No Turning Back, page 7
Anna sighed. Was Elliot Nunn really ‘scum’? Even if he had tried to kill Joni, he was still a kid himself. What exactly had driven him to that point, what sort of life must he have led? The more Anna found out about his family, the more she despaired. His father clearly had anger issues, and his mother seemed very fragile.
She’d been too scared to leave the bungalow until now, remembering the look of rage on Elliot’s father’s face. But it wasn’t fair on Joni to stay cooped up inside. More importantly, she had to get away from her mother. Two weeks inside the bungalow brought back too many memories, memories now turned into her day-to-day reality as she struggled to cope with her mother’s up and down moods, one minute distant and brooding, the next non-stop chatter about pointless things like the birds in the trees and the colour of the sky, anything but what Anna was going through.
And anyway, people from The Docks didn’t tend to venture into the village due to the huge shopping centre on their doorstep catering to their needs. This more upmarket part of Ridgmont Waters was quiet, people letting others get on with their lives. They were used to seeing the occasional famous face here, the large holiday homes overlooking the beach nearby attracting the rich and famous over the summer holidays.
Anna walked into a small seaside cafe. It had recently attracted new owners, the once dry sandwiches and warm lemonades replaced by sharing platters and unusually flavoured ice creams.
She walked through towards the small veranda at the back which overlooked the beach. Nathan was already out there on one of the white iron tables, signing a woman’s napkin. Anna frowned. So much for villagers not intruding.
Nathan noticed Anna walk outside and jumped up, manoeuvring a chair so Anna could get the pushchair in. People glanced up as she passed, recognition flickering in their eyes. But they quickly returned to their Sunday papers and Anna took a breath of relief.
‘Look at you,’ Nathan said, taking his sunglasses off and smiling at Joni. She giggled and grabbed his hand. ‘Isn’t she gorgeous?’
‘She is,’ Anna said, finding a highchair in the corner and lifting Joni into it, safe and snug. ‘My gorgeous perfect little girl, aren’t you?’
‘Mama!’ Joni exclaimed.
Nathan laughed. ‘She seems well. How did the visit from social services go last week?’
‘Short and sweet. It was clear they were just there to tick some boxes.’
‘Good,’ he said. ‘And how are you? You look tired.’
Anna thought of the restless nights, dreams filled with blood and Elliot’s dying blue eyes.
‘Not sleeping great, as you’d expect,’ she said as she sat down. ‘But things are starting to feel a bit more normal.’
‘Good. We’re still getting lots of emails in to the show.’
‘I’ve been listening. Georgia’s doing a great job,’ Anna said, referring to the news anchor who’d temporarily taken over from her.
‘Yes, she’s great, I’ve always liked Georgia.’ Nathan raised an eyebrow. ‘But she’s not you, Anna.’
‘You’re too kind.’ The waitress came up and Anna ordered an iced coffee and lemon drizzle cake as she pulled some snacks out for Joni. In the distance, the sea was calm, the skies bright blue. The heatwave hadn’t really let up, but it was more bearable than previous days. People sat in the village’s distinctive fuchsia pink deckchairs that dotted the seafront. A child ran along it with a red flag in the air, his father laughing as he followed him. A golden retriever jumped in and out of the waves, yapping at them. Beyond, the lighthouse watched over them all, its windows twinkling in the sun.
It almost felt like a normal day.
‘There’s an article about Elliot Nunn’s brother in the Sun today,’ Nathan said, quirking an eyebrow as he jutted his chin towards a newspaper being read by an elderly couple on the beach. ‘Bit of a local criminal, apparently.’
Anna followed his gaze to see the newspaper he was referring to, a large photo of a man staring out from it. Anna let out a gasp. It was the same man who’d helped her when Elliot’s parents had confronted her a couple of weeks before.
‘What’s wrong?’ Nathan asked.
‘That’s not Elliot Nunn’s brother, is it?’ Nathan nodded. Anna frowned. Elliot’s brother had helped her? But why?
‘What’s wrong, Anna?’ Nathan asked.
Anna shook her head. ‘Nothing. Let’s change the subject, shall we?’
