One Mistake: A totally unputdownable gripping psychological thriller

by Rona Halsall

  ‘Fiona’s picking them up just before lunch, so we’ll have all afternoon to try and get into Matt’s office and find evidence of what he’s up to.’ Sara was looking at her notebook, scanning through all the things she’d jotted down, which now amounted to a few pages. ‘That’s got to be a priority, hasn’t it? When he was telling me about his contract, he said he just did the nuts-and-bolts work, but I suppose he has to check that the website’s working, and verify users and all that stuff?’ She scrunched up her nose. ‘What do you think, Hailey? Are we jumping to conclusions, or do you think the video of me was posted on whatever site he’s been building?’

  Hailey was deep in thought, tracing the pattern of knots in the wood of the kitchen table with a finger. When she didn’t respond, Sara carried on with her train of logic, arriving at the question she couldn’t answer. ‘Why else would someone send it to him?’

  Hailey looked up and leant across the table.

  ‘Like I said before, what if it’s someone who wants to break up your marriage? Someone like James. As I see it, he’s using this debt to slowly take control of your life.’ Their eyes met, Hailey’s words articulating thoughts that had already been gathering in Sara’s mind, like storm clouds massing in the distance. ‘The video has separated you from your husband and broken up your family. Then there’s this new job offer, which is just another way of getting closer to you, manipulating you, because as a single mum you’ll be dependent on him for your income.’ Hailey gave her a hard stare. ‘And he still hasn’t told you the terms of the deal, has he?’ Sara shook her head. ‘It’s not a deal at all. He’s bought you. I think that’s how he sees it. He’s playing a game, getting his kicks from knowing what’s going on, while you’re clueless.’

  Sara sighed, certain her sister was right. ‘He said I could stay with him as well, if I was stuck.’

  Hailey snorted. ‘Yeah, like that’s going to happen. No way are you going to do that.’ She stared at Sara, eyes narrowing. ‘Tell me you didn’t actually consider it.’

  Sara blushed, flapped a hand, dismissing the suggestion. ‘God, no. But the point is, he was really shocked about the video. Honestly, he was. I’m convinced nobody could act his response. And I just felt… he was properly worried about me.’ She stared at the wall as she re-enacted the scene in her mind. ‘He wanted to go to the police about it. If he had sent the video to Matt, why would he suggest that?’ She rubbed her temples with her fingers. ‘God, my head’s going to burst with all this. I’m so confused. I don’t know what to believe.’

  ‘Look, we can theorise as much as we like, but what we need is evidence.’ Hailey had a determined glint in her eye. ‘We need to confront both of them – Matt and James – goad them into telling us more than they should, or even confessing, and make sure we’ve recorded the conversations. Even if it’s just a snippet when they’re off guard, hopefully that’ll be enough to go to the police and get this thing properly sorted.’

  Sara blanched. ‘I can’t go to the police, can I? Not when I stole that money. I can’t risk it. We’ve got to sort this out without the authorities getting involved.’

  Hailey’s jaw clenched, eyes closing for a moment. ‘I keep forgetting about that.’

  ‘Well, I don’t, because that’s what started this whole thing off. If I hadn’t been in debt to James, I wouldn’t have gone to that networking event and met that creep and then…’ She slapped her hands to her cheeks as a crystal-clear memory flew into her mind. The one that had been lurking on the edge, blurry and indistinct, avoiding being seen. Now it was so obvious, she wondered why she hadn’t seen it earlier. ‘The man with the ring! I do know who it was. Lewis. It was definitely bloody Lewis.’

  Hailey looked confused. ‘Who’s Lewis?’

  ‘He was the organiser of the sales event. Sat opposite me on our table, kept staring at me.’

  Her mind scurried around, gathering up all the little bits and pieces of memories and putting them together into a full picture. And when she looked at it afresh, she was drawn to a horrible conclusion.

  ‘What if the whole networking event was a sham, a front for something else? Bear with me if this sounds a bit off-the-wall, but it’s in my head now, so I’ve got to say it.’ She hesitated, hoping Hailey wouldn’t think she was being melodramatic.

