The Truth Will Out

by Karen J Mossman

  Dangling from the ceiling was a hangman’s noose.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Goodbye Kelly

  My whole body clammed up, and I broke out in a breathless, cold sweat.

  “Sit down,” said Sue and because she didn’t make any immediate reference to the noose, I hoped it had nothing to do with me. I sat on an overturned box and there was a pen and paper in front of me on a table.

  “Start writing what I say.”

  I picked up the pen, but my hands were shaking so much I couldn’t hold it. Sue gave me a vicious dig in the back. “I said write!”

  Trembling, I kept the pen steady. What were they going to do?

  “To whoever finds me—” she began. I shot around to look at her. “That’s right, you’re writing a suicide note.”

  I jumped to my feet. “No, no, I’m not. I won’t.”

  Nicholas threw me back in the chair.

  “Fucking write,” Sue screamed.

  Every nerve ending jarred, and I didn’t want to get punched again, I picked up the pen and wrote as tears streamed down my face.

  “I can’t hide anymore, I’ve had enough. I want to be Kelly again, and that won’t be possible now.”

  I sobbed as I wrote, my dignity, my strength, even my bravery gone in an instant. Nicholas grabbed me, pulling me to my feet and shoved both arms behind my back tying my wrists together.

  “I was astounded when I found you,” Sue said, conversationally as he held me and she moved the box under the noose. “I was in the doctor’s office and picked up a magazine, and there was a photo showing a group of people – something to do with yoga. Guess who was standing at the back?” She laughed.

  I could hardly take in what she was saying. They were going to kill me. I was about to die. Wetness spread through my trousers as I lost control of my bladder. Fear gripped at my throat, and I couldn’t believe my whole life had come to this moment.

  I fought so hard as they forced me onto the box. Nicholas placed the noose around my neck and they looked up at me. I was crying and pleading like a child does when they don’t want to go to bed. “Please... please...”

  It hardly sounded like me. Even Johnny would never be this cruel. And Ryan, I would never see him again; we would never reach our full potential. My beautiful man. I didn’t deserve this. I didn’t!

  The noose was placed around my neck. I was standing on the box with Sue and Nicholas looking up at me. I begged one last time.

  “Poor girl,” said Sue. “She really thinks we feel sorry for her. And to think, you almost mistook her flatmate. Hey Kelly, rotten luck, eh? Could have been the other one up there instead.”

  My mind exploded as imminent death stared me in the face. They say your life runs through your mind, but all I could think of was I’m not ready, it’s not my time.

  I heard a banging sound just as Nicholas kicked the crate from under my feet. The noose tightened around my neck and kept tightening. The blood rushed to my ears. Panic stricken, I started kicking my feet, even though I knew the action was only making it tighter. My windpipe was closing up, and with abject terror, my eyes felt like they were bulging. Blackness was closing in, leaving me to look out of a small tunnel. I could hear shouting and yelling and just as the blackness overtook me, the doors burst open.

  I died. When you die, you don’t dream. So when I came to, my last image and thoughts were still in my head and I went into panic mode. Suddenly, I realised I was being carried out of the building to a waiting ambulance.

  Paramedics were trying to soothe me, but my eyes were on the man with the stricken face walking alongside me. My lovely Ryan. My eyes filled with tears. Despite all our sparring, it was clear he really cared for me.

  I was glad to get inside the ambulance as people had gathered. Goodness knows where they came from. Why weren’t they there before? There were lots of police around too, and everybody was looking in my direction.

  I had a headache from hell, again, my constant companion these days. My face, where Nicholas hit me, throbbed. My cheeks were full of fire and my throat was bruised and sore. I was a mess. Overall I was glad to be alive and see another day. It wasn’t my time after all.

  As they set me down, I held my hand towards Ryan. He took it, gave me a little squeeze. “I thought I had lost you,” he said, leaning down and kissing my tear-stained face.

  “Sue...” My voice came out hoarse.

  “Don’t try to speak,” the paramedic said as he closed the door, and to Ryan, he said, “Take a seat there.”

  The ambulance set off with sirens blaring.

  “We’ve got them,” Ryan told me. “Don’t worry anymore. Just rest. It’s over, Sarah.”

  And it was, it finally was.

  There was a group of medical people waiting to receive me in the Accident and Emergency Department where it seemed I lived these days. Ryan disappeared from sight and I missed him already.

  They poked and prodded and stuck needles in my arms. I kept drifting in and out of consciousness.

  I was taken down for an X-ray, and it was confirmed I had a fractured cheekbone. I knew that meant a longer stay in the hospital and an operation. There would be no early escape this time.

  When I returned to the cubicle, Abby was waiting. I was so pleased to see her, and she gave me and awkward hug, afraid of hurting me. Tears were streaming down her face as she pulled away sniffing. “Oh Sarah! I can’t believe what happened. You almost died. They nearly killed you!”

  I wanted to reassure her I was all right, but my voice came out as a croak, so instead I squeezed her hand. Over her shoulder, I saw the Soop. His eyes were fixed on my face. As Abby stepped back, he stepped forward.

  “Sarah, I’m truly sorry about what’s happened, and how the people who promised to protect you failed you.”

  I thought I was dreaming and blinked rapidly as I couldn’t seem to pinch myself with all the wires and stuff. The Soop was actually being nice to me, almost like he cared.

  “What Daddy means,” said Abby, pushing him away. “Is that he’s happy to have you as my flatmate, and he will make sure nothing bad happens to you again.”

  “Thanks,” I managed to whisper.

  “I’m moving back home today,” she said with a smile. “So we’ll have everything nice and ready for when you come home.”

