didn't get all prudish as usual. There is something wrong." She winked at the other riders. "Is it man trouble?" He held up her gloved hand with her little finger outstretched.
"What?" Kate blushed. "Oh god no!" She laughed. "Okay, sorry I have been distracted. It's Caroline."
"Something you are not telling us lover?" The group laughed raucously. "Playing for the other team now are we? Well, she is a pretty girl. A bit shy but if that is what you like..." The ladies laughed loudly for a moment before Harriet held up her hand. "Woah?. Kate are you crying?" Kate wiped her eyes quickly, looking away. "Oh shit Kate, you know we don't mean anything by what we say. It is only a joke..."
Kate gulped. "I'm sorry. No, it's not that. Caroline is ill..." She went on to describe the events of last night and that she was in hospital still. The ladies listened in silence.
"Oh I am sorry Kate." Pat rode up beside her and put her hand on Kate's thigh. "Look, she will be fine. She had that accident and then discharged herself from hospital. She has probably had a bump to her head or something. She is tough, she will be right as rain in no time, just you see."
"Thank you?." Kate smiled. "I am just being silly?. I am really sorry. Come on, let’s have a good gallop up to the ridge!" She pushed her horse on with the others following behind.
***
"Okay Miss Gibbs." The doctor smiled warmly. "Tell me again about the woman, the one that you are saying is trying to take you?"
Caroline looked up. "I think she is trying to hurt me. She is trying to turn me against my friends." The doctor scribbled notes on his pad. "I can't sleep, she comes for me when I go to sleep." Caroline sobbed.
"Alright, please don't distress yourself." He handed her a box of tissues. "I believe that you are suffering from depression, but I would like you to stay with us for a few days so that we can assess you and find out exactly what is wrong and to start to help you."
"Stay?" Caroline gasped. "But I want to go home."
The doctor sighed and pulled out a series of pieces of paper. "Now I really want you to make the decision to stay in hospital. If you will not consent I will be forced to detain you under section four of the mental health act."
"What?"
"I want to help make you better Caroline. Sadly you are in no fit state to go home at the moment, you need some time and our help." The doctor smiled. "We will have you as right as rain in no time."
Caroline slumped in her chair, the nurse helped her stand and led her back to her bed.
***
"Penny for them?" Kate sat down next to Adam, she had been watching him from the doorway of the tack room, he was cleaning a bridle and had spent at least five minutes polishing the same throat lash.
"What?" Adam looked up with a start. "Oh sorry..." He smiled. "Things on my mind."
"Want to share them?" Kate smiled.
"Oh Kate..." He took her hand. "I have to do the accounts paperwork, there is a load of health and safety stuff that has come through to be completed." He shrugged. "I didn't expect all of this when we took over the yard."
"Look, please don't worry too much..." She smiled. "We will get through it." She hugged him and stood up. "I have to dash, see you a bit later!"
Adam smiled faintly. He didn't dare tell he about the debts or about the text message he had received a few hours earlier. He pulled out his phone again and pulled the message up. 'Tick tock Mr Bishop. Shame if someone you cared for had an accident...'. He slammed the phone down.
***
Kate stepped into the hospital, she had called them earlier and found that Caroline was in the psychiatric ward which had unnerved her, the actual experience was even worse. The ward was distant from the main hospital buildings and was clearly secure with bars on the windows and security on the door.
"Can I help you?" The security guard looked up.
"I am here to see Caroline Gibbs."
He looked down at a clipboard in front of him. "And you are?"
Kate was prepared, when she had called the staff would tell her nothing about Caroline as she was not next of kin. "I am her mother, Linda Gibbs."
The guard looked up, looking Kate up and down before he pressed a button below the desk. The door buzzed. "Through there, ask for her at the nurses’ station."
Kate walked quickly through the grey painted corridor towards the nurses’ station. "Can I help you?" The nurse smiled warmly.
"Hi..." Kate stuttered. "I am here to see Caroline Gibbs."
"Ah yes..." She reached down and pulled a file out of a cabinet beneath the desk. "Can I just ask who you are?"
"I am her mother, Linda."
The nurse closed the file and looked up at Kate. "Really?" Her smile faded briefly.
