by Maggie James
Relief flooded her face. ‘Of course. I get that.’
‘I won’t pretend I can overlook everything that’s happened. I do understand, though. You were in shock after what happened at the cliff. You didn’t mean those things you said the other day.’
‘What about at the cottage? Or before? I tried to con money from you. I’m every bit as bad as ...’ She shuddered. ‘Him.’
I shook my head. ‘Not even close.’
‘How can I blame you?’ I continued. ‘I fell victim to him too.’
She gulped back a sob. ‘I’ve never hated you. You have to believe me.’
‘He was behind the whole revenge thing, wasn’t he?’ She’d already said as much during our argument at the cottage.
‘Yes. He instructed me what to do, what to say. If he’d told me to dance naked through the streets, I’d have done it.’
‘He groomed you. As well as pumping you for information about me.’ I realised how Scott had known to play the ‘shy guy’ role, among other things.
She nodded. ‘He twisted all of it into something bad. He said you were a lousy sister, persuaded me I should hate you. Insisted you were responsible for Alyson’s death. In the end I hadn’t a clue what was true and what wasn’t.’
‘That’s how men like him operate.’
‘Steven made the pain over Alyson go away, you see. If I blamed you, I couldn’t be guilty. After that, believing everything else he said came easily.’
Wow. The bastard had reached parts of her I’d considered untouchable. That gave me something on which to ponder.
‘I always felt so strong, so capable, when I was with him,’ Ellie said. ‘For me, that acted like a drug.’
‘You became hooked on him.’
‘Yeah.’ A pause. Then: ‘What happened?’ She sniffed. ‘On the cliff top, I mean. I heard him scream. The next minute he was dead.’
I drew in a breath. ‘He slipped in the mud. Wasn’t able to regain his balance. Not with his injured ankle.’
Pain crossed Ellie’s face. It was important I tell her the whole truth, though. ‘He had a knife. He would have stabbed you.’
Ellie shuddered. ‘What was it he said? “Give me one reason I shouldn’t slice the bitch”.’ Her eyes held so much hurt I ached for her.
I prayed my next words wouldn’t alienate her forever. ‘I threw a rock at him. That’s why he fell.’
She stared at me, her eyes wide. ‘All I wanted was to protect you,’ I said.
‘You killed him?’
I moistened my dry lips. ‘I never meant to, I swear.’
Silence for a while. My nerves stretched tight with apprehension.
A sob. Then: ‘I’m glad he’s dead. You were right, and I was wrong.’
I pulled her into my arms again, figuring a hug would work better than words.
‘I loved every inch of that man.’ Sadness in her voice. ‘Now all I feel for him is hatred.’
‘Me too.’
‘I felt so ashamed after you left yesterday. That thing you said about only wanting to take care of me? I knew it was true, however much I pretended otherwise.’
‘Remember what else I told you. I can change. In the future, any help I give will be on your terms, not mine. And only if you ask for it.’
‘Thank you.’ A pause. ‘I’ve always loved you, despite how badly I’ve behaved. Can I say something, though?’
‘Anything.’
‘You were awfully bossy at times. Sorry, but it’s the truth.’
Ouch. She was right though. ‘Shades of Mum, hey? Seems I’ve inherited her controlling streak.’
‘I realise you meant well, but it often got a bit much.’
‘I get that.’
Another pause. ‘Can I admit something else? I’ve always been jealous of you.’
‘Why? Because you thought Dad preferred me?’
‘Partly. But also because of Caroline, the closeness you share. I don’t have any friends, so I enjoyed causing trouble between you two. How warped is that?’
‘It doesn’t matter. Not now.’ I’d already realised Scott had manipulated Ellie into telling Caroline - and Mum - about losing money to Steven Simmons. All part of his plan to sow discord.
‘There’s more. I hated the fact you’re so switched on about money. That day we ate lunch at your new place? I was almost sick with envy. My little flat seemed so poky in comparison. When I told Steven, he said we’d soon be living in luxury in America.’ She shook her head. ‘How could I have been so gullible?’
‘He was very persuasive, Els.’
She burst into tears again. ‘I can’t cope with any of this. Falling so hard for Steven, his betrayal, then him dying the way he did.’
I hesitated, unsure whether my words would be well received. ‘You want my opinion?’
‘What is it?’
‘You’ve never come to terms with Alyson’s death. Until you do, you’ll always struggle mentally.’
Fear crossed her face. Tread carefully, I warned myself. ‘Have you told your counsellor the full story?’
She shook her head, her eyes stricken. ‘I lied to her about what happened, like I did with everyone else. I can’t think about that night. If I do, I end up wanting to kill myself.’
‘If you don’t, the guilt will continue to fester. Haven’t you punished yourself enough?’
‘No. My best friend died because of me.’
I took her hands. ‘Can I make a suggestion?’ She nodded.
