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Back Stalker Save as PDF
Chapters (66)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. EPILOGUE
  63. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  64. MORE FROM GEMMA ROGERS
  65. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  66. ABOUT BOLDWOOD BOOKS

We walk for half a mile or so, Ben updating me on what I’ve missed in the days I’ve been away. He shows me the articles written about me on his phone and the Twitter followers he and Jane amassed overnight. I blink back tears as a warm glow spreads throughout my body. I feel my shoulders ease down; I can finally relax.

‘Why were you at the station?’ I ask.

‘They wanted a statement but made me come in to give it. I was only there half an hour. It was a complete waste of time.’ Ben clenches his jaw for a second and reaches down to take my hand in his, our fingers interlock, and we walk along in comfortable silence. ‘I want to be honest with you,’ Ben starts, his voice shaky. What am I about to hear?

We stop walking and turn to face each other. I wrap my arms around myself. We’re standing outside a greasy spoon café, the smell of bacon reminding me of hungover breakfasts past.

‘I followed you. When I saw you with him, I couldn’t put it all together. It just didn’t feel right.’

‘I didn’t know you knew him,’ I reply.

‘Pacino? He was a violent prick back then. I didn’t want you anywhere near him. It wasn’t until I was waiting outside his apartment, wondering what to do and I saw you. Well, I assumed it was you. I saw you throw something out of the window, then I connected the dots.’

I shiver, the memory still as fresh as some of my bruises. The bag was always going to be a risk. I knew the police might search the area and, if they found it, possibly connect DNA to Sophie, Alice or the others. I had to absolve myself of any motive, any history Ian and I shared.

Ben shoves his hands into his pockets. ‘I hid the bag. Once I’d had a look through it of course. I hid it under the railway bridge, in some of the broken brickwork.’

I have no words. I’m exhausted. All I want to do is go home and have a long bath. Followed by a bottle of wine, and to sleep for a week, cuddled up beside my flatmate.

Ben pulls me towards him in bear hug. ‘I’ve missed you,’ he says, his voice breaking, and I sink into him. I can’t hold back the tears any longer.

Placing my hand back in his, I whisper, ‘Let’s go home.’

EPILOGUE

ONE YEAR LATER