Page 34 of The Serial Killer’s Sister (The Serial Killer’s Daughter #3)

I step off the bus a few stops ahead of time, deciding a brisk walk along the edge of Shaldon Beach will do me good and help clear my head before going back to my empty house.

A chill air whips against my face. May’s weather has been hit and miss so far, but even when it’s warm, this part of the coast always seems to feel cool as the wind carries across the estuary.

I’m about to drop down onto the beach when I hear my name being called.

My first thought is that it’s someone who’s seen the zebra crossing incident and wants to give me a piece of their mind, but as I turn and recognise the woman whose head is poking out from her wound-down car window, I relax and stride back to the road.

‘Serena! What are you doing here?’ I smile, a warmth spreading through me at seeing a friendly face, and I duck down so I’m level with her.

She raises her eyebrows. ‘Well, seeing as you haven’t called like you said you would, I thought I’d come to you. I’ve been going crazy worrying about you.’

‘Oh, Serena. I’m so sorry, it’s been a jam-packed day. I didn’t mean to concern you.’ I know I owe her an explanation. A full, proper one. I point towards The Clipper Café. ‘Why don’t you park up and we’ll grab a coffee in there.’

Serena looks at me questioningly. ‘I may as well come to yours – it’s just up ahead and cheaper,’ she says.

Of course, we could do that, but rather than attract unwanted attention from whatever police surveillance might be in place at my house, and to reduce the risk that Henry might clock my friend, I’d rather be somewhere else.

Plus, it stretches out the time before I have to go home.

A sadness wells inside my stomach at the thought.

‘I’m out of milk,’ I say, and walk away before she can object, or offer to buy some for me. I find a table overlooking the waterside and wait for Serena to join me.

‘You’re not out of milk, Anna. You’re never out of anything.’ She plonks down opposite me and puts her hands over mine. ‘How come you don’t want me to come to the house?’

I let out a huge sigh. ‘It’s Ross.’

‘What about him?’ she asks.

‘He’s the reason I didn’t call back.’ The half-truth is out of my mouth before I have a chance to think.

‘He left me.’ I really should’ve started at the beginning, with DI Walker’s first visit and how he told me that my brother is wanted for multiple murders.

I’ve skipped a few pages. Chapters, even.

‘What? Oh, ha-ha,’ she says, laughing. I look into her eyes so she can tell I’m not joking, and her face loses its colour. ‘No way!’ she gasps, her hand clapping to her mouth.

‘It’s a bit more complicated than that, but yes, in essence. I was about to order coffee, but do you fancy a glass of wine instead?’

‘Oh, no alcohol for me, Anna. I’m driving, remember? Got a date with Tim at eight, too …’ She twists her mouth into a guilty grimace. ‘I could cancel.’

‘No, don’t do that,’ I say quickly. ‘Wouldn’t want to ruin your night; sounds like it’s all going well. Wedding bells soon, no doubt!’ I attempt to sound upbeat, excited for her. Her taut expression suggests I haven’t managed it.

‘I’ll ignore the sarcasm, given your news,’ she says.

I really hadn’t meant to come across like that. I give what I hope is an apologetic smile.

‘Hot chocolate, then?’

She nods, shrugging off her coat and flinging it over the back of the chair.

We head to the counter and order drinks.

When we’re seated again, I give Serena the edited details about Ross and Yasmin; how I’d found out about their affair when I went to visit his office yesterday – saw them all cosied up and confronted them then and there.

Her eyes are wide as I relay the story, and I can tell she’s itching to interject, ask for more details, but I continue so she can’t get a word in.

I leave the worst till last, waiting until we’ve finished our drinks then moving to the chairs outside on the patio before dropping the bombshell.

‘She’s pregnant,’ I say, the words spoken sourly, through gritted teeth.

I’m surprised at the venom I hear – maybe even jealousy.

Serena shakes her head, her earrings tinkling as the movement gets more forceful.

I wait. It’s as though she’s been struck dumb.

It feels like five minutes have elapsed before she speaks.

‘No, I can’t believe that.’ She narrows her eyes, crossing her arms as though it couldn’t possibly be true. ‘Ross? You must be mistaken.’

A burst of laughter erupts from deep within me and I can’t stop.

I laugh until I sob, not even caring about the other people around us.

I’m past that. Serena’s arms wrap around me and she rubs my back as I rock back and forth, all of the past few days’ emotion oozing from me like a river of black, polluted slurry.

‘There’s no mistake, Serena. He told me himself after …’ I pull myself up short, almost letting slip that it was after I presented him with the evidence of his affair. I can’t face going into all those details right now. ‘After I accused him of screwing her.’

‘Oh, lovely. I’m so sorry. Bloody men.’ She squeezes me again, and I press against her, the smell of her perfume comforting me. It’s good to have her by my side, and I wish I had called her earlier.

‘I thought we’d come through the blip. He agreed about us not having children, then changed his mind without bothering to tell me.

