Page 48 of Vengeance is Mine

‘I haven’t got that far yet,’ I said.

‘Why have you got all these diaries? What’s going on?’

‘Look, Robyn, we’re going to be late. I’ll explain everything on the way.’

By the time I found a parking space in Eldon Square, Robyn knew everything.

‘Oh my God, you should so sell your story,’ was the first thing she said.

‘What? I don’t bloody think so.’

‘Why not? You could make a fortune out of this. The newspapers would make you a good offer. So would the glossy magazines and all those sad-rags you find in the dentists’ waiting rooms. Then there’s telly. They’re bound to want you on This Morning. It’s a shame Jeremy Kyle’s no longer on.’

‘Robyn, will you stop. I have no intention of selling my story, and I’ve absolutely no desire to go on TV. This is my life, and it’s private.’

‘You’re missing out on some serious cash, babe.’

‘I don’t care. You’d better not tell anyone either. I mean it, Robyn. This is personal.’

Robyn’s face softened. ‘You’re right. I’m sorry. I was getting ahead of myself. You must be going through hell right now.’

I pulled into the space and turned the engine off. ‘To be honest, I don’t know how I’m feeling. I was shocked, obviously, but… well, Dominic has always denied killing Stephanie. He’s spent twenty years in prison. Without this Fenadine business, he’d only have another five years left, then he’d be out on licence anyway. He’s served the majority of his sentence, so why not just admit killing her if he did it?’ I frowned.

‘Do you think he’s innocent?’ Robyn asked.

It was a while before I replied. ‘I have no idea.’

‘You must think he is, or you wouldn’t be going to all this trouble. If there was a hint of doubt in your mind, you wouldn’t be pursuing it like this.’

‘Do you think?’

‘Definitely. You’re not the type of person to risk everything, knowing there’s no chance of winning.’

I looked out of the windscreen at the concrete car park. It was overcast, and there was a stiff, cold wind blowing – I could feel it through the gaps in the car where the sealing had perished. Robyn was right. I did believe my father could be innocent.

Chapter Twenty

We walked to the coffee shop in comparative silence. I was about to meet with the woman whose daughter my father was accused of murdering. Although Barbara had been understanding and kind to me when we met before, she had spent the past twenty years despising the man who killed her only child, and I seemed to be hell bent on having his name cleared. I suddenly felt very ashamed of myself.

‘You’re very quiet all of a sudden,’ Robyn said.

‘I don’t think I should meet her.’ I stopped in my tracks.

‘What? This was your idea.’

‘I know it was. It’s just… What if Dominic is innocent? I know it’s a long shot, but what if he is? Barbara is going to be back to square one. In fact, it’ll be worse, as she’ll have spent twenty years in limbo without knowing it. She may never know who killed her daughter. I’m raking all of this up, and I don’t?—’

‘Dawn.’ Robyn stepped forward and put a comforting hand on my arm. ‘You can’t think like that. For a start, you don’t know if Dominic is innocent. You’re one of nature’s fence-sitters, you always have been. Look, no offence or anything, but maybe you only think it because you want him to be, so you don’t have to tell people your father is a killer. Until you have all the facts, you can’t make a firm decision.’

I took a deep breath. ‘You’re right. I know you’re right. I’m being hysterical, aren’t I?’

‘Just a tad, but it’s fair enough, given the situation.’ She smiled. ‘Keep an open mind. Don’t believe everything you hear. You’re in the legal profession. You should know the majority of people are liars.’

‘Not everything is black and white, is it?’

‘No. There’s at least fifty shades of grey that we know of.’ She laughed.

That made me smile.

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