‘I couldn’t see beyond the boy.’
His hand traces slowly along my hip, and I sigh happily, loving the sweet touches after all the harsh sex.
‘I used to think that I’d built you up. That the memory of you couldn’t possibly be matched in the real world.’
‘And?’
‘You’re so much more,’ he says. ‘Than I could have ever imagined.’
I close my eyes, content in his arms.
‘Say my name again,’ he whispers against my shoulder.
‘Liam,’ I respond, smiling at the way it makes him arch inside me.
‘I’ll never tire of hearing my name on your lips.’
TWENTY-FOUR
KAT
The next noteappears on Monday, lying on my doormat beneath the letterbox as I come out to grab a cup of coffee. Another plain white envelope with my name on it in the same block capitals as the others. I stand in the living room in my socks, looking at it for a long time before I pick it up.
Inside, a single card with four words in red.
I was there too.
My legs give, and I sink to the floor, sitting there with the card in my hands and the envelope on the floor while I tremble. I hoped whoever it was had given up, but he’s back.
I was there too.
The confirmation that he’s someone who saw exactly what happened.
That afternoon in the woods, and whatever they saw, they’ve been carrying it for fourteen years the same way I have, and now they want me to know that they know. Why?
Why not call the police? Why all the scaring me?
I call Liam to let him know, and it’s a good thing Ellie’s already left, as there’s no stopping him from coming over.
He’s here in twenty minutes, all clenched fists and rage. ‘He was right here; if I hadn’t left to shower, I might have caught him.’
‘You’re not to blame.’
I pass him the card, and he reads it without speaking. The card bends where he holds it so tightly.
‘I was there too,’ he mutters. More to himself than to me.
‘He’s not going to stop, is he?’ I pull my knees up to my chest. ‘How did we miss someone being there?’
‘We were just scared kids.’
‘I didn’t see anyone,’ I press. ‘Would your dad have had anyone with him?’
He’s quiet for a moment before shrugging. ‘I guess, he might have.’
‘Let’s go over what we remember,’ he says, sliding down beside me and wrapping an arm around myshoulder. ‘The whole afternoon. Everything you remember.’
It’s so long ago that the day is murky. Over the past years, I’ve tried so hard to avoid going back to that last day, trying to stay in the good times with Liam.
