Page 93 of The Lucky Winners
‘You have a lot of power over your parents,’ I say carefully. ‘They seem scared of you. Why is that?’
David studied me, as if he was deciding whether he should tell me the truth. ‘Let’s just say they owe me,’ he said, voice low. ‘It’s a debt they can’t repay.’
I narrowed my eyes. ‘Owe you for what?’
‘They lied to the police. For me. Covered things up.’
I swallowed. ‘What things? Was this before you went to uni?’
He smiled. ‘Things that don’t just go away. And now they’re stuck with it – because if the truth comes out, they go down with it.’ He pauses, lets the weight of it settle. ‘So no, Janey, they’re not scared ofmeexactly. They’re scared of what I might stop protecting them from.’
61
Merri
Paige is understanding when I say I have to go home.
‘I know I only just got here, but I need to get back. Tell Dev everything and –’
‘Of course, and I’m sorry I’ve been taken in so easily by her,’ she says quietly. ‘Just let me know what’s happening when you can.’
I can’t believe what I now know, that Tilda is betraying us. Every question, every suspicion, every terrible possibility collides until all I hear is static noise.
Why, though? Why would she go to the trouble of coming here to find out about my past from Paige?
Tilda knows about my past.Not everything, but enough. Enough to tell Dev I’ve been lying to him, and now that I’ve warned him about her, has he stormed off to find out what she’s been playing at? Maybe that’s why he’s not answering his phone.
The police will definitely speak to Tilda and Simon … She could cause a lot of trouble for me.
Back on the train home, my mind continues to whirl.
Before they left the house last night, the detectives said they might come back. It won’t take them long to think the worst of me if they start digging into my past. They’ll soon see the shame and panic beneath my calm exterior.
And what if the police show up while Dev’s at home and start asking awkward questions about something he knowsnothing about? Records will exist about what happened that day if they want to dig deep enough. The thought churns inside me until I feel I might throw up.
I’ve been keeping Dev in the dark all this time – trying to protect him. That’s what I tell myself, but I know the truth is uglier than that. It’s more like I’ve been trying to protectmyself.
If Dev knew … if he knew what I’ve done and who I really am deep inside … he probably wouldn’t want anything more to do with me. Still, I know what I have to do. My next priority is to speak to him. Things are so bad I have no choice but to tell him everything.
My phone beeps with a text and I see from the notification banner it’s Dev saying he wants me to go straight home to talk. Today is the day I’ve been putting off for years but, curiously, I feel a hint of relief in the midst of all the dread.
Relief it will soon be over.
Ten minutes away from home in a cab, a call comes through and my heart sinks when the caller ID pops up on my phone.DS Lott.
I can’t afford to ignore this call so I press to accept.
‘Ms Harris,’ her voice fills the car, ‘we’d like you to come into the station. We have some pressing questions in relation to our investigation into Sarah Fielder’s death.’
‘Why?’ I feel the blood drain from my face. ‘I’ve already told you everything I know. There’s really nothing else to say.’
‘New information has come to light, so we need to get you in, I’m afraid.’
My mind races. It’s imperative I speak to Dev: I want to tell him everything before my police interview. But DS Lott is pressuring me to come in straight away.
‘Thing is, I can’t come to the station yet,’ I say, trying tosound firm. ‘I need to get home. My husband will be wondering where I am.’
‘We can contact him, let him know where you are,’ she says calmly. ‘It’s important you attend, Ms Harris. There are other things that won’t wait and we need to speak to you as a matter of urgency.’
