She was crazed in her mourning and, if Ryan hadn’t found her, she wouldn’t be here today.
She remembered Ryan’s arms around her waist, his desperate pleas for her to open her eyes, to breathe.
‘Melissa?’ Detective Powell said now, dragging her from her past. ‘Do you want to tell me what happened?’ Her voice was unusually soft.
‘I tried to hang myself, from the oak tree,’ Melissa said. ‘Ryan found me, he saved me. He took me to his lodge and he – he brought me back to life. He called a nurse we know, Debbie Lampard. She came over and they put me back together so my family would never find out. So nobody would.’ She leaned forward, looking the detective in the eye. ‘A week later, I discovered I was pregnant with Grace, Patrick’s child. I swear to you. Take a DNA test if you want. There was no sordid affair.’
The detective was quiet for a few moments as she examined Melissa’s face. Then she nodded. ‘I believe you. I think it’s time we talked to the twins, don’t you?’
Melissa took in a breath of relief and stood up with the detective.
‘What happens now?’ she asked as they walked outside.
‘I’m going to send someone to get the twins. In the meantime, you can wait here for Grace.’
‘Will someone be with the twins when they’re interviewed too?’
‘Yes, but they’ll be interviewed separately.’
They got to the waiting room. ‘Look,’ the detective said, ‘I’m really sorry for all you’ve been through. I’m a mother. I can’t even imagine the awfulness, back then and now. I just want to get to the bottom of it all. You understand that, don’t you?’
‘I do. You’re just doing your job.’
The detective went to turn away, then paused. ‘You said your husband’s infidelities surprised you. That makes him a rather good liar, don’t you think?’
Melissa frowned. Was the detective implying Patrick might have lied about Grace stabbing him too?
But why would he do that?
Melissa walked out of the police station with Grace later, blinking up at the bright yellow sky. In the distance, the sun gleamed down on the forest, making the trees appear ablaze with fire.
She looked down at Grace, squeezing her hand. They’d released her after her interview, pending further information. The twins were now being interviewed and, though Melissa wanted to wait for them, she’d been told it could be hours, so she and Bill had agreed on the phone that he would come and wait for them while Melissa took Grace home. He was on his way now.
Melissa didn’t know much about Grace’s interview, just that she kept denying she had stabbed her father. Other than that, she didn’t divulge much information. With no proper statement from Patrick and the chance he might have been confused after waking, Detective Crawford had made the decision to wait until he could fully question Patrick and the twins.
In the meantime, it was agreed they’d release Grace to be with Melissa, which made Melissa so relieved. She decided not to push Grace about what happened. She’d already endured two hours of questioning, even if it was gentle questioning.
On the taxi ride back to Bill and Rosemary’s house, Grace said nothing, just staring out of the window with a wrinkled brow. When they got to the house, it was quiet, Rosemary with Patrick, Bill now at the police station.
Melissa thought of Patrick. Rosemary had sent her a quick text, telling her he was sleeping, mainly . . . and that he was asking for her. Melissa had replied, asking Rosemary if Patrick had said anything else about what happened. He can barely talk, was Rosemary’s curt reply. He needs time. You should come and see him.
But Melissa’s priority right now was the kids, especially Grace. As long as she knew Patrick was awake and doing well, her time with him simply had to wait. Plus, what would she say to him after all she’d discovered?
‘I’m tired,’ Grace said. ‘Can I go to sleep?’
Melissa nodded. ‘Me too. Shall we go and have a nap until the twins get back?’
Grace nodded and they went upstairs, slipping between the covers of Melissa’s bed. She folded Grace into her arms and stroked her hair as she fell asleep, savouring the feel of her.
Eventually Melissa fell asleep too, and it wasn’t until she heard the front door clicking open that she woke. She sat up, checking Grace to see she was still asleep. Then she quietly went downstairs.