Page 103 of On the Edge

Maddie’s eyes were blank, as though he was speaking a foreign language and none of it made sense to her, then she lunged at him, thumping her fists against him, shrieking.

‘You can’t do this to me!I won’t let you!’

Sophie’s heart raced.All her instincts told her to leave, but Ryan stood there like a stone wall.Strong.Still.Cold.

Then everything started happening quickly, as though it was in fast-forward.

‘That’s my mum’s ring!’Ryan yelled, grabbing Maddie’s hands and holding her wrists so she couldn’t move.He let go of one arm and started pulling at the ring, trying to wrench it from her finger.‘You’re a nutcase, Maddie!You’re fucking deluded!’

Sophie flinched at the force of his temper.‘Stop, Ryan!Let her go!’

As he looked at her, he lost his grip on Maddie who grabbed at his hair, yanking his head backwards.He fell, recoiling in pain.

‘You stupid bitch!’

She scrambled away, panting, her eyes full of fear, and pulled the ring from her finger.

‘Take your stupid ring!It’s fucking ugly anyway.’

She threw it at Ryan and ran, disappearing into the darkness where the narrow path traversed the cliff face.

‘Maddie, stop!’

Sophie bent down to pick up the ring, which had landed at her feet, moonlight glinting off its silver band.She held it up to show Ryan it was safe.

‘Fuck!’he yelled, following Maddie into the darkness.‘It’s too dark!

You’ll fall!’

Sophie stood paralysed, listening to him shout into the cold night.There was a desperate edge to his voice.

‘Maddie!’

Nothing.

‘Maddie!’

A few minutes later, he emerged from the darkness.

‘Did she come back this way?’he asked, breathless.

Sophie shook her head and handed him the ring.

‘At least I got this back,’ he said, pushing it into the pocket of his jeans.‘Let’s get the fuck out of here.’

*

Sophie had remembered the ring a few years ago, sensing it might be the key to her escape.If it was found in Ryan’s possession, it would implicate him in Maddie’s disappearance.She’d searched the house for it and found it in the old jewellery box that had belonged to his mother.Sophie had left it there, checking it every week or two, biding her time until she could work out how to use it.

It wasn’t until the day of Rob Foley’s funeral that she worked it out.The moment Nel had played along with her lie—when Sophie said she’d met her at the library, borrowing books for Harvey—she knew the time was right.Nel’s presence in Carrinya had Ryan on edge.As soon as he left for work the following day, Sophie had created a new Gmail account and emailed Trent about the ring.

The messages to Poppy were an afterthought.Sophie had seen them sitting side by side at the funeral, Poppy’s head resting on Nel’s shoulder, and wondered if she could use their obvious bond to deepen Nel’s hatred of Ryan.

Pride swelled in her chest.She’d done it.Her plan had worked.She looked in the rear-view mirror at the kids.The low sun was catching Harvey’s hair, lighting it up like a golden halo.He looked up at her and smiled.She smiled back, a hand over her tiny bump as tears pooled in her eyes.Her babies were safe.

Chapter 71

Nel pushed open the heavy door of the Grand and looked around for Lauren, who had messaged earlier to suggest they watch the election coverage together.Nel had been pleasantly surprised—it felt like an official olive branch—and it was a relief to have a distraction.She’d felt strangely disoriented since her conversation with Trent, struggling to make sense of their discovery about Sophie and the emails.