“Once upon a time, two girls went into the woods and only one came out…”

“No. I don’t like this story.”

“You have to listen, Tess. You have to get to the end of the story.”

Explore book giveaways, sneak peeks, deals, and more.

Tap here to learn more.

August 2008

August 2008

“Can you take us through what happened after the wedding?”

There are two policemen in my room, one sitting by the bed in a crumpled shirt, one pacing the room, watching me. I’m in a private ward and there’s a uniformed officer outside—I saw him when the other two came in; he was talking to Dad and Julia. Dad was still wearing his suit, his jacket draped around Julia’s shoulders, white carnation drooping in the buttonhole. They both looked like they’d been crying and I wanted to call out that I was fine, but the pacing detective closed the door on them.

“I don’t remember,” I say, voice hoarse. My throat aches and my head is throbbing, the stitches tight and tender. It hurts to try to remember. It should have been such a happy day—for Dad and Julia, even if the rest of us weren’t feeling it.

“You went into the woods…” the sitting detective says. I don’t recall their names. They introduced themselves but I don’t remember.

My foot is bandaged and feels hot and swollen. Just a sprain, though, from the fall: I was lucky, they said.

“I was at the wedding, I drank too much champagne, and I went to lie down for a bit. I don’t remember anything after that.”

They’ve cleaned me up and stitched my head but there’s still dirt under my nails. Or is it dried blood? Oh God. Vomit rises, sour at the back of my throat. “Where’s Dad? I want to see my dad.” My voice breaks.

“He’s right outside, Tess. He’ll be in in a second. We’re trying to understand what you and your sister were doing in the woods near Dean House, some distance from your home. There are at least two hours unaccounted for, after anyone at the wedding last saw you and Arabella.”

Dean House: Bella and I were there, but that was last night—the night before the wedding. That night is all so clear. Not the wedding—pretty much everything about today is a blur, but last night…

Tess, wake up.