‘Hang on,’ he laughed. ‘Slow down. Do you know what would happen if they found me doing that? They’d put a rope round my neck.’
‘How would they ever find out? You could make it right at the back of the garden, behind the poolhouse, behind all the bushes. No one would ever see it.’
‘I don’t know, Ellie …’
‘It could be a little entrance you could crawl through, to meet up with me. It would be romantic, exciting.’ I sat up and flashed him a pleading smile. ‘The poolhouse would be the perfect place to meet.’
‘God, okay, okay.’
‘Really?’ I squealed.
‘Yes. But on one condition.’
‘What?’
‘Stay here tonight. For at least a couple more hours.’
‘I can’t, Connor. You know I’ve got to …’
‘Oh well. Deal’s off.
‘Grrr. Okay. But they might notice I’m …’
‘Stop being so paranoid, woman.’
‘Can’t help it.’ But I shivered in anticipation of another two hours in the company of my lover.
‘Now come here and kiss me.’ His rough fingertips softly tilted my chin up towards him and all thoughts of home were obliterated.
I am ashamed and horrified at my selfishness, but I was in a blind whirlwind of rekindled passion. That's what I keep telling myself anyway.
Chapter Forty Four
Eleanor
*
‘Here, look,’ I whispered. ‘This is perfect.’ I picked up a large brown stone and placed it just inside the fence, next to the entrance hole.
Connor had managed to disable the electricity and cut out a small section of fence at the back of my neighbours’ garden.
‘I’ll be able to leave a note for you underneath the stone, with a date and a time. You can hide your van somewhere out there and then crawl through to meet me.’
‘I might not always be able to make it though,’ Connor said.
‘Well same here. But we can try.’
‘Can we try now?’
‘Eddie and Rita are away, Luc’s training today …’
‘Anyone else?’ he asked.
‘Nope. The poolhouse is always unlocked. There’s a nice comfy sofa …’
He grabbed my hand and led me through the trees towards the poolhouse.
The Donovans always let me know when they would be away, so it was easy for me and Connor to meet up. Sometimes he would be there and sometimes he wouldn’t. Sometimes I would be so desperate to see him, I would get Tom to cover for me and I would drive over to the compound anyway. But I knew it was dangerous on all sorts of levels, and the risk of being discovered increased.
One summer evening, Johnny was out working as usual. He wouldn’t be back until early morning. I felt bored and restless. I couldn’t settle to anything. The girls were in their rooms listening to music. I felt caged in. I didn’t feel like an adult with responsibilities. I didn’t feel like a parent. I had a yearning to do something fun and reckless, like going out partying or getting drunk, or …
I went down to the annexe to see Tom.
‘Hi, Sis. What’s up?’
‘Bored.’
‘What are you? Twelve?’
‘Ha, very funny. I’m serious. I might go and see Connor.’ I walked past him, into the kitchen and sat at the small round table.
‘Don’t go,’ he frowned, closing the front door and following me in.
‘Johnny’s out again. The girls are in their rooms. What could it hurt?’
‘You need to end it, Ellie. It’s going to wreck everything. End it or come clean.’
‘I know, I know. It’s just … It’s complicated. It’s Connor. Oh, it’s not fair.’
‘You’re right, it’s not fair. But what about Johnny? What about the girls?’
‘I know. I’ll end it.’
‘You said that before.’
‘No. I mean it. I’ll end it tonight.’
He raised his eyebrows and I felt scepticism radiating out of him.
‘I will.’
‘You should.’
I stood up and headed back towards the front door. My heart beat excitedly at the thought of seeing him. How could I possibly end it? I’d think about it. I ran back home and shouted up to the girls that I’d be at Tom’s if they needed me. Then I jumped into my AV and started up the engine.
Charlie Duke’s disapproving stare followed me out, as I drove through the Perimeter gate.
‘Miserable old git,’ I muttered.
I turned left and was immediately blinded by the full glare of the dying evening sun. I quickly flicked on the windscreen filter, muting the sharp rays. A muffled thud startled me and my heart sank as I saw a dark figure lying by the side of the fence. I didn’t stop, but slowed down and glanced in my wing mirror.
