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she would be able to give any kind of accurate account after all these years.
‘My memory . . . it’s . . . well, it’s hazy . . .’ she stuttered.
‘Yes, I’m sure it is. You were a kid, I get that,’ Lizzie said
softly. ‘I’m the same. But there are things you do know, Anna.
Things you remember; but maybe you’ve put those memories
aside because they’re not ones you care to recall. They don’t fit the stories you’ve been told all your life. The people of Mapledon haven’t done us any favours, Anna. Both of us have suffered at
their hands one way or another. We were both manipulated. You can see that now, can’t you?’
Anna’s breath was coming in ragged bursts. The room was
closing in; the lies smothering her. Lizzie was right, there were things she remembered, and those memories were hers, not ones
she’d formed over the years due to her mother retelling the story she’d wanted Anna to take as truth.
‘I can. Yes,’ she said.
‘Anna, stop,’ Muriel cut in. She turned sharply to Lizzie. ‘ You are the liar.’
‘Hear, hear,’ Nell piped up. ‘The only reason you came here
was to stir everything up for your own gain. You’re a journalist
– you’d try and dig up anything and manipulate it to make a
good story. You’re just here for the money.’
‘No, you’re so far from the truth it’s scary.’ Lizzie laughed
– it sounded hollow in the sparse, dusty room.
‘Really? Then why do we have evidence of you hammering
your doll’s limbs to my door?’ Muriel stormed forwards, her
finger jabbing Lizzie’s chest. ‘You and that evil man are playing games with us. Everyone knows you’re both wrong in the head
and want to make others suffer just because both of you did!’
Anna felt something give; some part of her mind gave up.
Her mother was still pushing her agenda all these years later,
despite the evidence now stacking up against her. Anna wanted
to stop her mother from speaking, but she didn’t have the energy.
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Let her dig herself into a bigger hole – Anna was almost past caring.
‘I’m not sure what evidence you think you have – but it’s not
me doing it,’ Lizzie said. ‘Did you fabricate that evidence too,
Muriel?’
‘You’re talking nonsense. And I have real proof – I caught you on the security camera Anna set up to watch the front door,’
she said, her voice filled with smugness.
‘Ah. I see,’ Lizzie said.
Anna felt her body slacken. Her mother was running with it,
but she was wrong. She’d realised Lizzie was too tall after
standing on the doorstep and re-enacting the woman’s stretch
to pin the doll’s torso to the door – it couldn’t have been Lizzie caught on the camera – it was someone shorter.
‘I’m glad you have that footage, Muriel,’ Lizzie said. ‘As it
will prove my innocence – just as I’m here now to prove my
father’s. The woman who’s been playing her version of Knock,
Knock, Ginger isn’t me. It’s her.’ Lizzie raised her hand, pointing her finger. Anna followed it, her gaze landing on Tina Hayes.
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Chapter Eighty-Nine
2019
Lizzie
‘Go on, Tina. Now’s your chance to explain,’ Lizzie said.
Pat Vern released his arm from around Tina’s shoulders as
she moved forwards. He’d told Lizzie he suspected it was Tina
who was playing the macabre game. When he’d talked to Lizzie
on the phone earlier, he’d confided how he’d been noticing
changes in Tina over the past few years. How he’d watched as
she had become more and more angry, yet subdued at the same
time – not going out as much, becoming more introspective
and withdrawing from friends and social gatherings. She’d
stopped going to church a long time ago, but she’d still been
involved in many village events – yet the last ten months in
particular had seen her drop out of everything. Instead, she’d
become obsessed with Jonie’s case again. Returning to all the
old clippings she’d kept from the time of her disappearance and
from Billy Cawley’s trial. Pat said she was convinced everyone
had got it all wrong.
That Billy Cawley was innocent after all.
‘It was all so obvious I can’t believe it took me all those
years to see it; to piece it all together,’ Tina said. Her head bobbed as though it were too heavy to keep upright. ‘God,
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She stared at each of the people in the room in turn. ‘Good at misdirection, too. You even had me thinking Billy was an abuser, someone to be fearful of. Even though I felt differently.’
Tina banged her hand against her heart. ‘I knew Billy wasn’t
capable of the terrible things you all accused him of. Deep
down, I knew. But I allowed you all to persuade me otherwise.
God, I even asked Pat to do a background search, check him
out because you all thought there was something bad in him.’
Tina stepped back and took hold of Pat’s hand. ‘You did so
much to help me, Pat. You always went above and beyond and
I’m grateful for that.’
‘And Pat didn’t find anything untoward, did he?’ Lizzie said.
