I Know the Truth

by M A Comley

  “Go on then, if you insist. Can you drop me back to Trisha’s? I left my car there.”

  “Of course.”

  Twenty minutes later, he switched off the engine outside Trisha’s house. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Honestly, maybe it was too much excitement to cram into one day. I’ll see you tomorrow. Where do you want to meet?”

  “Shall I pick you up from home?”

  “No, don’t do that. Meet me here instead.”

  “Is there any reason you don’t want me to know where you live?”

  Her chin rested on her chest. “I’m ashamed of it. Trisha has asked me to move in. I’m hoping to do that in the next few weeks. I’m waiting on a call back from the landlord.”

  “This seems a nice area, I’m glad you’re switching. Can I help you move your stuff?”

  “You’re so sweet. I’ll be okay, I don’t have many belongings, not really.”

  “The offer stands.”

  “Thanks. What time tomorrow?”

  “Around twelve. I’ll ring up and book a table for one o’clock, how’s that?”

  “Great. I’ll see you then.”

  He leaned in for another kiss that appeared to starve her of breath, and she almost caved in, changing her mind about spending extra time with him.

  She pulled away and smiled. “Until tomorrow.”

  “I’ll look forward to it. Can I ring you later, if I get lonely?”

  Lucy chuckled. “Of course. Not too late, a girl needs her beauty sleep.”

  “Some might, you definitely don’t.”

  “Charmer. See you. Oh, and thank you for a wonderful day.”

  “I’ll get your bags. What will you do with the extra food?”

  “Trisha had her eye on a few things. I’m sure she’ll take them off my hands.”

  He carried the bags to the door and kissed her on the cheek. She waved him off until he turned into the next road. Once inside, she dropped her bags and was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. Trisha came into the hallway and found her crumpled and on her knees.

  “Shit! Lucy, what’s wrong? Has he hurt you?”

  Tears stinging her eyes, she glanced up at her concerned friend. “No. He didn’t do anything wrong. I’ve had a ‘different day’, shall we say.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I’ll tell you over a coffee.”

  Trisha helped her to her feet, and between them they carried the bags into the kitchen.

  “Sit! Tell me what’s gone on. If he’s hurt you…”

  “He hasn’t. It wasn’t him. However, what occurred affected the rest of the day. I couldn’t wait to escape. Oh God, even to my ears that doesn’t make sense. My mind is so muddled. I’ve had to be on my guard today. A few things slipped out that weren’t intended.”

  Trisha placed a mug of coffee on the table and sat opposite her. “Dangerous things? You’ll need to give me more than that, love.”

  She went over the day’s events, starting at the adventure park. Trisha listened and nodded and gasped in all the right places, appreciating what she had gone through.

  “So, this brother of his, tell me about him?”

  “He’s inquisitive I suppose would be the best way to describe him.”

  “Do you foresee him causing trouble between you?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know would be the honest answer. When I was in his company…alone with him…I was back there, in my living hell, all over again. I can’t go through that again, Trisha, I just can’t.”

  “Did it alter things between you and Matthew, is that what you’re telling me?”

  “I don’t think so and yet, I put an early end to our day. I’m so mixed up right now. My head’s a mess. Do I continue seeing Matthew or not? What if his brother gets suspicious and starts digging into my past, what then?”

  Trisha scratched the back of her neck. “Crap, you’ve had five years of putting your life back on track, only for Matthew to walk in and turn your once stable life upside down. I’m trying to put myself in your position, but I can’t. Only you can truly say whether you’re willing to continue seeing Matthew or not. You’re going to have to balance things, see which wins, your heart or your head. If you have any doubts…”

  “I should call it a day with him, is that what you’re saying?”

  “Love, honestly, I don’t know what to suggest. If I tell you what to do and you go ahead and do it but end up spending the rest of your life miserable, then where would that leave us?”

