Read Online Where the Birds Hide at Night by Gareth Wiles - Free Book Online Page B

that there was plenty of time for all that, anyway, and he was best to bide his time before he “sold his story” in order to get the best deal. Being married to the woman whose family once harboured Peter Smith, as well, didn’t ease the attention he’d received. One person who certainly hadn’t visited him in prison was his wife. There had been no sign of Katie or the rest of her family, and even visits from his own family had been thin on the ground. Still, he’d always seen himself as an orphan who had never had a real belonging. There had been an extended stay with one foster family, with whom he’d grown quite attached, but this came to a natural end when he started going out with Katie and her family sort of took him on. He wasn’t really upset or concerned by his lack of a biological belonging, but owing to his current situation it might have helped him through a bit. The media, of course, had made much of his family background. Still, this wasn’t at all his most pressing concern right now; the fact he’d been anally raped
was
pretty high on his list of upsets, though. The perpetrator had received a rap over the knuckles, but little more. If anything, Alex perceived that the authorities had somehow turned a blind eye at the time and let it happen. The guards were certainly greeting him with smirks and winks now – at least, that’s what he saw. He felt about as low as he could, knowing he’d never been this down in all his life. He thought he’d had a hard life before all this happened to him, now he knew it had been a breeze.
    There was no breeze in the room where he was currently sitting. He looked around at his fellow prisoners, some embracing their loved-ones whilst others tried to keep up a front and an arrogant distance with their visitor. He wondered how he should greet and act with his. There was nobody but himself willing to give an answer, and even then he didn’t know whether or not to rely on his own decision. Decisions hadn’t been his strongpoint in a long time, if ever, and Reaping Icon didn’t seem to want to help. There had been no sign of Reaping Icon.
    Emma walked in and looked nervously around before spotting Alex. He wanted to stand up to greet her as she rushed over, but the pain in his backside was still so intense as to dissuade him from sudden movements. She sat down across from him as an inmate gave her a wolf-whistle. Alex thought how utterly gorgeous she had become in the passing years. Here, in her late twenties, she was even more appealing than she’d been as a teenager, and he completely regretted ever letting things get so far with Katie. She took his hand and gripped it tightly, her hair darker than it had ever been and her skin crying out for a glimpse of the sun.
    â€˜I’m sorry I haven’t been before now,’ she said, looking down.
    â€˜Thank you for coming at all,’ he replied, almost whispering, as he looked around the room for potential eavesdroppers. ‘I thought I’d never see you again.’
    â€˜I can’t quite believe what’s happened, it’s all so crazy.’ Now she looked up, and it was Alex’s turn to look away. ‘One day the papers are painting you as a monster, the next you’re a hero.’
    â€˜I’m neither. I didn’t do it,’ Alex mumbled, tired of repeating himself.
    â€˜You were definitely set up, that’s agreed by everyone,’ Emma replied, squeezing his hand. He looked up and their eyes met.
    â€˜Everyone thinks I’m innocent?’
    â€˜Well, yeah, most people.’
    He pulled his hand from hers. ‘What about Katie?’
    â€˜I always wondered why you married her, Alex; why you walked headlong into a disaster you could clearly see coming.’
    â€˜And what were your conclusions?’
    â€˜That you are weak,’ she said bluntly, trying to deliver it with a smile but