  ‘Come on then, spit it out.’ Hailey frowned, impatient.

  ‘What if it was a showcase, for men to choose the women they wanted? Then arrangements were made to give them access, either on the night itself or at a future time?’ Her thoughts raced ahead. ‘James said the weekend away was a special offer to network members, that’s why there was no flexibility with dates.’ She met Hailey’s puzzled gaze. ‘It makes some sort of sense, doesn’t it?’

  Hailey’s jaw dropped, her hand covering her mouth. ‘Oh my God, that would be horrendous if it’s true. But we can’t discount it, can we? We’ve got to leave it as a possibility.’ She thought for a moment. ‘Perhaps you could confront James with it. See how he reacts. And video any conversations you have with him, if you can. Then we’ll have facial expressions as well as his voice for evidence.’

  Evidence? Sara shook her head, adamant. ‘No police,’ she said. ‘I already told you that.’

  Hailey gave an exasperated sigh. ‘Look, I know it’s not ideal, but if you really want to get this sorted out once and for all, you’re going to need the police.’ Her expression softened. ‘I just don’t think it’s as big a deal as you imagine. We could go and talk to Fiona together if you like. Explain everything and beg for clemency. She’s your friend, isn’t she? I’m sure she’d understand.’

  Would she? Sara wondered, her heart racing now as the implications of Hailey’s plan sank in. From her experience of working with Fiona, she’d proved to be quite strict as far as rules were concerned, and she took her responsibilities as board chairperson very seriously. ‘No, I can’t take the risk.’

  Hailey stared at her for a moment, then her shoulders slumped in defeat. ‘Okay, well it’s your shout. We won’t think about getting the police involved just yet. We can speak to James and Matt, record the conversations should we need them as evidence in the future, then decide what happens next. Do it in stages.’

  It seemed like the best approach, certainly more palatable than the alternative. ‘Speaking to James is pretty straightforward,’ Sara said. ‘I can do it at the community centre. Get him to come into the office, I’ll set up my phone to record our conversation and he won’t suspect a thing.’

  ‘Perfect. Sounds like a plan. The question is, who do we tackle first?’

  Sara thought for a moment. ‘Let’s talk to Matt. We know exactly where he is, and we can do it together. I know this sounds pathetic, but after last time, I can’t face talking to him on my own.’

  Her phone pinged and she had a quick look, thinking it was going to be a message from the girls, or even Matt, objecting to their last-minute holiday plans, but it wasn’t.

  She frowned, glanced up at Hailey. ‘It’s James. He wants to meet me. Now. Says it’s urgent.’ Adrenaline fired through her veins, her heart racing. ‘He’s got information about the video.’

  She checked the time. Ten o’clock.

  ‘It’s a bit late to be meeting, isn’t it?’ Hailey voiced Sara’s own thoughts.

  ‘Yeah, you’re right.’ She chewed at her lip, deliberating. ‘But what if he’s found out the truth? What if he knows who’s behind it all?’

  Hailey stood and yawned, clearly exhausted after a difficult day. ‘Your decision. I’m way past being able to decide anything.’ She went to the fridge and pulled out another bottle of wine, unscrewed the cap and poured some into a glass. ‘I’ll stay with Ezra if you really want to go.’

  Sara swallowed, nervous about the idea of meeting James, given all their theories. Her hands twisted together as she dithered. ‘Oh God, I don’t know. Is it a good idea?’

  ‘Where does he want to meet?’

  ‘In the car park on the moors. Says nobody
will see us talking there.’

  Hailey’s mouth dropped open in horror. ‘What? No, don’t be ridiculous! You can’t go up there on your own at this time of night. No way are you doing that.’

  Sara tapped out a message on her phone, telling him no, glad that her sister had persuaded her against it. Stupid idea, she reassured herself, though a part of her still wanted to know what he’d found out. She stopped typing, looked at Hailey.

  ‘What if I call you when I get there and leave the line open, then you’ll be able to hear what’s going on and can get help if there’s a problem?’

  Hailey looked at her like she’d grown a couple of horns and turned into a fantastical beast.

