Lost Innocence (55 page)

‘But it’s not fair!’ Darcie protested. ‘She’s the one who caused it…’

‘Don’t do this now,’ Nat pleaded. ‘Everyone’s looking. Let’s just get out of here.’

‘That’s it, run away,’ Georgie shouted after them.

‘There’s Robert,’ Annabelle said, spotting the Mercedes. ‘Come on, quick.’

Having witnessed some sort of exchange between
Annabelle and Nathan, Robert got out of the car not knowing what on earth he was going to do, but his niece was crying, and his nephew looked stricken – he couldn’t just let them go. On the other hand, Annabelle was already running towards him, appearing none too happy herself, and if he turned his back on her now the little trust he’d built up with her would be wiped out in an instant.

In the end, as Annabelle and her friends piled into the car, he accepted that there was no way he could offer Nat and Darcie a ride home too, and as he wasn’t even sure they’d seen him, he got back into the driver’s seat vowing to do something to make this up to them.

‘What happened?’ he asked, catching Annabelle’s eye in the rear-view mirror.

‘Nothing,’ she answered. ‘Where’s Mum?’

‘She had to wait for a phone call,’ he lied. He wouldn’t tell her the truth, since Sabrina hadn’t actually admitted she was afraid of running into Alicia at the school, but he knew it was the real reason she’d asked him to come in her place.

When they got home, having dropped off Georgie and Catrina along the way, there was no sign of Sabrina. Her car was gone, and there was no note letting them know where she was or when she’d be back. ‘Give her mobile a try,’ Robert said to Annabelle as she went to the fridge. ‘I still have a paper to finish before I leave tomorrow, so I’m going back to my study.’

‘How long are you going to be away?’ Annabelle asked.

‘Not as long as I’d intended,’ he answered. ‘I’ll be back on the tenth.’ He was about to add that they’d go up to London the day after for her ‘little procedure’ as Sabrina had taken to calling it, but stopped himself. She knew the date of her appointment, so didn’t need reminding.

He was halfway across the garden when Darcie’s tears and Nat’s pale face struck his conscience again, and knowing he couldn’t continue without going to find out if they’d got home all right, he redirected his steps out into Holly Way and across the high street to The Close. It was unlikely they’d be back yet, but he could always wait if they weren’t.

Since Alicia’s car wasn’t in its usual place he didn’t have
much hope of the door being answered when he knocked, but to his surprise he heard footsteps on the stairs, and then Nat was there. From the expression that came over the lad’s face, Robert knew right away that he’d seen him at the school.

‘You’re home already,’ Robert said awkwardly.

‘Simon’s mother saw us and gave us a lift,’ Nat replied.

Robert nodded. ‘Good.’ Then, ‘Where’s Mum?’

‘At a meeting about the shop.’

‘I see. Well, as long as you’re all right.’

‘We’re fine, thanks.’

Robert raised a hand in a kind of wave and turned back down the path. The fact that Nat hadn’t invited him in told him more clearly than anything how hurt the boy was, and Robert didn’t blame him. In Nat’s shoes he’d no doubt feel let down and betrayed too, but then he only had to think of Annabelle with her pregnancy, and not knowing who the father was, and Sabrina’s refusal even to acknowledge the fact that her daughter had behaved like a tramp, to know where he belonged right now.

‘Where have you been?’ Annabelle asked, looking up from her second bowl of frosted cornflakes as Sabrina came in the door.

‘I popped out to the supermarket,’ Sabrina answered, hefting a couple of bags on to the table. ‘How was your first day back?’

‘Horrible,’ Annabelle replied with her mouth full.

Sabrina looked at her.

‘I don’t want to talk about it,’ Annabelle said, and carried on eating. ‘The swelling’s going down on your lip now,’ she commented. ‘Are you sure you walked into a door and Robert didn’t whack you?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

‘So why isn’t he speaking to you?’

‘He is speaking to me. Where is he?’

‘In his office. He’s got some paper to finish, he said.’

Nodding, Sabrina put on the kettle and started packing the groceries away.

‘Mum?’ Annabelle said after a while.

‘Mm?’

‘What do you think would happen if I said I didn’t want to go to court?’

Sabrina turned round, aghast, but needing to be certain where this was going before she got off on the wrong foot. ‘You’ve already been told you don’t have to appear,’ she reminded her. ‘You can give your evidence by video.’

Annabelle looked down at her bowl, but all she was seeing was Darcie’s face as she’d screamed at her across the street.