  Lucy sighed and shook her head. “I could never blame you. I trust you. You’ve always had my back through my troubled past.”

  “And I’m still here for you. Nevertheless, you’ve never been in this difficult situation before, either. I can’t advise you what to do for the best, only you can do that. What I will say is, how do you think you’d feel if the truth came out?”

  And there it was, the one question she failed to have a clear answer to.

  4

  The next few weeks passed by like a dream. Matthew had treated her like the proverbial princess, wanting to see her either every day or every other day, never wanting more from her than a kiss. Sometimes they got a little heated, and had they been either in a hotel or at Trisha’s house, in her bedroom, she had no doubt at all they would’ve ended up in bed together. As much as she wanted that to happen, she was also pleased that it hadn’t. It meant what they had was built on mutual respect for each other and not just sex, like so many couples’ new relationships.

  During this time, Trisha had also made her feel at home in her new abode. Life as she knew it was definitely brighter, whichever way she chose to look at it.

  That was until Matthew mentioned it was time to meet his parents. During the conversation, her inner panic mode went into full swing. She tried desperately to come across as excited, but even to her ears, her enthusiasm sounded false. She had a mountain to climb in the few days before the meeting took place, she knew that. Conquering her fears would be a daunting task. She’d already succeeded in conquering one fear, the week before when Matthew had surprised her by showing up at the house with a beautiful silver ballgown and sandals for her to wear to a gala ball with him.

  Trisha had screamed and fawned over the stunning sparkly dress that just happened to be a perfect fit, when she laid eyes on it. The conversation had gone like this: “Girl, if you don’t want to go, I’ll willingly take your place. Bloody hell, he’s got exquisite taste, for a bloke.”

  “I suppose he has. I didn’t consider that. I can’t go, Trisha. I’m not ready for this.”

  Trisha had stared at her open-mouthed for a few seconds and then shook her head. “I think you’re wrong. I’ve seen you two grow as a couple over the past three weeks or so. You were made for each other. He hasn’t pressured you to do anything you didn’t want to do, has he?”

  “No, not at all. It’s in here…” Lucy held a clenched fist over her heart. “Something is telling me that it’s all going to go wrong. I’m aware of that and trying to avoid getting involved in stressful situations. Going to a gala dinner is about as stressful as it can get, right?”

  “I truly understand where you’re coming from, but we’re talking about Matthew here. There’s no way he’ll stand back and let anything happen to you, sweetheart. He’s head over heels in love and treats you like a bloody goddess. Take my word for that, no man has ever looked at me that way before, let alone treated me the way he treats you. Stop putting obstructions in the way and live your life how it should be lived, filled with kindness and love.”

  “Jesus, that’s a little over the top, even for you.” She sighed heavily, more baffled than ever.

  However, she had gone that night, taking hesitant steps into the unknown world of charity functions and, with Matthew alongside her, she had genuinely enjoyed herself. The circle in which Matthew was involved seemed very friendly and keen to make her feel at ease. With Matthew at her side she was, but the second he di
sappeared, either to visit the toilet or to collect another drink from the bar, she froze and became tongue-tied whilst speaking with someone. How she overcame that, God only knew, because she didn’t have a bloody clue. Was it down to her self-confidence perhaps, or lack of it? Under the microscope, that was how she felt at times. Maybe that had more to do with the way Jake had treated her than anything else. She was worried about giving people a false impression. Let’s face it, her whole life was nothing but a lie. That was what stuck out in her mind the most. But how the hell did she get past that and get on with her life?

  Anyway, that evening was nothing compared to what lay ahead of her at the weekend. She’d researched the rest of Matthew’s family, to prepare herself a little, however, there was only so much you could learn via the internet, and Matthew himself had warned her not to believe everything she read on Google. She had three days left to prepare her state of mind and to chill out about being in the same room as his parents, and Jake again, come to that. Maybe that was what was really behind her jitters, coming face to face with him again, after their last disastrous meeting.

