Her Mother's Lies: A gripping psychological thriller with a stunning twist

by Rona Halsall

  Fran sighed. ‘He won’t tell me where he is. Says it’s safer for me and Martha if I don’t know.’

  ‘And you really have no idea what’s going on?’

  Anna’s piercing blue eyes questioned the truth of Fran’s story and Fran looked away, squeezing the balled-up tissue a little tighter. Should I tell her? She chewed at her lip, unsure. Anna was a good listener, always ready to stop for a chat and a cup of tea once the work element of their meetings was finished, and an unlikely friendship had gradually developed. She even walked to school with her sometimes to pick up Martha, who was the guinea pig for new stories and was enchanted by the tales of dragons and princesses and magical creatures.

  ‘Look, if I tell you, you’ve got to promise to keep this quiet. Whatever you think, you mustn’t tell a soul, okay?’

  Anna took a sip of her tea and nodded. ‘You can trust me, Fran. I’m just worried about you.’ She reached across the table and gave Fran’s hand a reassuring squeeze. ‘But I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s going on, can I?’

  Fran hung her head. ‘I’m so angry with him. And so… ashamed of what he’s done.’

  Anna took another sip of her tea.

  Fran took a deep breath before the words came out all at once, like a big dollop of sludge that would surely sour the atmosphere, a shameful admission that she could no longer keep to herself. ‘He tried to blackmail somebody.’ There, she’d said it now. Anna’s eyes grew round. Fran nodded. ‘Stupid, stupid man. I told him not to, begged him. But he thought it would be easy money, and since he’s been laid off, he’s struggling to find something else.’

  ‘You didn’t tell me he’d lost his job.’

  Fran looked away, fiddled with her teaspoon. ‘Oh, I didn’t want to bother you with my troubles. We’ve been managing, you know, but unemployment doesn’t suit him. He’s so stroppy and I know it’s because he thinks he should be looking after us, bringing the money in.’ She leant forwards. ‘He’s been chatting to his brothers. I’m sure that’s who put him up to it. They think they’re above the law, the lot of them.’

  Anna’s lips disappeared, her face as pale as milk, and she gave a little shiver, like she’d eaten something bitter. ‘Blackmail. I can’t believe it!’

  Fran puffed out her cheeks. ‘I know. It came out of a stupid argument.’ She took a sip of her tea, wondering how much to tell Anna, but then she remembered one of her mum’s favourite sayings, ‘A problem shared is a problem halved,’ and she continued. ‘We’d had a drink and then it turned into a row because I’m worried about money. And you know how it is when you’ve had a drink and fantasy becomes reality and stupid things seem right…’ Her voice was rising as she spoke, annoyance rattling through her words. ‘Anyway, I went to bed and I thought he’d forgotten the whole stupid thing, but what I didn’t know was he’d rung them up and then things really kicked off.’

  The expression on Anna’s face had progressed from concern to alarm and Fran wondered if telling her had been such a good idea after all. She couldn’t afford to ruin their business relationship and definitely didn’t want to alienate someone who’d become a reliable friend.

  Anna shook her head and tutted. ‘Blackmail’s never going to work out well, is it?’ She frowned. ‘What on earth was he trying to blackmail them about anyway?’

  Fran hugged her mug to her chest, keeping her gaze firmly on the table. ‘Oh, it’s…’ She swallowed. ‘It’s just something that nobody’s supposed to know. Anyway, it all backfired because the person he tried to blackmail sent a couple of “contacts” to give him a message. With their fists and their bloody great boots.’

  Anna’s mouth dropped open, her voice a disbelieving whisper. ‘That’s what happened? He got beaten up?’

  Fran nodded. ‘Pretty bad. I had to get an ambulance. Anyway… they patched him up, and he rang to say he was staying with a friend until he found somewhere else. Said he couldn’t be near us or we’d get a beating too.’

  ‘Oh my goodness, this sounds serious. Maybe you should go to the police?’

  She shook her head. ‘That’s just it. I can’t, can I? Because then all the blackmail stuff will come out and Greg will get banged up in jail.’ Her shoulders slumped as she recognised the hopeless mess she was in. ‘He was doing it for us. I don’t want him to get in trouble. I’m hoping it’ll all blow over.’