Nathan smiled. ‘Of course. So what are your thoughts about coming back to work?’
Anna looked at him, alarmed. ‘Now?’
‘Maybe in a month or so, whenever suits you.’
‘It’s not ideal, is it, the person reading the news being the news?’
‘Exactly what we discussed yesterday. But we have a solution! You could work behind the scenes, you’ve done it before when you had laryngitis and couldn’t talk, remember?’
Anna gave Joni her sippy cup and fanned her hot cheeks with the menu. ‘Aren’t there rules about employees who’ve been involved in an incident like this?’
He shrugged. ‘You were released with no charge. It’ll be good for you, Anna. You can get some semblance of a normal life back. You’ll miss Joni, I’m sure, but I’m only suggesting part-time to start with, maybe a couple of days a week. Plus there’s the money too.’
Anna sighed. He was right. Guy paid maintenance for Joni but it was now up to her to cover the mortgage on a house she wasn’t even able to live in and everything else.
Joni threw a handful of mashed banana onto the floor. Anna thought about Nathan’s offer as she leaned down to wipe the banana up. Regardless of the money, could she really leave Joni to go to work, even if it was for a few hours and even if she’d be left with family, either Florence or the nursery her mother-in-law owned? It was already so difficult when Guy had her. But Nathan was right, she needed the money…and she needed a semblance of normality.
‘There’s a lot to think about. Can I let you know in a few days?’ she asked.
‘Of course.’ Nathan took a sip of his latte and leaned back in his chair. ‘Did I tell you about what Heather said to me the other day?’
As they gossiped about work, Anna felt herself relax. Maybe life could begin to feel normal?
In fact, Anna felt so relaxed after her coffee with Nathan that she decided to stay out a little longer, strolling down the beach front under the sun, popping into the boutique shops to browse. It almost felt like she was back to her old life, before the terrible day Elliot Nunn had died. Anna batted that thought away and headed to her favourite second-hand bookshop, flicking through the books that were laid out on the long tables outside, the sea breeze providing some respite from the growing heat.
‘Anna!’ She turned to see her friend Maxine striding towards her, her little girl, Lissie, singing away in her pram as her son, Will, clutched onto her hand, both of their faces shiny with suncream. Anna gave Maxine a hug. She’d decided to go to dinner at Maxine’s the week before to discuss the November fireworks. It gave all her close friends from the village the chance to hear what happened and ask the questions they needed to. She’d come away realising she wouldn’t be ostracised for what she’d done, that her friends were as supportive as she’d hoped they’d be.
‘I’m so pleased you took my advice and got out in the fresh air,’ Maxine said, leaning town to tickle Joni. ‘Look at her, she seems to grow more every week, we must do that play date with Suzanne this weekend.’
‘Definitely.’
People walked past, smiling at Anna.
Maxine quirked an eyebrow. ‘I told you, people respect you for what you did.’
Anna frowned. ‘It feels weird.’
Maxine squeezed her arm. ‘You did what any mother would.’
Anna’s phone buzzed. She looked down, seeing it was her solicitor Jeremy. ‘Sorry, I better get this, it’s my solicitor.’
Maxine pulled a face. ‘Oh, hon, is everything going okay?’
‘It’s fine. I’ll text you about the play date, we can catch up then?’
‘Perfect. I’ll leave you to it.’ She blew Anna a kiss then strolled off.
Anna put her phone to her ear.
‘Elliot Nunn’s autopsy results are back,’ Jeremy said when she answered.
‘Everything okay?’
‘Cause of his death is as expected, severe blood loss from the comb penetrating a carotid artery.’ Anna’s head swam with images from Elliot’s death. ‘But there was something else.’ He took a deep breath. ‘He’d been poisoned before he died with digitalis, the poison found in foxgloves.’
Anna’s blood turned to ice. Traces of foxglove had been found in all of the Ophelia Killer’s victims. Though it wasn’t what had killed the boys in the end, it was what would have made them weak enough to be drowned in their ponds.
‘The Ophelia Killer,’ Anna whispered.
‘Quite. The police are rather perplexed.’
