Chapter 3

Mr Stirling had arrived back at Mill Cottage. He handed Grayson the photos and told him about where she was.

"Excellent, Mr Stirling", Grayson said looking at the photos.

"She doesn't take after Katie", he added

Grayson paid the man and he left. It was time to pay dearest Katie a visit.

Mariah had decided to stay over a friend's house that night. For some reason she didn't know, Katie thought that was a good idea especially tonight.

Katie decided to watch some TV; she was watching The Bill, when suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Oh Mariah, don't tell me you forgot that DVD", she said opening the door.

Katie nearly had a heart attack when she saw who it was.

"Hello Katie, long time no see", the visitor said.

-------------------------------------------------

It was Grayson at Katie's door.

"Grayson, what are you doing here", she said shocked.

"Well aren't you going to let me in", he said trying to get through the door.

Katie, tried to block him by putting the chain across, but he caught her hand. Katie remembered that episode of Eastenders where Peggy got her fingers caught in the door by Johnny Allen. Grayson was too strong he pushed his way in.

"GET OUT, OR I'LL CALL THE POLICE", Katie shouted hoping someone would here

Grayson laughed evilly. "I don't think you will Katie, remember who is still chief constable in this area, he was very close to my mother"

Katie realised that. "What do you want", she said rudely.

"Well I would like to see my daughter, Mariah, where is she?" he said.

"Somewhere you can't find her, you go near her and I'll..." Grayson cut her off.

"You'll what call the police, she's my daughter I have a right to see her, and you can't stop me. You think you can stop me", he said cruelly.

"Matthew King was right about you all along, you're just even more an idiot now then you were back in 2007", Katie said.

There was silence. Katie laughed, she had the upper hand. "What's wrong, cat got your tongue, Larry", she said using the name Matthew did.

This made Grayson mad with fury. He lunged at her, pushing her against the wall, knocking things over in the process. He pinned her against the wall, he looked dangerous now.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, HOW DARE YOU, DON'T CALL ME LARRY, YOU THINK YOU'RE SO BIG STANDING UP TO ME, NOT THAT ANY MORE ARE YOU", he roared with anger. Katie looked petrified. He scared the living daylights out of her.

After a while he loosened his grip on Katie and released her. "I don't want you in here anymore, Grayson, you're a head case."

Grayson laughed like it was some stupid comment.

"Words won't stop me, seeing my daughter, Katie. You know we could have been the perfect family, but you had to go and ruin it, but now I'm back and nothing will stop me seeing my little princess. You haven't seen the last of me Katie."

Grayson finally left the apartment, leaving a frightened Katie in tears.

--------------------------------------------------

All through the night Katie was scared stiff, she made sure the door was securely locked and she closed all blinds ensuring there was no gaps showing. She was so nervous she moved a chair and put it by the door.

Katie was considering getting Mariah home now, but quickly changed her mind, Grayson was probably lurking in the area still. She carefully looked out; there was no sign of him. It was pitch black out there, but she wasn't going to look anymore. Katie decided to go to bed early that night.

Tomorrow was another school day for Mariah. The day was going fine. Things got interesting after school.

Mariah was walking home and she swore there was a car following her. A red Range Rover to be exact.

Mariah thought it was a weirdo; there were a lot of those around the country.

The car wasn't showing any sign of stopping. There were some shops up ahead. Mariah decided to run; not surprisingly the car sped up. Unfortunately Mariah tripped and twisted her ankle, she couldn't move.

The car stopped immediately, the engine turned off and the car door opened. Mariah reached into her bag and took out the only thing that might have been useful, a can of hairspray and a cigarette lighter.

The driver turned out to be a man, he looked in his late 40s, had black hair. He was dressed in a long black overcoat, jeans and a shirt that the top two buttons were undone.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU" she shouted petrified.

"Now calm down, I'm trying to help you.

Mariah was scared. "KEEP AWAY FROM ME YOU PEDO."

The man looked hurt. "I beg your pardon."

"I know your kind, hanging round schools following kids home, come near me again and I'll use this." Mariah held out the can of spray and held a lighter up to it.

"Mariah, don't do that"

"How do you know my name?"

"Mariah, I have something to tell you. I'm your father".

----------------------------------------------

Mariah couldn't believe it, she didn't.

"You keep away from me, you nutter," she was still holding out the can.

"Mariah, please princess, here me out."

"I ain't your bloody princess, keep away, I'll scream," she warned.

Grayson wasn't listening and came nearer. Suddenly Mariah let out a scream; people looked out of their windows, passers by stopped. She tried to get up, but fell down. Grayson ran to her, attempting to help her up. As soon as he did, Mariah screamed even louder and fought back.

"Come on lets get you to hospital."

"NO YOU PEDO, I AIN'T GOING ANY WHERE WITH YOU, LET ME GO."

Grayson was taking her to hospital in his car, fortunately for Mariah a policeman arrived.

"What's going on here then?"

"Thank god you arrived, this man was taking me with him, keep him away from me," Mariah started to cry.

"It's ok now, so what's your name."

"Mariah Sugden."

"Do you know this man?"

"No, I haven't seen him before in my life. I saw him waiting at the school entrance in that car, then I realised the car was following me, when I ran, it sped up, I tripped and twisted my ankle, then he got out of the car, saying he was my dad and tried to take me away."

"We'll sort it out, my colleague is here now, and she'll look after you."

"Thanks officer."

A policewoman arrived. She looked after Mariah and sat her in the police car whilst the policeman sorted things out.

"She says you tried to take her away, sir."

"Look I'm her father; I was trying to take her to hospital to get that ankle of her's sorted."

"Well she's never seen you in her life before."

"That's right, last time I saw her she was a baby, her mother took her away, I've been trying to track her down all these years, I can prove it, here look."

Grayson handed the policeman a sheet of paper, it was Mariah's birth certificate. The policeman looked at it for a while, and then went to speak to Mariah.

Mariah couldn't believe it, this weird man was telling the truth, and he was her dad.

"He wants to speak to you, we won't let him if you don't want to", said the policeman.

Mariah thought for a moment. "Very well then, I'll speak to him, if that will make him leave me alone."