‘I asked John outright if he did it once,’ Mandy said. ‘He laughed and said I mustn’t speak of it again. It was all so odd. I couldn’t bear to live with him after a while, because deep down, I knew.’
‘Surely you could have pushed it, made the police listen.’
‘I tried. Believe me, I …’ Mandy’s voice broke as she struggled to explain herself.
‘Go on.’ Rain hammered against the hospital windows. The day was as grey as Sarah’s thoughts.
‘One night, John went to a function,’ Mandy continued. ‘It was only a week after the funerals, and I didn’t want to go. It seemed wrong, you know? Disrespectful. But if John was grieving then he didn’t show it. He went out and I stayed at home alone. I was going to bed when the power went out. I went downstairs to find the fuse box and …’
‘Yes?’
‘I’ve never told this to a living soul.’
‘You can trust me,’ Sarah said. ‘I just want closure.’
There was a pause before Mandy inhaled. ‘The next thing I knew, someone was grabbing me from behind. They blindfolded and gagged me. Tied me to a chair.’
Sarah was chewing her bottom lip. ‘Who? Not John.’
‘No. He was still at the party. I remember their rough hands. The smell of booze on their breath. I’ve never been so scared in all my life.’
‘What happened?’ Sarah wasn’t sure if she wanted to know.
‘They told me to shut up. They said if I eventhoughtabout speaking to the police that they’d be back to finish what they’d started. They didn’t mention John. But I knew. He’d got himself involved with some bad people. He was in way over his head.’
‘What about when he came home?’
‘He found me, still tied up. He seemed upset, but not once did he offer to call the police. There was no forced entry. He said I couldn’t have locked the back door. But I did. I specifically remembered doing it. That’s when I wondered if he’d given them a key. The next day I packed my bags and left. I wanted no part of it.’
As the conversation came to a close, Sarah realised that what passed between them had felt like a confessional, and Sarah had forgiven her. But she would never forgive John, which was why she was here.
A young nurse wandered into the room, checking his stats and giving Sarah a gentle smile. ‘He’s not in any pain,’ she said, her soft voice imbued with empathy. She mistook Sarah for someone who cared. Up until now, the only people who thought about the man before her were the vultures waiting for their piece of the pie. Not only had John recovered from his debt, he’d became wealthy from the business ventures which followed. The nurse didn’t know who Sarah was or the circumstances which brought her here. Had she known the danger John was in, she would never have allowed Sarah into the room.
‘That was heavy.’ Richie squeezed Sarah’s hand as the nurse left. ‘Are you ready to go?’
‘I need five minutes alone with him. Why don’t you grab a coffee? I won’t be long.’
Sarah felt nauseous at the thought of John in the crawlspaces of their home.
The second Richie left, Sarah leaned over John’s bed and whispered into his ear. ‘You evil old bastard. You’re going to hell for this. I’ll never forgive you for what you did. Never.’
Because only now did she know the full story. Today John was paying for his crimes.
57
‘Would you like me to dim the lights?’ The nurse popped her head in. ‘I can get you a blanket if you’re going to stay.’
‘I’m fine, thanks.’ Sarah forced a gentle smile. ‘I’m heading off soon.’
The click of the door invoked unwelcome memories as she recalled the sound of the key turning in the wardrobe lock. Folding her arms, she stood over John’s bed. The man was a shell of his former self, his eyes sunken, his skin like parchment. Cancer had already ravaged his body. All his money couldn’t save him now. Sarah did not know if he could hear her, but she was determined to have her say.
‘Mum was ten years younger than I am when you murdered her in cold blood. Why did you leave her until the end?’ She shook her head bitterly. ‘Did you think she’d run away with you after you killed her children? Is that what it was?’ No reply. He was a monster trapped in the body of a frail old man. ‘Was it worth it? Because everybody hates you. And you can’t take your precious money where you’re going.’
Anger flaring, she watched his chest rise and fall. Each breath was taken as if it was his last. ‘I can barely remember him,’ Sarah continued, as thoughts of Robin returned. ‘All I have are blurry old photos. I can see his face, but I can’t remember his essence, because I’ve buried the memory so far down.’ She was shaking now, a volcano of emotions. She swiped at the tears blurring her vision. ‘You took that from me. You killed an innocent child formoneythen let my father take the blame.’ Her lips a thin white line, she stared at the man before her. ‘You didn’t just kill Robin, or Mum and Dad. Whole family lines were wiped out because of you.’ She exhaled a shuddering breath. ‘I’ll dance on your grave, do you hear me? But not before I make sure everyone knows what you are.’ The steady rise and fall of John’s chest came to a halt as he exhaled a long, lingering breath. Sarah leaned closer. Was he dead?
Then a sudden, clawing breath as John’s chest jutted upwards, his mouth gaping open. Her legs giving way, she plopped back into the chair. ‘Oh my God. I thought you were dead!’ she tittered, emitting a tearful high-pitched laugh. She tried to imagine what it would feel like, cutting off his air supply. Since finding out about his involvement, she had fantasised about it. Retribution was a drug.
The cold chill of fear brought her to ground as Richie entered the room. ‘I shouldn’t be here,’ she said, reading the concern on his face. ‘I’m scared of what I might do.’
