Chapter 58
When Nel left the station, she went straight to the Marshalls’ place. Faye opened the door.
‘Nel,’ she said softly. ‘Come in.’
Geoff stood up from the kitchen table as Nel stepped inside. She hadn’t expected him to be there, in the last days before the election.
‘Jimmy told us what happened at the lighthouse,’ he said. ‘How’s your niece? He said she was injured.’
‘She’s okay, thank god,’ Nel said. ‘Jimmy said he told you about the ring.’
‘Yes,’ Faye murmured.
Geoff nodded. ‘It’s extraordinary news, after all these years. It’s shaken us a little, to be honest.’
Faye sighed heavily and turned to the sink. There was a clunk as she pulled a plate from the soapy water and placed it on the drying rack.
‘We’d come to accept that we would never know,’ Geoff said. ‘But now …’
Nel nodded. ‘It’s a big development, but Jimmy says without evidence that the ring belonged to Maddie, it’s not enough to bring charges.
’ Her eyes flicked to the display of framed photos that covered the sideboard.
The reason she’d come. ‘I think I saw a photo of Maddie and me here, taken on her birthday …’ She let her words trail off. ‘Do you mind if I have a look?’
‘Of course,’ Geoff said, gesturing to the photos.
Nel went over, her eyes moving from one to the next, and then she saw it. Her breath caught in her throat as she reached for the frame.
The photo showed the girls sitting side by side at the best table at Romeo’s Italian, radiating teenage exuberance, all white teeth and sparkly eyes, celebrating Maddie’s birthday with Geoff and Faye.
Her left arm was slung tightly around Nel’s neck, pulling her in so their cheeks were pressed together, her hand hanging over her friend’s shoulder.
Clearly visible, on her ring finger, was the black and silver ring. It was unmistakable.
‘This is it,’ she said trembling. ‘Can I take this?’