Lizzie knew some of what she and Billy were telling the group of villagers was just supposition – a series of hypotheses her father had spent years formulating. But watching them all – their reactions – she had to concede he was probably right. No one seemed to be questioning it to the point she believed they would if none of it were true. There really was no planned revenge, though. As much as those standing nervously in the lounge clearly thought it was Billy’s intention, they were wrong. Billy had said he wouldn’t want them to ever be able to turn around and say, ‘See, we were right about that weirdo Billy Cawley – did you hear how he exacted revenge on Muriel and Eric Fisher?’

No. He only wanted to hear them say they were wrong. They were sorry. And he wanted to help Tina – that’s what he’d reiterated to Lizzie time and time again while they’d been sitting talking.

Lizzie had felt a surge of empathy for her birth father as she listened to how his sorry life had gone from bad to worse. How he’d been made the scapegoat for a horrendous crime. After a lifetime of thinking the worst of Billy Cawley, of believing the stories, gossip and half-truths, she found herself warming to this man, who by all accounts had sacrificed his freedom all the while knowing he’d been wronged along with Jonie Hayes. When Billy spoke of Tina it was with such warmth. He’d told Lizzie how he’d always had feelings for Tina, even when he hadn’t been able to communicate them effectively, and by the time he did it was too late – the awful events from Wednesday 19th July 1989 had overtaken them – and she’d shunned him.

He’d vowed to get out of prison in order to find the culprit, to prove to Tina once and for all it hadn’t been him – so he’d completed all the offending behaviour rehabilitation courses, continuing to talk of his guilt despite his innocence – just so he would be able to get out. Now he was out, he’d told Lizzie he felt quite calm; his anger had dissipated somewhat. He’d learned a lot in his rehabilitation programmes that made him view things differently. Coming across as ‘reformed’ enabled the parole board to come to the decision he could be let out on life licence. As he put things together, though, he realised the justice he’d initially wanted wasn’t as simple – and it wouldn’t have the satisfactory outcome he craved. But he knew there was something he could do. An act of selflessness to try and limit further damage.

His aim now was to find Tina’s daughter’s body, and make sure she could finally have a real funeral for Jonie.

All they needed was for Muriel to tell them where to find Eric.

Chapter Ninety-Eight

2019

Eric

He’d called Muriel straight away – as soon as he’d been told about Billy Cawley’s release. Warned her of what might come. What would come. Told her to keep a low profile. Just in case it did blow over. But he knew he couldn’t be that lucky. Eric owed a debt to Billy. Not just any kind of debt either: he owed him his life. There was only one way he could repay that. And if he didn’t offer to repay in full – then Billy would collect in person. He had no doubt of that. It had been almost a week since his release. There’d been two occasions in Eric’s life where time had stretched – seemed infinite – when the moment of agony seemed never-ending. One was thirty years ago. The other was today – waiting for his punishment. He’d hoped it would be swift, over by now. Billy was dragging it out, making him suffer.