Little White Lies (30 page)

“Do you need a lift, love?” DI Goldsmith smiles as I watch the car containing Christian disappear from sight. “I owe you, after all. I wasn’t sure you’d keep your word.”

“No thanks.” I turn away, unable to face him for a second longer, feeling sick at my betrayal. I’m Judas—right down to the kiss.

“So, Cindy, let’s make a deal, shall we?”
DI Goldsmith had said after the sergeant told him who I really was at the police station. “If you promise to call me next time Niles gets in touch, I won’t make you miss your cousin’s funeral.”

I had no choice. It was a promise I made just so that I could make it to Poppy’s funeral—and one that I never intended to keep—but after meeting Sabina and talking to Vix and Kenny, I’d been so sure that Christian was guilty, that this could be my last chance to catch him, to make sure justice was served....

And if by some miracle he
was
telling the truth, if Poppy’s diary proved it like he claimed, then I could show the police and clear Christian’s name once and for all.

But there was no diary on the USB. And now he’s gone.

What have I done?
I trudge gloomily down a couple of side streets till finally I’m back at Kenny’s waiting car.

“Lou, what happened?” Vix cries as I slide numbly into the backseat. “Are you okay?”

I shake my head. I’ve never been less okay in my life.

“Oh, sweetie!” Vix jumps out of the car and climbs into the back to hug me close. “It’s going to be all right.”

“It’s not!” I tell her miserably. “Christian’s
innocent
!”

“What?”
Vix’s eyes widen.

“He’s innocent—and I’ve just sent him back to prison!”

“Wait—you found evidence on the USB stick?” Vix asks. “Poppy’s diary? Isn’t that good news?”

“But, Lou,” Kenny says as we drive away. “Even if it proves they were friends, it doesn’t mean—”

“There was no diary!” I interrupt wretchedly. “No evidence at all. There wasn’t anything!”

Vix and Kenny look at each other.

“Then how do you know he’s innocent?” she says quietly.

“I just...
know,
” I tell them desperately. “I know, in my heart.”

Vix squeezes my hand, her eyes troubled.

“Your heart?” Kenny repeats incredulously. He stops at traffic lights and turns and stares at me. “Your
heart
?”

I nod.

“
That’s
the compelling evidence that’s convinced you Christian
didn’t
kill Poppy? You know he’s innocent
in your heart
?” He laughs bitterly. “Jeez, he’s good. He didn’t even have to
lie
to you this time. His good looks and charm did it all!”

“Kenny, that’s not fair!” I cry.

“No, Lou. You think he’s innocent because you
fancy
him. You’ve fallen for him
and
his lies! I thought you were smarter than that.”

“Kenny, stop it!” Vix hugs me tight. “It’s okay, Lou. If Christian is innocent, we’ll prove it—and he’ll be safer in prison than on the run.”

“
Will
he?” I challenge. “You really trust the police, after everything that’s happened?”

“Oh, please!” Kenny groans, pulling away fast as the lights change. “You still think there’s a big police conspiracy against him?”

“Actually, yes
,
” I say hotly. “Why else was Neil chatting to one of the thugs at the funeral?”

“Because,
as you said yourself,
it’s likely some of the guys after Leo know your family!” Kenny says. “That’s why they feel so strongly—t
hey’re trying to protect you!”

“Fine, but that doesn’t explain how they found his house in Sheffield in the
first
place, does it?” I challenge. “The police were the only ones who knew where Christian was—they
must
have tipped them off!”

“They weren’t the
only
ones,” Kenny argues.

I roll my eyes. “Besides Christian.”

“And you,” he reminds me. “And me.”

“Well, yes, but...” Kenny’s eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror and suddenly my blood runs cold.

“You?” I say slowly. “
You
leaked Christian’s location in Sheffield?”

He doesn’t answer.

“Kenny!” Vix cries, horrified.

“Stop the car,” I say.

“Lou—”

“Stop the car NOW!”

