I clicked back to the home page. It would probably be old news now and take ages to find. I was shocked when a headline flashed up:
ARREST MADE IN MIRIAM JACKSON CASE
‘Look!’ I said, pointing to the headline. I felt sick. ‘Do you think they’ve arrested Khaled?’
The headline was large and bold:
ARRESTED MAN CONFESSES ALL – TREVOR THOMSON HELD IN MIRIAM CASE
Underneath there was a photo of the man I had last seen storming into Josh’s house. I gasped.
‘What is it?’ asked Michael. He sat down next to me and peered over my shoulder.
‘Read it to me,’ he said.
A man was arrested last night in connection with the disappearance and murder of Miriam Jackson, 13. Trevor Thomson 40, a builder was stopped by police at 11.15pm last night after he was spotted driving erratically on a dual carriageway. Thomson, 40, was breathalysed by police and found to be considerably over the limit. He was taken to the local police station, where he confessed to police that he had abducted and strangled Miriam Jackson on May 25th earlier this year. Thomson allegedly told officers that he had been upset as a result of an argument with his girlfriend and gone to a local bar where he had consumed several drinks before heading back to his car. Passing the station he had come across Miriam and he had offered her a lift home. When she refused, he attacked her and left her in the nearby woodland. Thomson remains in police custody while police continue with their enquiries.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. Khaled didn’t need Sadie to give him an alibi now. Her secret was safe. I was relieved. It was hers to tell after all, if she chose to, and it was none of my business. Sadie was none of my business. I had my own family now. My eyes started prickling.
‘Are you OK?’ asked Michael.
I shook my head. ‘It’s so sad, what happened to her and I feel bad for not trusting you. How could I possibly have thought you were guilty?’
‘Well you did see me on Crimewatch. I’m glad you did what you did.’
‘Why?’ I asked.
‘Because it brought us together. You wouldn’t have come to stay otherwise, would you?’
I shook my head slowly.
‘There you go. Now how about we finish our breakfast and we can go down to the police station afterwards?’
I looked him square in the face. I hadn’t noticed before how kind his eyes were. Kind, like my sister’s.
I thought about it. Maybe having a Dad who was wanted on Crimewatch was quite cool after all. Especially when he was innocent.
‘You’re on,’ I said, ‘but only if you let me have the last piece of toast.’
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the following people for
their support and encouragement, helping
to make this book possible:
Paul Cheetham, Ella Ruth Cowperthwaite, Tanita Alethiea Gibbs, Rosanna Mclaughlin, Sabah Mohamed, Ann Perry, Nariece Sanderson, Sabrina Sattaur, Julie Sparks – and all the lovely members of BackachYA.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lesley Cheetham is a secondary school librarian in London. She studied French and Theatre Studies at Warwick University. She lives in King’s Cross with her husband. In her spare time she enjoys reading, writing, swimming, running and languages. Someone Like Me is her third novel for teenagers.
www.lesleycheetham.com
Table of Contents
Copyright
ALSO BY LESLEY CHEETHAM
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1
chapter 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
chapter 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
chapter 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
chapter 17
CHAPTER 18
chapter 19
CHAPTER 20
chapter 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
chapter 24
chapter 25
CHAPTER 26
chapter 27
CHAPTER 28
chapter 29
CHAPTER 30
chapter 31
CHAPTER 32
chapter 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
chapter 36
CHAPTER 37
CHAPTER 38
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Someone Like me Page 18