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Back The Bad Place Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. THE BAD PLACE
  3. Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Acknowledgements
  71. About the author
  72. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘I’ve nothing to lose now, my family is gone, my career, and Dad is… he’s a husk, a ghost, his life is as good as over.’ He pointed the knife at Karin. ‘No one leaves this room till I hear you say it, till I hear the truth about what happened to the Haskell girl. You’re going to tell me and everyone here what you did. I want justice for Dad, finally, for the world to know that what happened was your fault, not his.’

When Karin spoke, it was in a whisper. ‘No.’

‘Lydia is dead, Ian,’ said Sasha, ‘and Simon is in a bad way, but we don’t have to take this any further.’

‘I told you, I didn’t kill Lydia, why would I? I found out everything I needed to know from Lydia. She told me the truth about Karin, and about what really happened to Becky, because she saw it.’ Flecks of spittle gathered at the corners of his mouth. ‘She saw it all.’

‘Then you already know the truth.’

‘Everyone must know.’

‘Jerry killed Becky,’ said Karin.

‘Oh, he pulled the blade across her throat, yes, and I’ll do the same to all these kids if you don’t admit what you did.’

‘There were a number of reasons for Becky’s death.’ Heart pounding, Sasha stepped forward, but as soon as she did Ian began to pace, tapping the knife restlessly against his thigh. ‘The inquiry highlighted a number of failures in the investigation, your father went into that house without following proper procedure.’

‘I told you to shut up! Everyone here has to listen to Karin. All of us here, these kids – Michelle’s daughter, oh yeah, Lydia told me that, too – and your favourite pupil and the nice police officer’s daughter, I want them all to know the truth. And then when you’ve told us, finally, you’re going to make a big decision, one I think you’ll appreciate. So you tell us all, Karin, what happened on the night you all escaped… and just why Becky was left behind.’

Sasha said, ‘Ian, this isn’t getting us—’

‘Enough!’ shouted Karin. ‘I’ll tell you what happened.’

59

The Thirteenth Day…

That last night with Becky was the best of her life; they spoke for hours about the future they would share when they were finally free. Whatever happened next, Karin knew, they’d be best friends for ever.

Becky was so pale and thin, there were rings beneath her eyes, and Karin knew she was losing hope. ‘That’s if we get out of here.’