TOYL

growing. ‘I fail to see what’s so funny about all this. My daughter has been to hell and back these past few weeks, and those scumbags in the media treat it like some form of cheap entertainment.’
    ‘I know. I’m sorry; I wasn’t smiling at what Emma has been through. I was smiling at what you are going through, Edward.’
    ‘What? I don’t understand,’ Edward said, facing the man out.
    ‘You will,’ he replied.
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean? Who the hell are you?’
    ‘How’s Will? I hear that he’s not been very well recently.’
    ‘Who are you?’ Edward repeated.
    ‘Think about it,’ the man replied, tapping a finger to the side of his head. ‘Think carefully, Edward.’
    Edward stood up. ‘You’d better go.’
    ‘I thought you might want to hear the rest of what I’ve got to say,’ the man replied.
    ‘I don’t want to hear anything,’ Edward responded. ‘Get out,’ he shouted, pointing towards the door.
    ‘Do you know how I felt when I heard that Stuart Harris was dead?’ the man asked, getting up from the chair.
    ‘Go,’ demanded Edward.
    ‘I felt as though all this had been worth it,’ continued the man, moving close to Edward’s face until there was barely air between them. ‘It felt good, really good. I couldn’t believe my luck when I broke into the flat and found him dying on the floor. I was tempted to finish him off myself, just to make sure, but I wasn’t there for that – I had a present to leave him on his computer. A photo gift. It’s amazing how much you can learn from a photo, Edward. I learnt so much from what I found last month. They’d been waiting for me to find them, for all these years. It set me on the road to the truth.’
    He smiled and Edward flinched.
    ‘You know, it seemed fitting that Stuart Harris ended his own pitiful life. That’s what you’ve turned me into, Edward – someone who delights in another person’s death.’
    ‘I don’t know who you are. Please leave me and my family alone.’
    ‘Soon,’ the man said, heading for the exit.
    Edward followed him to the door, longing to strike down hard on the back of his neck. But he simply opened the door and watched the man step out onto the driveway, where he then paused.
    ‘Do you know what it’s like to really hurt?’ the man said, turning around and walking back towards Edward. ‘To hurt so much that it takes all your energy just to get out of bed in the morning.’
    ‘Leave,’ Edward said.
    ‘This is your fault.’
    ‘I don’t even know you,’ Edward insisted. ‘I think you need to get help.’
    The man laughed to himself, as if remembering a private joke. ‘Soon you’ll know what it’s like to really hurt, to lose the one you love.’
    Edward was chilled by the threat. ‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
    But the man didn’t reply; he just turned and walked away.



PART THREE

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    Emma stayed for another hour, watching Richard sleep. The answers to what had happened that night were locked up there in his head, but would he ever be able to retrieve them? She had just left the hospital when her mobile rang.
    ‘Emma, it’s Guy Roberts here.’
    ‘Hi,’ Emma said, caught by surprise. All the business with the film now seemed a world away, dropping right off the list of her priorities.
    ‘Can we meet up?’ he asked. ‘I need to speak with you.’
    ‘It’s not really a good time,’ Emma said. ‘There’s a lot going on. I can’t really deal with anything at the moment.’
    ‘I heard about Stuart. It’s terrible news.’
    ‘Yes. I’m sorry; I should have remembered that you were friends.’
    ‘It’s fine. Well, you know what I mean.’
    ‘I think so.’
    ‘I’d really like to talk. It’s about what has happened. There’s something that you need to know.’

    ***

    ‘Thanks for coming over,’ said Guy, as he ushered Emma inside. ‘Come in, take a seat.’
    Emma followed him through into the lounge and sat down.
    ‘Drink?’ he asked.
    ‘I’m okay,’ Emma said.
    ‘How are you doing?’ Guy sat down opposite her. ‘I know it’s a terrible time for you.’
    ‘I’m dealing with it.’
    ‘Still no news on your fiancé?’
    ‘No. The police are looking, but I haven’t heard anything yet.’
    ‘It’s terrible.’
    ‘You said you wanted to tell me something. Is it about Stuart?’
    Guy nodded, appearing to steel himself for the conversation to come. ‘The police think Stuart had something to do with your fiancé