Page 143 of Worse Than Murder

We both turn to look at her.

‘On the night of the storm, did you drug me so I wouldn’t remember?’

‘No, Alison, of course I didn’t drug you. Can’t you see what she’s trying to do? She’s failed as a detective. She failed to save her own family, so she’s trying to atone by coming up with this elaborate non-murder she can try and solve.’

I clear my throat. I hope Alison still believes me and doesn’t start falling for her stepfather’s lies. She needs to keep picturing her mother and the blank look of fear in her eyes.

‘You’ve been posing as Jack all these years,’ I say. ‘The various sightings. It’s been you all along. Any time Lynne has expressed a sign of independence, you’ve shown up as Jack to taunt her that he might not be dead after all or that’s he’s haunting her. You even showed up as Jack on Alison’s birthdays and on the day she started in the force, to add to the authenticity of a loving father still out there, watching in the wings. It was you who called in with the new sighting the other day, wasn’t it? A random member of the public called John. John, a variation of Jack. You’ve been laughing at everyone all these years.’

‘I’ve had enough of this,’ he says, standing up. ‘I want you to leave, now. What you’re saying is wrong. It’s all lies and it’s destructive.’

‘Alison has been asking questions all these years. She’s wanted to know the truth, and every time she’s asked something you fear could muddy the waters, up pops Jack to mess with her head and turn her focus to her father being the killer, ashamed of what he’s done.’

‘Out! Now!’ He grabs me by the shoulders and forcibly drags me into the hallway.

‘Alison said she could smell horses on your clothes when you picked her up out of the car, all those years ago. I could smell horses on your clothes when you broke into Nature’s Diner. I called out Jack’s name, thinking it was him. You stopped. I bet you loved that.’

‘You’re a sick woman, Matilda. You need help.’

I’m not sure exactly what happens next. There’s a bang. Iain’s grip on me slackens and I fall against the wall. Iain drops to the floor. I turn and there’s Alison with the toaster in her hands.

Iain is dazed. He tries to sit up and puts a hand to his head where Alison hit him.

‘You bastard!’ she spits. ‘You complete and utter bastard!’

‘Alison, don’t believe her lies,’ he says as he struggles to lift himself up from the floor.

‘They’re not lies,’ I say. ‘The problem is, Iain, you’ve told them so many times over the past thirty years that you actually believe them yourself. You really think your brother was a paedophile and a murderer, when in reality he was a good man who loved his family but was struggling with his mental health.’

Iain slowly gets back to his feet. He presses a hand to his head and winces at the pain. ‘Jack was weak and pathetic. He didn’t deserve Lynne, and he didn’t deserve Celia and Jennifer. You’re right, Alison, I did drug you when you were five. Do you know what else I did while you were drugged and asleep?’

‘No!’ I scream. ‘Alison, don’t listen to this. This is a lie. He didn’t do anything to you. He only wants to hurt you.’

‘I fucked you, Alison. I put you to bed and I got in next to you.’

‘No!’ Alison cries.

‘He’s lying. He didn’t do anything.’ I turn to Iain. ‘You’ve hurt this family enough. You don’t need to do any more damage.’

Iain lunges forward. He grabs me and pulls me out of the way. He takes Alison by the shoulders and slams her up against the back wall. I can see he’s whispering something in her ear. He’s smirking, grinning, enjoying himself while Alison buckles and collapses.

I have to stop him. I have to stop him telling more lies and inflicting more damage.

I grab the frying pan from the cooker and swing it at his head. He falls, bangs his head on the table as he drops.

‘Alison, listen to me,’ I begin, taking hold of Alison and pulling her to her feet. ‘Don’t listen to a word he just said. He wants to hurt you. Don’t let him. Go. Leave. Go back to the cottage. Tell Tania to call Gill. She needs to come now.’ I push Alison to the back door and pull it open.

‘Please,’ she pleads with me, tears rolling down her cheeks. ‘Please don’t tell me he…’

‘He didn’t. I know he didn’t. Go and get help. Now. Run!’

I slam the door and turn back to see Iain getting to his feet.

‘I have never wanted to kill someone as much as I want to kill you right now,’ I tell him. I can feel the anger rising up inside me. I hope Gill gets here quickly.

Iain smiles at me. ‘You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I did hate Jack. I hated Lynne even more for dumping me for that pathetic excuse for a man. I hated Travis for having women offer themselves to him when he was too shy to accept it. I did steal his car. He reported it to the police, but I knew Lionel had taken that money raised for Gideon, so I told him to remove the statement or I’d tell the whole village.’

‘You still told them, though.’