He swings over to the side of the road and I leap out.

“Where are you
going?
” Kenny calls, climbing out of the car and hurrying after me as I march down the street.

“Anywhere away from you!” I yell over my shoulder, my mind reeling.
Kenny
leaked Christian’s location? All this time I thought it was the police! He
let
me think that—he
lied
to me!

“Lou, come back!” Vix cries, her heels clacking on the pavement behind me.

“Lou, it was for you!” Kenny yells. “Everything I’ve done is for 
you
!
”

I whirl round to face him. “For
me
?”

“I was worried about you,” Kenny says. “You were getting in too deep, you were
dating Leo,
for God’s sake—none of that was part of the original plan. I had to do
something
! I didn’t know what he was capable of—what if he’d hurt you?”

“So you told violent thugs to set fire to Christian’s
house
?”

“No!” he cries. “No, I just leaked his location on Twitter and Facebook. I didn’t know Poppy had just died, that they’d react so strongly—I thought they’d just scare him and the police would move him somewhere else. Away from Sheffield. Away from you.” He looks at me.

“You were jealous,” Vix says quietly.

“What about Joe’s flat?” I demand. “Did you leak
that
address too?”

“I had to!” Kenny protests.

“
Jesus,
Kenny!”

“You texted me asking for help!” he reminds me. “You said you were trapped—you were in
danger
!”

“So why didn’t you just call the police?” I cry.

“I already had,” Kenny insists. “I called them as soon as you stopped at the block of flats—I was tracking your signal—I told the police that you were missing, you weren’t answering your phone and I thought you were with Leo, but I couldn’t give them the flat number because the tracker can’t distinguish multistory locations.”

“And?”

“They told me you hadn’t been missing long enough, that they’d had dozens of sightings of Leo, that Jonas Towers was a huge complex and they’d follow it up in due course, but as I hadn’t actually
seen
him there it wasn’t a priority. They said that as you were an adult I should call back after twenty-four hours.

“I panicked, Lou. We were still halfway to London—I was worried we wouldn’t reach you in time—so I tweeted Leo’s location again, saying that he had a hostage. Then when you texted with Joe’s address they were already on-site, so I just updated them—it was the quickest way I could save you.”

“
Save
me?” I stare at him. “You sent a dangerous mob to the flat, putting us both in danger—so you could
rescue
me?”

“No! I never meant for you to be in danger—that’s why I told them you were a hostage and why I waited till you were safely at the allotments next time—” Kenny stops abruptly as he realizes his mistake.

“
Next
time?” I stare at him.
“
Oh my God, it was you who sent them to the Travelodge too!” I stare at him in horror. “Why would you
do
that?”

“You wouldn’t listen!” Kenny protests. “Vix and I warned
you Leo was a con man, but you didn’t want to hear it, you wouldn’t see sense, so I seized my opportunity while you were out. I couldn’t rely on the police to turn up in time, and besides, they’d have just locked Leo up for the last few months of his burglary sentence. That’s not what you wanted when we went into this—you wanted him to pay, to suffer, to live life looking over his shoulder, so I leaked his location once you were safely out of harm’s way.” He looks at Vix. “Once I
thought
you were out of harm’s way.”

I turn on Vix. “You
knew
about this? You were in on it? Keeping me out of the picture while Kenny went
psycho
?”

“No, Lou, I didn’t know, I
swear
!” Vix cries.

“
I’m
a psycho?” Kenny yells. “You’re the one who’s fallen for the con man who killed Poppy!”

“He
didn’t
kill Poppy!” I counter. “But those thugs nearly killed
him
—they could’ve killed me!”

“They wouldn’t have
touched
you!”

“You don’t know that, you don’t know what they’re capable of—they were violent vigilantes on a mission—they were out of control!”

“You’re such a hypocrite!” Kenny cries.
“You’re
a vigilante, remember?
You
were on a mission! You went to Sheffield with the specific intention of getting revenge.”

“Not revenge,” I argue. “Justice!”