"Look, I need to see her. She is like family to me. I am Kate Bishop, my husband brought her in." Kate pleaded. "Please help me here, Caroline needs me."
The nurse smiled. "Look, I really shouldn't let you see her. In fact I should call security and have you removed." She paused. "But, Caroline has been asking for you all afternoon, in fact she has been quite distressed so I think it would do her good to see you."
"Thank you..."
"She has been sectioned under the mental health act." Kate gasped. "I know, but please don't worry it is not as bad as it sounds. She will be kept in for at least three days to allow us to assess her." The nurse smiled. "She is in good hands. Let me take you through to see her." The nurse let Kate through the secure reception area to a locked door. She held an electronic tag up to a reader and clicked the door open. Eventually they reached a door, the nurse unlocked it and held it open. Caroline was sitting up on the bed staring out of the barred window. "I can only give you half an hour. Just press the call button when you are finished."
"Thank you, I really appreciate it." Kate waited until the nurse shut the door. "Hello Caroline." She walked towards her. "How are you doing?"
Caroline turned around, her eyes red. "Kate!" She leapt towards her hugging her tightly. "Thank you for coming." She sobbed. "I'm not mad..." She paused. "Am I?"
Kate paused. "Caroline you are unwell. The nightmares you are having the woman you are seeing. The doctors are going to help you. They will make it go away." Kate smiled. "I want to have our Caroline back as soon as possible. Come on, sit down. Let me tell you what happened today."
Kate sat and chatted for well past the half hour that the nurse had suggested. It was only when she looked at her watch that she realised how long they had been talking. Caroline had become more animated and relaxed as they had talked. "Look I had better go. But I will come back tomorrow." Caroline looked crestfallen. "Come on. You will be out of here really soon." Kate hugged her again before pushing the call button." The nurse opened the door and Kate said her final goodbyes to Caroline. She had only walked a few steps before bursting into tears.
"There, there..." The nurse took her hand. "Lots of people get overwhelmed when they first come here." She opened a side door revealing a small sitting room with a sink and fridge. "Look it's my break time, come and have a cup of tea with me before you go."
"Thank you..." Kate sobbed, accepting a tissue from the nurse. "I am sorry..."
The kettle clicked and the nurse poured two mugs of tea. "I have put two sugars in, it will help. Don't worry about being upset, this is a very frightening place." She paused. "Caroline will recover, she has had an MRI scan today the doctors think it could be related to her accident, she may have had a head injury which was not obvious when she was in before."
Kate sighed. "I hope she is okay. She is so important to us all. Our yard is like a family everyone is worried about her. We all just want her to be well."
"She will be in good hands with us. I will look after her and I know the other staff will too."
***
"Adam?" Kate stepped into the cottage, she looked around but it seemed that Adam was not at home. The sudden bleep of his mobile phone made her jump. She looked down at the phone, she trusted Adam totally but he had been acting strangely over the last few days. Curiosity made her pick it up. She knew that she should not read his texts but still found herself pressing the menu button, she gasped as the words flashed up on screen.
'Pay the money you owe now or we will harm your wife. Do I make myself clear?'
Cold fear flooded her body.
"Hello there..." Adam opened the front door and stepped inside, she reached to hug Kate but was shrugged away. "Whoa?. What's wrong?"
Kate turned around slowly, she had scrolled through his messages and seen the others he had been sent. "What the hell is this?"
Adam pushed past her and sat down heavily on the sofa with his head in his hands. "I was stupid..."
"What?" Kate snarled. "Tell me why someone is threatening to injure me."
"I took out a loan, we needed the money to pay the bills. Kate I needed to pay the feed bills, the wages..." He looked up at Kate. "I thought they were above board, I found them on the internet and it looked professional."
"And?" Kate stared at Adam.
"They suddenly demanded payment, when I couldn't pay they doubled the interest rate, tripled it. They threatened me."
"So we go to the police..." She gasped as Adam unbuttoned his shirt and turned to show her his back. The welts had turned into black lines of bruises which criss-crossed his back covering almost every inch. "This was the last warning."
"You didn't tell me..." Kate whispered.
"I was trying to protect you?. I thought that I could handle it."
"You should have told me..." Kate picked up her bag, turned on her heel and walked out slamming the door behind her."
Adam slumped in the sofa.