Will put his phone down and rubbed his eyes. He’d been awake too long, and the half-digested memory of last night’s drinking wasn’t helping. His brother, Daniel, stood in the doorway with a look that meant business. “Plain English, please,” Will said.
“You might regret saying that. ”
“Go on. ”
Daniel hesitated, then let it out. “Mekhi’s been grooming Will.
”
Will stared at him. “They’ve been sleeping together,” Daniel continued. “Wonder if she’s told him yet. ”
Whoever said ignorance was bliss had it right.
Will would have to tell the boy, and the boy would be broken-hearted. Worse, if he caught up with Mekhi, something else might get broken. Will’s jaw tightened. “Good job you stayed at Daniel’s last night,” Daniel said, “because I don’t think I could have restrained myself.
”
Will grabbed his bag. “I’ll give you a lift in. ”
“You’re cutting it fine for the bus. ”
“I’d rather drive.
”
Daniel studied him. “Listen, I’d sack off school if I were you. You’ve had a rough few days. ”
“I’m not going to fall behind because of her.
”
“Ordinarily I’d agree. But things are going to start moving today, and I don’t think you should be around when the police come to question her. ”
Will went quiet. Then he nodded.
“Maybe she’ll stay home now. We can look at that new telescope. ”
“Good. We’ll see you later.
”
By mid-morning, the pieces were moving. A detective sat across from a worried parent, running through the story. The young woman in question had played the part of a one-sided crush, feeding everyone the version they wanted to believe. But a kid named Sam had rumbled her a while ago.
When he challenged her, she threatened him, and she’d been bullying him ever since. That’s why he’d gone off the rails. “Nobody wants this to be wrong more than I do,” the parent said. “But it’s true.
”
The detective nodded slowly. “We’ve been wondering how to approach this. ”
“We invited her to ruin his life,” the parent admitted. “I’m the one that went chasing after her when we moved here.
I convinced her to stay on as Will’s athletics coach. ”
The detective let the confession land. Then he asked, “What’s going on at home? ”
“I don’t know.
We’ll have to find out. ”
Later that day, Will’s father pulled him aside. They were at the sweet shop, of all places, the boy reaching for a packet of strawberry laces, the taste taking him back to childhood, before the time he was eating laces with boots attached, face down under a huge scrum. “We love you,” his father said.
“We know you’re not to blame for anything that may have happened. ”
Will looked up, suddenly guarded. “Where is this going? ”
“I need to ask you something, and it’s really important that you tell me the truth.
You can tell me anything. ”
“Dad, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve got to go. ”
“Wait, son.
I need to ask you about Megan. Has she ever been inappropriate with you? Has she touched you in a way that crossed the line? ”
Will’s face went blank.
“Why would you even ask me that? ”
“We’ve heard things. ”
“Megan’s been nothing but supportive. She’s always looking out for me.
If anyone crossed the line, it was me. ”
His father blinked. “What do you mean? ”
“I told her I liked her.
It was stupid. I mistook her kindness for something else. She told me straight. She didn’t feel the same way and never could.
”
“Okay,” his father said slowly. “I believe you. ”
Will grabbed his coat. “I need to go.
”
Meanwhile, in a back room, two solicitors were going at it. One of them, Rich, had been summoned to a meeting he hadn’t asked for. The accusation came fast: he’d set up a meeting with an old client behind the other man’s back, told him to do his worst. “What if he did?
What if he went after you? ”
“Let him. I did what I did with a clear conscience. They were bullying tenants out of their homes.
”
“That may be, but you still breached your contract. We need to smooth this over before things get out of hand. ”
Rich was late, of course. “No wonder he’s shedding clients,” one of them muttered.
When the meeting finally happened, it was tense. “I thought these were meant to be peace talks,” Rich said. “What have you got to offer? ”
“I can’t stop your old clients from taking their business elsewhere, but we won’t actively pursue them.
”
“And in return? ”
“You lay off Alia. You agree not to pursue legal action against her. ”
“So I give away all of my leverage in return for a vague promise?
”
“I’ll keep it. ”
“Not enough. Any of my former clients come to you, you’ll tell them you’re too busy. I won’t have you using your relationship with my clients to profit your new outfit.
”
“What do you care who they choose to go to? ”
“It’s bad enough you betrayed us once. Using that to poach clients? Several bridges too far.
”
The silence stretched. Finally Rich relented. “Okay. Anything to end this.