  It was almost overwhelming to think I was actually going home. I’d have a flatmate, a boyfriend, and most of all, a proper life. I glanced at Ryan and he smiled.

  I was operated on the same day. As always, I was an impatient Sally eager to leave. I desperately wanted my own bedroom and Mr Pillow.

  The following day, I felt a little better, although the headache was still in the background and they said that was normal. I went in the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I was a mess. My face looked like a boiled sweet and they said that was normal too. My hair was also past its wash date. I came out the bathroom and the last thing I wanted to see was a couple of men in my bedroom.

  My eyes fell on the one standing by the door, and I assumed then that I didn’t know either of them. Then my gaze rested on the other and I gasped.

  “Oh my God! Pete!”

  “Kelly? Jesus Christ almighty, is that really you?”

  “Pete!” I said again, and my heart went soft as I stepped towards him. I think he was a bit taken aback when I wrapped my arms around his neck in a bear hug. After a moment, his arms went around me as he hugged me back.

  “You look dreadful,” he said.

  I pulled away and grinned, or at least tried to. “I look as ugly as you now.”

  “A damn sight uglier, if you ask me,” he said with a smile.

  I sat back down on the bed. “I can’t believe you’re here. How did you find me?”

  “You’ve been in the papers,” he said, pulling up a chair. The other guy remained standing by the door.

  “Oh crumbs, that’s all I need.”

  “It will die down soon enough, I’m sure.”
>
  “Who’s your friend?” I asked. He was tall like Pete, but skinny with a long face and dark hair.

  “This is Scott.”

  “How you doing?” he said with a broad Glaswegian accent.

  “I could be better,” I said dryly. He nodded. “So where’ve you been?” I asked Pete.

  “I went abroad for a while, then came back and settled in Glasgow.”

  “You heard about Johnny?” I feasted my eyes on him as it was so good to see him again.

  He sat down on the side of the bed as I got back under the covers and he took my hand. “Yeah, I was sad to hear about that.”

  “And that Sue’s dad arranged it?”

  He nodded. “Turned out we underestimated that one.”

  My laugh came out as a gurgle, and I shook my head in dismay. “Look, I’m sorry about what I did to you, Pete.”

  He shrugged. “I was pretty angry, but it turned out good in the end. Glasgow is a great place and, erm, I’m in a relationship too.”

  I’d never known Pete to be involved with anyone before. So this was good news.

  “Well, that’s great. I’m pleased for you, and it’s about time. Who is she?”

  “Yeah, well, it’s Scott.”

  I thought he meant she is a Scot. “Well shucks, I wouldn’t have guessed, you being in Scotland and all.” It hurt to chuckle. Then I realised what he’d actually said. My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You’re gay?” I blurted, looking over at Scott who was watching us.

  He shrugged. “We are what we are, Kelly.”

  I nodded. “Johnny didn’t like gays,” I remembered.

  “I know and if he’d have found out, I’d have been out, anyway.”

  Now that I thought about it, he had never made a pass at me in the whole time I had known him. Not that I wanted or expected him to, but well it’s normal, isn’t it?

  “Scott, it is nice to meet you,” I said turning to him. “Any friend of Pete’s is a friend of mine, and I can promise you, I’m not ugly, really.”

  Scott broke out into a grin, and surprisingly it transformed his face. “It’s okay, I’m used to it.” He gave Pete an affectionate look. “He showed me a photo of you, and I got to agree, you look different.”

  He was so broad in his accent I wasn’t sure I got all that, so I grinned and looked back at Pete. “I’ve missed you.” I was unable to stop beaming.

  He gave me a crooked smile. “I never thought I’d miss a girl, but it was hard not knowing where you were and if you were all right.”

  I gave him another hug and over his shoulder, I winked at Scott. “Good job, I’m not your competition!”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Hello Sarah

  It was wonderful to be home again, and it’s true what they say, being away from something really does make the heart grow fonder.

  Abby did me proud; she made me feel special, and special in the right way this time. I was valued for who I was, and not what I was.

  The welcome home party was not what I expected, but I loved it. Seeing the Soop out of uniform was a strange thing. He was friendly, and he actually spoke to me in a civil manner. I’ll miss sparring with him.

  Most of them knew Ryan and I were together, and I looked forward to getting to know him properly. A few more dates in the bedroom will take care of that.

  Across the room, Pete and Scott were chatting with Abby, and I wondered if Pete was translating for him. Judging by the flick of Abby’s eyes, I knew she was having trouble understanding exactly what he was saying.

  I’m not sure Ryan actually likes Pete, but there will be plenty of time to work on that. They were staying a few days before heading back to Scotland. Pete, as always, had business to do.

  Looking around the room at the people I considered family I caught sight of myself in the mirror. The first thing I’d done was to change my hair back to its natural dark colour. I liked it and felt it suited me better.

  I turned around and saw Ryan coming towards me. My beautiful, gorgeous man really did care for me. His arm went around my waist and he kissed the side of my head. “All right?” He asked.

  “I’ll always be all right, now I’m with you.”

  I looked again into the mirror.

  I was Kelly, I was Sarah, I was me.

  Thank you for reading The Truth Will Out, I hope you enjoyed it. Please consider leaving a review.

  About the Author

  Karen J. Mossman lives in Anglesey, a small island off the North Wales coast. She has been married for over 35 years and has two children and two grandchildren. The Truth Will Out is her third novel.

  Other books by Karen J Mossman

  Joanna’s Journey

  The Secret

  The Missing

  Behind the Music

  Heroes

  You can find Karen on Social Media

  Facebook (Karen J Mossman, author)

  Twitter @KarenJMoss

  Goodreads.com

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