Chapter 27: Elliot - The Foster Child

I sit there, holding the coin, my thoughts still in the past, remembering the day my life changed forever.

* * *

It was Christmas Day, but that was just like any other day for us in the squat. Only Rocky decided to give me a surprise. He pulled up in a sleek silver Mondeo. ‘Hop in, we’re going to take it for a spin,’ he said with a big grin.

Behind him, Spud and Trev screeched to a halt in a white Astra. They’d all been nicking cars again. None of them had a licence but that didn’t stop them.

‘Where did you nick it from?’ I asked, thrusting my hands in my jeans pockets and walking around the car. It looked in mint condition. Of course he’d nicked it. Rocky couldn’t afford an old banger never mind a posh model like this.

‘I borrowed it. I’ll take it back when we’ve been for a ride,’ he told me. ‘What are you waiting for, jump in?’

I glanced around. We were on the waste ground by the derelict factory we were squatting in. It was dark, and no one else was around. At first, I was happy to join in the fun of those car rides but Rocky was a bit wild, he drove far too fast.

‘Get a move on, you two! We’ll race you!’ Spud shouted, starting up the engine again.

‘Get in!’ Rocky ordered so I did what I always did, I obeyed him.

As soon as I got in the passenger seat, Rocky shot off before I even had the chance to buckle my seatbelt. I snapped it into place as quickly as I could. Spud and Trev were way in front and Rocky almost stood on the accelerator as we sped along the road trying to catch them up. It was so dark we could barely see in front of us even though the headlights were on full beam. The darkness added to the sense of danger. Rocky thrived on danger, he was hardcore, top dog of the gang. Nothing bothered him. He roared with laughter as we raced past Spud, just missing crashing into their car. I was scared then, it was too close for comfort and we were going too fast. We came to a fork in the road and Rocky took the left road, speeding along it.

‘Slow it down a bit, eh?’ I yelled. ‘You’re going to kill us!’

He took his eyes off the road to grin at me. ‘Not scared, are you? I’ve driven much faster than this.’

* * *

If I hadn’t spoken to him he wouldn’t have taken his eyes off the road and would have seen the car. That’s what he told me as we stared down at it upturned, lying in the ditch.

‘We’ve got to get help,’ I stammered, nausea swilling around in my stomach. We were driving a stolen car and we’d probably killed someone.

‘Are you mad? We’ll be locked up for life for this. We’ve got to get outta here,’ Rocky retorted. ‘Come on!’ He ran off towards the woods.

I stared down at the wrecked car, then back at the Mondeo, standing in the centre of the road, doors wide open. Rocky had already disappeared into the woods. I couldn’t leave the man here. We’d passed a telephone box a few metres back, I ran to it and called for an ambulance. I didn’t leave my name.

Then I ran back to the scene of the crash. A car had parked up on the side of the road and two men were walking over to the upturned car. I couldn’t move. I had to know that the occupant was alive.

I watched the men open the car doors and lift someone out, carrying them over to the kerb. They’d just cleared the wrecked car when it burst into flames. Petrified, I legged it into the woods, tripping over branches and getting back up again, my breath burning in my throat, a terrible stitch in my side. I’d no idea where I was or where Rocky was. Finally, I reached a town and collapsed onto a bench exhausted, deciding to find my bearings when it was light.

It was all over the papers the next day. The man was in intensive care in a coma. They didn’t know if he would make it.

The police pulled us both in for questioning. Separately. I had no idea what story Rocky was going to tell them but I was determined to tell the truth even if it meant we both went to prison. Luckily the man survived but he could have been killed. Yes, I was terrified, but I was more terrified of the path that I was on than I was of a prison sentence. The shock had brought me to my senses. I had to take control of my life.

Rocky tried to say I was driving the car, but luckily it was his fingerprints on the steering wheel and mine on the passenger door handle. He was eighteen so was charged with dangerous driving, hit and run among various driving offences, perverting the course of justice and stealing a car and was sent to prison for several years. I was seventeen, a minor, I didn’t steal the car, wasn’t driving and had called for help so I got off lighter and was sent to a juvenile detention centre.

I haven’t seen Rocky since. I kept my head down, studied and worked part-time to fund my studies. It took me ten years to qualify as a dentist but I did it. I carried on living in grotty rooms and saving my money until I could afford my first house, did it up in my spare time, sold it at a profit then did the same again until finally I bought Virginia Cottage. I kept to myself, wanting to concentrate on first my studies, then doing up the houses I bought. I met Joe at university and we’ve been friends since. My only friend. He knows nothing of my past. No one does. I worked hard to get my life back on track and Rocky became a distant memory.

Until now. What does he want from me? And why is he sending me those vile Christmas cards? He’s threatening revenge but I don’t understand what he wants revenge for. If it is because my evidence got him sent down then surely he would have wanted revenge as soon as he got out of prison, not all these years later. None of it makes sense. And how does he know where I live and work?

My thoughts circle back to Violet. Everything has happened since she turned up at the gate. The cards started then as well, with two of them being delivered not long after she left. Could she be connected to Rocky in some way? Working with him? The cards are directed at me, but the other stuff, it affects Cora too. Perhaps her motive is simply revenge because Cora and Dale sent her away, she might be delivering the cards not knowing what’s written inside them. Rocky though, I bet it’s money he’s after. This is a lead-up to blackmail, I’m sure of it.

I can’t tell Cora about this and I can’t tell the police. I paid the price for what I did but if it comes out it could affect my life and business. I can’t risk it. But I’m definitely going to get that doorbell camera today. Then I’ll know for certain.