All these months, he’s been acting like we’re the happy married couple, and all the while he’s been sleeping with another woman, trying to impregnate her!

Well, he succeeded. He’s going to get everything he wanted and leave me with nothing. ’

‘You’ve got me. You’ve got your kids at—’ She stops abruptly, realising that’s another thing I might not have for much longer. ‘Shit,’ she says. ‘Not been a good week for you.’ She closes her eyes and slumps. It’s like she’s feeling all my pain.

And she doesn’t know the half of it.

‘It’s been the worst time I’ve had for ages,’ I say, twisting my wedding band. ‘I’m not sure I can pick myself up, dust myself off. If I don’t get reinstated at Seabrook …’ I let the sentence hang.

‘The video is still circulating,’ Serena says, her eyes cast downwards. It’s like she’s delivering news of someone’s passing. In some ways, I guess she is. ‘Have the police found out who hacked the CCTV?’

My head snaps up and I stare at her, my mind scrambling around trying to pinpoint when I told her it had been hacked. As far as I recall, I haven’t mentioned it. Or maybe I told Beaumont when I was summoned into his office yesterday and she’s heard through him.

No. I don’t think I did. I said about it being a smear campaign, that’s all.

‘Who told you about the CCTV?’ I ask. If Beaumont has said something to her, it would be a way to link him to all of this.

Serena frowns. ‘What do you mean?’

‘The fact it was hacked. I haven’t told anyone that.’

Serena sits back, her creased brow deepening. ‘Anna. I don’t know where you’re going with this, but it’s obvious that whoever did this managed to access the CCTV. Doesn’t take a detective to ascertain that it was hacked.’

‘So no one has told you that? About the CCTV?’

‘No, I just assumed.’

I take a moment to contemplate her words, before realising of course she’s right. Just because she’s come to that conclusion without me telling her, doesn’t make it suspicious – on her part or Craig Beaumont’s. I apologise, blaming the stress of being the local villain for my paranoia.

We talk a bit more about the pages of comments my zebra crossing incident has initiated, Serena trying very hard to make me feel better by saying I have a lot of support as well as haters.

There are apparently numerous mentions of how the footage conveniently cuts off with my hands raised in the air making it seem as though I’m about to strike Isobel, with some people saying it’s someone with a grudge against me who’s posted the footage everywhere.

Knowing at least some people are backing me gives me hope.

We settle back into our usual dynamic, my stupid comment seemingly forgotten as we walk back to Serena’s car. Serena’s a good person; I’m lucky to have her – especially now, when everyone else is against me, or leaving me.

‘Thank you for coming over and checking on me,’ I say. ‘It means a lot.’

‘You don’t need to thank me, that’s what friends are for.’ She reaches across and gives me a hug.

Will she remain my friend once she finds out that I didn’t fully confide in her?

That I lied, withheld the number one reason my week has been so awful?

How it’s going to get even worse? If the boot were on the other foot, I’d feel hurt thinking she didn’t trust me enough to share the truth.

Henry’s riddle shoots into my mind: TRUST .

I’d be devastated to think Serena had gone through such turmoil and not reached out.

Yet I can’t bring myself to open up. It would release a whole can of worms I’m not willing to share.

Besides, if I were to tell Serena, it would put her in an uncomfortable position.

Not to mention propel her into this mess, too. That would be unfair.

I shudder at the thought. ‘You should go,’ I say, breaking the hug to check my mobile for the time. ‘It’s getting on and I don’t want you to be late for your date. One of us should be getting laid tonight.’

I attempt a laugh, but it comes out as a choking sound. Serena smiles.

‘You’re one tough cookie, you know that?’ she says. ‘Are you sure though? Honestly, I can put him off and stay over at yours. I could run to the shop, grab us some wine and we could have a girls’ night?’

‘I really appreciate the offer. I’ll have an early night, though. I’m exhausted.’

‘You do look totally washed out … if you don’t mind me saying.’

‘Only you can get away with that level of honesty,’ I say, smiling. ‘I’ll give you a call tomorrow. You can tell me all the gory details about your date.’

‘I’ll have to make sure it’s a good ’un, then.

’ Serena gives me another hug, kisses me on the cheek and climbs into her car.

I stand on the pavement and wave until she disappears from view before walking up the road.

As I reach our row of houses, I catch a shadow passing behind my car on the pavement opposite, and goosebumps prickle my skin.

Was that him again? I’m relieved I didn’t let Serena come to the house now, that I’ve kept her away from this; kept her safe.

I give a furtive glance around then dart up the path, my hands trembling as I try to get the key in the lock.

I’ll feel safer when I’m inside , I think.

On the third attempt, I jam the key in and the door swings open.

The hall is dark, the atmosphere cold, like no one lives here, and I have the urge to ring Serena and get her to turn her car around and come back.

Stay with me, like she suggested. But she has someone to go to; I don’t want to get in the way of that.

I lock the front door, then slide the chain across. Like that’s going to keep me safe.