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Back Day of the Accident
Chapters (71)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. What readers are saying about
  5. Epigraph
  6. Prologue
  7. Part One
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. Part Two
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. Part Three
  61. 52
  62. 53
  63. 54
  64. 55
  65. 56
  66. 57
  67. 58
  68. Epilogue
  69. Acknowledgements
  70. THE NEXT THRILLER BY NUALA ELLWOOD
  71. THE BEGINNING

‘He … he lied to me,’ I say, tears welling up. ‘He said we owned our house but we were just tenants. And then … when I was in … in the hospital he moved out of the house and threw away all our things … all Elspeth’s things. I’ve lost everything.’

‘Oh my goodness, that’s terrible,’ says Val. ‘You poor thing.’

I put my face in my hands, trying to hide my tears.

‘How about we go and get some air, Maggie?’ says Sonia.

I nod, allowing her to help me out of my seat.

Behind her, Val stands watching us, her eyes have filled with tears. I can’t bear it.

‘That must have been tough,’ says Sonia as we walk out of the bank. ‘But you did really well. Now, how about we find somewhere to sit and catch a breath before we walk back?’

I am about to answer when something catches my eye. There’s a woman standing on the other side of the street. She’s staring right at me. My skin prickles. It’s Barbara. Ben’s mother. She has aged considerably since I last saw her but her hair is still blonde and swept up into a bun; her make-up is immaculate, her clothes expensive and chic. I want to run but it’s too late, she’s heading this way.

‘I don’t believe it,’ she says as she approaches. ‘They let you out then, did they?’

‘Hello, Barbara,’ I say, my voice quivering. ‘How are you?’

‘Never mind that,’ she says, her face twisted with hatred. ‘I want to know why you’re out walking the streets. They should have locked you up years ago.’

‘Maggie? Is everything okay?’ asks Sonia, stepping in between Barbara and me.

‘Who are you?’ says Barbara, her eyes widening as she takes in Sonia’s outfit.

‘I’m Maggie’s carer,’ says Sonia, puffing her chest out defiantly. ‘And I don’t think you should be talking to her like that when she’s just come out of hospital. She’s not well.’

‘I know she’s not well,’ says Barbara, her cheeks reddening. ‘She’s not well in the head.’

‘Barbara, please …’ I say, my head thudding with the tension.

‘A carer?’ she says, rolling her eyes. ‘Gosh, I’ve heard it all. Well, you always did need someone to hide behind, didn’t you? When I think back to what you got away with, it makes me sick. And now you’ve done it again by all accounts. That poor little girl. You’re dangerous, that’s what you are, and dangerous people ought to be locked up.’

Her eyes flash with hatred. I go to speak, to defend myself, but no words will come. Instead I let Sonia guide me away, Barbara’s venom ringing in my ears.

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