Chapter Forty-Seven Ross’s House
Chapter Forty-Seven
Ross’s House
When Ross had heard Evie’s story, he cursed himself for being such a fool and falling for Amelia’s lies. There was only one thing to be done. He had to take her to Freya’s and they would confront Amelia.
He told Evie firmly, “I’m taking you home so you can get showered and changed. I have some calls to make and then we are going to get all this sorted out.”
Evie shook her head. “I don’t think I can face her and Freya won’t believe me anyway. Amelia has fooled her, just like she fooled all of us.”
He looked at her beautiful green eyes, brimming with tears, and once again berated himself for being such an idiot. Why didn’t he have the courage to ask Evie out properly when he had the chance?
“I’m so, so sorry, Evie. I’ve let you down badly. Well, we all have. I can’t believe I was seduced by that manipulative piece of work. What must you think of me.”
“Oh Ross. She’s cunning. She seemed so interested in learning about her family in Orkney and it was all a lot of rubbish.”
She wiped tears from her eyes. He would have kissed her then, but she sensed his intention and pulled away, saying, “I must look terrible. I need to charge up my phone. It’s completely dead.
Take me home to get cleaned up and have a strong coffee and a couple of paracetamols and I will be ready to face the enemy. ”
She managed a wobbly smile. “I will also have that Irn Bru and roll and square sausage if it’s still going, as long as you put on tons of HP sauce.”
“Evie Muir. You know it has to be tomato sauce on a square sausage. Anything else is just barbaric.”
He gave her a hug and said, “We will get through this, you know. It’s going to be alright.”
She looked up at him and said simply “As long as you are with me then I know I will be fine.”
This time he did kiss her, deeply. They were both shaking as they clung to each other.
“Tell me you felt that?” he said. She simply nodded and smiled up at him. He told her gently. “It’s always been you for me, Evie. Ever since you came home. You can never think of leaving me again.”
Evie was near to tears. That kiss had stirred up so many emotions. She felt wobbly and confused, but much safer and far less scared. She said, “We have wasted so much time, Ross.”
He stood up, took her hand and said, “Let’s deal with Amelia first, and then we can get on with the rest of our lives.”
He took Evie back to her house. It didn’t take long for her to get ready. Once she was out of the shower, she checked her phone, now charged enough to have received a clutch of missed calls and messages from Liv.
I’m at yours – where are you?
Evie – where are you? I need to speak to you.
Text me – I’m worried.
This was so unlike Liv. Evie messaged her back.
I’m sorry. My phone was dead. I’m back at the house now but I have to go to Freya’s.
On the short drive to Freya’s, Evie asked Ross: “What will we say? Do you think Freya will believe us?”
Ross squeezed her hand. “Freya is the wisest woman we know. She will be able to suss out who is telling the truth.”
Evie wasn’t so sure. Amelia had alienated her from her friends and who knows what other lies she had been spreading.
Kate was at the front door when they arrived. She was furious.
Without even looking at Evie, she said to Ross, “I don’t want her in Freya’s house. We all know what she tried to do to Amelia last night.”
Ross sighed. “Well, don’t you think we should at least give Evie a chance to explain herself? That can’t be too much to ask? I know Freya would want to hear what she has to say.”
Kate reluctantly moved aside and ushered them both in. She stood with her arms folded, “This is against my better judgement. It had better be good.”
Edwyn was sitting beside Amelia checking the graze on her face. Freya was sitting on her comfy colourful sofa, but she looked haunted and nothing like the laughing woman at her birthday party just last night.
Amelia’s version of events had been so upsetting, particularly as she had seemed so unwilling to put any of the blame on Evie. It made her story all the more shocking and believable.
Edwyn glared at Evie and said coldly. “The last time I saw you, you had just attacked Amelia. She’s been in hospital and luckily she’s OK, but that’s no thanks to you. Explain yourself, if you can.”
“Actually,” said Amelia. “I really don’t think she should be here at all.” She clutched Edwyn’s arm and made her voice tremble with fake fear. “I’m scared of what she might do to me if she gets angry again.”
Edwyn stood up. “Amelia’s right. Ross, I am surprised at you for bringing her here. Evie, you need to leave right now, you can see how much you frighten Amelia.”
Ross interrupted him. “Just hang on a minute. None of you know the full story.”
“But I do,” came a quiet voice from the doorway.
It was Liv. She looked nervous but determined.
There was a man behind her, even bigger than Andrzej, in faded jeans and a worn-out black biker jacket.
He was grey and grizzled, and his belly had gone a bit soft, but he wasn’t someone you would mess with.
He squeezed Liv’s shoulder for reassurance as she looked over to Evie. She held her sister’s gaze and asked, “Are you OK?”
Evie was astounded. Her sister had never once asked if she was alright. If she spoke to her at all it was to be defensive and dismissive, but Liv looked genuinely concerned.
Kate spluttered, “What is Liv doing here? Who’s that with you?”
Liv scowled at her. “You might want to listen to what I have to say. This is Rab. He’s a … friend.”