‘What’s the matter?’ Sabrina asked warily.

‘Nothing, I just…’

‘Just what?’ Sabrina prompted.

‘Well, I was thinking, maybe we should just forget about it all now.’

Sabrina’s head started to spin. ‘Rape doesn’t just go away,’ she said angrily.

‘I know that, but everyone’s talking about it and it’s getting on my nerves.’

Sabrina opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say.

‘Anyway, I saw Darcie earlier,’ Annabelle went on. ‘Someone said people are calling her names, and she looked really upset. So did Nat…’

‘You saw Nathan,’ Sabrina interrupted. ‘That boy’s supposed to keep…’

‘I know, I know. He was waiting for the bus, so it wasn’t like he was trying to hassle me or anything.’

‘Nevertheless, he’s in breach of his bail…’

‘Oh shut up, I wish I’d never said anything now.’

‘Annabelle, what is going on in that head of yours?’

‘Nothing. I just felt bad for Darcie, OK?’

‘Well, I’m very sorry if she was upset, but Nathan should have thought about that before…’

‘Just leave it,’ Annabelle cried. ‘I can’t talk to you about anything, so forget I ever mentioned it.’

Stiff with tension, Sabrina turned back to carry on unloading the shopping, until, unable to keep her frustration to herself a moment longer, she suddenly shouted, ‘Did that boy rape you, or didn’t he?’

‘Yes, he did,’ Annabelle shouted back.

‘Then there’s no more discussion to be had. You did the right thing in reporting him, and now you need to see it through. I understand it’s not easy, so maybe we should give Lisa Murray a ring. She can have a chat with you, and put your mind at rest, because I’m sure a lot of victims go through the stage you’re going through now.’

‘Whatever,’ Annabelle said, glancing at Sabrina’s mobile as it started to ring.

Seeing June’s name come up, Sabrina clicked on saying, ‘Hi, how did you get on with Canon Jeffries?’

‘Great as usual, he’s such an old gossip. I swear he’s gay, you know. Anyway, I can now round off my Glastonbury versus God piece, and then all we need is the scoop on the Roswells’ party. How was it, by the way? I suppose the whole world was there, except
moi
, of course. Let me tell you, it’s no fun being Cinderella at my age, even fairy godmothers are looking for younger models.’

Casting a sideways glance at Annabelle, Sabrina said, ‘I’ll put something together and email it over. When are we due to meet?’

‘Some time next week, Thursday I think, to put the next edition to bed. So tell me, was Cameron Mitchell at the party? Did you meet him?’

‘Kind of,’ Sabrina answered. ‘It’ll have to wait until I see you, I’m afraid, Robert’s leaving for Washington tomorrow, and I want to cook something special for tonight.’

As she rang off Annabelle got up from the table and went to put her bowl and spoon in the sink. ‘You must have done something really bad if he’s not speaking to you and you’re sucking up to him with special dinners,’ she commented, ‘but I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me what it was, so I’m going upstairs to my room.’

‘Before you go,’ Sabrina said, ‘how are you feeling now? Any more nausea?’

‘I’m cool, apart from first thing, but you were there when I chucked up, so you already know about that.’

‘Have you told anyone?’

‘No way. Not even Georgie. I don’t want to end up being stared at even more than I was today. Or expelled, thank you very much. Anyway, here comes Robert, so I’ll leave
you to your sucking up. Good luck,’ and waving her crossed fingers, she left.

Feeling a horrible fluttering inside as Robert opened the door, Sabrina smiled affectionately as she said, ‘Hi, everything OK?’

‘Everything’s fine,’ he answered shortly, going to unplug his phone charger from the wall.

Breezing over his abruptness, she said, ‘I thought I’d do a rack of lamb in the rosemary and mint pesto you like for dinner. Would you prefer dauphinois or roast potatoes to go with it?’

‘Actually, I’m driving up to Heathrow tonight,’ he told her. ‘My flight’s at nine in the morning, so it makes more sense for me to stay at a hotel nearby.’

‘I see,’ she said carefully. ‘OK, well I can always freeze the lamb and we can have it when you come back.’

Making no response, he picked up the newspaper he’d left on the table and went on upstairs to start packing.

‘Mum just rang,’ Nat said, going to stand in Darcie’s bedroom doorway. ‘She’ll be home in about ten minutes.’

Darcie looked up from her computer. Her eyes were still pink from crying, but she was putting a braver face on things now. ‘Did she say how it went?’ she asked.

