Conflicted Innocence by Netta Newbound Page A

first morning home with the news that her husband was almost murdered while she slept. But my face obviously gave the game away.
    “What’s wrong?” she asked, looking around. “Where’s Lee?”
    “We got a call early this morning. Lee couldn’t sleep and decided to go to the cottage during the night.”
    “Phew! I thought you were going to tell me something awful.” She laughed.
    “I haven’t finished yet.”
    She placed the cup down and pushed it away from her. “Oh, no. What’s happened?”
    “He apparently disturbed an intruder and took a beating. The intruder ended up dead.”
    She shot to her feet. “Lee killed him?”
    “By all accounts it was either him or Lee. The guy had already killed a young woman before Lee got there.”
    “My God. It gets worse. So there are two dead people in our cottage?”
    I nodded. “But let’s face it, it could have been worse.”
    “How?” She sneered.
    “You both could have gone over last night instead of staying here. You might have been dragged into it too.”
    Lydia shuddered. “Imagine that, being involved in a murder on the very day I’m released from prison.”
    “Exactly.”
    “It’s all my fault. I moaned at Lee right before we went to bed. I told him we had no choice but to go to the cottage right away. I’ll bet that’s the reason he went over there. Now what will we do?”
    “You’re welcome to stay here for as long as it takes,” I said.
    “Thanks, but that won’t work. You only just moved in yourself and, with all the will in the world, it won’t work with two extra house guests. And I need something to wear.”
    “What are you saying?”
    “That I need to grow a pair and go home.”
    “Really?”
    “Really. Do you know where there’s a key?” she asked.
    I nodded. “Do you want me to come with you?”
    She got to her feet and rinsed her cup under the tap. “What about Grace?”
    “I’ll bring the monitor.”
    “Then, yes. If you don’t mind, I would appreciate it.”
    I tidied the kitchen while Lydia got ready, then I grabbed the baby monitor.
    She appeared in the kitchen doorway still dressed in her pyjamas.
    “Are you sure you don’t want to wait for Lee?” I asked, following her out the door and down the path.
    “No. I can’t face it with Lee. I can’t think of his feelings at the moment—this needs to be all about me.”
    “I get you.”
    “Aarrrgghhhh!”
    The scream made me jump out of my skin. I spun my head around to see our crazy neighbour running towards us.
    “Oh, no, you don’t, matey,” I said, getting in between him and Lydia. “She’s paid her debt. Now leave her alone!” James had warned me that most of the neighbours were still angry with Lydia.
    “It’s okay, Geri. Thomas is my friend,” Lydia said, holding her arms out to the stinky nutter.
    They hugged and I almost barfed in my mouth. I could smell him from where I was standing. He couldn’t have washed in a decade.
    “How are you, Tom? You’ve not changed a bit.”
    Thomas ripped the cap off his head, his long, matted hair stuck up everywhere, and he attempted a dodgy smile. I realised he was nowhere near as old as I’d thought. And he had the bluest eyes I ever did see.
    “Good. You home.” He shook his head, his eyes filling with tears.
    “Yes, I’m home, my friend. You were the only one who believed in me, weren’t you?”
    “Wrong.” He slammed the cap back on and walked away angrily.
    “He is one bloody nutcase. You know that?” I said, shaking my head as I watched the odd man hobble away.
    “He’s harmless. Thomas loved little Joey, and I think it sent him a little further over the edge of insanity when he died.”
    I got a sudden griping twinge in the pit of my stomach. I’ve never wanted to cry as much as I did at that moment, but with Lydia being so strong, what right did I have to blubber? I managed to hold myself together.
    I handed her the keys as we reached the door. I considered opening it and entering first,