  It was Wednesday, Shirley’s day off at the agency. Lucy started up the car. It kicked into life at the second attempt—she was aware it needed its yearly service, however, funds were tight at the moment but, on a brighter note, payday was just around the corner. Booking a garage slot would be at the top of her agenda once the figure in her bank was the right side of zero.

  She was travelling along the dual carriageway on her way into the city centre; the road was fairly clear for this time of the day. Lucy switched on the radio and tapped her fingers along to an oldie but goodie from Smooth Radio, her mind wandering to the evening before which she had spent with Matthew at the cinema. He’d persuaded her to see the latest Mission Impossible film, which she had surprisingly enjoyed.

  Bump!

  The car bounced forward. She immediately looked in her rear-view mirror to see a car right up her arse. Turning her attention back to the road ahead, she shouted, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing, mate? You’ve got the whole road to drive on and here you are up my jacksy.”

  The car surged forward from another shunt.

  “Jesus, what is he doing?” She peered into the mirror, trying to make out the driver of the vehicle behind. It was impossible to see, the interior was too dark—no, the bloody person was wearing a ski mask.

  Her throat instantly dried up, and her pulse pounded in her wrist as she clung tighter to the steering wheel. Do I pull over? What if he attacks me? Or worse still, kidnaps me? How do I get out of this…alive?

  Was this karma paying her a visit? After all these years? God, please help me.

  She looked behind her again; the car was gaining. She prepared herself for another shunt, and a sickening thought filled her mind: what if the car breaks down? She’s hardly in the best of health, is she?

  Her phone was in her handbag in the passenger footwell. She didn’t have the courage to remove a hand from the steering wheel; it was taking all her energy to keep the car going in a straight line. She pressed her foot down on the accelerator, trying desperately to escape the bastard.

  He followed her, kept to within a few inches of her rear bumper, intimidating her. Bloody hell! What is wrong with him? Why is he doing this to me? What does he hope to achieve, and why isn’t someone trying to help me? The last part was simple, there was no one around to aid her. Which was probably why the fiend had taken the opportunity to attack her.

  There was nothing for it, she had to try and get her phone. Gripping the wheel with her right hand, she dipped down and dragged her bag onto the passenger seat. Even in that time, her car had veered off course when the bastard had bumped her up the arse again. Her tyres squealed as she struggled to regain control. “Bugger, how am I supposed to call anyone? I need all my wits about me. Why? Why are you doing this to me?”

  The car’s engine whined; the vehicle behind was now pushing her. Bile rose into her throat as the fear mounted. Tears of frustration blurred her vision. “Please, stop it! I’m not sure how much longer I can hang on.” Sweat poured from her forehead into her eyes. She blinked the droplets away.

  She swallowed down the lump in her throat, but it re-emerged seconds later. I must try and outsmart him, but how?

  This would be her last attempt to outwit the attacker. She zigzagged across the two lanes of the dual carriageway. At one point the aggressor got alongside her. She saw his head turn her way but couldn’t make out his features, then he dropped back again. Lucy floored the car, but the driver remained on her tail. The roundabout sign appeared up ahead, and she breathed out a relieved sigh.

  The shunt when it came was more aggressive this time. It snatched the steering wheel out of her hands. She screamed and frantically grappled with the steering wheel to maintain her position on the road but failed. She careened into the hillside and bashed her head on the steering wheel. Dazed, she found the energy to raise her head and watched as the driver flew past her. She broke down then and reached inside her bag for her phone. The first person she called was Matthew. His secretary said he was in an urgent board meeting and she’d get him to call back when he was free. Great! Not what I wanted to hear.

  Then she called Trisha’s mobile.

  “Hi, hon. What’s up?”

  “I’ve been in a crash.”

  “No! Where are you?”

  “At the roundabout, coming off the dual carriageway. Please, Trisha, hurry. Call the police, get help.”

