Page 76

Chapter 75

Margot

Anna is both here and far away. She’s staring straight ahead, focused on something undefined, but her mind is elsewhere. I say nothing. And when she eventually returns to our conversation, something tells me not to ask where she’s been.

‘What have you told the police about Bonfire Night?’ she asks.

‘I said I can’t remember anything.’

‘Why didn’t you tell them the truth?’

‘Because it’d prompt too many questions and I’d need to make up too many lies. And the more lies I tell, the more chance there is I’ll be caught out. So it’s best if I deny all knowledge. But I’m going to need you to keep Drew away from me, Anna.’

‘I will.’

‘Because if he tries anything again, I won’t have any choice but to tell the police what—’

‘He won’t go near you,’ she says.

‘I’d like to believe that, but ...’

She is firmer this time: ‘He won’t be returning.’

The certainty of Anna’s words is reflected in her expression.

‘What about Liv?’ she says suddenly. ‘You were responsible for the hit-and-run, weren’t you?’

Her question catches me off guard.

‘Drew told me he drove past your parked car on the back road into the village shortly after the accident,’ she continues, ‘but you told me you’d been sick and hadn’t left the house in days. And our doorbell camera caught you cleaning your car bumpers later that night.’

I can’t come up with a lie quick enough and she knows it.

‘I’ll be honest about everything if you are,’ she prompts. ‘I’m sure there’s plenty you want to know.’

There is. So I take a deep breath.

‘I was convinced she’d sent Nicu the video of me kissing Brandon,’ I begin hesitantly. ‘I’d been drinking, and when I saw her running along that road, I got angry really quickly. I wanted to clip her, not kill her. Hand on heart, Anna, I promise you I checked to see if she was okay but there were no signs of life. I honestly thought she was dead. So I left.’

‘Twice you’ve left people to die,’ she says. ‘Twice is a pattern, if not a habit.’

I can’t argue, so I don’t.

‘And it was Drew who recorded the video and sent it to Nicu,’ Anna adds. ‘I found it on the phone he used to call you with when you were inside the bonfire.’

‘He was at the party?’

‘He must’ve got jealous when he saw you together.’

‘Right,’ I say and blow out a sharp puff of air.

So I hurt Liv for nothing. I can’t offer anything in mitigation, so I take a sip of my tea instead. It’s cold.

‘Okay,’ I say, ‘my turn.’ Anna nods. ‘Why did you move here? To this village. I assume it’s not coincidence.’

‘No, it’s not,’ she replies. ‘It’s the culmination of a decade-and-a-half-long campaign to make your life as miserable as possible.’