Page 45 of The Perfect Son
Shelley slips her hand in mine before she speaks. “Is it possible that you saw someone by the building and they made you jump, and when they started walking, you freaked out and thought they were following you?”
“I... I don’t think so. He was definitely chasing me.”
“Did you see this person actually running behind you? Did they call out to you?”
I close my eyes and think back. I heard his footsteps, I felt him closing in, but I didn’t turn back, I didn’t see. “No... but—”
“I’m not saying I don’t believe you, Tess. If you tell me that you’re one hundred percent sure that someone was following you, then I’ll come with you right now and we’ll report it at the police station.” She gives my hand an extra squeeze. “I just want you to think first about how certain you are. Maybe this trip was too much for you and you started to panic and imagined the worst.”
My mouth is dry and it’s hard to swallow as I process Shelley’s words. I thought I was sure. My fear was real, I know that much, but Shelley’s thoughts ring with a truth I can’t ignore.
“I... I don’t know. There was a car right behind me all the way from the village. Someone might’ve followed me?”
Shelley doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t need to. I can hear the waver of doubt in my voice. Lots of people use the lane.
“Shall we get out of the rain and get lunch?” Shelley asks. “Or do you want to go home? I can drive you and you can collect your car tomorrow.”
I nod. “Thank you. I think I should go home, but I’m OK to drive. Sorry for messing up our plans.”
“It’s fine, Tess. I’m glad I was here to help you. I’m visiting my sister in Hertfordshire this weekend but let’s arrange another trip together next week. I’ll come with you from the start. Until then, stay close to home, OK? If this happens again and you’re alone it could be much scarier for you.”
Scarier than this?
Shelley is right about one thing—I wasn’t ready to come out today. Driving on the lanes was too much. It felt so good to leave the village and be away from the house, but now all I want is to be back there, safe and protected in my bubble of grief. Shelley is probably right about the man I saw too, but the fear is still pumping through my blood. He was so close to getting me, I’m sure of it.
Shelley and I walk back to the car park arm in arm. We’re both soaked from the rain. Shelley’s mascara has smudged beneath her eyes and her normally glossy hair is damp and clinging to her head. She is still beautiful though.
“Thank you,” I whisper as we say good-bye.
“It’s what friends are for.” Shelley smiles. “I’ll call you later, and remember—no trips out. Wait for me to come with you,” she says, hugging me tight.
—
When I’m home and the back door is locked and I feel safe again, I sit for a while at the kitchen table staring at nothing. Rain patters on the glass panes.
Was it real? Was that man with the hat pulled low and the dark clothes following me?
I reach for the notebook Shelley gave me and turn to a clean page before I write. The pen feels alien in my grip and my hands are still shaking with a jitter that makes the letters almost impossible to form. Almost.
Followed in Manningtree by a man in a black baseball cap,I write.Could be imagination????? It felt real!
I add the date and the time and stare at the words.
I wish I knew what it meant, Mark. I wish you were here to help me.
CHAPTER 25
IAN
I really had no idea what was going on with Tess. The first I heard of someone threatening her was from you. But I’ll tell you this—my brother was always crap with money growing up. If someone was after Tess then that’s the first place I’d look. I bailed Mark out more times than I can remember when we were teenagers. I gave him his first loan when he was twelve and he never paid me back. I offered to take over the probate of Mark’s will because, well frankly, someone had to do it and it clearly wasn’t going to be Tess.
From what I could see she was barely getting dressed most days. Personally, I’ve always thought it was a ridiculous idea for spouses to name each other as executors for each other’s will. It’s not something we encourage at Clarke & Barlow Solicitors. I’m surprised my business partner didn’t point that out to them at the time. Tess was devastated, obviously, but the legal arrangements can and often do drag on for months. I didn’t want Tess to wait toolong. Credit card companies and banks don’t generally care that much when someone dies. They still expect to be paid, and I didn’t want Tess falling into arrears. She didn’t listen to me though; she was too busy letting Shelley take over.
SHELLEY
We started seeing a lot of each other. I really believe it did Tess the world of good. She was feeling better. I was on my way to meeting Tess when I called her and she told me someone was following her. By the time I got there she was having a full-blown panic attack.
I should’ve taken her more seriously. I didn’t know what to think. It’s a horrible thing to say now, and of course I didn’t say anything to her at the time, but I did wonder if it was her imagination getting the better of her. It can’t have been easy living in that big old house.
