Page 112 of The Boathouse By the Loch

Gayle reached for his hand and slowly coaxed him to sit back down.

Marnie waited to be sure there wouldn’t be another interruption. ‘Is that why you say to him not to harm your face?’

‘Uh-huh.’ Her voice sounded so sweet, so innocent, so young yet so vulnerable.

‘So what’s changed? Do you want him to get caught now?’

She shook her head.

‘Why not?’ David’s voice suddenly rang out.

She seemed not to notice the change in questioner and answered the question anyway. ‘What would I do? Where would I go?’

Marnie jumped in quickly before any of the others got the idea that they could interrupt the session, and ask their own questions, ‘Haven’t you got some family you could confide in – a mother, a sister, or an aunt maybe?’

Bonnie let out a hysterical laugh. ‘I’ve been kicked around worse by that lot. Logan was my ticket out.’

‘Some ticket,’ someone murmured.

Marnie ignored the comment, although she silently agreed with it, and continued with her line of questioning. ‘So, why … would you rather the bruising on your face?’

She said quietly, ‘I don’t want him to harm the baby.’

Everyone took a sharp intake of breath at that revelation, except Marnie and Gayle, who’d known the young woman who had thought her name was Robyn had been pregnant before the accident. When Marnie had first started the sessions, it had agreed that Dr Jamieson could discuss her patient’s medical history, such as it was – stemming from her stay in hospital on Christmas Day after the car accident.

After a minute’s silence, while everyone, especially David, digested this news, she began again. ‘So Loganpersuaded,’ she emphasised the word, ‘you to go with him.’ It wasn’t a question.

‘Oh, yeah. He’s good at persuading.’

Marnie frowned. ‘I can imagine.’ And she could well imagine that there were a few murderous thoughts swinging around that room to do with Logan at that very moment. She avoided the temptation to look at anyone.

‘Can you tell me what happened when you went out in the car on Christmas Day? Remember, you’re witnessing these events like a movie, except you’re the star of this movie. All you need to do is tell me what you see – can you do that?’

‘I wish it was set in England. I do so love those old black-and-white movies. You know, those Edgeware movies.’

‘I think you mean Ealing. And no, this one is set in Scotland. So, where are you now?’ Marnie prompted.

‘In a lovely little town where I’ve never been before. It’s dark, but there’s twinkly lights, and Christmas decorations in shop windows, and … and there’s an old-fashioned train station.’

‘Sounds like Aviemore,’ said Marnie.

‘It’s sooo cold. How could I be so silly, leaving my coat in the car? I know why. I’m in a hurry to escape …’

‘Escape?’ repeated Marnie. ‘Are you running away from Logan?’

Suddenly Bonnie stood up. She flung her arms around herself frantically rubbing her arms up and down, and stamping her feet.

Everyone’s eyes were on Bonnie. Something wasn’t quite right.

‘What’s happening?’ David whispered. ‘Is she … sleepwalking?’

Marnie stood up slowly. She spoke quietly, glancing at her patient. ‘Sometimes this happens. I have tried to access her memories as though she is just an observer, but this time she is in deep. Obviously I have taken her back to that day. She’s re-living those events in real time, like they are actually happening.’

‘Pull her out. Now.’ David’s voice was insistent.

‘Wait.’ Jake intervened. ‘She’s still OK, right? I mean, if we let it go on a little further, you can pull her out any time?’ he asked in a hushed voice.

Marnie thought about this. ‘I see no reason not to continue a little further. However, as you’ve seen, she is no longer answering my questions, so it is up to her now to see what she reveals about that Christmas Day.’

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