‘A man.’ I breathed out and realised I’d been holding my breath for quite a time. I sucked in a lungful of air and made brief eye contact with him in the mirror as he lifted his head. I must have hit him and I felt a lip-biting pang of concern. But everybody knew you didn’t stop for anything outside the Perimeter. People had been killed before, doing just that. In fact it was a common trick used by muggers to get people out of their vehicles – they’d pretend to be hit and then attack the concerned driver.
I’m sure he’ll be okay. I reasoned, convinced and then banished my already stretched conscience.
I suppose I should have turned back and asked one of the guards to check him to see if he was okay, but I didn’t. I drove to see Connor and left my girls home alone. I returned, safe and sound, to Tom’s annexe by five am. By the time I got home, Skye was already dead.
*
My baby was dead and it was my fault. Mine.
A knock at my bedroom door. Go away, I thought. Leave me alone.
‘Ellie,’ a whisper. ‘Ellie, it’s me. Tom.’ I heard the door brush across the carpet. Johnny and Riley were downstairs somewhere, living their own personal hells. I was curled up in my bed living mine.
‘Ellie, I’m so sorry,’ Tom cried. ‘I can’t believe it … Skye …’
‘It’s my fault.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
‘It is. If I hadn’t gone out …’
‘If you hadn’t gone out, Skye would still have left the house. You’d have been asleep. You wouldn’t have heard her.’
‘Luc found her,’ I said. ‘They’re saying it might have been Luc …’
‘Well that’s crazy. But things have changed …’
‘What? What’s changed?’
‘Connor’s been arrested. They’re saying it was him who killed her. They found a hole in the fence and …’
‘Oh my God,’ I hissed. ‘No! That was … that wasn’t anything to do with …’
‘Ellie!’ Tom bent down and grabbed my arm. I was sobbing again. ‘Ellie! That hole?’
‘Yes!’ I said. ‘Yes!’ I almost shouted.
‘Shhh! For God sake keep your voice down.’
‘Yes, Connor and I made that entrance so he could come and see me.’
‘You idiot! What were you thinking?’
‘I know. It’s a mess. I’ve made a mess of everything.’
‘Too late for all that. They’re going to execute Connor.’
‘No! We have to get him out. You have to get him out, Tom.’
‘I know,’ he sighed. ‘Give me the keys to your AV. I’ll sort it.’
We sent Connor to lie low at my parents’ place in Uley. They had always been fond of Connor and were overjoyed to see him alive and well. They didn’t know he was also Ron Chambers, wanted for murder. They didn’t know he was my lover. They didn’t know anything.
But I eventually had to tell Johnny everything and this betrayal, on top of Skye’s death, was more than he could take. He said he thought it would be a good idea if I left for a while. He said I should go away and think about what I wanted - meaning Connor or him.
I couldn’t believe he was s
till prepared to accept me after all I had put him through. I sobered up quickly and went home to Uley to see my parents and Connor and to decide what to do next. The worst part was having to leave Riley behind. I knew she was disgusted with me – first for the drinking and then for abandoning her.
When I got to The Uley Perimeter, I did a lot of thinking. And although I now lived in the same house as Connor, I hardly saw or spoke to him. Everything had changed. I had changed. I realised what I had done and I felt ashamed, disgusted. I will always blame myself for Skye’s death, and the guilt now constantly plucks away at me, like a warped discordant guitar. But I welcome it. The guilt is something I deserve to live with.
Chapter Forty Five
Riley
*
My world shifts and spins. My life shatters into a million lies. Ma has just told me the truth. The ugly, unadulterated truth. A truth which makes me want to vomit or scream or cry or fall into a mind-numbing sleep for a century. I stare from her, to Chambers, to my lap. And then I raise my eyes back to her with disbelief and something bordering on hate. She sits next to me on the sofa. Chambers sits opposite. I can feel him staring at me.
‘It can’t be true.’ A tear drips onto the back of my hand and I wipe my cheek angrily. ‘Why would you … How could you be so deceitful? What about Pa? Poor Pa …’
Ma stands up, her face drawn. I see her look desperately into Chambers’ eyes and I want to slap her.
