The Hostage: BookShots (Hotel Series) by James Patterson Read Free Book Online Page B

known Helen never ceased to be grateful for the toys or clothes or bikes which Jessie had found, having kept them since her own teenage son, Alvin, was a small boy.
    The one time Jessie had offered Helen money was the day Colin Roscoe had left for good. She’d known he was gone for ever, and although she’d been relieved for Helen, she had known that while he’d been a bad lot, Colin had at least provided a roof over his family’s heads. Now Helen was alone in the world – her, her son and her unborn child.
    Jessie hadn’t had a huge amount herself, but when Alvin’s father had died two years before he had left her and their son enough to live on. She’d gone to Helen with her first month’s rent and had received a promise it would be repaid as soon as Helen received her first paycheque from the two jobs she had taken on. Jessie had insisted there was no need, but the day after Helen had been paid, the loan amount had been quietly slipped under Jessie’s front door. Jessie had known to accept the money graciously, but in the weeks that followed, some extra discoveries would be made at the back of her magic wardrobe.
    Jessie and Helen had become the closest of friends, and to Jon, Aunt Jessie had become a second mother. On the nights his mum would be working, Jon would go upstairs for his supper and then Jessie would love putting him down to sleep in her own bed. When Helen would come home from work, she’d wrap Jon in a blanket and carefully carry him down the stairs, before handing him over to his mother’s waiting arms. Every night when Helen took hold of her son, Jessie’s heart would break as she saw how close to exhaustion her dear friend had become.
    Jessie often thought of the day Jon’s baby sister, Amanda, arrived in the world – arriving in great haste on a cold and wet December evening. Helen had stopped working the week before and with Jon safely asleep in bed, she’d sat watching television with Jessie. As Jessie had cleared away the dinner plates, and Alvin had finished his homework, Helen had rested her feet in front of the latest soap opera. Very quickly, all of the action had been in Jessie’s apartment and with the baby on her way, Jessie had called a cab to take her and Helen to the hospital while Alvin was given clear instructions on what he needed to do to care for Jon. But Alvin had known that part would be easy. Jon had idolised Alvin, loving him like a big brother, and would always behave whenever he asked him to.
    Jessie had helped Helen into the cab, but as they’d made their way through the London streets they’d got caught up in the traffic created by eager Christmas shoppers. Jessie had praised the Lord as the cab driver had performed miracles to get them to the hospital in double-quick time but the real miracle had been in the back of the cab, where she’d delivered Helen’s baby daughter. When the cab had arrived at the hospital the cord had been cut and Helen’s new baby had been carried into the building. Helen and Jessie had followed along with two nurses and it hadn’t been long before Helen was sitting up in bed nursing baby Amanda Jessica. Jessie had smiled the broadest smile and felt for the first time that her family was complete.
    Jessie had known life for Helen was never going to be easy with two young children and two jobs but she had been happy doing everything she could to help. Often in the evening she would see Helen arrive home exhausted as she made her way downstairs to carefully hand over both of the children. Over time, she’d seen the sparkle disappear from Helen; her smiles were gone and the laughter in her eyes, which had appeared after Colin had left, had gradually faded away.
    On a warm summer evening, Jessie had sat with Helen in their small, shared garden and had told her friend she looked shattered. Tears had welled in Jessie’s eyes as Helen broke down and admitted she was finding life harder and harder. Jessie had suggested they take the