Page 145 of Dying Truth

She turned back to the night sky, her fingers tapping on the blade.

‘Was it really worth it?’ Kim asked. ‘All the secrets, lies. Was it worth the murder of a young girl and her unborn child?’

‘As I care nothing for what you think, I will say yes. Laurence and I had twenty-five fantastic years together.’

‘But your daughter is dead because of what you did.’

‘My daughter is dead because of what myhusbanddid. Graham didn’t even know about me until you told him.’

‘What about Saffie?’ Kim asked. ‘Isn’t she worth living for?’ she asked, taking another step. She was now only a few feet away.

‘We will never be close again. Not after what she knows about what I did, especially after the abortion. She wanted to keep the child, and I forced her into it. She’ll never forgive me for that alone.’

‘Why did you force her?’ Kim asked.

‘Her career. World famous concert pianists don’t travel the world with a young baby in tow.’

‘But why the importance of her glittering career? Why not just for her to be happy. Why wasn’t that enough?’

‘Because I had to show him it was worth it,’ she said, simply.

Kim suddenly understood. Hannah knew that Laurence had secretly loved Lorraine back then and had always been trying to compete with a dead woman. And that included children he could be proud of.

‘It would have been easier to compete with her if she were still alive,’ Kim observed.

The dead could do no wrong.

‘You’re probably right but I’ll never know.’

She turned to face Kim who was now standing beside her. Their eyes met and locked.

‘I told you to stay away,’ she said, tonelessly. A woman whose every emotion had been wrung out of her.

She was flat, empty, devoid of feeling anything.

‘I have nothing left,’ she said, grabbing Kim around the shoulders. ‘And it’s all your fault.’

Kim had no time to react as Hannah launched herself over the side of the building taking her along too.

Kim tried to break free as they hurtled through the air, locked in some kind of sick embrace.

Hannah’s silver gown billowed around them as they rushed towards the ground.

One Hundred Six

The ground hit them like a speeding train, but something had cushioned the impact of her chest. Kim was winded but still alive.

Beneath her lay the body of Hannah Winters.

Suddenly her senses came back to her. All of them.

She screamed out in pain as the agony travelled around her body. She felt as though every bone and muscle was screaming out in protest. She tried to move away from Hannah, take the weight off her chest. She had to try and get help for the woman even though she knew it was too late.

As she tried to move her left leg, blinding red hot pain flashes travelled around her body bringing stars to her eyes.

But shehadto try and move. She placed her forearms on the ground and tried to use them to move along.

Every inch brought flashes of agony and waves of nausea.