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Back What I Never Told you
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by Dawn Goodwin
  3. WHAT I NEVER TOLD YOU
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. Dedication
  7. Prologue
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. Acknowledgements
  55. About the Author
  56. An Invitation from the Publisher

The phone started to vibrate, the ringtone stabbing at the silence. She dropped the keys in fright, almost dropped the phone too. She looked at the screen and jabbed at it, suddenly furious.

“You got my message then?” Peter said, his voice low and threatening.

“Very subtle, Peter.” Was he watching her now? She walked over to the door, peered out, but the garden was empty, the gate to the path closed again.

“I thought so too. Did you like the photograph? I don’t think it quite captures your best side though, do you? I prefer you from behind.”

“How did you take that photo?”

“Ah, Helen, I needed some security, that’s all. I had a feeling things might pan out the way they did, so I made a few… let’s say, home videos for my own enjoyment.”

“You filmed us?” She felt sick.

“Among other things. They’re quite good actually. Lots of action. The dialogue is a bit flimsy though.” He chuckled, clearly enjoying tormenting her.

“What do you want, Peter?”

“I told you. I want compensation for lost earnings.”

“Money? This is all about money? How grubby of you.”

“I’m not the grubby one, Helen.”

“And if I don’t pay up?”

“I’ll leak these videos on social media. I’m sure your customers will be delighted to see what you’ve been up to, not to mention your lovely husband, your children. I bet they will be thrilled.”

“How much?”

“Patience, my darling. All in good time. I’ll be in touch.”

*

Lydia sat on her bed, hugging her unicorn pillow and thinking about the afternoon with Diana. If her dad or Helen found out she had cut school to spend time with her, they’d be furious, but she couldn’t say no. She didn’t want Diana to think she was childish, scared to break a rule or two. She wanted Diana to think she was cool, edgy.

And for the most part, the afternoon had been fun. When her dad had dropped her off at school, she had feigned a migraine and walked straight home again, then called Diana once she was sure Helen had left for work. They had drunk herbal tea, eaten the oat biscuits Diana had brought – they tasted like cardboard, but she ate them anyway – and they talked for ages about everything and nothing.