Chapter 50
Bella was in bed when her phone rang. It was a number she didn’t recognise and she immediately felt her pulse quicken.
Twice this week she had got a call from a withheld number where the person at the other end would say nothing, then just hang up.
And then yesterday, she had seen that same black car again.
It was parked outside the flats, just at the top of Pleshey Road, as she had come past on her way back from the shop.
She had felt as though she was having a panic attack.
She couldn’t catch her breath and her heart was racing so fast she thought she was going to pass out.
She was supposed to have been at therapy this morning, but she had cancelled.
She was too frightened to go out, and there was literally no one she could talk to.
She and her dad weren’t speaking, and Justin would just tell her she was imagining things.
He would be angry that she hadn’t gone to therapy and would accuse her of making excuses not to move on with her life.
As she pulled the covers up around her, a loud bleep sounded from her phone and the adrenaline soared through her, but then she realised that whoever had called had left a message.
She picked up her phone with trembling fingers and dialled in to her voicemail.
It was Dorothy, Jamie Clarke’s mum. Bella almost cried with relief at the sound of her voice.
‘Bella, love?’ her voice said. ‘I’m phoning to ask if I can give your phone number to a solicitor who is helping Jamie.
I’m not sure if you are aware, but the police found out about you and him talking and unfortunately he has been sent back to prison.
I know we shouldn’t be speaking, but I wasn’t sure if you knew this and anyway, the damage is already done and I need your help.
Please can you call me when you get this message? ’
Bella listened, feeling sick at the thought that Jamie had gone back to prison because of her. She couldn’t believe how selfish she had been. Not only had she ruined his life twenty years ago, but now she had done it again.
She called Dorothy straight away.
‘Of course,’ she said. ‘Please give the solicitor my number. And I’m so, so sorry.’
A moment later, her phone rang again. This time she picked up.
‘Hello, Bella,’ said a man’s voice. ‘My name’s Iwan Raker.
I work with Eve Shotton, who is Jamie Clarke’s …
erm … friend. We wondered if it would be possible for me to meet with you?
I’m completely independent of the police and of Jamie himself and I won’t try to influence you in any way, but I understand that you may have some information that would help Jamie’s case.
I could come to you today, if you like? Eve will come too and wait in the car while we talk. ’
Bella felt overwhelmed with relief at the thought of having a solicitor here in her flat, today, as well as a friend of Jamie’s sitting outside in the car, keeping watch.
She would tell the solicitor everything.
He would know what to do. She agreed that they should drive up straight away.
She immediately felt energised. She got out of bed and cleaned and hoovered the entire flat, then went to the bathroom and got undressed.
She was still wet from the shower when there was a tapping sound at the front door.
She was a little taken aback. The solicitor was early, she thought, but she didn’t have her phone and couldn’t see what time it was.
She towelled herself off quicky and pulled on her dressing gown, then ran to answer it.
‘Hi,’ she said, opening the door a crack and peering through.
‘Hello, Bella.’ The man on the doorstep flashed a police warrant card at her. ‘My name’s Jon. I’m a detective from CID. I need to have a quick word with you. Can I come in?’
‘Erm. Sure,’ Bella said, wondering what this could be about. ‘I just need to get dressed. Can you hold on a minute?’
‘Don’t worry about that,’ he said, stepping towards her. ‘This won’t take long.’
Bella hesitated, then opened the door a little wider.
Something didn’t feel right, but she couldn’t put a finger on it, so she stood back and let him in.
He closed the door behind him, then scanned her face, her body, her legs.
Bella pulled the cord of her dressing gown tight around her waist. His eyes came back up and met hers. ‘OK, Bella. We need to talk.’
‘I need to get dressed,’ Bella said again.
‘Like I said, this won’t take long.’ He held out a hand towards the living room. ‘After you.’
Bella stood her ground, a knot of fear tightening inside her. ‘I just want to get dressed first,’ she said, trying to sound casual.
The detective peered past her down the hallway. Bella could see his eyes darting around. ‘Sure,’ he said, his gaze snapping back towards her. ‘Go ahead. Get dressed.’
He didn’t move. The bedroom was only a few short steps away and Bella didn’t feel comfortable taking her clothes off with him standing almost outside. She knew this wasn’t paranoia. She could feel her legs beginning to tremble the same way they did in her dreams.
‘The living room is just in there,’ she said, pointing. ‘You can take a seat.’
‘That’s OK,’ he said. ‘I’m good here. I’ll wait for you.’
‘I don’t feel—’
‘Bella. Come on now. Stop messing around.’ He took hold of one arm, steered her into the lounge and lowered her onto the sofa. ‘Nice place you’ve got here,’ he said, pacing around the room and peering out of the window. ‘Where’s your phone?’
‘In the bedroom.’
He nodded, walked over and closed the door.
‘Now,’ he said softly. ‘I want to make a few things clear to you. Jamie Clarke’s in prison. He killed your mother. He needs to stay there, and you, Bella … you need to keep your mouth shut. Have you got that?’
Bella stared at him, unable to speak. Everything was starting to feel distant, as if she was trapped in one of her nightmares.
‘Are we clear?’ he said.
Bella gazed back at him, taking in his jawline, his beady black eyes, the curl of his lip. ‘I know you,’ she said, finally.
He frowned and waited, arms crossed.
‘It’s you,’ she gasped. ‘You’re the man on the stairs.’
A slow, mocking smile.
‘You’re the man in the kitchen,’ she whispered. ‘You killed my mum.’
‘Oh, Bella.’ He rolled his eyes in a cartoonish way, as if he thought she had made a bad joke.
Bella looked at the door, feeling a punch of adrenaline rising up inside her.
‘Go on,’ he said. ‘If you think it’s me, then run.’
She started to get up, but then he was there, grabbing her by the throat and throwing her back down onto the sofa. A second later, he had got her into a headlock and dragged her to the floor.
Bella grabbed hold of his hands, tugging hard at them and trying to release his grip.
It was then that she felt the blow to the side of her head, followed swiftly by a second one to the face.
Stunned, she dropped back onto the ground.
She could feel blood streaming from her nose.
She lifted a hand to touch it, and then felt the cord of her dressing gown being untied.
‘No!’ she screamed, kicking out wildly.
And then he was on top of her, grabbing her hands and pinning her to the ground. He had hold of her dressing-gown cord and, in one swift movement, had looped it under her head and tightened it around her neck. A cloth was forced into her mouth.
‘Are you going to behave yourself, Bella?’ he asked her, unbuckling his belt.
Bella screamed the silent scream that haunted her nightmares, and then his weight was pressing her to the ground, and she was stuck and everything was dark, and Bella knew without a shadow of a doubt that what had happened to her mother was going to happen to her.