‘Nothing. And that’s when I began to pull back a little from
the Mapledon Meetings, because I didn’t want to be part of the
baying wolves eager to attack Billy anymore. Billy and I had
actually become close at one point – in secret, as I knew what
the others would think – but I’d distanced myself again because
of the things being said. The rumours. Once I realised they were
unfounded, I tried to reconnect with him. Offer my support.
But it seemed it was too late. And that’s when my world
collapsed.’ Tina swiped at her cheeks, clearing the tears. ‘I was distraught when Billy was accused of abducting Jonie. When
Muriel told me Bella had witnessed her being taken into Billy’s
truck and driven away, I was furious at myself for being taken
in, for believing Billy and not my friends or the villagers. I
blamed myself for losing my daughter.’
A heavy silence hung in the room, and so did everyone’s
heads. In pity, in sadness or in shame.
‘You shouldn’t have blamed yourself, Tina. You were a good
mum,’ Anna said. Her voice sounded uncertain, and Lizzie
wondered at the meaning behind the words.
Tina’s gaze steadied on Anna. ‘Oh, Anna. Little, naive Bella.
I always welcomed you into my home; loved you coming over
to play with Jonie. How could you have lied like that? Why? ’
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‘She didn’t lie, Tina. Leave her out of this,’ Muriel said. Lizzie sensed she was about to launch into a rant, but she wouldn’t
allow Muriel to take control of the room.
‘I’ve been in contact with Billy. My
dad,’ Lizzie said, before
Muriel could continue.
‘See! I knew it. You are both in on it.’
‘Oh, shut up, Muriel,’ Tina cut in. ‘You’ve done enough
damage. It’s about time your daughter found out what you’re
capable of.’
Lizzie watched for a reaction from Anna. All she noted was
shock. Did she really not know?
‘Look, Lizzie – I get why you’re doing this,’ Rob said, taking
the opportunity to step in. ‘I know I upset you with what I told
you the other day. But it’s obvious to see this doesn’t involve
us directly.’ Rob motioned from himself to his mum. ‘You’ve
got beef with the others; carry on without us. You don’t need
to drag my mother into this. She’s done nothing wrong.’
‘And I get why you’re doing this, Rob,’ Lizzie countered.
‘You’re one of them, an insider. And you protect your own.
Especially when it’s your own mother in the firing line. I
understand. But it can’t keep going on. This hideous lie has
been allowed to fester for far too long. Maybe you don’t know
what really happened. It’s possible you’re as in the dark as I
was.’
‘You’re delusional, love,’ Nell said.
‘No. I think you lot have the monopoly on that.’ Anger and
bitterness encased Lizzie’s words. It was becoming harder to
remain calm. These people were horrible, an abomination. ‘I
said when you arrived, you’re ALL here for a reason, no one is
leaving until we’ve heard the truth.’
‘You can’t keep us here, we’re free to leave whenever we want.’
‘Sure – I’m not taking you hostage, if that’s what you think.
But then, everyone here is already a hostage.’
No one disagreed. Everyone stayed in the room; their own
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curiosity, guilt and stubbornness keeping them there. Even Rob.
‘Carry on then, let’s get this charade over with,’ he said. His
face belied his words. He knew where this was going, Lizzie
realised. He was as defeated as the others, knowing whatever
was coming would likely tear the fabric of the village’s carefully constructed image apart.
‘Tell me what made you realise you’d been right all along,
Tina,’ Lizzie asked.
‘Billy did. He wrote to me while he was in prison. Told me
everything.’
‘How can you believe the man who murdered your daughter?’
‘Stop now, Muriel. Stop,’ Tina said. She gave a half-smile.
‘Please drop the pretence. It’s over. Don’t you understand? You
did what you felt you had to do to protect yourself and your
family. Now you need to own up to your mistakes. I believed,
and do believe, Billy. Because everything he said made sense. I
stepped outside of myself, this village, and looked in from a
different viewpoint. And like I said, it was obvious then.’
‘What was?’ Rob asked.
‘Who was really responsible for Jonie’s disappearance. Who’d
carefully planned a scapegoat, who’d orchestrated the entire
thing. Who had planted the fake evidence. Who had tidied up,
covered up, and hidden the real evidence.’
‘I’m guessing the answer is Muriel, then.’ Rob sounded as
though he was disappointed with Tina’s reasoning.
‘Muriel did all of those things, yes,’ Tina said.
‘This is ridiculous. I’m not listening to more of this garbage.’
Muriel reached for the door, pulling it open, but Pat reached
over the top of her, slamming it closed.
‘But not alone.’ Tina put her hand up to silence everyone.
‘Muriel wasn’t the one who did it all.’
‘It was my dad,’ Anna said. But her words were lost in the
echo of the door banging.
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‘Say again, Anna?’ Lizzie asked. She wanted Anna to say the words loud and clear.
