I Dare You (ARC)

by Sam Carrington

  and make the call felt unduly prolonged. Anna tapped her

  foot on the carpet as Muriel tapped out the number on the

  phone.

  In the distance, Anna heard music.

  ‘What’s that?’ She turned, walking into the kitchen. ‘Mum?

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  Leave the phone ringing and come here.’ Muriel did as Anna instructed and came and stood by her side. ‘Listen.’

  ‘He’s here,’ her mother said. She unlocked the back door.

  ‘Come on in, Eric.’

  Anna’s mouth dried. Tears of sadness, anger and betrayal

  erupted as she came face-to-face with her father for the first

  time in thirty years.

  ‘Hello, Anna,’ Eric said. Bloodshot eyes, watery and sad,

  searched Anna’s.

  ‘Why?’ She shook her head. ‘Why did you do it?’

  ‘It’s not something I can easily explain,’ he said, his voice

  thick. ‘I’m so sorry.’

  ‘Sorry? Oh, my God. I literally don’t know what to say to

  you,’ Anna said, turning her back and walking into the lounge.

  She could hear whispered voices. Even now, she thought, they

  were keeping secrets. Hatching a plan. Trying to figure a way

  out of this mess without either of them ending up in prison.

  Anna wanted to scream, ‘Whatever you’re saying out there you

  can say to my face, you know.’

  Her mother and father joined Anna in the lounge. It was a

  scene she’d never imagined could happen. And, in different

  circumstances, she might well have been pleased, taken it as an

  opportunity to get to know her dad again. But not now.

  Anna’s entire body was trembling. ‘Where is she? Where did

  you take Jonie Hayes’ body after you murdered her?’

  Eric winced. ‘Your mother’s just told me Billy’s here, in

  Mapledon.’

  ‘Yes, but that’s not answering the question,’ Anna said,

  sharply.

  ‘I will. I’ll tell Billy where to find her.’ His voice was weak,

  drenched in defeat.

  ‘Well, that’s big of you. Only taken thirty fucking years.’ Anger spewed from her. It wasn’t merely anger for him killing Jonie,

  but for leaving Anna when she needed him.

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  ‘I had to stay away, not have any contact with you. You understand that, don’t you?’

  ‘Yes, Dad. You had to stay away to ensure you weren’t put in prison for your crime. You allowed an innocent man to be set

  up for murder, spend years in a cell, all so you could be free. I think I understand, yeah.’

  ‘I’ve never been free, Anna,’ he said.

  ‘Tell that to Billy Cawley. Tell that to Tina. You’re a coward,

  plain and simple.’ Anna pushed past them.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Muriel shouted after her.

  ‘To make a call,’ Anna said as she left the house.

  Anna walked to the end of the road, and once she had a few

  service bars, dialled Lizzie.

  ‘Lizzie. He’s here. Come to Muriel’s . . . and bring Billy.’

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  Chapter One Hundred and Three

  2019

  Lizzie

  Lizzie’s heart leapt.

  He’s here. Bring Billy.

  Anna’s words echoed in her head.

  ‘You’ll never believe it,’ she said, turning towards her dad.

  Billy gave a small nasal laugh. ‘Eric Fisher has come to

  Mapledon,’ he said.

  ‘Yes. Bloody hell. How did you know he’d come here?’

  Billy had already convinced Lizzie to hang around after they’d

  locked the bungalow up. He’d asked her to drive towards

  Muriel’s and park a street away.

  They’d been sitting in the car talking when the call came.

  ‘Gut feeling,’ he said.

  ‘Shall we walk from here, then?’ she asked him.

  Anna was standing at the open front door when Lizzie approached

  the house with Billy by her side.

  ‘As much as he deserves it, don’t hurt him,’ Anna said as they

  walked into the hallway.

  Lizzie could feel the tension in the house like an electric

  charge. She wanted to tell Anna not to worry; no one was going

  to hurt Eric. But she couldn’t make that promise, because she

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  didn’t know. As an adult, she’d met Billy twice before tonight

  – she had no idea what he might be planning when he faced

  the man who should have served the sentence in his place. Just

  because he’d told Lizzie he wasn’t there for revenge and wasn’t going to hurt anyone didn’t mean she one-hundred-per-cent

  believed him. She didn’t exactly feel qualified to make that

  judgement.

  Billy stared at Anna for what felt like minutes – it was as

  though someone had pressed a pause button. Lizzie reached out

  and touched his elbow, hoping to jolt him from his motionless

  state.

  ‘I won’t,’ he said, finally.

  The three of them entered the lounge. Lizzie’s whole body

  was taut now as she looked at Eric Fisher and Muriel huddled

  on the sofa, their pale, fearful faces looking up as they saw her and Billy. Eric slowly got to his feet.

  ‘Don’t involve Muriel and Anna in this, please.’ Eric’s eyes

  pleaded with Billy. ‘I’ll tell you what you’re here for, then you can do what you like with me. But don’t hurt them.’

  ‘Oh, Eric, Eric,’ Billy said, moving closer to him. ‘I’ve said

  already – I’m not here to hurt you, or them.’

