Not guilty for all of it, anyway.

Chapter Sixty-Six

1989

Fisher residence

Sunday 11th June – 38 days before

Bella was sitting on the middle stair, elbows digging into her thighs, chin cupped in her hands. She hadn’t heard her mum and dad arguing before, not that she could recall anyway. They thought she was out, having got back from Sunday school and stripped out of her Sunday best, quickly pulling on her jeans and T-shirt and diving back out the door to go to the park. But she’d forgotten her purse that had her pound coin in for some pop and sweets and so had slipped back in, clearly unnoticed by her parents.

‘You tell me off for interfering, then do that? What were you thinking? You’re going to ruin it, undo my hard work!’ Her mother’s anger burst through her words. Bella could almost see her dad cowering.

‘Well, make your bloody mind up: you either want my help or you don’t. Stop picking and choosing what works for you, Muriel. I’m doing my best to support you here.’

‘Maybe you shouldn’t bother. We were doing all right without you going to his place.’

‘Yeah, I can see that. Clearly you’ve done a stellar job.’

Bella was confused. Her dad’s tone was sharp. Did he mean her mum had done a good job? Or was he being nasty? She had a sick feeling in her tummy; she shouldn’t be eavesdropping. She started to creep back down the stairs; she’d leave again – they were shouting so loudly they wouldn’t hear her.

The final step let out a loud creak as her weight shifted from it. She froze.

The lounge door swung open.

‘I thought you were out.’ Her mum’s face was red and blotchy, as though she’d been crying.

‘I forgot my purse,’ Bella said. She turned to leave.

‘No. Hang on. Come back in.’

Bella’s shoulders slumped. Now she was going to get yelled at for listening. As she followed her mum into the lounge, her dad pushed his way past and left, slamming the front door behind him.

‘I’m guessing you heard all that?’

Bella screwed her eyes up. She wondered if she could say no and get away with it. But before she answered her mother continued.

‘It was only a bit of a disagreement, nothing to worry about. But, Bella?’ Her mother took her by the arms and lowered her face to hers. ‘You can’t repeat anything you heard, okay? It’s between us. If someone found out, it would just cause problems. You don’t want your dad getting into trouble, do you? You know how much he loves you – he’d do anything for you. He’d be so upset if you told anyone. And so would I.’

Bella frowned. She hadn’t even heard very much. What was her mother talking about – why would her dad get into trouble? She shrugged.

‘I mean it, Bella. This is serious; we can’t have people thinking your dad was with Billy.’ Her eyes were wide. ‘Creepy Cawley,’ she added, as if Bella wouldn’t know who she meant.