‘I got an email from someone claiming to be the Ophelia Killer.’
Jeremy sighed. ‘I know, Detective Morgan mentioned it. Makes it all even more alarming.’
‘I don’t understand, those murders were years ago. What does Detective Morgan say? Do they think Elliot was poisoned before I saw him? He was acting really out of it, I just thought it was drugs.’
‘Try not to dwell on it too much, Anna, I just thought you’d appreciate the update. The results won’t be released to the public for a couple of days, his family don’t even know yet so please keep it quiet.’
‘Of course.’
Anna walked to her mother’s in a daze, trying to wrap her head around what she’d learnt. When she got back to the bungalow, Beatrice was sitting in the dark. Anna tiptoed past her, taking Joni upstairs for her nap. She knew when to leave her mother alone.
As she lay Joni in her cot, Anna’s phone pinged. She went to turn it off; she couldn’t cope with any more confusing, scary news. But before she had a chance, she saw it was another email from the so-called Ophelia Killer.
She found herself opening it, holding her breath.
From: Ophelia Killer
To: Anna Graves
Subject: Autopsy
I saw you in the village earlier, you looked rather distressed, a little confused too. I wonder if they’ve told you I poisoned young Elliot? I so wish I’d had the chance to cut him too, like I did the others. The holes would have been perfectly round. I use a special leather shape cutter, wonderful thing.
But alas, you took that opportunity away from me, Anna. My first chance in twenty years to experience that intoxicating wonder again at seeing their white lily bodies lain prone.
I have to confess, I am a little angry at you for taking that from me. But it also intrigues me, the idea it was you who took his life, the daughter of Simon Fountain, a man who grew so obsessed with finding me that it drove him mad enough to jump from his beloved lighthouse.
Don’t pretend you didn’t find it exciting, to stumble upon your father’s body. There’s a morbid curiosity, isn’t there? I think it ties in to our desire to get to the root of the one thing we can’t possibly know while alive: what it means to die. So we look and we look and we look because maybe if we do it long enough, we will grasp what death truly is.
Did you look, Anna? Did you look and look and look?
Take care now. TOK
Anna sat on her bed, putting her head in her hands. Images of her father’s dead body tumbled through her mind. She tried to battle them away by getting up again and walking around the room. But there he was, limbs at odd angles, blood blossoming around the bottom of his untucked shirt, eyes staring up into the clouds, mouth wide.
And yes, she had looked and looked and looked because she couldn’t quite believe it was him, her wonderful vivacious father, lying broken on the rocks.
It had been the same when she watched the spark disappear from Elliot’s eyes as he’d died. It had been something she’d grappled with since, the way she just couldn’t drag her eyes away from his, the morbid, horrific fascination with it all.
Anna felt her mind spin out of control. She clutched her head. Was she going to lose her mind like her mother?
The door swung open and her mother appeared. ‘Anna?’
Anna looked at Beatrice, tears falling down her cheeks.
‘What’s wrong?’ Beatrice asked.
Anna shook her head, unable to say anything. Beatrice surprised her by pulling her into her arms. Anna froze for a moment, unused to the contact. Then she sank into her mother’s arms.
They stayed like that for a few moments then Beatrice abruptly pulled away and walked from the room without saying anything. Anna stood in the middle of the room, not sure what to think. Then she heard the front door open.
‘Mother?’ Leo’s clipped tones rang out from downstairs. Anna’s heart sank. She’d been spared her brother the past two weeks thanks to his annual holiday to Devon with his wife and the twins.
She took a deep breath then walked downstairs to find Leo taking his jacket off in the hallway. Despite the stifling heat, he still felt the need to wear one. He paused when she appeared on the stairs, a frown on his face. ‘What are you doing here?’
She hid her irritation. ‘Joni and I are staying here,’ she said.
He raised an eyebrow. ‘I wondered how long it would be before you defaulted on your new mortgage payments.’
She shook her head incredulously. ‘The mortgage payments are fine, Leo. I’m staying here on the advice of the police.’
