by Chris Curran
He was right. It all made sense and she wasn’t sure whether she hated Bill or was grateful to him. One thing was sure, she was probably as close to the truth as she was ever going to get. ‘Bill obviously thought it was Sid who wanted my dad killed, but I’m pretty sure it was Cora.’
‘Didn’t matter anyway did it,’ Dennis said. ‘Killing Sid was the same as killing her. She couldn’t go on without him.’
‘Cora sent me a message pretending it was from you, and I hoped you had some evidence to give me.’
His smile made him look like the handsome young man she remembered. ‘Well now you mention it I came today to give you something. I don’t know if you’d call it evidence, but …’ He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. ‘They found my letters to Charlie and used them as a reason to arrest us, but they never got hold of the ones he sent to me.’ He handed the paper to her.
Dearest Dennis,
I’ve had a big bust up with Sid because he made a pass at my Joycie. Thank the Lord I caught him before he got far but the poor kid’s really upset. I told him we were through, but then he said something about Mary. And, Dennis, I think he might have killed her!
All this time I’ve been telling myself she ran away. Not that I ever really believed it. She might have left me but she would never have left Joycie. And the worse thing is Joycie knows that too and I’m scared she thinks I did something to her mum.
And I keep worrying about all those girls that come round to the stage door. Sid always says nothing ever happens unless they want it. But what if he’s lying? What if sometimes he won’t take no for an answer? It’s me the girls come to see and then I go and leave them alone with him. Mary didn’t trust him, but I always defended him because he’s been so good to me over the years. So if he’s hurt any of those girls it’s partly my fault.
We will start again like we planned. Get the nightclub and make a real home for us and for Joycie, but I have to sort this out as well. If Sid killed my Mary he’s got to pay for it.
You know I love you, Dennis, but I loved Mary too and I can’t rest until Joycie knows the truth.
Joycie stared at the letter for ages before she turned to give it back to Dennis. But he wasn’t there, and when she went into the house he had gone. Back in the garden she sat for a long time looking up at the blue and cloudless sky.
***
Acton – March 1951
Joycie is in bed listening to the gramophone playing very softly in the other room. But it isn’t the music that has woken her and she smiles. Before she goes to sleep each night she tells herself to wake up when Dad gets home. It doesn’t always work, but it has tonight.
There’s his voice. ‘Let’s have some Frank Sinatra, eh, Mary. I like him.’
The song is called ‘Blue Skies’, and it’s one she likes too. She slips out of bed and opens her door just a crack. Her mum and dad are dancing slowly together, her mum’s head on his shoulder, eyes closed.
Joycie watches for a bit until Dad turns towards her. He sees her and winks then reaches out a hand and when she runs to him he swings her up between him and Mum. It’s soft and warm and she can smell Mum’s flowery perfume mixing with the sharp scent of the aftershave that always makes Dad shout when he slaps it on.
Mum kisses her cheek and whispers, ‘You should be asleep, naughty girl.’ Then Dad laughs and kisses her too and the three of them sway together to the music. Joycie closes her eyes and sees the blue skies smiling down on them all.
Author’s note
For a fascinating account of the Montagu Case by one of the defendants, as well as an insight into the persecution of homosexuals in 1950s Britain, I recommend Against The Law by Peter Wildeblood.
Acknowledgements
As always very special thanks, and a bubbly IOU, go to my first readers Sue Curran, Moira McDonnell and Jack Farmer. You help to make my writing, and my life, so much better.
Also to Tricia Gilbey, Jo Reed, Claire Whately, Marlene Brown, Barbara Scott-Emmett, Lorraine Mace, Justine Windsor, Liza Perrat, June Whitaker and Karen Milner – insightful critics and constant allies.
I couldn’t be more grateful to the whole team at Killer Reads, especially my wonderful editor, Lucy Dauman, my copyeditor Janette Currie, and the cover designer Cherie Chapman.
To anyone who is passionate about books and takes the time to talk about and review those they have enjoyed I send my heartfelt thanks.
And most of all, for sharing so many perfect days and supporting me through the less than perfect ones, my endless love to my husband, Paul Farmer.
If you enjoyed Her Turn to Cry, try another psychological thriller by Chris Curran:
Five years ago, Clare killed her family – her husband, her father, and one of her twin sons. She has no memory of the car accident, but there is no refuting the evidence of drugs in her system.
Now released from prison, all she wants is to be reconciled with her remaining son. To help him come to terms with her crime, Clare tries to find out the full truth of what happened that night.
Probing into the past, however, turns out to be dangerous exercise, threatening not only Clare’s sanity, but her life…
Click here to order a copy of Mindsight
About the author
Chris Curran worked as an actress and scriptwriter in alternative theatre for several years. She has had short stories published in women’s magazines and she reviews fiction for various publications and blogs. An early draft of her debut, Mindsight, was shortlisted for the Yeovil Literary Prize in 2013.
Her Turn to Cry is her second novel.
@Christi_Curran
Also by Chris Curran
Mindsight
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor
Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London, SE1 9GF
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com