‘Connor,’ she says. ‘Would you mind … leaving me and Riley for a few minutes?’
‘Yeah. Sure.’ A soft voice with the trace of an accent. He stands up and leaves the room without looking at me.
Coward, I think. My biological father … I get up and walk away from Ma, over to the sofa that Chambers has just vacated. I don’t sit down. I just turn and stare across at my mother. Who is this woman? I don’t even know her anymore.
‘How could you do that to Pa? I thought you loved him. He adores you.’
‘I know.’ She’s crying now. ‘I know. I’ve got no excuses. I was wrong and I’ve paid the price for it.’
‘We’ve all paid the price for it,’ I snarl. ‘For your affair. Oh my God! I just can’t believe it!’ I feel my emotions spiralling out of control. ‘How could you let me go on thinking it was Chambers who killed Skye, when you knew …’ My voice cracks and breaks. I try to steady it. ‘… When you knew it wasn’t him. You should’ve confessed to everybody there and then. You should’ve told everyone you’re a … you’re a …’ But no matter how disgusted and hurt and angry I feel, I can’t call Ma any of the vile words that are crashing around my head. I just can’t.
‘I’m sorry,’ she sobs. ‘I’m so, so sorry, my darling girl.’
‘Does Pa even know?’
‘Yes, yes. I told him everything. And I still love him. He’s my life, Riley. You and he are everything to me.’
‘Well, obviously not.’
She flinches. ‘What can I do?’ she asks. ‘How can I make this right? For you.’
‘You can’t,’ I say. I don’t want to be so harsh, but I can’t help it. I want to inflict hurt. To make her pay. Even though I can see she’s devastated. Repentant. Broken. ‘So what are you going to do?’ I ask.
‘I’m coming back home.’
‘Does Pa want you to come back?’ I feel myself outraged and hurt on his behalf.
‘Yes.’
‘You know I don’t want anything to do with that man. Chambers or Connor or whatever the hell his name is. I don’t even want to see him. He’s nothing to me.’
‘He’s your biological father, Riley.’
‘I have a father and it’s not him.’
‘Okay,’ she says. God, I’ve really messed this up badly. I shouldn’t have told you about Connor being your real father. It’s just … I didn’t want there to be any more secrets.’
‘I wish you hadn’t told me. That’s a secret you should’ve kept to yourself. I’m going out.’ I leave the room.
‘It’s late! It’s dark out there! You don’t know the area …’ Ma’s voice follows me into the hallway.
I hear voices coming from another room, but I ignore them. Ma comes into the hall, but I open the front door and slam it behind me. The night air hits me like a freezing slap, but I like it. I want to feel cold and uncomfortable. To shiver. I run down the road, away from the cul-de-sac of houses. I cross the wide road at the bottom of the hill and see a large deserted playing field in front of me. The kissing gate squeaks as I push it open and sidestep through.
I sit on the wet grass with my arms wrapped around my knees, too exhausted to think about anything. I stay there until I can no longer feel my fingers and toes and can’t stop my teeth from chattering.
Uncle Tom finds me before sleep does. He drapes my shoulders with a blanket and helps me up.
‘Come on, you,’ he says. ‘It’ll all be okay. Come back to the house. Connor’s gone. You need to sleep. It’ll be okay, I promise.’
I let him soothe me and we walk together back up to the house.
Chapter Forty Six
Riley
*
Luc’s waiting for me down at Coy Pond. Pa told him I’d be back this afternoon. Only four days have passed since I last saw him back at the Chippenham Compound, but it may as well be four years, what with everything that’s happened.
I now realise that I may never find out who killed my sister. That Luc and I were chasing a lie. A dead end. Someone out there knows who did it, but I will probably never know the truth. I’ll have to learn to accept that.
It’s a crisp autumn morning and the colours are bright and heavy – dying leaves against a deep blue sky. The sun’s power has diminished, like it’s here but wants to leave.
I’m nearly at Coy Pond and I’m nervous. Will Luc still feel the same way about me? Will it be okay? Or will things be awkward and weird? I’ve had too much sadness and anger and uncertainty in my life recently. I need something good. I need to see if I can be kind to myself.
