Wait

"And now, we wait. Did they tell you how long?" Bethan asked.

"No, but they did tell me not to move. I told them that I had no intention of moving. That I wouldn't feel secure until I knew that he'd been taken into custody." Christine spat these words out, her enmity conveyed.

Bethan thought this was a good response as it would add credence to their story. She couldn't deny that she was worried at how this would look. It was a strange thing to hope but the manifestation of Dave's intended brutality towards her had to still be visible on her throat. She was talking more easily now but she could feel the bruising with every motion of her head and body. She just hoped the marks he had left were as visible to judicial observers.

Dave was very quiet. Bethan didn't want to go near him but she needed to check his bonds, to make sure that he was secure. She didn't trust him at all. Why would she? Being blind to his faults had led her here. No more.

She checked his ankles. Bound tight. She put her boot on him and gave him a sharp shove to turn him over onto his front again. She could see a gash on his head from where Christine had hit him. She bent to examine the ties on hands. Still tight. Good.

She kicked him back over and he landed with an "Oof."

"You could untie me now. The police are coming. It's not like I'd be able to run."

"Not a chance, Dave. And besides, it's not your running that I'm worried about. It's you turning on us both."

Dave thought of how good it would be if he was just free of his binds and was able to push them over the edge and watch them tumble. Fucking bitches. He was angry and scared. He couldn't see a way out. He was going to have to try and talk his way out of this. He thought about the camera in his car and how that would look. The police were bound to search there, looking for evidence. He wondered if he would be able to get to Katie, to try and persuade her to help him. Surely she wouldn't want to see her old dad go down?

What was he going to say about the camera and why he had it? He'd have to own up to his double life but Bethan was right. Having the camera and not having told the police about was damning. It was also unfounded as he didn't know what was on the film; all he'd had to go on was a comment made by Laney. Perhaps this had all been for nothing? Perhaps Laney had not had evidence of his betrayal of Bethan at all. He'd tried to protect the life he had and not ever have to own up and now, here he was, facing a life that was going to be very different to anything he'd envisioned for himself. He thought that he and Christine would grow old together; he'd give Katie away at her wedding; maybe play golf and look after grandkids once he retired. Now, he'd have none of that, that was for certain but he had no clear vision of his future.

The injustice of it all overwhelmed him and he started to cry, his loud sobs causing the women to look at him, but offer no sympathy.

"Christine, I'm sorry."

It was Bethan who spoke over Dave's tears.

Christine looked at where Bethan was sitting.

"What for?"

"For not telling you that I knew Katie."

Christine bristled again. "I want to call her but..."

"You don't know what to say?"

Christine looked at Bethan. "I'm hurt. And I feel..."

"..."like you've let her down?" Bethan finished.

"Yes. Both of those. I knew nothing." Christine paused. "And how am I going to explain to her about all this?"

Bethan thought. If Dave was going to be convicted, they, the three women, needed to be united against him. She decided to offer her phone to Christine.

"Here. Take my phone. I'd like you to read the texts between us, after that day, when I came to your house."

Christine looked puzzled but didn't take the phone. "Why? Is there something on there that I need to see?" She shook her head. "I don't think I could take much more today."

Bethan held out the phone. "I want you to see what went on so that nothing is hidden." And looking at Dave, she added, "I think she'll understand more than you think. I think she was...scared."

Dave perked up at this and shouted, "Scared? I'd never have harmed her! She's my daughter!"

The thrum of rotating blades vibrated overhead and Christine searched the blue.

"We've only got your word for that and your word means nothing. Nothing at all. You made a life on empty words. Nothing that you ever say now will ever be believed by me. Never." Christine stated this while searching the blue.

Bethan was still holding out her phone, Christine showing no interest in taking it. She remembered she needed to let Luke know, that they needed to postpone, and sent a text. She thought she'd keep it brief.

Sorry but I can't make it now tonight. Can we rearrange? Something important's come up.

Simple words which in normal circumstances would have been received, read and answered without duress or upset having been prompted by them. But for Luke, they were words which prolonged an agony which was just begging to be eased.