Page 6 of One Step Behind

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: You

It’s a great act you’ve got going on, Jenna. You pretend to love your children, but I see the truth, and you know it! That’s what scares you the most, isn’t it? That I see you for who you really are – a woman who only loves herself.

One day soon they’re going to see the real you. I’m going to make sure of it, so you can stop pretending now.

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Us

Are you ready to meet me yet? Have you had enough of these games we’re playing?

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Gross misconduct

Dear Colleagues,

Please be advised that Dr Jenna Lawson will no longer be working at A&E due to gross misconduct.

She is a disgrace to our profession. She is incompetent. She is a dirty stain on our hospital and so we haveFIREDher!!!!!

Best regards,

Human Resources

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: Time’s running out

When are you going toDIE DIE DIE DIE DIEDIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIEDIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIEDIE?????

To: [email protected]

From: [email protected]

Subject: My gift

Did you like my gift this morning? I called her Jenna. Jen for short. What did Archie say? I bet he cried,didn’t he? He really is a crybaby. It’s your fault!!! He can see right through all of your pretending crap. Did you see the way they both ran to your childminder this morning? Couldn’t wait to get away from you. Not that I blame them!! You know they’d be happier without you, right?

Chapter 5

Jenna

The conviction rate for stalkers is less than 15 per cent, depending on which website you’re browsing. I looked it up early on, before you peeled away all of my confidence and stole the last vestige of hope.

Even back then, even with the percentage so low, I clung to it. I reported you to the police, feeling so silly and time-wasting when I slid the cards you sent across the desk of the interview room with Stuart by my side. I was still trying to convince myself it was a silly joke, but they took it all seriously.

It was December. The same day I half saw you for the first time, when you were just a shadowy figure who threw that … that thing at me, and they wanted to know when it started.