Page 88 of The Last One to See Him

Kate still can’t allow herself to fully trust Harper, but she wants to believe in her, and until proven otherwise, what choice does she have?

‘I’ll call you when I get there,’ Harper says. ‘Just make sure you stay here.’

Once Harper’s gone, Kate sits with the boys while they eat, her legs anxiously jiggling under the table. They’re both talking in between mouthfuls of pasta, but Kate doesn’t hear a word they say.

As soon as they’ve finished eating, she scoops up their plates and cups and dumps them in the sink. ‘Come on, boys, get your coats on,’ she says.

Thomas frowns. ‘Why? Where are we going?’

‘It’s a surprise. Come on.’

Outside Aleena’s house, nerves attack Kate. There’s no way to know how Aleena will react to her turning up like this, begging Aleena to take the boys for a couple of hours. Kate hadn’t even known she’d be home until they pulled up and saw the lights on. There is no plan B.

‘What’s going on?’ Aleena says, when she registers the three of them standing on her doorstep.

‘Hi. I can’t really explain right now, but it’s an emergency. I’m looking after Dex for Harper but something urgent came up and I need to go somewhere. I’m sorry to ask this but I can’t take the boys with me.’

Aleena looks from Kate to the boys, then ushers them inside. ‘Theo will be thrilled to see you,’ she calls to their retreating backs. She turns to Kate. ‘What’s going on? I thought you and Harper?—’

‘We’ve sorted through things. I’m sorry – Ellis isn’t home and there was no one else I could ask. Harper had to go somewhere. She’s…helping me with something.’

Aleena frowns. ‘Is this about that man when you were fifteen?’

‘Could be. I won’t be long.’ Kate rushes back to her car, raising her hand to Aleena as she drives off.

She drops the car off at Ellis’s house then makes her way to the Tube station. At this time in the evening it will be faster than driving. Her feet pound the concrete as she walks, determination fuelling her, masking her fear. She’s sick of all the lies – it’s time for the truth to come out. Not just about Mona, but everything else. Kate won’t live in fear any more – no more hiding in shadows, watching every word she says in case she slips up.

She takes the shortcut to the station, walking through the park, where in the darkness she can barely see a few metres in front of her.

It comes from out of nowhere: the arm grabbing her, yanking her towards the trees. The hand covering her mouth, stifling her scream.It’s happening again. Graham White.But it can’t be – he’s dead.Kate tries to kick out, and her arms flail, but whoever’s got her is too strong and she can’t wrestle out from under him. She’s sure it’s a man – itfeelslike a man – although no words have been spoken. They’re behind a tree now, hidden from view, and he spins her around. He’s taller than Kate; his face is covered in a black balaclava and his hair is hidden under a beanie hat. Definitely a man.

He shoves her to the ground, kneeling on top of her, his hands gripping her neck. And as his thumbs press down, Kate realises she’ll only have seconds to live. She musters every ounce of her energy as she struggles against him, prepared to fight to the end.

But it’s getting harder now, and she’s losing consciousness. In the distance she hears shouts. Footsteps running, the sound growing louder. The man choking her loosens his grip, pauses for a second, then jumps up and runs off. Bodies gather around her, asking her if she’s okay, helping her up.

They’re all young – teenagers she guesses. And they’ve just saved Kate’s life.

‘It must have been Ellis,’ Harper says, handing her a glass of water. It’s been over an hour since the attack, and Kate doesn’t want to be here, sitting still while there are things she needs to do. ‘Ellis wouldn’t hurt me,’ she says, her words as fragile as cobwebs. Kate takes the water, but her throat is too sore to drink.

Harper is agitated, unable to sit, pacing Ellis’s living room, peering through the blinds every few seconds. ‘Don’t take offence but you’re not thinking straight. Ellis has already hurt two people. Jamie and Faye Held, so?—’

‘We don’t know that,’ Kate leans forward, rubbing her sore neck.

Harper shakes her head. ‘Well, he wasn’t at Jennifer Seagrove’s house. No sign of him. Or her. Which means Ellis could have been anywhere. Including the place you were attacked.’

‘It wasn’t Ellis.’ But even as Kate says this, doubts set in. The man who attacked her just now was around the same build as Ellis so it’s possible.

‘How are you so certain?’ Harper asks, checking the window again. ‘I know he’s Thomas’s dad, but don’t be blinded by that. Look at Jamie…’ She trails off. ‘We need to get out of here before Ellis comes back. If those teenagers hadn’t come along…’

‘I’d be dead,’ Kate says. ‘You’re right – I can’t be sure, but if it is Ellis, then I’ll face him – I’m not running from this.It’s time for the truth to come out. ‘I’ll wait for him to come home and confront him.’ Kate springs up and rushes to the kitchen, grabbing a knife from the drawer.’ If it comes to it, she’ll do whatever’s necessary to protect herself.

Harper follows her. ‘I get why you want that, but Ellis could easily overpower you.’ She points to the knife. ‘So that won’t protect you. Come on, you need to come and stay with me. Aleena said she’ll keep the boys overnight and get them to school in the morning, which gives us the night to figure this all out.’

Kate considers her options. ‘Can Lula come too? I don’t want to leave her here.’

Harper hesitates. ‘Um, yeah. Course.’

‘Okay, then I’ll come. Let me just get some things together.’ Kate goes upstairs to the spare room and packs some clothes into one of Ellis’s sports bags. Glancing at the door, she carefully places the knife in the bag.

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