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
‘Have you got somewhere to stay?’ Bella asked.
‘I’m sorry, Bella. I don’t think I can talk about this now. I need some time to process what’s on those files.’
‘I’m not going anywhere,’ Bella said. ‘I’m staying right here. What if Adam comes back? I can’t leave you alone with him. Not now we both know what he’s really like. You’re pregnant. What if he does something to hurt you and the baby?’
‘I’m not going to be alone,’ Clodagh said, thinking quickly. ‘Ivan is on his way over. I spoke to him just before we arrived. He’s picking me up to save me having to get a taxi.’
‘Cancel him,’ Bella said. ‘Come and stay with me instead.’
‘It’s too late,’ Clodagh said. ‘He’ll be here any second.’
‘I thought we were friends,’ Bella said. ‘But it seems you only want to be my friend when it suits you. Fine then. I know when I’m not wanted.’
‘Don’t be like that,’ Clodagh said. ‘Please, Bella.’
‘It’s okay. You don’t want me here. I get it. I’ll see you around, Clodagh. And the next time you want help with something, how about you ask Ivan, not me? He’s the only one of us you really care about.’
Her words were so unexpected that Clodagh didn’t know how to respond. So she said nothing, simply watched as Bella left the room and clattered down the stairs. A few seconds later, Clodagh heard Bella’s car starting up outside and she turned her attention back to the laptop. She felt bad for upsetting Bella but couldn’t worry about that right now.
As her fingers moved across the keyboard, she noticed her hands were shaking. This time, as she looked at the files on the memory stick, her initial repulsion and disbelief was replaced by a burning anger that grew inside her the more she read. She put her hand on her stomach, thinking of the little life growing inside there. She’d assumed Adam would be part of that life. Not any longer. She was going to go somewhere far away, where Adam would never find them. She was glad now she hadn’t told him about the pregnancy. He didn’t deserve to be a father, and she’d do everything she could to make sure he never was.
She opened the image file again. Her sister’s wrist. White skin and purple bruises. Three words beneath: My anniversary present.