  ‘Sara, no. Think about it. There’s plenty of places you can meet where nobody will see you. And anyway, why does it have to be so secret? I really don’t understand that. Surely it would be safer to meet where people can see you?’

  Sara got up and pulled on Hailey’s jacket, which had been draped over the back of a chair. She wasn’t sure if this was the most stupid thing she’d ever done in her life, but the desire to know what James had discovered was stronger than the desire to stay.

  It was a cloudy night, pitch black in the car park when she pulled up, hands clammy and slippery on the steering wheel. James’s car wasn’t there, and as she waited for him to arrive, eyes nervously scanning the entrance to the parking area, she began to hope he’d changed his mind. Her phone pinged. Another message lit her screen.

  I’m at the quarry.

  She hesitated a moment, the hairs standing up on the back of her neck. This didn’t feel right, not good at all. How was she going to find her way up there in the dark? And why the quarry?

  She wound down the window, a damp mist now billowing around outside, making visibility almost zero. Sod this for a game of soldiers, she said to herself as she glanced around the car park. Even with the torch from her phone, all she could see was a wall of white as the mist enveloped the car.

  Muffled shouts in the distance made her heart jump up her throat. What was that? She held her breath, body rigid, listening. Another shout.

  This is a stupid idea. She wondered if the messages were some sort of practical joke. Or something more sinister? A shiver ran through her body. She wound up the window and rang James, determined to do things on her terms, not his. We can talk in my car, she decided. I’m not going out there.

  His phone rang and rang, but there was no answer. She sent a message and waited, but nothing came back. After ten minutes, she started the car and drove to Hailey’s house, confused and angry that he’d dragged her out on a wild goose chase.

  ‘I’ve no idea what that was all about,’ she said to Hailey when she got back, teeth chattering with cold. ‘There was nobody there. The mist was down, couldn’t see a bloody thing. I thought I heard something, but sound travels up there when it’s still, doesn’t it? Really misleading. It could just as easily have been people at the pub.’

  ‘Well, I’m glad you’re back,’ Hailey said, giving her a hug before releasing her and going into big-sister mode. ‘You shouldn’t have gone off like that on your own. We said we’d do this together, didn’t we?’

  Sara gave an apologetic smile and tried to ring James again. Still no answer. What on earth was he playing at?

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Hailey woke her the next morning, gently shaking her shoulder.

  ‘You’re going to want to see this,’ she whispered.

  Sara slid out of bed, trying not to disturb Ezra, wondering what had happened.

  ‘It’s not the girls, is it?’

  Hailey shook her head and beckoned for her to follow her out into the hall. She was still in her pyjamas, hair mussed up. She showed Sara her phone, a news report: Local man found unconscious in Ilkley Quarry.

  Sara’s gut wrenched as she read the article. It was James. She blinked a few times, trying to clear the sleep from her eyes, wondering if she’d read it right, and scanned the brief report again. Found by dog walkers. He had head injuries and had been kept in hospital for observation. Police were keeping an open mind and were asking for witnesses.

  Her hands covered her mouth as she looked at Hailey. ‘Oh my God! I heard a shout when I was there last night. I wonder if that was him.’

  ‘Problem is, it messes up our plan to get things sorted out while the girls are away.’ Hailey tapped her chin with her phone, lost in thought. ‘Mind you, if he’s in hospital…’ She gave Sara a slow smile. ‘Well, they encourage visitors. Nobody will think it odd if you go and see him, will they?’

  Sara thought for a moment. ‘I suppose his dad might be there, but he’s only just out of hospital himself, and he’s still not well, so I doubt he’ll be visiting. Anyway, he’s got the business to run. It’ll all be on him again if James is in hospital.’

  ‘I’ll wait outside while you go in,’ Hailey said. She gave a satisfied smile. ‘There’ll be no running away, and if he’s in a weakened state, we might just have a chance of getting something close to the truth.’

  A little hand landed on Sara’s leg, making her jump, and she turned to see Ezra, sleepy-eyed, behind her. She glanced at Hailey, who understood they should save the rest of the conversation for later, when Ezra was on his play date with the girl next door and they could talk openly.

