My fingers tightened on the steering wheel. I had always suspected that she was the one who had tipped off Sophie Smith’s parents, and her failure to deny it answered the question that had been bugging me for some time. The anonymous letter Sophie’s parents received had pinpointed our meeting in the beach hut that night. I’m only grateful that we were both fully clothed when they caught us. A large pay-off from my mother had at least stopped them calling the police. I became much better at covering my tracks after that. But my promise to Emma had not gone unforgotten, and I spent many happy hours thinking about inflicting my revenge.
I knew I should drive away, draw a line beneath it all. But my reputation had been smeared. Mud sticks. Emma’s meddling had put an end to my career before it even began. If only she had died during the fire in her home that day. I remembered receiving her text, how hopeful I had been that she would carry it through. Then the searing disappointment when she was pulled out alive. But if at first you don’t succeed . . . I surprised myself with the thought. Could I? Commit murder? As I sat there, I imagined how it would feel to finally watch the bitch burn. And why not bring her home down with her? The life she’d managed to build for herself that eluded me. She was unstable once. I could slowly break her down. Then, when she was alone, I would recreate her suicide attempt – but get it right this time. I smiled as my plan unfurled itself in my mind. Tomorrow. I would return to taunt her tomorrow, tease her about my future conquests, really stick the knife in. Her infidelity would ensure her silence, at least until I carried out my plan.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FOUR
ALEX
2017
My eyes flitted from the road to the caller display on my dashboard as I tried for the third time to contact Emma. At least the hands-free system allowed me to drive, saving precious time. It would take at least another couple of hours to reach Essex. I groaned aloud. By the time I got there, the tide would be in, cutting Emma off from the outside world. It was not as if I could call the police. What could I tell them? Given Emma’s state of mind, she could end up blurting out everything. Why wasn’t she answering her phone? If I had any sense, I’d go back to Jamie and leave Emma behind. But I was like a moth drawn to the flame. No matter what she did to me, I would always return to her.
Using voice commands, I patched through another call. The phone answered after five rings.
‘Hello?’
I sensed the hesitancy in Theresa’s voice but tried to mask my concern. ‘Hi, it’s me. Is Emma with you? I’ve been trying to ring but her phone’s switched off.’
‘She’s asleep. I turned off her phone so she could have some rest, bless her; she was in quite a state after you left, but she’s OK now.’
‘Can you tell her I’m on my way? I shouldn’t have left. I should be with you around one in the morning.’
‘Is Jamie with you?’ Theresa said.
‘No, he’s back in Leeds. I’m just coming to pick up Emma and bring her back.’ I took a deep breath, my throat raw from my oncoming cold. ‘There’s something I’ve got to ask you.’
‘Me? What’s that?’
Checking my rear-view mirror, I indicated and overtook the car in front of me. ‘I hired a private detective to track Luke down. Apparently he’s alive, and friends with you on Facebook. Why did you lie to me, Theresa?’ My words broke off in a cough.
‘What? I’m not friends with Luke. Am I?’ Silence fell between us as she searched for answers. ‘I use Facebook for work, I accept requests from lots of people . . . I don’t know them all.’
The irony of her words hit home. How could people qualify as friends if you didn’t know them? It was the very reason I hated the whole social media thing. You didn’t know who you were talking to. Anyone could bung up a fake profile picture and snoop on your movements. But there was another question playing on my mind. ‘If Luke is alive, then whose body did we unearth?’
Theresa hesitated. ‘I don’t think we should be discussing this over the phone. We’ll talk about it when you get here.’
But I was not so easily deterred. ‘I’ve been doing some research. Bodies don’t reach the skeletal stage until after at least ten years in the ground.’
‘For Christ’s sake, Alex, this is not an appropriate conversation!’ Her breath ruffled the line as she exhaled loudly. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, trying to regain her composure. ‘I’ve had a rough day.’
In the background I heard scuffling, a movement of furniture. I strained to listen, but it grew distant as Theresa walked away. ‘Is that Emma?’ I said. ‘Put her on the phone. I need to speak to her.’
‘It’s just the storm. I told you. She needs her rest, and I don’t think she should be going anywhere tonight. You can sort things out when you get here.’
‘I could sort things out now if you told me the truth. What’s going on, Theresa? What are you not telling me? Who was buried in that grave? Because it wasn’t Luke, was it? Funny how you insisted we keep digging down after I wanted to give up. Why was that?’
‘This is family stuff. It’s none of your concern,’ Theresa snapped, before disconnecting the call.
I thumped the steering wheel with my fist. What the hell was going on? I replayed our conversation in my head. Why did she ask if Jamie was with me? I patched a call through to Mum.
‘Son? Is everything OK?’ Mum said, answering the phone after one ring. I asked how Jamie was doing, making her climb the stairs to his bedroom to ensure he was safe. But Mum plagued me for answers, her voice brittle with worry.
I pulled a tissue from my pocket and paused to blow my nose. ‘I’m not sure what’s going on, Mum; all I know is that Emma needs me. She’s with her sister, but something’s not right.’
‘Isn’t there anyone you can call who can check on them? What about your local constabulary? We’ve got a lovely PCSO near us. They’re so helpful. I’m sure if you give your local station a ring they might send someone out. When Mrs Connor wasn’t answering the door, we gave them a call and . . .’
I exhaled a terse breath. I had heard the story about Mrs Connor and her fall a thousand times before. ‘No. There’s no need for police. I’m just checking that Jamie’s OK.’
‘Well, call me when you get there. It doesn’t matter what time it is. I’m sure I won’t sleep until you do.’
I ended the call, inching up the speed dial as I pressed my foot on the accelerator.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
EMMA
2017
My eyes fluttered open as I awoke from my nap. It had been Theresa’s idea, an hour’s sleep to ease my nerves before working out my next steps. She had calmed my anxiety to get to Leeds, telling me to allow the dust to settle before galloping up there and upsetting everyone. But a black cloud loomed on the horizon. A succession of silent phone calls told me that Luke was close to hand. I hadn’t expected to get any sleep, but when I woke, a whole hour had passed and the house was cloaked in darkness.
‘Tizzy?’ I said, shuffling blindly in the hall. I had reverted to her childhood nickname, seeking comfort as fear crept up my spine. I flicked the light switch with no response. She must have blown the fuse box, I told myself, trying to quell my rising panic. It was situated in the living room, and I groped the walls as I made my way there. I listened intently to the usual creaks and groans of the house under the oncoming winds, my heartbeat feeling as if it had doubled its pace. ‘Tizzy?’ I said a second time, and her lack of response made me want to bolt for the door. But I could not leave my sister. As I entered the living room, the figure before me rooted me to the spot.
‘Theresa?’ I said, my heart stalling as I caught sight of her. Tied to a chair, she sat in the centre of the room. I recognised one of my scarves, which was now wrapped around her mouth. I followed her line of vision too late as I turned to look behind the door.