Page 139 of Serenity Falls

Ramona nods. ‘Yeah. I promised my little sister we’d hang out.’

Ellis checks her watch. ‘Yup. Dad will be making lunch.’

Sadie picks up the documents. ‘So, who wants to look after these?’

There’s a silence. She’s pretty sure everyone is thinking about Frankie and Cash. Both dead.

‘I can take them,’ she says. ‘If you all trust me?’

They exchange glances.

‘Sure,’ Dax says. ‘I guess.’

Ramona nods. ‘Fine by me.’

‘I’ll walk with you,’ Ellis says to Sadie. ‘I’m heading your way.’

‘Okay.’

Sadie shoves the documents in her bag, trying not to feel like she’s just been made the sacrificial lamb.

She strolls with Ellis back through the park by the lake.

‘Sorry I’ve got to desert you,’ Ellis says. ‘My dad just gets a bit needy at times, especially as it’s just us.’

‘What happened to your mum?’

‘Cancer.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Yeah. I was really young. I don’t remember much. I mean, I remember Mum, but I don’t really remember her being ill. I think Dad tried to protect me. But I kind of wish I’d known more. It felt like one day she was there, and then she wasn’t.’

Sadie nods. ‘I get that.’

‘Yeah?’

‘My mum really was there one day and gone the next. She just walked out, disappeared.’

‘Shit. That’s kind of worse.’

‘I’m pretty sure she’s dead. Maybe she killed herself or something. They searched the river nearby, but …’ She breaks off. ‘Dad found it hard to let go. I mean, he’s great. A brilliant dad, but he can be … overprotective. That’s kind of how we ended up here.’

Ellis frowns. ‘Why? What happened?’

Sadie hesitates. She’s not spoken to anyone about what happened with Decker. She clears her throat. ‘If I tell you, promise you won’t tell the others.’

‘Of course. I promise.’

‘Okay. About a year ago, there was some shit with this boy at my school. James Decker. I was invited to a party. I drank a bit too much. Decker, he got me in his room – said he was going to show me his virtual reality headset.’

‘That’s a line.’

‘Yep.’

‘Anyway, he tried to, you know—’

‘Shit.’