  Anna’s fingers tapped on the table, one of her little tics when she was thinking. ‘But now you feel unsafe?’

  Fran nodded. ‘I’ve seen this car going up and down the road, really slowly, like they’re watching me.’

  Anna sat back in her chair, hands clasped to her chest. ‘How horrible. That must be a bit scary, thinking someone’s watching you?’

  ‘It is and I’m worried about Martha. I’m sure I’ve seen that same car near the playground.’

  ‘Goodness, this is sounding worse all the time.’ Anna sounded cross now, indignant on Fran’s behalf. ‘What a predicament.’

  Fran pressed her mouth shut. Tears weren’t far away. ‘And we’re going to lose the house. The landlord just gave us notice.’ She blinked hard. ‘The two things are not unconnected.’ She bit her lip, wondering if she’d said too much. She couldn’t tell Anna the whole truth. Nobody was ever going to know that. Just don’t say any more, she counselled herself, finishing the dregs of her tea.

  Anna’s face softened in sympathy. ‘What a terrible situation. Everything all at once! Isn’t it always the way?’

  Fran dabbed at her eyes, looked away, thinking it was a good job Anna didn’t know everything. Then she really would be shocked.

  Anna finished her tea, taking little sips while she stared over Fran’s shoulder at the wall, where they’d pinned up the latest illustrations so they could choose their favourites.

  She put her mug down and leant forwards, both hands flat on the table. ‘I’ve had an idea. Now you tell me to push off and mind my own business if you like, but… well, you know I think of you more as a friend than a business associate, don’t you?’

  Fran’s heart swelled. In all honesty, Anna was way out of her league, a woman with money – they never talked about it, but you could see it in her clothes and the huge diamond on her left hand, the pearls round her neck, precious stones in her ears. Understated, like only those born into wealth know how to dress.

  Anna continued, looking Fran straight in the eye. ‘I want to help you.’

  Fran thought she knew what was coming and shook her head. ‘Oh no, I don’t want your money, I wasn’t telling you so—’

  Anna wagged a finger at her. ‘No, no just listen. What I’m going to suggest might be a really stupid idea, but I want you to give it some consideration before you give me an answer. Okay?’

  Fran nodded, curious now.

  ‘My family have a couple of holiday cottages in Cornwall. They belonged to a great aunt who left them to me when she died. We used to rent them out, but recently, we haven’t bothered. There’s a bit of work to be done, you see, and with everything that I’m involved with I never seem to have the time to get it sorted. I use one as a little getaway sometimes. I don’t mind roughing it for a few days, but you can’t expect paying guests to, can you? They expect everything to be ship-shape and functioning properly. So, the other cottage is empty. You can use it, if you like. Better that someone’s living in it, you know. Houses don’t like to stand empty.’ She shrugged. ‘It would be brilliant for work, lovely and quiet, and I could come down to sort out what we’re doing with the books and we’d just be next door.’ She raised an eyebrow, cocked her head. ‘Will you think about it?’

  Well, I wasn’t expecting that! Fran stood and picked up their mugs, walked over to the sink to give them a rinse out while she thought. Cornwall? Do I want to go all that way?

  ‘You wouldn’t have to pay rent. Not until the accommodation is up to scratch.’

  Fran stopped what she was doing. No rent. That was something she couldn’t ignore. Being able to afford a roof over t
heir heads was her biggest worry since the landlord had given them notice because they had been paying only a nominal amount for the last nine years. Cornwall was starting to look like a very good option.

  Anna stood and collected her bag, shrugged it over her shoulder. ‘Why don’t you sleep on it and we can chat again tomorrow. I can bring some pictures, then you’ll have a better idea of what you might be letting yourself in for. The cottages are near to Looe, so that’s the closest town. Fabulous countryside and nobody will know you’re there. Safe as you like.’