  Hailey had taken the day off, and once Ezra was happily playing with Holly, the sisters got ready for their first mission of the day – talk to Matt. Visiting hours at the hospital weren’t until after twelve, so James would have to wait. Sara had rung the hospital and found out which ward he was in. Apparently he had concussion and a broken wrist but was comfortable and could have visitors.

  She was still bothered about his accident, unsure why he would have chosen to meet up at the quarry when he hadn’t been worried about them being seen together previously. And he’d had something to tell her. She had a horrible feeling that maybe it hadn’t been an accident at all. She’d heard shouting, hadn’t she? Had someone attacked him? She told herself not to get carried away. She’d find out this afternoon, and in the meantime, she needed to focus on Matt.

  Hailey was being slow to get ready and Sara was desperate to see her girls, even if only from a distance, so she told her sister she’d go on ahead and wait for her at the house.

  Their home was on a hill, and she pulled up behind a car at the top of the road, where there was a slight curve. In this position, she could see down the pavement to the house, but her vehicle was more or less hidden. Fiona would be coming from the other direction to collect the girls, so there was no danger of Sara being spotted. She sat for a moment looking at the street of gritstone terraces, with their neat gardens and tidy hedges, sadness infusing her very bones. There were two blocks of five houses on each side of the road, a gap between each block giving access to the backs of the houses where the garages were. It all looked so normal, so benign. Who could tell that at number 5, there was a family being torn in two?

  Ten minutes later, Fiona drew up in her huge black 4x4 and jumped out of the driver’s seat, dressed in skinny jeans and a T-shirt, her blonde hair gleaming in the sun. Sara grabbed the kids’ binoculars that Ezra used for wildlife watching up on the moors, wanting to get a better look.

  Fiona rang the doorbell, and a few moments later, Matt answered and ushered her inside. That’s my house, Sara thought. I should be there with my children, not out here watching. Anger burned in her heart as she watched her daughters come out and hug their father goodbye before getting in the car, Fiona fussing about with bags, making sure they were all neatly stowed in the boot.

  Once the girls were settled, Fiona ran back to the house and went inside, the door closing behind her. Sara frowned. What was she doing? Had they forgotten something? Five minutes later, she came back out again, Matt behind her. He stood on the doorstep leaning against the frame, hands in his pockets, watching Fiona walk back to the car.

  Does she look a little flustered? Flushed. Sara changed her focus
to Matt, studying his familiar face. A face she’d woken up to almost every day for the last eighteen years. A face that… Is that a smudge of lipstick? Her heart skipped a beat and she dropped the binoculars as her mind came to the obvious conclusion. Fiona and Matt? By the time she’d picked the binoculars up off the floor to have another look, Fiona was pulling away from the kerb, doing a neat three-point turn while Matt gave the girls a cheery wave. He watched the car until it turned right at the end of the road, then disappeared inside the house. The front door shut.

  Fired with an indignant rage – her thinking blurred by hurt – Sara got out of the car and ran down the road. She stopped at the front door and took a moment to calm herself down. It would be better if she was stealthy, if she had the advantage of surprise. As quietly as she could, she slid her key into the lock, but it wouldn’t go all the way in. She stared at it, tried again, then realisation dawned. He’s changed the locks.

  Her neighbour came out of her front door, glanced over. ‘Morning, Sara,’ she called. ‘Another lovely day.’

  Sara gave her a tight smile and walked away, pretending she’d been coming out of the house rather than trying to get in. She stalked back up the road to her car, got in and drove away, her mind a haze of racing thoughts. The changing of the locks felt like a big thing. A permanent thing. A statement that she was no longer welcome, that she’d been evicted and wasn’t going to be allowed back.

  Whatever ideas she’d had that she and Matt might be able to repair their relationship, given time and patience, had well and truly been stomped into the dirt. It all made sense now: Fiona’s friendliness, getting to know the girls, creating situations where she and Matt could be together, like at the football. And giving Sara the job at the community centre, which made sure she was out of the house. Christ, I am so stupid. So very, very stupid. Her hands tightened round the steering wheel as if they were wrapped round Fiona’s throat.