Shauna drew her head back and stared into his eyes. Her cheeks were wet with tears and he thought she had never looked more beautiful. Yes, she was loud, demanding and a pain in the arse. She wasn’t gentle dreamy Claire, that was for sure. But she wasn’t an ugly mare, either, and she was carrying his child.

‘You promise?’ she sniffed.

‘I do.’

He’d messed up so much, but this time he was going to get it right. He wasn’t going to let Shauna down. Like it or not, he was committed to her now, and to their life together. It was their wedding on Saturday, he was going to be a married man with responsibilities; it was time he got his act together and did as she said: put the old life, the simple wild and free life he’d loved so much, behind them.

33

33

Claire had enough money to rent a studio apartment in Brooklyn. It was old, mould-ridden, up three floors and no lift. Still, it was a place to stay, a roof over her head. At night she lay awake listening to the foreign sounds of the city – the sirens, the gunshots. People moving in the hall outside, calling up the stairs, laughter, faint music.

When she went to bed, it was with a kitchen knife hidden under her pillow and a heavy tallboy positioned in front of the door. But sleep – once so easy in the deep dark country night, snuggled in the warm cocoon of her parents’ trailer – now eluded her. She lay wide awake, nervously listening to the sounds, wondering if one of those people out in the hall would come and try the door, try to get in.

Hours, she lay like that, tense, anticipating attack.

Sometimes she was so exhausted that she did sleep. And then she dreamed. Of running as if through treacle, unable to get away, and people jumping on her, pulling her down to the ground, hurting her, while Shauna Everett stood over her, laughing, cheering on her attackers. Then she would wake, screaming, run to the toilet and vomit.

And there were worse dreams. Nightmares. That Shauna was chasing her, intent on killing her, and Claire thought she’d escaped, that she was safe. But then she stumbled across the dead bodies of her loved ones: her mum, her dad. Trace. Even once – horrifically – Josh. Maybe she was cursed with the Sight like Nanny Irene, and this was a psychic warning to her, saying Stay away, keep clear, keep yourself safe and those you love protected, or this will happen.