‘Why on earth would the police tell you to stay here?’ She explained about the confrontation on the beach. Her brother shook his head in disgust. ‘So you thought you’d expose Mother to danger by coming here?’
‘For God’s sake, Leo!’
He marched through to the living room. ‘Mother, did you have any say in this or did Gran force your hand?’
‘Have a say in what?’ Beatrice asked.
‘Anna staying here. You do understand how violent the boy’s family is, don’t you? Especially the brother. They’ll be wanting revenge.’
Beatrice frowned slightly.
‘There’s no threat to Mum,’ Anna said. ‘The bungalow is out of the way and the police do drive-bys most nights.’
‘You’re being selfish as always, Anna.’
Anna pinched the bridge of her nose briefly. ‘I know it’s a strange concept to you, but this is what family do, shelter each other when in need. It’s temporary and I’m incredibly grateful to Mum.’ She turned to her mother, her face softening. ‘I really am.’
Beatrice walked to the curtains, staring out. ‘Could I be in danger, Leo?’
Anna’s shoulders slumped. She grabbed her brother’s arm and pulled him into the kitchen out of earshot of their mother. ‘That’s it now, you’ve sent her off on one.’
‘By speaking the truth? She’s naïve, Anna. She doesn’t understand the danger you’ve put her in, it’s my duty to tell her.’
‘Your duty to terrify her, more like. She’s safe, I would never put her in danger.’
‘Like you didn’t put your daughter in danger?’
Anna stared at her brother. ‘Excuse me?’
‘Those ridiculous walks of yours.’
‘Walking my child along the beach is dangerous now?’
‘Clearly. She nearly got killed, didn’t she?’
Anger bristled. ‘I see. So staying indoors all day every day like Trudy does is healthy for young children?’
‘We’ve just come back from Devon!’
‘Where you would have sat inside that cottage you hire and stare at the walls like you do every year. I can see Trudy getting more and more like Mum every day, you know.’
Leo laughed. ‘Trudy, like Mother? Look in the mirror, Anna. Trudy isn’t the one scratching at her arms right now just like Mother does when she gets herself into a state.’
Anna looked down at her forearms which were red raw from scratching.
She pulled her sleeves down and peered into the living room at her mother, who was scratching at her arms too as she stared out at the road.
No, she wouldn’t be like her mother, or like Trudy. She refused to sit in and feel sorry for herself.
She thought about Nathan’s offer to go back to work. Maybe that’s what she needed? It would only be two days a week to start.
‘I need to make a call,’ she said, pulling her phone from her pocket and finding Nathan’s number. ‘Go talk to Mum and make her feel even more paranoid, we all know how good you are at that, Leo.’
As Leo stormed out, Anna dialled Nathan’s number. ‘Is that offer still on the table about me coming back part-time?’ she asked when he picked up.
‘A hundred per cent!’
‘Great. How’s Thursday and Friday each week sound, I can start in August?’
‘Perfect.’
Chapter Five
6 August 2015
Your Say Question of the Day: Are there too many immigrants in the UK?
Caller A: ‘Of course! They’re ruining this country. I’m a midwife and we’re filled to capacity because of all the Eastern Europeans coming in.’ (Sharon, 56)
Caller B: ‘No, I say let’s invite more in! They’ve contributed almost £5 billion to the UK economy since 2004. How can that be “too much”?’ (Matthew, 38)
Caller C: ‘Yes, we moved from our old town because our neighbourhood was overrun by them. They hang around on street corners, drinking and being aggressive.’ (Albert, 47)
Anna caught Nathan’s eye through the window dividing them. Typical that the day she returned to work, just over a month after the incident, there was a question about immigration.
‘Nice selection,’ Nathan said, rubbing his hands together. ‘Looking forward to this one.’ It was strange being on the other side of the screen from him. But it was best she stayed off air for now.
Anna leaned back in her chair, aware of her producer Heather’s eyes on her. She hadn’t kept her eyes off her since Anna returned that morning, barely saying a word to her. But she was in the minority. Mainly, the response to Anna’s return had been warm. People who knew her hugged her, sharing their support. Those who didn’t know her but recognised her smiled, some even gave her a thumbs-up.