‘Only that progress is being made and she’ll fill us in when she gets here.’

Darcie nodded. ‘Are you going to tell her Uncle Robert came over?’

‘No. I don’t think we should tell her anything. She’ll only worry and get upset and she’s already got enough to be dealing with.’

‘What, you mean we should let her think everything’s all right at school?’

Realising how hard that was going to be for her, he said, ‘Well, that’s what I’m going to do, but obviously, if you want to…’

‘No, I’ll do the same,’ she cut in. ‘I don’t want her to worry either, or you. I can deal with it, honestly,’ and getting up from her computer she came to give him a hug. ‘I wish
Dad was here,’ she said brokenly. ‘I keep trying to think it’s not horrible without him, but it is.’

His arms tightened around her. ‘I know,’ he whispered, resting his head on hers. Then, ‘I’m really sorry about the way everyone’s being with you. You shouldn’t be having to put up with all that crap because of me.’

‘It’s because of
her
,’ she reminded him hotly. ‘If she hadn’t told all those lies this wouldn’t be happening.’

‘I know, but…’

‘I’m really glad I shouted at her,’ she ran on. ‘I wish I’d gone over there and punched her now. I
hate
her for what she’s doing, and I don’t like Uncle Robert very much any more either. He should make her tell the truth so all this can be over.’

‘It will be soon,’ he said, ‘just hang in there and let Mum think everything’s OK.’

Returning to his room, he closed the door and went to sit at his own computer. There were a lot more suicide websites than he’d expected, so many that he hardly knew which one to choose. The one on the screen now though was probably the one he’d go with, because the way out they were suggesting seemed quick and easy and wouldn’t, so they said, be too traumatic for those left behind. Thinking of his mother and Darcie and how they’d react when they found him brought a lump to his throat. He didn’t want to do this to them, he wanted to be here to take care of them, to make sure no one ever hurt them, but they were suffering because of him, so what choice did he have?

If he had the courage and tools he’d do it right now, but he didn’t, so bookmarking the site, he closed it down and sent an email to Jolyon.
Things getting a bit tough for Mum and Darcie. Any news from Oliver?

‘The weasel isn’t going to have much trouble deciding whether to prosecute this one,’ DS Clive Bevan was remarking, as he and Lisa went back into the rape suite after seeing out a frightened young boy and his mother, both victims of sexual assault by the live-in boyfriend. ‘Bet our shifty little CPS wishes it was as cut and dried in the
Carlyle case. He’s coming under some serious pressure now to reduce the charge.’

‘Funny you should mention that one,’ Lisa remarked, leading him through to the tech room where one of her colleagues was spot-checking the most recent video recording. ‘I had a call from Sabrina Paige this morning, asking if I’d talk to Annabelle.’

‘Oh?’ he said, perching on the edge of a desk.

‘According to her mother, Annabelle’s starting to feel sorry for Nathan and his sister, so she’s considering dropping the charge. Mrs Paige thinks this might be typical behaviour for a victim, so she’d like me to persuade Annabelle to see it through.’

Bevan pulled a face. ‘So what are you going to do?’ he asked.

‘Talk to Annabelle, and find out how she’s really feeling. She’s at school now, and my schedule’s chock-a-block here, so it’ll probably have to wait till next week.’

He glanced at his watch, checking the date. ‘I think the Carlyle boy’s up for committal some time soon,’ he said, ‘unless the CPS cracks and gives his lawyers what they want. Ash has got herself totally involved in it, of course. She thinks the same as me, that the boy’s lies at the start are going to hang him, so she’s not letting up on the weasel either. Wouldn’t want to be in his shoes, that’s for sure, but it’ll be interesting to find out what young Annabelle has to say when you do manage to talk to her.’

‘Alicia, I’m sorry I’m late,’ Jolyon apologised, hurrying into the Hotel du Vin’s restaurant where she was already sitting with the menus and a glass of wine. ‘It’s been hectic around here these last few days. How are you?’ he said, kissing her on both cheeks. ‘Thanks for driving all this way. I’d have come to you, but I’m in court for the next three days, and then it’s the committal, and I wanted to talk to you before…’

‘It’s fine,’ Alicia assured him. ‘I’m happy to get out of Holly Wood once in a while, especially when you’re treating me to lunches like this.’

He smiled, and after ordering a glass of wine for himself,
he said, ‘I know the menu pretty well, so I’m ready to order when you are.’