On wobbly legs, I cross the room and do as she asks, sitting on the chair as though in a dream. A nightmare. Why the hell are Fiona and Tia here too? It doesn’t make any sense. And Sophie… she seems nothing like the scared, frail girl who was hiding in my house. Right now she’s strong-voiced, assertive, tough.
As Greg ties my wrists and ankles to the chair, I manage to spit out a couple of questions. ‘Why are we all here? What have we done to deserve this? We don’t even know you!’
Greg viciously pulls the zip tie tight against my wrists, making me cry out in pain. ‘Really? Are you sure about that, Kelly?’
Thirty-Six
History teacher facing child sex offence allegations killed himself
Married father of two, Brian Lawson (41)has committed suicide just three weeks before he was due in court.
Lawson was charged with committing sexual offences against three girls under 16. One of these offences is alleged to have taken place in July of this year. The other two incidents are alleged to have happened last year.
Lawson’s wife found him dead in a vehicle in his garage at his home in Ashridge Falls on Monday night. The post-mortem concluded that Lawson died from a combination of carbon monoxide poisoning and sleeping tablets. Police say there were no suspicious circumstances. An inquest into his death will be held in January.
Lawson, who was from Portreach, taught history at Ashridge Falls for 18 years. In a statement, the school said: ‘We value and promote the safety and wellbeing of all our pupils and take these allegations very seriously. We will be working alongside partners such as Portreach Council to look into the allegations independently.’
The council said: ‘We support schools in having effective safeguarding procedures in place, which can be followed in the event that any allegations are received.’
Portreach Police said the three victims in the investigation have been updated and offered support by specially trained officers.
‘Portreach Police takes all reports of sexual assault seriously and urges victims to come forward to report it, regardless of when it happened, safe in the knowledge that they will be treated with respect and dignity and that their allegation will be fully investigated,’ said a police official.
‘In circumstances such as these, where an alleged or suspected perpetrator is deceased, specially trained officers will continue to investigate a victim’s account as far as is possible. Victims will also have access to support from a range of partner agencies.’
A family member of one of the victims commented: ‘We know what’s happened. He obviously couldn’t face jail and he’s taken the cowardly way out.’
Lawson was also blasted online for taking his own life.
Thirty-Seven
Monday
FIONA
I’ve been tied up here for what must be over an hour now so it has to be after midnight. Aside from the fact that my wrists and ankles are burning where they’ve zip-tied me, it’s been torture seeing my two friends walk into the same trap I did, knowing there was nothing I could do to warn them. That all I could do was watch in mute horror as he tied them up. And now we’re all being held in this deserted wooden boathouse with no hope of anyone else coming along for hours. Will we even be alive by then? I’m not sure. Our two captors don’t seem to be entirely sane.
I’ve been trying to work out how I fit into the equation. Greg and Sophie must be behind the tax audit. They must have reported me anonymously. Butwhy? I don’t even know them. And Kelly has just said she doesn’t either. I’m assuming she never met either of them until Sophie showed up at her house with her bullshit story about needing help. The only person who seems to be connected is Tia, because Greg is Rosie’s school teacher. Have Kelly and I been caught in the crossfire because of something Tia said or did?
My thoughts fizzle away as Greg comes and stands in front of us, Sophie by his side, that unfeasibly large knife still in her hand. Greg’s eyes harden as he begins to talk, and I see that his main focus isme; unless I’m imagining it.
‘You might know me as Greg Jones or Greg Jeffries, but my real name is Greg Lawson.’
Hearing the name Lawson, my whole body tenses and the room starts to close in.Lawson?It can’t be just a coincidence.
‘Sophie’s name used to be Natalie Lawson. But we were forced to change our names… because of the scandal. Because our mum wanted to give us all a fresh start. Sophie’s my younger sister.’ Greg gives me a penetrating stare. ‘I see you recognise the name, Fiona. But in case your memories are a little hazy, let me fill you in.’
I’m finding it hard to breathe with this gag in my mouth. I can’t seem to pull enough oxygen into my lungs. And it’s too hot, too close. If this revelation is to do with what I think it is, then – aside from Greg and Sophie’s psychotic behaviour – I really, truly don’t want to be here. That episode from my past is something I’ve pushed to the darkest recesses of my mind, and whenever one of its slimy tentacles threatens to escape, I instantly squash it back down. So please, God, don’t let it out of its box. Not now. Not ever. But as this man continues to talk, the past is racing towards me and I know that it’s all about to be laid bare.
After her initial confidence, Sophie’s eyes are mainly downcast now that Greg is talking. Only occasionally does she look up at any of us. In contrast, Greg’s gaze glides across the three of us, his blue eyes glittering in the lamplight. ‘In case any of you don’t remember, seventeen years ago the three of you ruined my father’s life. Brian Lawson was a well-respected teacher at your school, and he lost his job, his career, everything, after the three of you falsely accused him of sexual misconduct.’
I squeeze my eyes shut, as though that will block out Greg’s voice. But his words come like lacerations, opening up the skin to make fresh wounds. He doesn’t stop. It’s all pouring out now in a torrent of bitterness and hatred.
‘We were a normal, happy family. Me, Natalie, Mum and Dad. And then it all changed. Dad’s name was splashed across the papers. He was beaten up in town. My sister and I were bullied at school. My mum’s life was made a living hell. They accused her of being part of it. But you know all this, don’t you? Because it’s your doing.’
I shouldn’t be shocked by his anger, but I am. I’m appalled by such naked, cold rage. He hates me. He hates us all. I vaguely remember that Mr Lawson had two children. But they were much younger than us, so we didn’t know them. I didn’t let myself think about what happened to them afterwards. I didn’t let myself think about any of it.
Greg starts pacing, absorbed in his own story. ‘And then, as if that wasn’t bad enough, Dad was suspended from school. Of course, everyone assumed that he’d done it. That he’d be found guilty in court, lose his job and go to prison. It’s supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but that’s never the case. It’s trial by mob rule.’
