Page 16 of Christmas off Script
Ice-cold panic stabbed Leo’s heart. ‘What is it? What’s happened?’
She stared at him, ghost-white, her eyes wide and fearful. ‘Dad’s coming out of prison early.’
4
Leo’s mouth hung open as he stared at her.
Ella’s heart thumped painfully hard and fast against her ribs. ‘I only found out this morning when I was at Michelle’s, then I totally forgot after Oliver… when he…’
Leo’s shocked expression quickly changed to a reassuring one. ‘This must mean the parole board think he’s changed?’
She shook her head. ‘It’s been a long time since I’ve spoken to him, but when I last did, he sounded exactly the same as he’s always done.’
‘How do you feel about him coming out?’
Ella swallowed. ‘Terrified he’s going to find out what we did.’
Leo took her hand. ‘He won’t. It was an anonymous call.’ He paused. ‘Did you ever tell Oliver?’
‘No way. He couldn’t stand me even mentioning my family. The only people who know are us. But I’m not just worried about him finding out. Michelle thinks he “has a few scores to settle”.’
‘With the Prices?’
‘Who else?’
‘Honestly? He’s probably got beef with half the crims in the West Country, not to mention the family of the kid who died after taking the drugs he’d supplied. And he’ll be coming out on licence, so if he went after anyone, he’d be insane.’
Ella raised both eyebrows and gave him a look. ‘Since when has Ronnie Chamberlain ever made sensible decisions?’
Leo pulled a face, acknowledging the truth of her words. ‘But Kurt lives in Australia now, and…’
Ella squeezed his hand, even though an old hurt needled her belly. ‘It’s okay. You can say his name.’
‘Zach is in Yorkshire onSwallowdale. Their parents are still in Foxbrooke, but they’re in their eighties. You don’t think he’d blamethem,do you?’
‘I don’t know, but we have to let them know.’
‘The police or probation service will have done that, along with his other victims and their families.’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’
‘Ella,’ Leo said gently. ‘You don’t owe him or Michelle anything.’
She shook her head, guilt hard-wired into her brain.
‘The accident wasn’t your fault and if we hadn’t told the police where Ronnie’s lock-up was, someone else would have, or the police would have eventually worked it out. We just sped the process up.’
‘But if they’d found it later, most of the drugs would have been gone and he might not have had the gun there. His sentence would have been much shorter.’
‘You don’t know that. And if Kurthaddied, it could have been even longer. We can’t play the “what if” game. Ronnie did what he did, not us, and it was only a matter of time before it all caught up with him.’
Ella knew everything Leo said was true, but worry and doubt still rolled in her stomach.
‘You told Oliver you’d give up Michelle for him,’ Leo continued. ‘Now your dad’s coming out, do you think you could give up Michelle for you?’
Biting the inside of her cheek to keep her tears in check, Ella accepted the enormity of his question. She’d been willing to make that decision for Oliver, but she couldn’t summon the strength to do it for herself.
A fresh tear rolled down her cheek. ‘You must think I’m pathetic.’