  A flash of confusion, or maybe it was disbelief, crossed Eric’s

  face. ‘You don’t want revenge? You don’t want me to suffer for

  getting away with it all these years?’

  ‘My hatred for you and your family has lessened since I was

  first framed,’ Billy said. ‘I can’t say I don’t resent you, though.

  I still think “why me?” – that bothers me now as much as it

  did then. Although I think I’ve put all the pieces together, I’d

  still like to hear your side. Hear the reason why you and Muriel

  chose me. What I’d done that was so wrong you were happy

  to watch me go down for something I wasn’t guilty of. But, as

  I have explained to your wife, daughter and the others – I’m

  not the bad one. Thirty years of self-reflection, deciding what

  was important and what wasn’t, made me evaluate things

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  differently. There’s something to be said for being selfless, Eric.

  Isn’t there?’

  A look passed between them that Lizzie couldn’t read. Eric’s

  face flushed, and he became flustered.

  ‘I’ll take you to her,’ Eric said, jumping to his feet. ‘Do you

  want to do it now?’

  ‘In a while,’ Billy said.

  Lizzie exchanged a worried look with Anna. It was clear that

  Billy had something more he wanted to say. Lizzie saw Anna

  lurch forwards.

  ‘Look. I know what he did was absolutely heinous,
and you

  suffered for that, Billy. But you said you weren’t going to hurt

  anyone—’

  ‘But I still have some unfinished business . . .’ Billy said. His voice was soft, yet managed to sound menacing. Lizzie looked

  from him to Eric.

  ‘Please, Billy, no.’ Eric put his hands together, prayer-like.

  ‘There’s no need.’

  ‘God, Billy. Wait!’ Anna shouted. ‘You can’t hurt him, you

  promised.’

  ‘I’m. Not. Going. To,’ Billy said slowly, swinging around to

  face Anna. ‘I know he was doing what he felt he had to do.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Anna said, her brow creased.

  ‘If I’d had the opportunity to fight for my daughter, I’d have

  done it in the blink of an eye,’ Billy said. ‘I understand why he did it, but I can’t forgive him. Tina knows too. But we’ve made

  our peace with the lies.’ He faced Eric. ‘As long as you can give her what she wants – I’ll give you what you want.’

  Eric gave a nod of his head.

  ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Anna said.

  Eric gave a loud, juddering sigh. ‘Sit down, Anna,’ he said.

  ‘Oh, dear God. This is something I never, ever, wanted to tell you.’

  ‘No, no, no!’ Muriel surged towards Eric; her fists held high.

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  Lizzie watched in astonishment as Muriel showered punches on Eric’s chest.

  ‘Enough! Mum, for Christ’s sake,’ Anna said, pulling at

  Muriel’s arms, forcing them down to her sides. ‘What is

  happening here?’ Anna looked directly at Eric.

  ‘You didn’t mean to hurt her,’ Eric said, his voice quivering

  as tears spilled over his cheeks.

  Lizzie’s mouth dropped. She shot Billy a questioning look.

  He obviously hadn’t told her everything. Billy Cawley had held

  this last piece of the puzzle back from her – back from everyone

  who’d been gathered at the bungalow a few hours ago. He’d

  been waiting for Eric Fisher to slot it in.

  Billy turned so he could see everyone’s faces.

  ‘ Anna killed Jonie Hayes,’ he said. ‘And Eric took the blame for what little Bella Fisher did.’

  Lizzie stood by helplessly as she watched Anna sink to the

  floor.

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  Chapter One Hundred and Four

  1989

  Bella

  Wednesday 19th July – the day of

  ‘Run, Bella, run!’ Jonie screeched as she legged it down Blackstone Close.

  Bella heard the cry as she watched Jonie disappear around

  the corner, leaving her trailing. With Creepy Cawley behind her,

  shouting and waving his arms. Jonie had left her. How could

  she do that? Bella dared to look over her shoulder as she

  attempted to run on shaking legs. He was going to catch her.

  Tears burned her eyes, her throat tightened. This was it. What

  her mother had warned her about. ‘ Don’t annoy Billy Cawley’,

  ‘ Never go to his place’, ‘ It’s not safe’. All her mother’s warnings now screamed inside her skull. As she felt a hand grab her hair,

  Bella knew her mum had been right all along.

  ‘Think it’s funny, do you?’ Creepy Cawley bellowed in her

  ear. Bella felt warm liquid run down the insides of her thighs.

  Her head hurt where he had hold of her hair. He pulled at it,

  causing her body to turn around. Now she was looking directly

  at him. His breath was hot on her face; a strong, stale smell

  filled her nostrils.

  ‘Please . . .’ Bella cried. ‘I’m sorry.’

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  ‘And you think that covers it, eh? Weeks and weeks of you little shits banging on my door, and all you can say is sorry?’

  Bella couldn’t move. Fear made all her muscles freeze. She

  was going to die. Creepy Cawley was going to kill her. Suddenly,

  her feet were moving. She wasn’t doing it. He was dragging her.

  This was it. He was taking her back to his bungalow. She was

  never going to see her mum and dad again.

