Bad Sister(29)

After agreeing to stay the whole weekend, Connie hung up, then texted Niall. She’d told herself she should. She’d contemplated asking him to meet her in town, at a bar – but actually, she couldn’t be bothered going out now. Anyway, it was probably too late for him to come over tonight – it was unlikely he’d be around. But she tapped out a message nonetheless. Said she was free now, and if he came back with a ‘no’ – well, at least she’d tried.

The ping came within seconds of her sending the text. He’d be over in half an hour. Wow. Keen. I wonder why? A niggle inside of her. A warning voice. His sudden interest in her again could be to see what information she had about Hargreaves.

She was sounding paranoid, even to herself.

He wanted company, she needed company. Simple as that. Don’t read anything into it that’s not there. Connie gently pushed Amber off her on to the sofa cushion and headed for the shower.

She picked out a pair of linen trousers and a blue short-sleeved silky top. Nothing fancy. She didn’t want to look like she was trying to impress him. A smatter of light make-up, to make her appear brighter than she felt.

The doorbell rang.

Why had her heart rate picked up?

She took a deep breath and answered the door with a smile.

‘Hey, Niall. Long time no see.’ She broke eye contact quickly, tucked her hair behind one ear and then stood aside to let him in.

Niall, dressed casually in a white T-shirt and jeans, stepped inside and bent to kiss her on the cheek. She caught the scent of Boss aftershave. He hadn’t changed. Still the same aftershave, the same haircut – a grade two all over, which she knew was to disguise his balding at the crown – and still the same style of clothes. Looking at him now, it was hard to believe there’d been a year’s gap since seeing him last.

‘You look great.’ His gaze lingered on her as he hovered in the hallway.

‘Thanks.’ Connie doubted he meant that. She looked down at herself self-consciously, knowing full well the last time he’d seen her she’d been a fit, slim size 12. ‘Go on in, then.’ She ushered him into the lounge. The awkwardness was palpable. She was beginning to regret her invitation; it wasn’t as though they could just pick up where they’d left off; she held on to too much animosity for that. Why did she want him here? ‘Tea, coffee?’

‘Oh. Nothing stronger?’

‘I assume you drove here?’

‘No, actually – got a lift from a mate. So, you know—’

‘So you could stay over?’ she blurted.

‘Er … nooo, so I could have a drink was what I was going to say.’ He raised his eyebrows.

Connie made a face. ‘Oh, right.’ She gave an apologetic smile. ‘Um, well, I have wine or lager then, in that case. And when’s your mate picking you back up?’

‘Lager, please. And when I text to say I’m ready.’ He grabbed the TV remote, sat down heavily on the sofa, causing Amber to flee, then settled back and stretched his legs out. Connie bristled. Make yourself at home.

In the kitchen, Connie fiddled with the wine bottle. Should she have any alcohol? She’d let her guard down too easily if her defences were weakened through drinking. That was her usual behaviour. The reason she’d had one-night stands in the past. Her mind flipped to the idea of ‘the list’ and her stomach dropped. She didn’t even know, or couldn’t remember, all of the surnames of the men she’d been with during the past year. How would that look to the police? Niall, however, wasn’t in that category. She knew all about him, and he was in the category labelled ‘traitor’. And if she allowed something to happen between them she’d be really disappointed with herself in the morning. He’d let her down. Dumped her when she’d needed him most. She shouldn’t even be giving him the time of day.

Yet, here he was.

She’d thought it a good idea to have company. Someone she knew, someone who knew her past.

Someone who could have easily spoken to a reporter and linked my name to Hargreaves.

‘Where’ve you gone for the drink – Sainsbury’s?’ Niall’s voice erupted from the other room.

Connie jolted out of her thoughts. She replaced the wine bottle in the fridge, took two cans of lager and returned to the lounge.

‘Here.’ She handed him one of the cans and sat at the other end of the sofa, snapping the ring pull from her own. One lager would be plenty. Enough to relax her, nowhere near enough to make her tipsy. She would stay in control.

But she had another six cans she could ply Niall with.

His tongue would loosen after those. She knew now why she’d wanted him to come to her house.





CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE


Then


Barton Moss Secure Care Centre, Manchester

Dear sis,

How are you? Hope all is good. I’ve been having some kind of therapy sessions. It was scary at first, didn’t want to talk about what happened. Couldn’t even remember that night really. I suppose I’ve blanked it. That’s what Polly said too (she’s my therapist, she’s real nice). She said that my mind has done a good job protecting me. It’s like my brain’s shielding me by stopping my memory from seeing that night. She’s clever, knows stuff. So, I’ve started talking now. I can’t say much ’cos I don’t see it yet. But I’m working on it – actually trying to remember now instead of blocking it.