Chapters (64)
- Cover
- Dedication
- Prologue
- Five Years Later
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Forty-one
- Forty-two
- Forty-three
- Forty-four
- Forty-five
- Forty-six
- Forty-seven
- Forty-eight
- Forty-nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-one
- Fifty-two
- Fifty-three
- Fifty-four
- Fifty-five
- Epilogue
- Acknowledgements
- Canelo Crime
- About the Author
- Also by Sheila Bugler
Gone to work. Help yourself to anything you can find. See you later. Uncle I x
Clodagh had just made herself a cup of tea and was sitting down to drink it when the doorbell rang. She knew who it was before she opened the door and saw Adam standing outside.
‘Can we talk, Clodagh?’
‘How did you know I was here?’
‘Where else would you be?’
‘I don’t want to talk,’ she said. ‘I want you to go.’
‘I promise I’m not here to shout or beg you to come back if that’s not what you want,’ he said. ‘I just want a chance to try to understand what I’ve done wrong.’
He looked as if he’d aged ten years overnight, and she couldn’t help feeling sorry for him.
‘If you don’t understand,’ she said, ‘then there’s no point talking.’
‘You’re right. I know I messed up. I lied to you and I’ve been moody and difficult to live with. I wish I could go back and change how I’ve been. I’m sorry, Clodagh.’
‘It’s not just the lying,’ she said. ‘You’ve been controlling me, Adam. It’s not right.’
‘I know. And I’d like a chance to explain if you’d let me?’
‘No matter what you say to me, it’s not going to change my mind.’
‘I respect that,’ Adam said. ‘If you’ve made your mind up, I promise I’m not going to try to make you change it back.’
‘Okay,’ she said, after a moment. ‘But not here. Let’s go for a walk. Give me a second to grab my bag.’
Her bag was on the small table in the hall. She picked it up, pausing to look at her reflection in the mirror over the table. In contrast to Adam, she looked rested and more relaxed than she had in weeks. Because she’d finally found the courage to do the right thing.
They walked to the beach, crossing the shingle and walking along the sandy section that only appeared when the tide was out.
‘I’ve been a complete dick recently,’ Adam said. ‘I’m not surprised you’ve had enough. The thing is, Clodagh, I haven’t been entirely honest with you.’
‘I’m not sure I want to hear what else you’ve been lying to me about.’
‘Please.’ He grabbed her arm. ‘This is important.’
His grip was too tight; fingers digging into her flesh. A stab of fear pierced her chest. They had walked beyond the town and there was no one else about. He could do anything to her out here and no one would ever know about it.