‘It was Eric, my dad, wasn’t it?’ Anna repeated more confi-
dently. ‘He was the one who broke in here and planted the
necklace. It was mine, not Jonie’s; we had identical ones.’
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Chapter Ninety
2019
Eric
It was his day of reckoning.
Eric had known it would come one day. But knowing it didn’t
stop his guts from turning to liquid now. Didn’t prevent the
paralysis of his lungs, the gripping pain in his heart. Maybe he’d die right here, now. Save him from a fate far worse.
He couldn’t really complain, though. He’d lived his life as
he’d seen fit, enjoying years of freedom he didn’t deserve. Years of over-indulgence: women, drink, food. He hadn’t held back,
never knowing how much time he had left.
Not long now, he guessed.
He turned, sensing someone behind him: the hairs on his
neck bristled, standing erect in anticipation.
Was this it?
He clutched his chest; tried to catch his breath.
No one was there.
Not yet.
But there would be. Soon.
His time was running out.
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Chapter Ninety-One
2019
Anna
She wasn’t sure why she felt so shell-shocked. Before the text
from Lizzie earlier, she’d been waiting for her mother to come
clean – admit her father had been the one writing the letters,
admit he’d planted the fake evidence to further implicate Billy.
The Fishers had well and truly set the poor man up. Anna was
responsible for the false witness testimony, her father responsible for the fake evidence; her mother was responsible for manipulating the entire heart-breaking episode so she could get her
own way.
All to get Billy out of Mapledon because she thought him
a risk to their tight-knit community – a risk to their kids. And
it turned out he wasn’t either of those things. He was merely
someone who didn’t ‘fit’ into her mother’s ideals. Didn’t
measure up to her expectations, her standards. Muriel had
made her mind up that Billy Cawley didn’t belong and that
was that.
But if Billy was innocent, who was really responsible for Jonie
going missing?
‘I’m not sure I’m understanding all of this,’ Anna said. ‘If
we’re to believe Billy’s account, he was wrongly accused of
abduction and murder – framed for it by my mother, and even
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my dad. But none of it brings us to a conclusion about what happened to Jonie. Where was she taken? By who?’
Muriel rushed forwards, embracing Anna in her wiry-thin
arms. ‘I’m sorry, love. I’m so sorry.’
Anna pushed away. ‘Why?’ She looked at the faces in the
room. Her gaze settled on Tina’s. ‘Were you doing this thing
with the dolls because my mum and dad planted the evidence?’
&
nbsp; ‘Partly, yes,’ Tina admitted.
‘Partly?’
‘And to point you in the right direction.’ Tina said.
‘So, the severed doll’s limbs were for me, to get me to figure
out my parents were involved in a crime?’ Anna still felt confused.
‘They were committing a crime – several in fact – and they made you complicit too. Something you seem to have conven-iently forgotten.’
‘I was a child, Tina.’ Anna’s face was hot, her skin prickly with an uncomfortable warmth.
‘Yes, I get you were just a child yourself,’ Tina said. ‘I under-
stand your memories were clouded, thwarted and then
manipulated by Muriel.’ Tina shot Muriel an icy glance. ‘I’m
not a mean person, Anna. Bitter, yes, angry too. From the begin-
ning, when I believed your mother’s lies, it was hard to forgive
the fact you didn’t go to the police station immediately. It ate
away at me, knowing those lost hours had been vital – Jonie
might’ve been found alive if only you’d acted straight away. It’s the reason your mother and I grew apart. My inability to let it
go, coupled with my resentment that it was my girl not hers
that was taken, meant I had to step back from the friendship.
But over the years – and by talking things through with Pat,
and then Billy himself – I’ve come to realise I have to be gentle, almost, with you, at least. Allow you to come to the right conclusions slowly, in your own time. Well, with a little help.’
‘Pretty big shove, I’d say,’ Anna said. ‘Torn-off doll’s parts,
cryptic clues, blood-filled bags on the doormat.’
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‘They weren’t just for you, they were for Muriel too. To let her know.’
‘Know what?’
‘That I had learned the truth. I left the other clues too, so
she was sure. Not only the notes but the necklace, the torn,
bloody clothing . . .’
‘What clothing? There wasn’t any.’ Anna frowned.
‘No, I took that when you weren’t looking,’ Lizzie said. She’d
been keeping quiet while Muriel, Anna and Tina had been
talking.
‘Oh. Why?’
‘I thought it was significant to me. I thought it was all for me, seeing as it was my doll, Polly. And the material looked
like a part of my dress, the one I had when I was eight. I
thought if you saw it you’d never believe it wasn’t Billy doing
it.’
‘Yes, Lizzie, it was yours. Or rather it was like it – just as