Billy turned so he could see everyone’s faces.

‘Anna killed Jonie Hayes,’ he said. ‘And Eric took the blame for what little Bella Fisher did.’

Lizzie stood by helplessly as she watched Anna sink to the floor.

Chapter One Hundred and Four

1989

Bella

Wednesday 19th July – the day of

‘Run, Bella, run!’ Jonie screeched as she legged it down Blackstone Close.

Bella heard the cry as she watched Jonie disappear around the corner, leaving her trailing. With Creepy Cawley behind her, shouting and waving his arms. Jonie had left her. How could she do that? Bella dared to look over her shoulder as she attempted to run on shaking legs. He was going to catch her. Tears burned her eyes, her throat tightened. This was it. What her mother had warned her about. ‘Don’t annoy Billy Cawley’, ‘Never go to his place’, ‘It’s not safe’. All her mother’s warnings now screamed inside her skull. As she felt a hand grab her hair, Bella knew her mum had been right all along.

‘Think it’s funny, do you?’ Creepy Cawley bellowed in her ear. Bella felt warm liquid run down the insides of her thighs. Her head hurt where he had hold of her hair. He pulled at it, causing her body to turn around. Now she was looking directly at him. His breath was hot on her face; a strong, stale smell filled her nostrils.

‘Please …’ Bella cried. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘And you think that covers it, eh? Weeks and weeks of you little shits banging on my door, and all you can say is sorry?’

Bella couldn’t move. Fear made all her muscles freeze. She was going to die. Creepy Cawley was going to kill her. Suddenly, her feet were moving. She wasn’t doing it. He was dragging her. This was it. He was taking her back to his bungalow. She was never going to see her mum and dad again.

Something snapped. A burst of energy came from inside her and she pulled at his arms, freeing herself from his grip. She didn’t stop to look over her shoulder this time, she just ran. As Bella rounded the corner, she noticed Jonie at the end of the road, slumped against a wall.

‘Oh, there you are. You took your time – I was beginning to worry he’d got you,’ Jonie said, before bursting into laughter.

A burning-hot sensation shot through Bella’s body, making her face feel as though it were on fire. She clenched her fists tightly. ‘I can’t believe you left me,’ she said, her teeth gritted.

‘Well, what did you expect? You need to learn to run faster,’ Jonie said. Then her gaze dropped. ‘Oh, my God! You didn’t!’ Jonie pointed at Bella’s legs. ‘You peed yourself?’ And she doubled over in laughter again.

‘I hate you.’ Bella pushed Jonie, hard. She heard air leave Jonie’s mouth as she smacked into the wall. Bella didn’t hang around. She ran down the cut-through, afraid Jonie would really hurt her in return. She wouldn’t have liked being pushed.