  Fran showed Anna out and closed the door, leaning on it as her mind sorted through the pros and cons of Anna’s suggestion, stacking them side by side. No rent. She shook her head, hardly able to believe it. That would be such a help. And Anna coming to stay next door would be lovely. In reality, Fran wasn’t tied to a specific place with her work, and somewhere quiet would be better than where they lived now, on the main road. Safe. Anna was right. Nobody would think to look for them there.

  She couldn’t ring Greg as she didn’t have a number where he was staying, and he didn’t ring her. It was a long night of tossing and turning before she finally decided she wouldn’t be getting back to sleep. When she threw open the curtains, at just after six o’clock in the morning, a car was parked right outside her house. The one that she’d thought had been following her around.

  Her heart stuttered and she told herself to calm down. Maybe it belongs to one of the neighbours? She took another look. It was a big black car with tinted windows. Expensive. Nobody on her street would be able to afford anything like that.

  She ran downstairs and looked out of the lounge window, just in time to see it pulling away. She dashed to the door, ready to go outside and get the registration number, and that’s when she saw the piece of paper stuffed through the letterbox.

  You broke the agreement. We can’t trust you. Your turn next. Then Martha.

  By the time Anna arrived, Fran had made up her mind. She explained what had happened, showed Anna the note and watched her expression harden as she read. ‘Honestly, Fran, you need to tell the police.’

  Fran shook her head. ‘I told you, I can’t.’ She chewed at a fingernail. ‘Look, I don’t want to go into all the ins and outs of it. But I can’t go to the police. It’s not just Greg that would get into trouble, and then… who’d look after Martha?’

  Anna looked thoughtful. ‘Okay, well, here’s an idea for you. I planned to go down to the cottages this weekend to give them an airing and make a list of maintenance jobs. I can take you and Martha with me. Nobody will know. But you won’t be able to take much, just a suitcase, so it looks like you’re going on holiday if anyone’s watching.’

  Fran swallowed.

  ‘I can always come back and pick up other things and bring them down with me the next time I come.’ Anna was all businesslike now. ‘Nobody will ever know where you are.’

  Fran nodded. As a temporary measure, it would be as good as any while she worked out what to do next. Backed into a corner, she really had no other option.

  Thirteen

  Martha

  Now

  The cabin was perfect. It was midweek and none of the surrounding cabins, which were scattered up the slope of a wooded hillside, appeared to be occupied, theirs being the only car in the car park for this section of the holiday park. Nice and anonymous. There were two small bedrooms, a tiny bathroom and an open-plan lounge and kitchen. Outside there was decking front and back, where visitors could sit and enjoy the views.

  Martha was still feeling shaken after the incident with Greg, and although Izzy did her best to reassure her, the whole scene kept replaying itself in her mind, bringing flushes of panic each time she got to the end of their encounter and could see Greg lying on the floor. Did I really do that? It was so out of character, letting her anger get the better of her.

  It was just after midnight by the time they’d got themselves sorted out and she was glad to head for bed, desperate to stop her mental torture and find the blankness of sleep.

  Tomorrow is another day, she told herself. Let’s hope it’s better than today.

  The curtains were thin and moonlight flickered around the room as clouds scudded across the sky. It took a little while for sleep to come. She listened to Izzy pottering about, the sound of doors opening and closing until everything was quiet and, finally, she drifted into a turbulent sleep.

  She woke suddenly, something having startled her, and she lay still, listening. There, a noise! What was that? Her body tensed. She had the distinct feeling she was being watched, a prickling on the back of her neck. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes, but she was lying on her side, facing the window, her back to the rest of the room. A little squeak and a click, maybe the soft scuff of a footstep on the carpet? In her alert state, sounds magnified, the swirling wind in the trees becoming a roar, the sudden splatter of rain against the window like the rattle of gunfire. Then she heard the toilet flush and the sound of a door closing and she relaxed. Just Izzy going to the loo.

  She turned over, now she was sure there was nobody there, and lifted herself onto her elbows to scan the room. Empty. She flopped back on her pillow and pulled the duvet around her, tried to settle back to sleep, but a troublesome thought wouldn’t allow it.

