years I’ve lived in hiding,
too scared to face the world. I can’t live like this anymore. I don’t want to live like this anymore.” She touched her stomach with her fingertips.
“I’ve given it a great deal of thought, and I’ve decided it’s time that my side
of the story was told.”
Both stunned and
intrigued, Jacinta shuffled forward on her seat.
“Craig and I are
guilty of adultery, not murder. No one knows what happened to Kirsty, but I
can’t believe that Craig is in any way responsible. In all the time I’ve known
him, I have never seen him raise a finger to anyone, man or woman, in anger.”
She closed her eyes, her hands pressed together in her lap. “You know, Jacinta,
I really pray that the skeleton they found in the forest is Kirsty’s. Maybe
then we’ll have some answers.” She shrugged her shoulders and opened her eyes.
“And if not, at least we’ll be able to lay her to rest.”
Jacinta cleared
her throat. “But weren’t you adamant that the gold cross they found didn’t
belong to Kirsty?”
Narelle shrugged
again. “It looked similar to hers, but I’ve only got my memory to go on and
it’s been so long. At the time, denial seemed my best bet.”
“And now?”
prompted Jacinta.
“Now, I want it
all to be over with. I’m sick of living like a leper. I want a real life.”
“Narelle, I hope
you’re telling me this as a friend and not a reporter. I want you to know that
whatever you tell me stays in this room.”
The tiny lines
around Narelle’s eyes deepened. “You mean off the record?”
“No, as a
friend. I’m not a reporter anymore. In fact,” Jacinta said, puffing out her
chest and trying to add a little levity to the situation, “I hope you’re
looking at Alvico Media’s next copywriter.”
Narelle’s face
brightened, her body visibly relaxing. “Really?”
Not quite
knowing which part Narelle was referring to, Jacinta nodded. Was she happy
about the friend part, the not-being-a-reporter part, or the possibility that
Jacinta had a new job?
“You don’t know
how relieved I am to hear that,” exclaimed Narelle, crossing her hands over her
chest. “You have been so nice to me and I’d wondered if it was only because you
were looking for a story.”
For a fleeting
moment, Jacinta debated whether to be brutally honest and confess that perhaps
her original motivation had been journalistic, or just let it slide. Common
sense told her it wouldn’t be in either of their interests to reveal what no
longer mattered.
“It’s times like
this I wish I still smoked,” Narelle said, wringing her hands. “Oh God, I’m
blathering on like an idiot again. I should go.”
Once more, she
started to stand and once more, Jacinta stalled her. Narelle obviously needed
to talk to someone, and Jacinta wanted to help in any way she could. It took
some doing, but eventually she convinced Narelle that she wasn’t being a
nuisance, nor was she taking up valuable time.
Narelle exhaled,
her body deflating as the air left her lungs and her shoulders sagged. With her
gaze focused on her knees, she began to talk.
“It was just a
fling, a stupid bloody fling. Neither of us meant it to happen. Sure, they had
their ups and downs like every couple, but he loved her. God, if only we could
have our time over again, it would be so different. What sort of woman falls
for her own sister’s husband?”
Not waiting for
an answer, Narelle spoke quickly, the pitch of her voice rising and falling as
she relived the emotional roller coaster of her past.
“I can’t even
remember how it all started. But it all came to a head after one of Kirsty’s
nursing conferences.” Narelle sighed. “She was away a lot. Anyway, she must
have got wind that all wasn’t as it should be with Craig. Although at that
stage she didn’t suspect her own sister of being the other woman. Who would? He
denied it, of course.”
Jacinta listened
in astonishment to the impassioned outpouring, trying to
too scared to face the world. I can’t live like this anymore. I don’t want to live like this anymore.” She touched her stomach with her fingertips.
“I’ve given it a great deal of thought, and I’ve decided it’s time that my side
of the story was told.”
Both stunned and
intrigued, Jacinta shuffled forward on her seat.
“Craig and I are
guilty of adultery, not murder. No one knows what happened to Kirsty, but I
can’t believe that Craig is in any way responsible. In all the time I’ve known
him, I have never seen him raise a finger to anyone, man or woman, in anger.”
She closed her eyes, her hands pressed together in her lap. “You know, Jacinta,
I really pray that the skeleton they found in the forest is Kirsty’s. Maybe
then we’ll have some answers.” She shrugged her shoulders and opened her eyes.
“And if not, at least we’ll be able to lay her to rest.”
Jacinta cleared
her throat. “But weren’t you adamant that the gold cross they found didn’t
belong to Kirsty?”
Narelle shrugged
again. “It looked similar to hers, but I’ve only got my memory to go on and
it’s been so long. At the time, denial seemed my best bet.”
“And now?”
prompted Jacinta.
“Now, I want it
all to be over with. I’m sick of living like a leper. I want a real life.”
“Narelle, I hope
you’re telling me this as a friend and not a reporter. I want you to know that
whatever you tell me stays in this room.”
The tiny lines
around Narelle’s eyes deepened. “You mean off the record?”
“No, as a
friend. I’m not a reporter anymore. In fact,” Jacinta said, puffing out her
chest and trying to add a little levity to the situation, “I hope you’re
looking at Alvico Media’s next copywriter.”
Narelle’s face
brightened, her body visibly relaxing. “Really?”
Not quite
knowing which part Narelle was referring to, Jacinta nodded. Was she happy
about the friend part, the not-being-a-reporter part, or the possibility that
Jacinta had a new job?
“You don’t know
how relieved I am to hear that,” exclaimed Narelle, crossing her hands over her
chest. “You have been so nice to me and I’d wondered if it was only because you
were looking for a story.”
For a fleeting
moment, Jacinta debated whether to be brutally honest and confess that perhaps
her original motivation had been journalistic, or just let it slide. Common
sense told her it wouldn’t be in either of their interests to reveal what no
longer mattered.
“It’s times like
this I wish I still smoked,” Narelle said, wringing her hands. “Oh God, I’m
blathering on like an idiot again. I should go.”
Once more, she
started to stand and once more, Jacinta stalled her. Narelle obviously needed
to talk to someone, and Jacinta wanted to help in any way she could. It took
some doing, but eventually she convinced Narelle that she wasn’t being a
nuisance, nor was she taking up valuable time.
Narelle exhaled,
her body deflating as the air left her lungs and her shoulders sagged. With her
gaze focused on her knees, she began to talk.
“It was just a
fling, a stupid bloody fling. Neither of us meant it to happen. Sure, they had
their ups and downs like every couple, but he loved her. God, if only we could
have our time over again, it would be so different. What sort of woman falls
for her own sister’s husband?”
Not waiting for
an answer, Narelle spoke quickly, the pitch of her voice rising and falling as
she relived the emotional roller coaster of her past.
“I can’t even
remember how it all started. But it all came to a head after one of Kirsty’s
nursing conferences.” Narelle sighed. “She was away a lot. Anyway, she must
have got wind that all wasn’t as it should be with Craig. Although at that
stage she didn’t suspect her own sister of being the other woman. Who would? He
denied it, of course.”
Jacinta listened
in astonishment to the impassioned outpouring, trying to
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