‘How about seeing a psychiatrist instead?’ Panic flitted into her eyes, but I carried on regardless. ‘One experienced in dealing with guilt issues.’
‘I’m not sure.’ She pulled away.
‘Steven convinced you to feel better about Alyson, even if only temporarily. If that bastard could manage it, so can a trained professional. But only if you tell the truth. No more bottling stuff up. Mum and I will support you all the way.’
‘You will?’
‘We’re both here for you. You spend too much time on your own, and that’s not healthy.’
She nodded. ‘You’re right. I get so lonely sometimes.’
Time to play my trump card. ‘Mum asked me last night whether she should sell the cottage. What do you think?’
My words had taken her by surprise, I could tell. ‘You want my opinion?’
‘Of course. You’ve loved it there every bit as much as we have. Now, though ...’ I shook my head. ‘All my happy memories are tainted.’
‘And Mum feels the same?’
‘Yes.’
‘I do too. But how does this relate to me needing help?’
‘She’s rattling around in that house all by herself. It’s way too big for her now Dad’s dead and we’ve both left home. Mum suggested selling both it and the cottage and buying somewhere smaller.’
‘I still don’t understand how that benefits me.’
‘In two ways. She’s proposing to split the leftover funds three ways, so you’d get a third. More than enough to replace what Steven Simmons stole. And she wants you to live with her. She told me she gets lonely too. You’d be company for each other.’
Ellie didn’t reply and worry nibbled at me. Did she think I was interfering again? But it was Mum’s idea, not mine; I was only the messenger.
‘You’ve always got on better with her than I have,’ I said. ‘And I’d be a frequent visitor. You’ll get sick of the sight of me.’
‘You live in Spain now. We’d only see you every couple of months, if that.’
‘Wrong. I’m coming back to Bristol. For good.’
‘You are?’ Such hope in her voice.
‘Yes.’
Tears filled her eyes. ‘I’ve missed you so much. That was partly why I got so angry with you. I needed my big sister more than I wanted to admit.’
Relief swamped me. We’d come a long way since Ellie’s fake suicide bid. We still had a difficult road to travel, sure. Psychiatric support for her, finding out whether one or both of us
might face prosecution. We’d get there, though. Together.
‘I could sell my flat,’ Ellie said. ‘Help contribute towards the new place.’
‘Or maybe rent it out. Think of the extra income.’ Too late, I heard myself. ‘There I go again, trying to run your life. Seems it’s a hard habit to break.’
To my relief, she laughed. ‘You’ll do your best. You always do.’
I stroked my fingers over the gold bracelet around her wrist. ‘To new beginnings,’ I said.
‘To new beginnings,’ Ellie echoed. Our father would have been proud. Of that I was sure.
Epilogue
ONE WEEK LATER
A glass of whisky in hand, I leaned back against my pillows, the day almost over. Only one thing remained for me to do. I took a sip of Lagavulin, then opened my laptop and logged on to Love Rats Exposed. After all that had happened, Broken and Betrayed and Anna deserved some closure.
By then, the police had contacted both women, of course. They would know Scott, a.k.a. Rick Montgomery and Michael Hammond to them, was dead. Not the finer details, though, in light of the ongoing investigation.
The radio button by Broken and Betrayed’s profile indicated she was online. Not Anna, not yet.
No rush. I could afford to wait, or log on again tomorrow if necessary. The alcohol warmed my belly as I eyed the screen on my laptop. Twenty minutes later the radio button next to Anna’s profile turned green.
I opened up the private message box, added their names, and began to type. No need to reveal everything, just the gist of what happened on the cliff edge that night.
‘It’s over,’ I finished. ‘He’ll never fool any woman ever again.’
Within a few minutes Broken and Betrayed replied. ‘I’m glad he’s dead. Is that awful of me?’
‘No,’ I typed. ‘Just human. I feel the same way, believe me. So does my sister.’
‘How’s she doing?’
‘Pretty good, all things considered. I reckon she’ll be fine, given time.’
A post from Anna. ‘I feel as though Sophie got justice at last. Thanks to you.’
‘That was all I ever wanted,’ I posted. ‘For that bastard to get what he deserved. Once the police enquiry has been wrapped up, I intend to delete my profile on this site.’
‘I’ll be doing the same,’ Anna responded.
‘Me too,’ typed Broken and Betrayed. ‘Like Sophie, I also got justice. It’s time to move on.’
‘I’ve not seen Heartbroken Helen on here for a while,’ Anna posted. ‘Maybe she’s also moved on.’
‘I hope so,’ Broken and Betrayed replied. ‘She was always so supportive, wasn’t she?’
I had no idea whether to laugh or cry. I’d not told them everything, after all.
With a wry shake of my head, I drained my whisky. ‘Goodnight, both of you,’ I typed. ‘And good luck.’
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