  Was Izzy in my room? Martha thought she might have been, was sure she hadn’t been alone when she woke. Probably just checking I’m okay. She nodded to herself. Izzy had adopted the role of older sister and Martha knew she was concerned about her. Nothing to worry about. In fact, that’s quite nice, isn’t it? Someone concerned about me.

  It took her quite a while to get back to sleep, ears straining to hear every sound.

  Martha didn’t stir until after ten the next morning, and when she emerged from the bedroom, Izzy was already up and sitting at the table, an empty plate in front of her. She looked up and smiled. ‘Sleep well?’

  Martha ran her hands through tangled hair. ‘I’m not used to sleeping anywhere but at home and I kept hearing noises. It took me a while to get to sleep, but once I was properly out it was fine. Comfy bed.’ She yawned and stretched. ‘I know it’s awful to say but it’s so lovely not having to worry about Mum. You know at home, I’m sure I don’t sleep properly because I’m worried about her falling down the stairs or doing something stupid, like leaving the cooker on when she gets the munchies in the middle of the night.’ She covered another yawn with her hand. ‘That’s happened a couple of times.’

  Izzy gave her a sympathetic look. ‘Aw, can’t be easy, but I’m glad you had a good night.’ She jumped up from her seat. ‘What can I get you? Tea or coffee? I popped to the site shop and got a few bits and pieces. I’ve got cereal or eggs and toast? Bacon butty?’ She smiled at Martha, eager as a puppy about to go for a walk.

  ‘Wow, you’re organised.’ Martha rubbed at her eyes. ‘I’ve not really woken up yet.’ She looked towards the bathroom. ‘I think I’ll grab a shower first. That might do the trick.’

  Izzy sat back down, hands clasped together on the table. ‘No problem. I don’t suppose we’re in a rush, are we?’

  Martha held on to the back of a chair, uneasy as her brain clicked into gear, reminding her of the plan for the day. ‘Look, I’ve been thinking…’ She stumbled to a halt, the words refusing to come out. She’d brought Izzy on a wild goose chase, halfway across the country, and she was feeling bad about it. It’s better to be honest, she reassured herself. Just say it. ‘I’m not sure I want to go back and talk to Greg. I think he’s told me everything I need to know. He’s not my dad. Not my biological one anyway. So, I suppose I’m…’ She bit her lip and looked at the floor, hesitating. ‘I’m nothing to him. He made that very clear.’ She glanced up from under her lashes. ‘I’m not sure we’d achieve anything by going back.’

  Izzy raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. ‘Well, it’s your choice. I’m just the support team, so I’ll follow your lead whatever you want to do.’ She hesitated for a moment, frowned. ‘Tell me
if I’m wrong but I thought you wanted to know what happened to break your family apart all those years ago. Wasn’t that the whole point of coming here to find him?’

  Martha could understand why Izzy would be confused by this sudden change of heart, and felt a flush of heat travel up her body. ‘I do want to know. But I think Mum is the one who has the answers.’

  ‘I thought you said she wouldn’t talk to you about it?’

  ‘I know. I know, but now she’s poorly, maybe I can persuade her that she needs to tell me everything.’

  Izzy was quiet for a moment, her eyes on the table. ‘Look, I’m not trying to call the shots here, but I’ve always found that it’s best to stick to plan A.’ She looked up and smiled. ‘The worst thing that can happen is he’ll tell us to bugger off. But don’t you think, having come all this way, we should at least give it a try? You never know, you might get some answers.’ She shrugged. ‘I bet he feels bad about yesterday too. I mean, he must have known that the truth would hurt. Perhaps now he’s had time to think about it, he’ll be more welcoming.’ She looked down, brushing crumbs off the table and into her hand, depositing them on her plate.

  The silence lingered between them while Martha considered the alternatives, trying to decide if she could face being chased away again. Finally, she cleared her throat and Izzy looked at her, expectantly.

  ‘Okay. I suppose you’re right. But what if he threatens to call the police… to report me for GBH or something?’ Just saying the words sent a chill through Martha’s body. This was her real concern.

  Izzy laughed. ‘We run away, is what we do. We run away.’ She shooed Martha towards the bathroom. ‘You worry too much, that’s your problem. Go and get your shower and I’ll put the kettle on.’