Ellie waited until the car was out of sight then began walking back to the Ferry. She pulled out her phone. It rang three times then she heard Sam’s voice.
‘Your dad’s out of hospital,’ she said.
28
Ellie strode fast, the Forth to her side as she cut along Society Road, past the old house and the handful of new-builds by the water. She wondered if more developments would spring up in the shadow of the new bridge, or if people would stay away, put off by traffic and noise.
She cut down the back way on to Shore Road and came to the marina from the west end. The disused lane was blocked to traffic, old concrete tank-defences placed across it, but still accessible on foot.
She emerged at the harbour still thinking of Jack. She put herself in his shoes, what would it be like to be accused of something like that by your own kid?
It came down to trust. Did she trust Jack? Why should she? But he hadn’t seemed like a man who would do something like that, he’d seemed like one of life’s losers, just like her, struggling to get by, trying to keep his family together. He was right, she could relate to that. But what about Libby and Sam, she trusted them, didn’t she? Libby had been visibly upset, in tears when she spoke about her dad. And where did Alison fit into all this – did she suspect and cover up for her husband, or was she really in the dark? Maybe there was nothing to know, maybe Jack was telling the truth.
She walked past the warehouse where Sam had decamped, turned towards the pier. The wind was up, the rigging clattering away on the boats rocking in their berths. She took the stairs three at a time down to the pontoon then along to the Porpoise.
She scanned the horizon as she clambered on board, but there was no one in sight, the place shutting down for the day.
She went below deck. Sam and Libby were sitting either side of the table. Strewn across the surface were a half-finished loaf of bread, empty crisp packets and chocolate wrappers, juice bottles. Ellie realised that she yearned for Sam, her arms ached to hold him. Her heart swelled at the sight of him, still wearing Logan’s clothes, flicking his hair out of his face. Libby was slouched on the opposite bench, shoving the last of a crisp sandwich into her mouth. Ellie was overwhelmed with something, the ordinariness of this, kids being kids, the three of them on a boat, snacking and chatting, normal, boring family shit. Except it wasn’t her family.
Sam stood up. ‘What are we going to do?’
Ellie put a hand on his forearm.
‘I spoke to your dad,’ she said.
She’d only given Sam the thinnest detail on the phone, just enough for him to warn Libby to get out the house.
‘How is he?’ Sam said.
He said it blankly, and Ellie couldn’t work out what he meant, was he worried about him, or sorry he wasn’t dead?
‘He’s in pain, but OK I think.’
‘I wish you’d killed him,’ Libby said.
Ellie looked at her. She was so confident about life, no concept of mortality yet.
‘And what if he had?’ Ellie said. ‘Then your brother would be a murderer. Is that what you want?’
Libby lowered her head.
‘Take it easy,’ Sam said, putting a hand out. ‘How did he get out of hospital so quick?’
Ellie shook her head. ‘I don’t know, maybe he checked himself out. He’s heavily bandaged around the stomach.’
A brief look passed between her and Sam, acknowledging his role in that.
‘He seemed exhausted,’ Ellie said. ‘I don’t think he should be out of hospital.’
‘How did he find you?’ Libby said.
‘He met me when I came out of the police station.’
Sam frowned. ‘Why were you in the police station?’
‘They asked me in for questioning. Just routine.’
‘Routine?’
Ellie sighed. ‘I went to see your mum.’
‘What did you say to her?’
Ellie showed her palms. ‘I wanted to speak to her about what’s been going on, about Libby and your dad.’
Libby’s face fell. ‘Oh my God, you didn’t tell her, did you?’
‘I thought that’s what you wanted?’ Ellie said.
Libby shifted on her seat, agitated. ‘Things are going to be so much worse now.’
‘Why?’
‘They just are,’ Libby said. ‘I can’t go back there.’
Sam looked at her. ‘You don’t have to go back there, don’t worry.’ He turned to Ellie. ‘She can stay here, right?’
Ellie rubbed at her forehead. ‘For tonight. But tomorrow we have to sort this out.’
‘How do you mean?’ said Sam.
Ellie paused for a moment. ‘Libby, you have to go to the police, tell them what your dad’s been doing to you.’
‘No.’
‘You have to,’ Ellie said. ‘It’s the only way this can be finished.’
‘I can’t.’
‘Why not?’
Libby rubbed at her arm. ‘I told you already. He’s one of them, they won’t believe me.’
‘They will.’
‘They won’t. And then things will be a hundred times worse. They won’t do anything, and I’ll have to go back home and live there with him and Mum, and they’ll both know I told on him.’
‘My God, Libby, this isn’t about telling on people,’ Ellie said. ‘This is child abuse and rape. Your dad is a criminal.’
‘I’m not going to the police,’ Libby said.
Ellie walked over and sat next to her. ‘I’ll come with you, I’ll be there the whole time. If you don’t want to continue at any point, then we don’t have to. There’s a nice policewoman there, I met her today, PC Macdonald, I’ll insist we talk to her. It’ll be fine.’
Libby shook her head.
‘It makes sense, Lib,’ Sam said.
‘I can’t do it.’
Ellie looked at her. ‘You want it to stop, don’t you?’
Libby stared at her. ‘Of course.’
‘Well?’
Libby sighed.
Ellie put her hand on the girl’s. It was bony, cold, poor circulation.
‘I know it’s hard to talk about these things, but you have to in order to make it go away.’
Libby didn’t speak.
Ellie thought about her conversation in the car with Jack. Steadied her hand.
‘Are you absolutely sure about what he’s been doing to you?’
Sam took a step towards them. ‘What do you mean? Of course she’s sure.’
Ellie looked up. ‘I’m just asking because it’s what the police will ask.’
Libby had her head down. Ellie felt Libby’s hand move under her own.
‘Libby?’
The girl began to sniff, precursor to tears. Was she turning on the waterworks, or was this for real? She nodded her head, keeping her face down.
‘I’m sure.’
Sam spoke. ‘What did he say when you spoke to him?’
Ellie looked up. ‘He denied it completely. Said it was all a misunderstanding.’
‘What a cunt,’ Sam said. ‘A misunderstanding? He was in her room. I know what I saw.’
Libby was crying now.
‘He said he was just comforting her, giving her a hug,’ Ellie said.
Sam snorted. ‘A hug? With his trousers down?’
Ellie kept her gaze steady on Sam, kept rubbing Libby’s hand.
‘He said that you’ve had some problems, Sam.’
Sam looked around, fists tight. ‘Fuck him.’
‘Mental problems.’
Sam looked like he was going to punch a hole in the wall. ‘I knew he’d use that against me.’
‘He said you’ve been hearing voices. Hallucinating. Said you were having trouble with different pills.’
‘I know what I saw,’ Sam said. ‘Ask Libby. This is not about hallucinations or anything like that.’
‘Take it easy,’ Ellie said. ‘Remember where I first met you, where I found you. What you were like.’