I walk down the crumbling stone steps and crunch my way along the gravel path. After only a few seconds, I see a figure up ahead – Luc. He’s sitting on a mossy wooden bench, wearing jeans and that grey hoodie he looks so good in. My heart lifts and flips. As I draw closer, he glances up and grins, getting to his feet, and I forget my earlier doubts. I know instantly that everything’s going to be alright.
I smile as we walk towards each other. My heart is pounding. After everything that’s happened, at least I still have this … I have Luc.
‘Hey,’ he says.
‘Hey.’
Somewhere close by a blackbird sings. Luc takes my hand and as we walk along the gravel path together I feel the faint sparks of hope.
* * * * *
Epilogue
*
He was in his early thirties, but had the look of someone far older. His clothes were dirty and worn, his once fair hair was thick and darkly matted and he was limping quite badly. Holding onto his left shoulder as he hobbled along, you could clearly see the overgrown, filthy nails on his right hand, the back of which was a mass of scratches.
But more distressing than his overall appearance, was the fact he was a grown man sobbing out loud in unashamed misery. Snot and tears collected in a wretched glob on the side of his chin and he angrily wiped his grimy sleeve across his face, adding a clump of black dirt and grit to the mixture. How did I get here? Jamie asked himself. Once upon a time I was happy, loved, on top of the world and now here I am, starving, aching and bloody miserable. Nobody even knows I exist.
He had been on his way to the compound in Boscombe. The girl at the Poole Shanty had told him about it.
‘They’re looking for cheap labour,’ she’d said, ‘and they’re taking on outsiders.’
The girl was gorgeous in a short-haired pseudo-soldier sort of way. He didn’t think she’d be living on the outside for long. About nineteen years old he reckoned and not yet worn down by the grinding harshness of life on
the outside. Feisty and tough - he knew it was a necessary armour and he also knew through all that spikiness, she liked him.
This was just the spark he needed to gee him up a bit. Most people he came across were truly horrible and it was a relief to have a bit of a laugh, pretend things weren’t as bleak as they actually were.
He’d tried to act disinterested, but all the time, he was contriving to meet up with her accidentally on purpose at the Boscombe Compound, which was where she was now headed with her pig-ugly friends. To avoid appearing too keen, he watched her leave the shanty, waited a day and then left to make his own way there.
Then that stupid rich bitch had smacked into him with her AV. She’d looked at him in the wing mirror and he’d instantly known she wouldn’t give him a second thought - would never stop for a nobody like me. He supposed he should be grateful she didn’t have shock plates, but she’d really banged up his leg and his shoulder didn’t feel too good either.
How was he supposed to make it to Boscombe now? He’d never catch up with the girl again either. She’d said she was going to see what Boscombe had to offer and then she thought she might head up to London.
Yeah right, he’d thought, but had been strangely buoyed up by her optimism. Okay, well more buoyed up by her tongue ring and what she’d said she could do with it. And now that opportunity was gone and he was injured badly and why couldn’t anything ever just go right for him just once? More tears escaped. I’m just a low-life, no-hoper, snivelling loser, he raged silently to himself.
To rub salt in the wound, he was currently limping outside one of Bournemouth’s most prestigious areas, The Talbot Woods Perimeter. He took care not to get spotted by the guards who patrolled the inner fences. There was no way for him to get inside anyway so they’d probably just ignore him, but he couldn’t face any sort of confrontation tonight.
Through the humming electrified wire, Jamie glimpsed the mansions that sat grandly in gardens landscaped to the max. Each one had its own distinctive style and its own fancy security system, no doubt.
‘Tossers!’ he shouted ineffectually. It was more of a strangled sob and it kick-started a bout of coughing. God, I’d kill for a well-brewed beer, he thought.
It was a warm evening and he sweated slightly in his filthy sludge-coloured T shirt. He’d tied his grubby stained jacket around his waist and his feet sweltered in worn out leather boots. He wished he had sandals, but these boots were the only pair of footwear he owned, and they were ready for the scrap heap.