Amelia said smoothly, and as though they were complete strangers, “You must be Evie’s sister. I’ve heard so much about you,” almost as though she was at a posh dinner party.
Liv ignored her, “Whatever Evie has to tell you about Amelia, it’s the truth. She’s been in constant touch with me since she arrived here. She’s tried to bribe me and she’s also threatened me.”
Liv was breathing heavily, clearly anxious, but determined to say her piece. As she tried to continue, Amelia cut in, “You know that’s a downright lie. I have never set eyes on you until tonight.”
Liv glared at her in contempt and went on, “She came to the pub where I work to see me, almost as soon as she landed here. She told me she had a scam to get her hands on Evie’s gallery and to alienate her from her friends. She wanted me to help her.”
Amelia laughed shrilly, “What is all this nonsense? What are you talking about, Liv?”
Liv’s voice shook a little, “You know exactly what happened. You told me to steal my sister’s passport and then we went to that new solicitor in Kirkwall.”
Liv swallowed hard and pushed herself on, “You pretended to be Evie. You already had your hair dyed blonde and wore the same kind of clothes, and you chose a solicitor who was new to the island and who wouldn’t know our family history.
You forged my sister’s signature so I’d be able to access the business bank account and withdraw all the money leaving Evie and the gallery in ruins.
All the gallery’s artists and would be out of pocket too – Evie would have had to leave Orkney for good. ”
Amelia looked at Freya and Edwyn and Kate and said calmly to Liv, “Why on earth should these good people believe you? Anyone can see you and your sister have cooked up this ridiculous nonsense against me.”
“You know I’m telling the truth,” said Liv.
Amelia sighed: “Let’s get this straight. You stole your sister’s passport and you made the appointment with the solicitor. It has nothing to do with me. And it’s not my fault if you are now having a change of heart and want to lay the blame on someone else, but it’s not going to work.”
Amelia sounded so reasonable and rational that Freya, Edwyn and Kate didn’t know what to think. But then Liv smiled.
And Rab pulled out a bundle of paperwork from his jacket pocket. He handed it to Liv, who said, “I went back to the solicitor and got all of this immediately after I said goodbye to you. You were so full of yourself and had no idea that I was never part of your scheme.”
Liv allowed herself to look triumphant. “I took copies of the paperwork from the solicitor – we’ll be able to prove that this signature isn’t Evie’s. Evie still has the money. I didn’t touch a penny and I never would have. I just went along with you to see how far you would go.”
Ross chipped in. “You’ve been spreading lies about Evie all over the islands, stirring up bad blood with her friends. And I wouldn’t be surprised if it was you who was behind those dreadful online attacks on Freya.”
Liv joined in, “But Edwyn, Kate and especially Freya were the toughest ones for you to crack, weren’t they? You realised you would have to do something really over the top to convince them Evie was not to be trusted, and so you made it look as though she attacked you.”
Liv looked at Amelia with a mixture of loathing and pity. “You really are a pathetic and nasty piece of work.”
Edwyn looked appalled. “That surely can’t be true. No one in their right mind would do such a thing.”
“Agreed,” said Liv. “But she’s clearly not in her right mind. She’s eaten up with jealousy and spite and hate.”
Freya had gone very quiet. She looked grey and old and tired. She turned to Amelia and gave a heavy sigh from the depths of her soul. She couldn’t bear all of these lies and accusations. She held her head in her hands and started to weep. Evie went to comfort her.
“Don’t shed any tears for her, Freya. She isn’t worth it.”
Ross said grimly, “I think we should phone the police.”
“Go ahead,” said Amelia, looking completely calm and composed. “What do you reckon the coppers will charge me with?”
Rab had been silent up until this point, but now he stepped forwards, his voice deep and strong: “Maybe I can answer that one. So Liv came to me, in a right state, and finally told me everything that had been going on.”
Pointing at Amelia, he continued, “How this one was trying to manipulate her. I told her to tell you all the truth right away but she was worried you wouldn’t believe her.
We had a long talk and Liv convinced me that, by pretending to go along with Amelia’s scam, she would have the evidence she needed to convince you all. ”
He looked around the room. “I reckon she has done that alright.” He looked at Liv, squeezed her hand and whispered, “I’m so proud of you and I told you it would be OK.”
Rab continued. “With someone like Amelia there’s usually a history of bad deeds so I did a bit of digging.
The biker community look out for each other so I put out feelers on social media, and it turns out a friend of mine from Shetland knows a bloke down south who was scammed by someone using the self-same tactics – wheedling her way into someone’s life then taking it over bit by bit – and fitting Amelia’s description. ”
He looked straight at Amelia. “She’s done this before and I’m not surprised that she’s wanted by the police in England.”
The room fell silent. Before Amelia could reply, Freya made a guttural noise and collapsed. Edwyn rushed to help her and everyone crowded around.
“Kate, call an ambulance!” he said tersely … “She looks like she’s having a stroke. Tell them it’s urgent. We need to get her to hospital right away.”
Amelia took advantage of everyone’s attention being on Freya and slipped out of the back door.