  “Why? What are you saying? You’re not making any sense, Luc.”

  “Someone did this.”

  “Oh my God. Stay there! Grr…that was dumb. I’ll be with you in fifteen minutes. Lock the car. I’m going to ring nine-nine-nine now.”

  “Hurry, he could come back, I’m a sitting duck here, in no fit state to fight anyone off, Trisha.”

  “Don’t worry. Have you locked the doors?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m going. Ring me if you’re at all worried about anything. You’ve got this, hon.”

  “I hope so. Bye.”

  She scanned the road on either side of her, confused as to why there was no one else around, especially at this time of day. It was a struggle for her to think straight. She needed to speak to Matthew, to help put things back into perspective.

  Around five minutes later, sirens filled the air, and a police car pulled up alongside her. A female officer left the vehicle and ran towards the car.

  Lucy lowered the driver’s window. “Please, you have to help me.”

  “Are you hurt?”

  “A slight bump to the head. This was intentional. Someone did this to me.”

  “What? Drove you off the road?”

  “Yes, you have to find them.”

  “How long ago did this happen?”

  “I don’t know, five, ten, fifteen minutes. My head hurts.”

  “I’ll be right back.” The officer stepped away from the car and spoke into her radio.

  Another uniformed officer appeared beside her, a male in his thirties. He peered into the back seat. “Are you all right? Can you move? Do you want to get out of the vehicle or stay there?”

  “I’ll feel safer inside, thank you.”

  He took a step back to join his colleague, and they discussed the issue for a few seconds then returned.

  The male asked, “Can you tell us exactly what happened?”

  “I’ll try.” She held a hand up to hold her aching head. “I was driving along, normal speed, when this car started bumping into me from the rear. I tried to escape him…”

  The male took out his notebook, and his pen flew across the page. “Him? Did you see the driver?”

  “No, that was an assumption. He was wearing a mask of sorts. I think it was one of those ski masks.”

  “All right, do you know why he attacked you?”

  She shook her head, and giddiness took over. “Oh God, I feel sick.”

  “It’ll be th
e wound to your head. Try not to make any sudden movements. Has it settled down now?”

  “Yes, a little. I can’t answer that. There was only the two of us on this road. I thought that was strange. He bumped me and continued to do it until he drove me off the road.”

  “Have you fallen out with anyone lately?”

  “No, nothing like that.”

  “Okay, it’s rare for people just to pounce on someone out of the blue. Are you sure? Or is your head hurting that much, hampering your thinking?”

  “I don’t know. I’m sorry.”

  Just then Trisha drew up. She rushed out of the car and approached them.

  “Stand back,” the male officer said, raising his arm in front of her.

  Trisha stomped her foot. “What? This is my best friend. I was the one who called you guys, give me a break.”

  “Okay, calm down, I’m not a mind reader, Miss. Give me two minutes, we’re trying to ascertain what happened here.”

  Trisha raised her hands and stepped back a few paces. She kicked out at the earth beneath her. And then walked round in a circle. Lucy tried not to be distracted too much and concentrated on what the officer was asking her.

  “What type of vehicle was it? Colour, make, model? Did you get the registration number by any chance?”

  “No, no, I couldn’t tell you. I was in the middle of fighting for my life, I’m sorry,” Lucy replied, feeling a failure.

  “Give her a break. Have you called for an ambulance? By the look of that cut on her head, I reckon she’s suffering from concussion. Surely this can wait,” Trisha shouted, her voice rising during her comment.

  The female officer had a quiet word in her partner’s ear and nodded. “Okay, we’ll call it a day there. The offender will probably be miles away by now. We’ll need to question you further when you’re up to it, Miss.”

  “Okay, although I won’t be able to tell you anything else,” Lucy said, disheartened at the way things had gone with the police.

  The male officer gestured for Trisha to come closer, and the two officers took a few steps back. In the distance, a siren wailed.