Keep My Secrets by Elena Wilkes (large ebook reader .txt) 📗

that, I can clear all that up, so long as everyone’s alright. You just go and get yourself dressed and warm, Frankie.’ His kind, smiley face beamed at her as Vanessa ushered her along the landing.

‘Here, put this on.’ She pulled a dressing gown from the radiator. ‘It’ll be nice and warm for you… My goodness, you gave me such a fright!’ She slipped Frankie’s arms into the sleeves, chuckling as she steered her towards the door.

‘Thank you for being so kind, Vanessa.’ She meant it; she really did.

‘I would do anything to make sure you’re okay.’ She reached forward and snuggled the collar around her neck. ‘Quickly now. Don’t get chilled. Hot chocolate will be ready as soon as you are – where’s Jack, by the way?’

‘Oh he’s still downstairs, oblivious, with his headphones on,’ Peter grinned. ‘He’ll only respond to sign language.’ He hauled a vacuum cleaner up the last few stairs and disappeared behind the bathroom door.

‘He loves that Wet and Dry toy,’ Vanessa grinned ruefully. ‘You’ve given him a perfect excuse. Just come down when you’re ready.’ She leaned forward and kissed her cheek. ‘Don’t be too long.’

Frankie brought her hand up to where Vanessa’s lips had been as she watched her trot down the stairs. Was this what it felt like to be cared for?

As though in a dream, she tentatively pushed the bedroom door open as Jack leapt up off the bed. Her hand came to her heart.

‘Jack!’

‘I didn’t know she’d put you in here. Sorry, my fault.’ He laughed nervously and made a move towards the door. ‘I’ll let you get dressed.’ The sound of the vacuum cleaner droned loudly in the background and he paused with a hand on the door edge. ‘Are you sure you’re okay? I heard the commotion—’

‘No, honestly. I’m fine, I’m fine.’ She glanced around. ‘I feel a bit silly now, actually… God – I must’ve been dreaming, but it really freaked me out.’

‘Don’t feel bad, seriously. There are things you should…’ He went to say more but then stopped. ‘Look, I’m only across the landing. Once you’ve changed, we’ll go downstairs together.’ He glanced towards the bathroom. ‘Don’t go down on your own, okay?’

She frowned, unsure what he was meaning.

‘Vanessa can be a bit—’ he rolled his eyes. ‘—Full on with her mothering instinct. Just tap on my door. I’ll wait for you.’ He smiled, pulling it closed behind him.

She got dressed slowly, putting on the joggers and sweatshirt, feeling their heat seep into her back like a comforting blanket. She didn’t really get what he was talking about; Vanessa was just being kind and caring. There were slipper socks on the radiator too and she pulled them on. Padding out into the hallway, she tapped gently on Jack’s door. The gap creaked wider.

‘Come in.’ His voice came from somewhere inside and she pushed the door a little.

He was sitting on the side of the bed holding a book.

‘Yeah – come in for two minutes. Let me explain what I was blabbering on about.’ He closed the book carefully and put it down beside him. ‘Just push that door to, would you?’ He glanced at it as though he was afraid of someone hearing.

She stood there uneasily, trying to read him.

‘I wanted to ask you something. Do you remember the conversation you and I had about Vanessa? – About how she’s like a dog with a bone?’

‘Uh-huh,’ she nodded.

‘And how she thinks you know stuff about the night that Charlotte died?’

She rubbed her forehead anxiously. ‘It was just like you said, Jack: I was out of my head on stuff. I don’t remember anything. Seriously, honestly.’ Her heart shunted up a gear.

He sat back a little, his hands in his lap. ‘It’s okay, it’s fine. You and I just need to be totally straight with each other. I can shield you if I know exactly what’s going on in your head.’

She looked at him, puzzled. ‘Shield me? What do you mean?’ The thudding behind her ribcage intensified.

‘Vanessa and my dad. They latch onto things… Ideas… People… and they can’t let go. Vanessa’s obsession becomes my dad’s obsession. I didn’t want you to get blindsided by them both, that’s all.’

‘She’s already told me that she can be a bit like that.’

‘Yes, well, that’s part of the grooming process.’ Jack looked down into his palms. ‘She tells you those kinds of things to disarm you, so that you don’t see it coming.’

Frankie went to speak, but Jack held up his hands.

‘I know they don’t mean to do it and I’m not trying to be horrible.’ He shook his head. ‘But it’s like they close in on you. It’s so tiny at first, you barely notice it.’ His teeth caught his bottom lip. ‘Until you find you can’t breathe. Which is what happened to Charlotte. They adored her and so they smothered her. She was running wild because she couldn’t cope with their adoration.’ His face looked haunted, but he covered it with a rueful smile, and shrugged. ‘There are definite benefits in being the son that no one’s interested in.’

‘I’m sure they’re interested in you. I’m sure they love you.’

He snorted. ‘Haven’t you noticed? Didn’t you see the way my dad was downstairs? All the attention goes immediately to you. You’re their replacement daughter.’

Her spine itched with discomfort.

‘Watch their eyes if you don’t believe me. They can’t stop looking at you; they can’t stop wanting to be with you, they always want to touch you. They think she’s come back.’

Something walked over her grave. She shivered.

‘And me?’ The rueful smile was pained. ‘I think as far as they’re concerned, the wrong child died.’

‘Jack!’ She was horrified. ‘No!… They don’t think that!’

‘What did you see?’

‘What? When?’ She jerked in alarm.

‘What did you see in the bathroom?’

‘I was dreaming. I must’ve fallen asleep.’

‘Tell me what happened? You said you saw a shape.’

‘Nothing really.’ Her heart drummed wildly. She didn’t want to think about it, let alone speak about it. ‘I told