”
“Very wise decision. I’ll see myself out. ”
Outside, a young woman caught up with Will. “I brushed my teeth,” he said, forcing a smile.
She wasn’t having it. “You look like you’re practicing for your passport photo. What’s going on? ”
“Nothing you want to know.
”
“I saw your dad earlier with a face like thunder. And then I heard raised voices from the back room, something about Will and Megan. ”
“So you were eavesdropping? ”
“I just hate seeing you like this.
If it’s about Will and Megan, I can’t say I’m surprised. ”
“What does that mean? ”
“Well, before Christmas, I saw him with her. Looked weird.
They looked close, but not like how a teacher would be with a kid. Then she started going out with Daniel, so I didn’t say anything. I thought I got the wrong idea. ”
“It’s family business.
Nothing for you to worry about. ”
Later, Will found his brother. His voice was low and tight. “They know.
They asked me if she touched me inappropriately. I think they’re onto us. ”
“Oh, this is a nightmare. ”
“You’re right, though.
We need to get out of here while we still can. ”
“I need to think. ”
“There’s nothing to think about. We need to go.
Get a backpack and I’ll be in touch. ”
He didn’t look too happy when he left. But he wasn’t the only one with something on his mind. At the police station, a detective was taking a statement from Daniel.
“So it’s really been going on for quite a while then. How did you come to find out about it? ”
“I must have been walking around with my eyes closed. I got drunk with her at the Christmas quiz.
Thought she was my mate. ”
“Did you have any suspicions? ”
“There was that time I heard her on the phone. I thought she had another bloke on the go.
But never in a million years did we think it was Will. ”
“Which means she was on the phone to Will when she was at your flat. ”
“The brass neck,” Daniel said, shaking his head. The detective noted it.
“Right, I’m going to need to do some formal interviews, and I need to speak to Sam. ”
“Anything to put that twisted cow away. ”
“You can rest assured I’ll make this my absolute priority. ”
“The sooner this gets started, the sooner we can concentrate on Will.
He’s all that matters. ”
Back at the shop, two women were gossiping over tea. “Something’s going on,” one said. “Faces on him.
You’d have thought they were holding the world’s backside slapping competition in that parlour room. ”
“Is that a thing? ”
“I shouldn’t think so. Although you never know these days.
”
“You set for tomorrow night, then? ”
“What? ”
“Your pal Raymond. Always a scream.
Half five at the bistro. ”
“I’ll have to think about it. ”
“You must have been thinking hard, because it’s happening. ”
Later, a man sidled up to a bartender.
“You’re the hot bartender. What time do you get off? ”
“If it’s complimentary scratchings you’re after, no dice. ”
“I’m just being nice.
I’m on a loose end and wouldn’t mind some company. ”
“Don’t mind me if you two want to go for a drink,” another voice cut in. “We’re history. ”
“Yeah, that’s right.
If we were a movie, we’d be black and white. ”
The bartender smiled. “In which case, tell Raymond half five at the bistro tomorrow. Sounds very nice.
”
“Raymond? ”
“Took your advice, getting back in the dating game. Glenda set me up with her mate. ”
“Glad to hear it.
Good luck to you. ”
At the school gates, a parent caught a student trying to slip away. “Where are you off to with that charger you’ve just put in your school bag? ”
“The school day is over.
”
“Yes, it is. And if it’s Megan you’re dashing off to see, you’re wasting your time. ”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. ”
“Yes, you do.
Look, it’s not your fault. That woman took advantage of you. No one blames you. ”
“Megan hasn’t done anything wrong.
”
“Well, that’s for the police to decide now. ”
“Police? ”
“Yes. If you’re planning on meeting her, that’s not going to happen.
”
“Megan’s innocent. And if she gets into trouble because of this, I will never forgive you. ”
The boy turned and walked away, shoulders shaking. The arrest came at the end of the school day.
Megan was walking out, surprised to see a familiar face waiting. “What’s the rush? ” she asked. “Too busy to ask the cat about me?
”
“I’ve got a pile of work to get through tonight. ”
“Well, you’ll definitely need a drink after all that. Why don’t you come around to mine? I’ll get us a bottle of wine and—”
Two officers stepped forward.
“Megan Walsh, I’m arresting you on suspicion of meeting a child following sexual grooming. ”
Her face went pale. “What? This is madness.
