Read Online Underground Rivers by Mike French - Free Book Online Page A

few minutes.
    Finally Rachel put down her cup, “OK, I’m ready.”
    Hayley leaned forward, speaking quickly, “I’ve made up the spare room for you. Please, Rach, I want you there.”
    â€œHayley, we’ve done this. What on earth makes you think I want to go home?”
    â€œThe same reason you got the train here. You’ve nowhere else to go.”
    Rachel rocked back in her chair, paused for a moment then said, “I guess it looks like that, but actually, I’ve got loads of friends. People who didn’t judge me and who bothered to visit while I was away. I just haven’t got in touch with them yet.”
    And, of course, none of them are likely to have a spare room for me.
    Now it was Hayley’s turn to sit back.
    â€œI, er, well, we, well ...”
    â€œThought it best not to visit the woman who’d killed her father? Or was it that you didn’t want to upset Mum?”
    â€œIt’s not like that!”
    â€œIt felt like that to me. None of you believed me when I said I didn’t do it. You all left me alone. I’m surprised you can bear to be with me now.”
    â€œBut you are innocent. I always believed you. I wrote to you, telling you that. And now, it’s a matter of record.”
    â€œYou wrote to me?”
    Hayley nodded, “Yes, as soon as Mum was told where you had been sent. It’s me who should be complaining to you. You never wrote back. I wrote loads of letters in the first year.”
    â€œWell, I never got any of them.”
    They sat for a moment and then, almost together, said, “Mum!”
    â€œDid you post the letters yourself?”
    Hayley shook her head. “I just did what I always do, threw them on the hall table for someone to post when they went out.”
    She rubbed her face, “Rachel, I’m so sorry, I thought you’d got all my letters and hadn’t replied.”
    â€œAnd I’m betting you never got anything from me?”
    â€œYou sent letters to me?”
    â€œA few times. But when I didn’t get any reply I stopped. Why waste precious money on a stamp when I needed to buy makeup and tights? You can see why I don’t want to go home. Why should I go to the house of the woman who stopped us keeping in touch?”
    â€œBut that was before you were proved to be innocent.”
    Rachel leaned forward, “Hayley, you need to understand. I was released because they say that the evidence that convicted me was tainted. They’re not saying I didn’t kill Dad, just that they can’t prove it. They still consider me a murderer. And I bet Mum does too.”
    Several people turned to stare as she raised her voice, while Hayley just stared down at the table and fiddled with a teaspoon.
    â€œSee, I’m right. Mum’s not going to welcome me home. I should never have come here.”
    She stood up and began to button her coat.
    Hayley grabbed her hand, “No, Wait.”
    Rachel sat down as Hayley said in a quiet voice. “We really do need to talk. I’ll get us some more coffee, we’re going to be here a while. Same again?”
    Rachel nodded, then glared at the sightseers.
    Hayley was soon back, placing two coffees on the table between them. She picked hers up and took a mouthful before saying, “Look, I’m only going to say this once more. I’m sorry. I’m sorry about all of it. Sorry not to have visited you, sorry you felt as if I’d deserted you, but now you can see how difficult it was for me. Mum made sure I played by her rules.”
    â€œYes, then maybe, but Christ, Hayley, you’re twenty five now. Surely you should be coping on your own?”
    Hayley gulped a breath and said, “Can’t you see? I want to help you get back on your feet again. And help you prove your innocence. To Mum and to everyone. If we work together, we can find out who really did it and clear your name once and for all.”
    She put