Apple of My Eye. Claire Allan

Eli

      My mother reacts just as I’d expect when I tell her Martin’s going back to London. She looks at me as if I’ve lost the plot, even though all along she’s been assuring me she doesn’t think there’s any truth in those horrible notes.

      ‘Are you sure you don’t want him to stay?’ she says. ‘Did he say something to you to influence you to let him go?’

      ‘No, Mum,’ I say. ‘I just realise if I trust him I have to prove that I trust him and this is one way to do that.’

      ‘Hmm.’ She eyes me. ‘He should be the one proving things to you, though.’

      ‘I think we both need to work on that and let the police work on finding out the truth of what’s going on.’

      ‘And being here, without him, while all this is going on? Are you not scared?’

      I am, of course I am, but I don’t want to let whoever’s behind this win. I don’t want them to know they’re scaring me.

      ‘Sure, but I have you,’ I say with a forced smile. ‘Haven’t you always kept me safe? Haven’t you always told me that a mama bear protects her baby bears? You’ll stay with me, won’t you?’