  Something snapped. A burst of energy came from inside her

  and she pulled at his arms, freeing herself from his grip. She

  didn’t stop to look over her shoulder this time, she just ran. As Bella rounded the corner, she noticed Jonie at the end of the

  road, slumped against a wall.

  ‘Oh, there you are. You took your time – I was beginning to

  worry he’d got you,’ Jonie said, before bursting into laughter.

  A burning-hot sensation shot through Bella’s body, making

  her face feel as though it were on fire. She clenched her fists

  tightly. ‘I can’t believe you left me,’ she said, her teeth gritted.

  ‘Well, what did you expect? You need to learn to run faster,’

  Jonie said. Then her gaze dropped. ‘Oh, my God! You didn’t!’

  Jonie pointed at Bella’s legs. ‘You peed yourself?’ And she

  doubled over in laughter again.

  ‘I hate you.’ Bella pushed Jonie, hard. She heard air leave Jonie’s mouth as she smacked into the wall. Bella didn’t hang

  around. She ran down the cut-through, afraid Jonie would really

  hurt her in return. She wouldn’t have liked being pushed.

  ‘Get back here, you wimp!’ Jonie’s voice followed her.

  Bella panicked. She realised the cut-through would eventually

  lead back to Creepy Cawley’s, to the hedges that lined the end

  of his cul-de-sac; the ones they usually hid in before playing

  Knock, Knock, Ginger. Maybe if she hid there now, Jonie

  wouldn’t find her; she wouldn’t expect Bella to be brave enough

  to go near there right after he’d caught her.

  Bella had only reached the grassy area, just short of the huge

  bushes, when Jonie came hurtling towards her, pushing her to

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  the ground. They rolled around on the grass, Jonie yanking Bella’s hair.

  ‘How dare you push me!’ Jonie yelled.

  ‘You can’t get away with leaving me like that, Jonie. You’re

  mean and a bully.’

  ‘Ahh, gonna go cry to Daddy, are you? You’re such a baby,’

  Jonie said. She was sitting on Bella now, straddling her belly

  and pinning her arms down. Bella struggled beneath her weight,

  trying to wriggle free. But it was no good. Jonie was stronger.

  ‘Get. Off. Me!’ Bella thrashed as much as she could, managing

  to drag herself across the grass a few inches, but Jonie grabbed

  her again.

  ‘What’s your problem?’ she shouted.

  ‘You, Jonie. You are my problem. Always making me do stuff

  you want. You’re selfish and I don’t want to be your friend anymore.’ Bella felt a relief saying the words out loud. The words she’d practised inside her head for months. She wanted to be

  free of Jonie Hayes.

  ‘Tough. We’re friends and that’s that. Our mums are best

  friends so we have to be.’

  ‘No, we don’t!’ Bella propelled her body once more, and

  finally broke free. She scrabbled on the grass, her feet slipping.

  She’d almost made it to the bushes,
to the gap she could squeeze

  through, when Jonie’s hand pulled at her ankle, and she collapsed on her tummy back on the grass. Anger flared. Bella reached

  her hand out in front of her, her fingers closing around a large

  stone. She flipped over on to her back, and as Jonie landed on

  her stomach, Bella swung her arm. The stone made a dull thud-

  ding noise as it hit Jonie’s forehead.

  For a moment, Jonie just looked stunned, but then she seemed

  to sway.

  Bella watched in quiet horror as a huge lump swelled up on

  Jonie’s head. It seemed to grow bigger and bigger while she

  stared. Was it going to pop?

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  Jonie sat back onto the grass. She slowly raised her hand, and as she touched the lump, her eyes grew wide.

  Bella thought she saw hatred in them. She had to get away

  from Jonie. Now. Because it looked like she was about to go

  totally ape on Bella.

  She quickly threw the stone into the bushes and got up, ready

  to make her escape.

  ‘What have you done?’ Jonie said, both hands now balled into

  fists.

  She was going to attack again – Bella knew it. While Jonie

  was on the ground, she had to make sure she stayed there. Bella

  moved forwards, and when she was beside Jonie, she raised her

  foot, kicking her in her chest. Jonie again grabbed Bella’s ankle, pulling it to make her fall over. But she didn’t fall, she stayed upright.

  ‘You’re a bitch, Bella!’ she yelled. ‘And I never liked you,

  anyway.’ She let go of Bella’s foot. Which gave Bella the perfect opportunity to deliver another kick. Jonie fell back, her head

  slamming on the ground. Bella hesitated. The anger and frus-

  tration that had exploded from her came as a shock, but it was

  the first time she’d ever got the upper hand on her friend. She

  stood over Jonie, deciding in that moment she should make the

  most of it.

  ‘Good,’ Bella said. ‘I never want to see you again.’

  Jonie was making a strange gurgling noise. Bella bent down,

  close to her head. Over-reacting as usual, she thought, as she

  took hold of Jonie’s locket necklace and pulled it. The chain

  broke. ‘You won’t be wanting this anymore, then,’ she said,

  pocketing the necklace.

  Jonie didn’t answer.

  ‘Hey! I said, you won’t be needing this anymore.’

  Jonie didn’t move.

  Bella gave her a nudge with her foot. Nothing.