“But you got sidetracked, distracted by a handsome face—it’s pathetic! You let him flatter you, seduce you,
con
you into believing he’s
innocent,
for God’s sake! You completely forgot why you were really there—to make Leo pay, to watch him suffer. Everything that’s happened is all because of you—it’s what you
wanted
!”

“No!”
I protest. “I never wanted Christian to get hurt!”

“No,” Kenny says bitterly. “You wanted him to kiss you and hold you and tell you he loved you—”

“I wanted
justice
!”

“Well, it’s the strangest justice
I’ve
ever seen!” Kenny yells. “Jumping into bed with your cousin’s
killer
!”

Before I can stop myself I slap his face, hard.

Vix gasps as Kenny just stares at me, shocked.

Then he swallows, his voice deathly quiet. “The most tragic thing of all is that you’re still brainwashed. Even now. Despite all the evidence that points to Leo being Poppy’s
murderer
.” He shakes his head. “You’re the sick one, Titch.”

Tears burn my eyes as I spin on my heel and run away, as far and as fast as I can.

Kenny’s right; I
started
all this. If I’d never gone looking for Christian, if I’d never asked Kenny for help, Christian’s location would still be secret, his house wouldn’t have been attacked, he wouldn’t have gone on the run, wouldn’t be injured, and he wouldn’t be back in jail now.

And he’s innocent.
I know it doesn’t make sense—I know all the new evidence proves Tariq couldn’t have done it, that it had to be Christian, but... but I just don’t believe it. But how can I
prove
he’s innocent, without any evidence?

What a complete and utter mess!

And I’ve only got myself to blame.

“Sweetheart! Thank goodness!” Aunt Grace opens the door and wraps herself round me like a warm blanket as the taxi pulls off. “Are you all right? Detective Goldsmith called and told us what happened.”

“You’re a brave girl,” Uncle Jim adds, stepping forward and enveloping me in his arms. “What happened? How did you manage to find Niles when the entire police force couldn’t?”

I hesitate. How can I explain? They think Christian’s a monster, that he hurt Poppy, so how can I tell them I protected him—that he’s innocent? How can I explain that once you get to know him he’s the sweetest, kindest, gentlest guy in the world?

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I mumble.

“Of course you don’t, sweetheart.” Aunt Grace squeezes my hand.

“I’m just glad he’s not out there anymore,” Uncle Jim adds. “That he’s safe behind bars.”

“Me too,” I say honestly.
Safe
behind bars. I hope so.

“Do you want something to eat?” Aunt Grace asks. “You must be starving. We’ve heaps of sandwiches left.”

“No, I’m fine, thank you. Just tired. Do you mind if I go and lie down?”

“Of course, sweetie.” Aunt Grace smiles. “Millie will be thrilled you’re home—it might cheer her up a bit.”

I frown. “What’s wrong with Millie?”

“I have to go back in half an hour,” Uncle Jim sighs, glancing at the prison officer sipping tea on the sofa. “The justice system is only compassionate up to a point. Millie’s not taking it well. She’s hidden my shoes.”

I smile sadly. “Where is she now?”

“In bed, waiting for me to tuck her in,” Uncle Jim says.

“Already?” I say. “It’s only six-thirty.”

“I know, but she was desperate for me to tell her a bedtime story before I go, and it had to be
Don’t Get Dirty, Gerty
! for some reason—it’s taken me ages to find it!” He holds up the picture book with the messy polar bear beaming on the cover.

Hide-and-seek and
Don’t Get Dirty, Gerty
! I smile as I follow him upstairs. He’s putting such a brave face on everything, when all the while he must be dreading that terrible return to jail after such a brief time at home. I sigh as I glance back down at Aunt Grace, so gaunt after burying her eldest daughter, and now she has to say goodbye to her husband all over again.

As Uncle Jim enters Millie’s room I head to my own.

“Princess! What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” His words stop me in my tracks and my eyes fly to Millie’s open door.