‘Why didn’t Billy get Nell here? Let her know he was aware of the full truth?’

‘Because I suppose he knew I was behind it. Back then I was every bit as much of a bully as they considered Jonie to be. But I was an adult – I should’ve known better. Tina, Billy, they wanted me to be the one who paid the price. Not Nell. Not you.’

‘How do I ever live with the knowledge I killed her; that I’m the child murderer, not Creepy Cawley?’

‘I can’t answer that, love. But until last week, you’d been living a good life, doing good things. Continue doing that. Only time will tell how you will deal with it. I’m sorry it came out, I really am.’

Epilogue

2019

Mapledon Church

Thursday 2nd August

The coffin was white. Tiny.

Tina Hayes walked beside Pat, her head bowed, as he carried Jonie’s remains down the aisle.

She’d waited for thirty years to put her daughter to rest – to finally fill the empty grave she’d tended to during that time. The tears spilling down her face now were ones of relief. She’d spent all the tears for grief over the years. Finally, she was able to say goodbye.

Only a handful of people joined Tina and Pat to pay their respects, sitting quietly and very still, in the first pew. Tina had let her thoughts be known prior to the service: the villagers of Mapledon were not welcome. It was family and honest friends only. Billy Cawley wasn’t there either. As much as Tina would’ve liked him to be, she knew he wouldn’t be allowed within ten miles.

She’d spoken to him several times after he’d found Jonie’s bones. He took the blame, as he said he would. After Eric had shown him the site where he and Reverend Farnley had buried her, Billy had contacted the police. Told them since he’d been released he’d been determined to remember where the body of little Jonie Hayes was, telling them he’d visited the area and recalled the location and wanted to do the right thing.

He’d known there’d be refreshed media interest, but Lizzie had helped out there – she’d arranged an exclusive interview with the ‘man who’d murdered Jonie Hayes’, making sure she only revealed what was necessary and rounding off the article with how William Cawley had been released on parole from his thirty-year prison sentence having proven he was capable of change; his risk to the public had been reduced by successfully completing the required rehabilitation programmes. She’d reiterated he’d remain on parole until his death and that he was now attempting to rebuild what life he had left.

Lizzie had been surprised that Billy had refused to apply to the high court to gain a new identity, preferring to stay as William Cawley despite the possible repercussions. He was, however, keeping a low profile, remaining in the caravan on the farmer’s land. Lizzie had the real story, the one recorded on her phone that night; she’d kept it just in case. There were two separate audio files: the one from the bungalow, and then the one she’d instinctively began recording when she’d stepped into the Fishers’ house later the same evening. It was that one she’d copied to a USB.