Vanessa stood, pulling the headphones out of her ears, hands on hips, shaking as she walked up and down past the tree. She reached out and touched the gouges which she once touched with reverence, now wishing she had a knife so she could obliterate them. Coming round to the side of the tree, she saw the colorful flowers, stuffed teddies and cards, all mourning a monster. She began kicking them, scattering petals to the wind, ripping the heads off teddies and tearing up the cards.

‘You fucking liar!’ she screamed. ‘I fucking hate you!’ She began to cry, but she swiped at them angrily. ‘I will not cry for you! You hear me?’

Vanessa stomped back around to the other side, not even looking at the carnage she’d left, picked up the phone, shoved it in her bag and stormed back to the car. She probably shouldn’t have been driving because she was sure she was in shock, running on adrenaline, but she took off anyway, tires spitting gravel behind her.

She knew exactly where she was going and what she was going to do. No one was going to stop her today, not even the memories of Wren that popped randomly into her mind. She couldn’t deal with this, so instead she focused on Justin. She charged up to the front of the bar, ripped the handbrake on and ran down the driveway. She banged on his door, screaming his name. He came to the door, face ashen, crutches angled awkwardly under his arms.

‘You alone?’ she asked as she barged in.

‘I’ve got some friends over.’

She walked into the lounge room and saw three boys sitting there, staring at her. ‘Get the fuck out,’ she demanded. They just sat there. ‘Fucking go! Now!’

Justin nodded weakly and they picked up their bags and left.

‘Stay there,’ she said, steel in her voice when he went to move.

‘What are you doing here, Mrs Wright? My mom would call the cops if she knew you were here.’

‘Oh yeah? What about if I told her you were a rapist and that I had proof?’

His face paled even more, and he looked like he was going to throw up. He put his hand up to his mouth.

‘I’m… not…’

‘Save it, Justin, I heard the recording that Wren made. It was on his phone and in case you get any ideas, I’ve already emailed it to myself. You know, insurance. I learned from the best. You raped Olivia.’ It was not a question.

‘Yes,’ he whispered, meeting her eyes.

‘There were others.’

‘Yes.’

‘And Wren took part in all of them?’

‘It was his idea. People think I lead, but I follow too, just like Wade.’

Vanessa glared at him. ‘Don’t try to get out of this, ’cos I heard you. You were laughing. Laughing.’

‘What do you want?’