Chapter 41
NOW
Late August
Friday
‘Janine.’ I froze. ‘W—what are you doing here?’
‘The police called us,’ she said as she glanced back over her shoulder.
My gaze followed hers. ‘Dad? You’re here too?’
‘Hello, love,’ he said as he reached us. ‘I was just parking the car.’
I looked back and forth from one to the other, my stomach churning.
‘Why did the police call you?’
What could they possibly have to do with this?
‘I’m sure it’s nothing,’ Dad said, giving me a brief hug.
It was his customary greeting. Close enough to look like affection, but not enough to feel like it. No warmth. No lingering. Just a perfunctory action as though checking something off his list. A formality.
But that’s all our relationship had been for a long time.
‘Nothing?’ Janine repeated. ‘I’m not sure getting called to a police station about someone you’ve never met is nothing.’
‘They just want to ask a few questions,’ Dad said with a shrug. ‘You’re the one who spoke to the girl. Charlotte. Though, I’m still not sure why she ever rang you…’
We both turned to Janine expectantly.
‘She had a few questions too,’ Janine said with a shrug.
‘What did you tell her?’ My question came out sharp and accusatory. From the way her back straightened, I knew Janine had thought so too.
‘Nothing really. She was just worried about you. Wanted to understand about your—’ Janine leaned closer and lowered her voice ‘—difficulties.’
I drew back. ‘What difficulties?’
‘She explained how you’d been struggling to let things go after the breakup.’
‘It’s barely been a week!’ But I couldn’t ignore the uncomfortable truth that Charlotte was right.
Guilt prickled under my skin.
Technically I had stalked her…
Janine and Dad exchanged a look.
‘What?’ I demanded.
‘You do tend to get a bit emotionally overwhelmed,’ Janine said gently.
‘It’s not a criticism,’ Dad added. ‘It just means you feel things strongly.’
‘Kirsty?’
I swung to the right at the sound of Ben’s voice, my pulse racing.
No. Not now.
He couldn’t meet them.
‘Is everything alright?’ he asked, his eyes full of concern as he appraised us all.
‘No,’ Janine replied before I could answer. ‘I’d say getting called to the police station to answer questions means everything is definitely not alright.’
‘I’m sure it’ll be fine,’ Dad said quietly.
‘I’m just worried about what our daughter has got mixed up in,’ Janine said, her eyebrows furrowing.
‘You’re Kirsty’s parents?’ Ben said, reaching his hand out towards Janine. ‘I’m Ben.’
Janine shook it briefly.
‘And how do you fit into all this?’ she asked, as he shook hands with Dad.
‘He has nothing to do with any of it,’ I said quickly. ‘He’s just giving me a lift home.’
‘Well, I’m glad you have someone keeping an eye on you,’ Janine murmured as she turned back to me. ‘You do have a tendency to get out of your depth.’
‘Janine,’ Dad said softly. ‘I’m sure Kirsty is handling things.’
‘Then why did Charlotte sound so worried when she called me?’ Janine asked.
‘Charlotte was concerned about Kirsty?’ Ben shook his head. ‘That’s hard to believe.’
‘It’s not your fault,’ Janine said soothingly, as she gave me a hug. ‘You just take after your mother, she got out of her depth too.’
‘Mum’s got nothing to do with this.’ I spat the words out, pulling free from Janine.
‘Of course not,’ she said, patting my arm. ‘That would require her to actually be here, wouldn’t it?’
‘Janine,’ Dad said, an edge of caution to his tone.
Janine shrugged as she turned to face him. ‘Well, we all know she’s not capable of doing that.’ She turned back to me. ‘You’re just lucky you have us to support you.’
I lowered my gaze to the floor. She was right. It’s not as though driving all the way down to Dorset was something they would have wanted to do. But they had, because of me.
‘Though, I was surprised when Charlotte told us Ryan had broken up with you. Your dad and I didn’t even know you two had got back together.’
‘Why didn’t you tell us, love?’ Dad asked.
‘It only happened recently,’ I said feebly, as though that was the reason.
‘Well, it all made sense once we knew it was him, didn’t it?’ she asked, giving Dad a nudge.
‘Hmm,’ he murmured noncommittally.
‘You’ve always been a little bit infatuated with him.’
‘I wasn’t infatuated.’
‘It happens to the best of us,’ Janine said, waving her hand. ‘First loves always send us a bit crazy.’
‘Kirsty’s not crazy, she’s—’ Ben began.
‘It was really kind of Charlotte to call and let us know what was going on in your life,’ Janine said, cutting him off. ‘Especially after you completely terrified the poor girl, Kirsty.’
‘I did what?’
‘She said you’d been interfering in her relationship, trying to turn her boyfriend against her, stalking her—’
‘Wait, what?’ Ben stared at me. ‘You stalked her?’
‘On social media,’ I said quickly.
It wasn’t a lie. But the words stuck in my throat anyway. It wasn’t the full truth.
I saw Ben’s expression shift. Apprehension lingering beneath the surface.
Had he realised that I was holding back?
‘And now that lovely girl is dead.’ Janine shook her head. ‘It’s so tragic.’
I didn’t say anything. To me, it wasn’t tragic. It was a reprieve.
‘What happened to her?’ Dad asked.
‘She had a riding accident.’
‘An accident?’ Janine repeated doubtfully.
‘Yes,’ I replied firmly.
‘Then why are you at a police station? Why are we?’
‘They’re just piecing together her movements that day.’
‘Movements that include you?’
‘I saw her, yes.’
‘Just saw her?’
‘What are you implying?’ Ben demanded, stepping closer to my side.
I blinked as I stared at him. Stunned by how defensive of me he sounded.
Janine shook her head. ‘Nothing, of course. I’m just trying to understand what we are all doing here.’ She jerked her head towards the police station.
‘Do the police think you were involved in Charlotte’s death?’ Dad asked quietly.
I swallowed. They hadn’t said that. Not exactly.
They were too busy accusing me of fraud.