The Silent Ones: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller(42)

‘Maddy?’ Dana said gently. ‘Have you got anything you want to say?’

The girl’s face looked pale and haunted, her eyes like dark sunken pools of navy blue. Juliet had turned pale and her hands began to shake.

Dana held her breath. Waited.

‘It’s true.’ Maddy spoke so quietly that Dana had to lean forward in her chair to catch her words. ‘I’m the one who hurt Bessie.’





Twenty-Eight





As soon as the words left Brianna’s mouth, Chloe felt her shoulders drop. The tension that had kept her face, neck and chest rigid and almost painful to the touch for most of the interview seemed to seep away in seconds.

‘Good girl,’ she muttered under her breath. ‘Good girl.’

Juliet’s head jerked towards her, and Chloe saw disbelief and denial changing the very fabric of her sister’s face, distorting her pale features. She was looking to Chloe to make it better, just like she used to do when they were kids. But that was a long time ago now. Things had changed and they were on a different playing field altogether.

There was nothing Chloe could say or do to help her. Her loyalty had to be to Brianna alone.

It had taken so much courage for Bree to speak up like that. There were times in the last few hours when Chloe had worried she didn’t have it in her to do so. But her daughter had come through in the end, and she was so proud of her.

She felt sad for Juliet and Tom. But they were their own worst enemies; they’d never been able to see Maddy’s faults. The flaws that were so glaringly evident to the rest of the family.

Like her solitary nature and unwillingness to compromise. A few months earlier, Brianna had got friendly with another girl in their class and invited her over to the house to play during the school holidays. The girl had gone home in tears early, before tea, refusing to say why.

Later, her father had called Chloe and told her that when Brianna went to the bathroom, Maddy told the girl that her cousin had put spiders and insects in her sandwiches and she’d have to eat them otherwise the adults would get very angry.

Chloe had a word with Juliet about it, but Maddy denied everything. She put on a pretty good show, too, a proper little actress.

That kid could be very dark. There was no doubt about it. And now the truth was out at last.

Once they got Brianna safely home, Chloe would do her level best to support her sister and niece. Of course she would. Despite everything, she was fond of Maddy. She’d always believed Brianna was innocent, but she was shocked that Maddy had proved to be such a monster. It chilled her to think what might have happened if the girl had turned her vitriol on her cousin.

The feeling of relief was fantastic. It was a good sign. Hopefully now Chloe could start to resolve the other problems she had.

Dana looked at her. ‘Chloe, if you’d like to leave the room now with Brianna and Carol, I can chat a bit longer here with Juliet and Maddy.’

Chloe stood up and took Brianna’s hand and Carol held open the door. Juliet didn’t look at her or say anything at all.

She placed a well-meaning hand on her sister’s shoulder as they left the interview room, but Juliet shrugged it off.





Twenty-Nine





Dana could see that Juliet Fletcher’s breathing had become erratic. Her chest was rising and falling and she was pulling in too much air and in danger of hyperventilating.

‘Just relax, Juliet.’ Dana told her. ‘Nothing is going to happen immediately because of what Brianna just said. I’m hoping Maddy can shed a bit more light on what happened in Bessie’s house.’

Maddy looked at her mother and back down at her hands.

‘Maddy?’ Juliet said gently, touching her arm. ‘You have to tell the truth and help yourself now in any way you can. Do you understand?’

Maddy gave a faint nod.

‘Anything you can tell us will help us to help you,’ Dana added.

Maddy began to tap the heel of her foot on the floor.

‘Your mum said you’ve not been sleeping well for a few weeks, Maddy. Is that right?’

Maddy shrugged then nodded.

When they’d had their brief chat in Room 15A, Juliet had explained about hearing Maddy walking around her bedroom in the early hours and how she’d started going downstairs and sitting in the armchair, alone in the dark. Juliet had also said Maddy seemed to have a bit of an attitude lately, answering back and refusing to do some tasks like her homework. Apparently this was out of character.

‘Do you know why you’ve felt more restless? Why you can’t seem to relax at night?’ Dana pressed her gently.

Juliet nodded at her daughter to encourage her to speak.

Dana allowed a few moments’ pause. Just as she was about to ask another open-ended question, Maddy spoke up.

‘I just wake up for no reason and then I can’t get back to sleep.’

‘Horrible, isn’t it?’ Dana pulled a face. ‘That sometimes happens to me, too. Mostly when I have stuff on my mind, stuff I’m worried about that comes up in my dreams.’

Maddy nodded.

‘It’s not easy, I know, but I want you to think back to before you went to Bessie’s house. Can you remember if you were worried about something then?’

Maddy thought for a moment. She glanced at Dana and looked quickly at her mum.