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Back Tell Me Lies
Chapters (47)
  1. Title Page
  2. Contents
  3. Praise for In the Clearing
  4. Praise for Call Me Evie
  5. Dedication
  6. Prologue
  7. Part One: The Sociopath Test
  8. Chapter One
  9. Chapter Two
  10. Chapter Three
  11. Chapter Four
  12. Chapter Five
  13. Chapter Six
  14. Chapter Seven
  15. Chapter Eight
  16. Chapter Nine
  17. Chapter Ten
  18. Chapter Eleven
  19. Chapter Twelve
  20. Chapter Thirteen
  21. Part Two: Introspection
  22. Chapter Fourteen
  23. Chapter Fifteen
  24. Chapter Sixteen
  25. Chapter Seventeen
  26. Chapter Eighteen
  27. Chapter Nineteen
  28. Chapter Twenty
  29. Chapter Twenty-One
  30. Part Three: Retrospection
  31. Chapter Twenty-Two
  32. Chapter Twenty-Three
  33. Chapter Twenty-Four
  34. Chapter Twenty-Five
  35. Chapter Twenty-Six
  36. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  37. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  38. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  39. Chapter Thirty
  40. Chapter Thirty-One
  41. Chapter Thirty-Two
  42. Chapter Thirty-Three
  43. Now
  44. Chapter Thirty-Four
  45. Extract of The Last Guests
  46. Acknowledgements
  47. Copyright

‘THE NEXT TRAIN to depart from Platform One is the 9:05 Flinders Street Line stopping all stations to Flinders Street.’

She takes the steps quickly, her hand slides along the rail. She is dishevelled, her mouth set in a pale line. There are a dozen or so people on the platform but she sets her sights on a man, standing there in a sweatshirt, a blue hat on his head and duffel bag slung over his shoulder. He has his back to her, gazing down at the phone in his hand.

Waiting in the shade on the platform, she glances back up the steps towards the street, then watches the man until the tracks begin to sing, a subtle high-pitched shriek that grows into a grumble.

The man looks up now, turning his head and watching down the tracks for the oncoming train. A light at first that grows brighter and brighter. It’s loud now, so loud he doesn’t hear her striding forward. The man turns back, raises his hands in defense, but half a second too late. She shoves him with all of her strength. The train is gliding into the station. His weight shifts; a gasp. Then he’s falling. His body thuds against the concrete and rails. The train driver doesn’t have time to apply the brakes; there is no time to do anything.

Reporter: Early reports have emerged of a yet-to-be-identified woman pushing a man in front of a train on a platform at Southbank station this morning. No further details have been released at this stage, but the attack appears to be random. We will have more for you later in the day. Police have warned there will be substantial delays for morning commuters on all trains passing through Southbank station.

Part One: The Sociopath Test

PART ONE

THE
SOCIOPATH TEST

It is hard to believe that a man is telling the truth when you know that you would lie if you were in his place.

H.L. Mencken

One Month Earlier

Chapter One

ONE

CORMAC IS DOING that thing again. He is the one asking the questions, not me. It’s not entirely uncommon as a defence mechanism. If I’m asking the questions, I’m in control of the exchange and some people don’t like that. Type A personalities need control as they fear being manipulated. When cornered, they might ask their own questions to pry control back. But it’s not so simple with Cormac; he’s not that kind of man. He’s asking me questions because he’s curious; he wants to get to know me before he can trust me. Despite the clinical setting, and the fact he’s a client, trust is at the core of the relationship, trust is the silent contract we form. But I don’t like the questions. I don’t like giving up too much of myself.