His Silence - Chapter 92

There’s a cool breeze that whips at my skin. I stare at the prison, breathing steadily, thinking about how my own journey began here a few short weeks ago. Back then I never would’ve thought in a million years I would be in the position I am now. Back then I thought I would at least set the record straight on why Harvey killed our parents. My brother is coming home. My brother is innocent. Michael’s sitting in the car, book in hand. God only knows what’s going through his mind right now. They didn’t have to, but Emma and Michael both said Harvey would be welcome to stay for as long as he needs. I think Emma feels guilty because she tried to dissuade me from seeing him in the first place.

I keep my eyes fixed on the prison doors. Any minute now. It’s a wonder there aren’t any journalists camped outside. The doors swish open and I take a breath. Harvey emerges, holding his hands above his eyes as sunlight blinds him. His eyes scan the car park, taking everything in and then they finally clap on me. He hasn’t got anything with him, just the baggy clothes he’s wearing, a plain red top and jeans. In my head I think of all the scenes in films, when criminals who are sentenced, have to hand over all their belongings. I’m not sure if there’s anything Harvey would’ve owned when he was arrested twenty years ago. I think of how much the world has changed in the past twenty years. What was happening back in 2004? Back then Tony Blair was Prime Minister, the Harry Potter series was still being written.

He doesn’t break into a run like I kept thinking he would do. He walks slowly, steadily, like we’re just meeting for a general chit chat. Then he’s here, standing in front of me, I get a whiff of his sweat. I shuffle on my feet, unsure of what to say. I should’ve bloody prepared something, now I’m just staring at him, dumbstruck.

‘Danielle,’ he says, tears filling his dark eyes. Dad’s eyes. He reaches out and pulls me in for a hug. I breathe in his scent, and close my eyes. In an instant it’s like the last twenty years haven’t happened. He’s holding me again, like he used to do when I was six, back when he was the doting big brother. He pulls away from me, smiling. ‘You did it, you actually did it.’ He wipes his eyes.

I shrug. ‘Well, not entirely on my own, I had help,’ I say.

‘Ah, yes, the podcaster wasn’t it? I heard about it in the news, seems he’s made quite a bit of a name for himself, hasn’t he?’

‘Yep, Max,’ I say, running my tongue around my dry mouth. He was right about Netflix wanting to do a documentary, I’ve already been contacted asking if I would be willing to speak, but I declined. There’s no way I want to give any interviews. I’m willing to talk to Max, and he can pass on what I say, but that’s it. As far as I’m concerned, I’m done with this part of my life. I’m ready to move on. ‘I don’t think I’d be standing here with you, without him. Harvey, did you know it was Mary who . . . who killed Mum and Dad?’ Despite everything I’ve since learned I still like to think of Neil as my Dad. I still can’t get used to thought of Oliver and Mum . . .

Harvey sighs. ‘I had no proof, parts of that night are still blocked out from my memory, but I . . . I always suspected.’ He lets out a steady breath. ‘You know they wanted you back because Oliver was . . . well he was he was struggling. I think he lost it recently and said he wanted to tell the police everything that happened, and this frightened Mary. She thought, if you came back, you would help him recover, that you would make him want to keep the sanctuary going and the truth buried.’

My heart thumps against my chest. ‘So . . . so you knew he was my dad?’

Harvey nods, he looks away from me. ‘I always thought it yes.’

‘I . . . I always wondered why there was such a big age gap between me and you. Did Neil, did . . . Dad know?’

‘I think so, it’s hard to tell. Things were never the same between him and Mum after you were born. When I . . . when I told you someone from the house had been to see me, before I wrote to you, it was . . . it was Noah who came.’

I gasp. ‘Noah.’

‘He volunteered to come and speak to me, but he said . . . he said; it might be the time for the truth to finally be known and for Mary’s crimes to be revealed, and that getting you back was the best opportunity we had.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ I ask, shaking my head. I could’ve walked away from this, despite Harvey telling me he was innocent. I nearly did.  

‘Because if I had, you would’ve gone straight to speak to him, and Mary would’ve suspected something was up.’

I wipe my eyes. ‘Well, Noah ended up dying anyway,’ I reply.

Harvey bites his lower lip. ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t help him.’ There are tears in his eyes as he speaks. ‘So, what now? You . . . you own Raven House, don’t you? Oliver’s left it to you.’

My body trembles. I think back to when I visited him a couple of weeks ago. So much has changed since then. I swallow. ‘Now, we have the rest of our lives together,’ I say, taking hold of his sweaty hand.

I pull him towards the car and open the door. He slides inside.

‘Thank you, Michael, I really appreciate this,’ he says as he straps himself in. He wipes the tears from his eyes.

‘Not a problem,’ Michael says, switching on the car ignition. ‘Everything OK?’

Once I'm sitting beside him, I squeeze Harvey’s hand and feel his warmth, spread into my fingertips. ‘Yep, we’re fine; everything’s going to be fine.’

The car trundles into life and Michael manoeuvres it out of the car park and onto the main road.