Who am I supposed to have—”
“Miss Walsh can discuss that down at the station,” one of the officers said. “Would you like to come with me, please? ”
“Daniel, it’s all right,” she said, her voice steadying. “The sooner I answer their questions, the sooner we can put this behind us.
”
She went quietly. At the pub that night, the mood was grim. “He’s got a crush on her,” someone said. “She’s been trying to let him down gently for months.
How are you all so gullible? ”
“Miss Walsh can discuss that down at the station, can’t she? ”
“I don’t get this. Have you not learned anything?
”
The drinks kept coming. The talk turned to other things, to old flames and new dates, to the bartender who’d been set up with Raymond. “Don’t forget Raymond tomorrow night,” someone reminded. “Alone?
”
“Mhm. ”
“Oi, who is this Raymond anyway? ”
“He’s an entertainment manager from one of the cruise ships I used to perform on. I’ve arranged a blind date.
”
“How come you’ve never mentioned him to me before? ”
“Raymond’s a talker. I thought if you and him were in the same place for any length of time, everyone else might die of oxygen deprivation. ”
“Charming.
”
There was laughter, but it didn’t reach anyone’s eyes. Across the bar, a man watched his ex move on with unsettling speed. “Someone’s in pretty quick there,” he muttered. “I thought you needed eyes for me today.
”
“For someone in the business, you don’t seem to recognize a show when you see one. That was me being a prop in his performance to make you jealous. ”
“You think so? ”
“If he’s that childish, you’re better off without him.
”
The next morning, the investigation hit a wall. A solicitor sat at a desk, holding a phone. “They want me to look at the community chat,” he said. “You’ve got to be kidding me.
Are those our internal emails? ”
“A screenshot from social media. There’s the one about Debbie being flaky. A potential liability in the witness box, a barrister’s nightmare.
”
“But those were between us. ”
“Not anymore. We’ve been hacked. ”
The case had taken a turn.
The evidence against Megan wasn’t as clean as it had first appeared. Someone had leaked internal emails, casting doubt on the witnesses, poisoning the narrative. “So, she’s been arrested? ” a voice asked.
“They were going to do it at the end of the school day. She’ll be staring at a cell wall as we speak. ”
“She’ll have to get used to that. There’s no way she’s not going to get sent down.
”
“But you’re going to have to be brave. The police said they’re going to need to interview you, just to get the facts straight. And it may be that you have to give evidence in court. ”
“Really?
You okay with that? You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. ”
“But I’ll have to do it, won’t I? I can’t risk her getting away with this and getting out again.
I can’t. ”
The someone else shifted in his seat. “She’ll remain in custody overnight and I’ll formally interview her tomorrow. ”
“What was wrong with doing that today?
”
“There’s no rush. We have to proceed carefully in cases like this. And it won’t do her any harm thinking about what she’s done. ”
Later, two parents faced each other in a tense kitchen.
“You want Megan locked up, then? ”
“Yes. And the key would be at the bottom of the canal if I had my way. ”
“It’s your fault Megan interfered with him in the first place.
”
“Hold on. Megan’s done nothing wrong. I had a crush on her, she turned me down. I accept my share of the fault, but I wasn’t the only one who persuaded him to carry on coaching.
You were there and all. ”
“Yeah, but you were the driving force. ”
“Says the woman who had the bright idea to pay Megan to stick around. Trying to buy people’s affections, I suppose.
”
“How dare you? Who bought their way into this house? You think money can fix everything, and it can’t. ”
“What’s done is done,” the other parent muttered.
“There’s no point raking it over. ”
But they were raking it over. The accusations flew fast and sharp. “Did you have any inkling of what was going on?
”
“What? ”
“I know what boys are like. Maybe you wanted to impress his big brother. ”
“If he had said anything, you’d have been the first to know.
I can’t believe you’d say that. Ollie wouldn’t say anything. What’s wrong with you? ”
“What’s wrong with me?
My son’s been abused by a sexual predator because of you two. You’re the one that encouraged him to play. That’s what’s wrong. You’re the one blaming anyone but yourself.
”
“You’re the one making my life a misery. ”
“Be a man and own up. You’re the one that lied. Told her to be here.
”
The words hung in the air like smoke. No one moved. No one spoke. The accusation had landed, and there was no taking it back.
The family was tearing itself apart, and somewhere in a cell at the police station, Megan waited to see which version of the truth would win.
