‘Why does it matter what I believe?’
‘You must have a theory.What do you think happened?’
Nel shook her head.‘I’ve been trying to put this behind me for sixteen years.’
There was a charged silence as he waited for her to say more.
‘I’m writing this story,’ he said eventually, ‘with or without your cooperation.’
‘I just can’t go back there.’
‘Then you’ll continue to be a suspect.’
A bolt of rage shot through her and she stood up.How dare he come in here and ambush her while she was working.
‘You need to go,’ she said, opening the door.
He thanked her for her time and started down the corridor, but then he turned back to face her.
‘Oh, there’s one other thing.’He spoke as though it had slipped his mind, but it felt like an act.‘I understand you told the police about a missing ring?’
Shit.How did he know that?
Nel held his gaze, but she was rattled now.‘I don’t know anything about that.Have a good afternoon.’
She’d regained her composure quickly, but maybe not quickly enough.
He studied her for a long moment.‘You too,’ he said with a nod.
Chapter 17
Nel waited until Trent was gone to call her next patient, but the waiting room was empty.
‘Sorry, doll, we’ve had a few cancellations,’ said Viv.
‘A few?’
‘That’s it for the day.’
Nel frowned.There were meant to be three more appointments.There had been a couple of cancellations earlier too.‘Why?’she asked, not sure she wanted to hear the answer.
Viv raised her open hands.‘It happens, doll.Things come up.’
Nel bit her thumb nail, sensing Viv wasn’t telling her the whole truth.‘It’s because of me, isn’t it?Word’s got around that it’s me and people don’t want to come.’
Viv opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again.
‘I’m right, aren’t I?’
Viv reached out and squeezed her hand.
Nel let out a little laugh.‘I don’t believe this.’
‘You get some funny people in towns like this.’
Nel sighed.‘We might as well knock off early then, I guess.’
She went back to her consult room and sat with her head in her hands, trembling with rage.She couldn’t live like this anymore.For two years after Maddie died, she’d endured whispers andrumours, and for the last fourteen she’d imagined them.Now she was back and it was clear that her worst fears were correct.People still suspected she had something to do with her best friend’s death.
