Proof

Bethan glared at Dave. She wouldn't go down without a fight. She hoped Laney had done the same. She wouldn't make this easy and she was not a victim.

"You killed her, didn't you? That's why you had the camera. You killed our daughter."

Dave was deeply affronted. "No, Bethan. No! I swear! I would never have hurt Laney! I was devastated when she disappeared. How could you think that?"

Bethan glowered, her fists clenched, her instinct to survive making her back away a little.

"What do you expect me to think? You have her camera. Her camera, Dave!"

"I know, I know, but I found it by chance. That's all."

Bethan sneered. "In a quarry? Really? You're telling me that you just happened to be in the quarry and found our missing daughter's camera because you fancied a walk there?"

"Yes, Bethan, yes!" Dave reached for Bethan and she backed further away. "I used to go for walks all the time, you know that! When I entered that fell-walking challenge, I used the quarry for training. Remember that?"

Bethan thought back and did recall Dave training evening and weekends for some fitness thing. It would have been that same year, probably.

"After Laney...I used to go up there still. Sometimes at night."

He'd never told her where he was. He liked to keep his movements a secret.

Bethan looked at Dave. He continued. "I liked it up there. It was...quiet. A bit of a sad place. It sort of reflected my mood, you know. Sometimes, Bethan, I felt...like..."

Here, Dave struggled to find words, to convince Bethan of their veracity but managed, "...like you'd rather have your grief for company than me." Dave realised that this was true and Bethan felt the smart of it, even after all these years. In this, at least, he was being honest.

"I went up there one evening when you were sleeping and I found the camera. You won't have known because you were 'resting'."

Sedated. He hadn't said as much but the accusation of her weakness was there. Bastard. She would not feel weak.

"Show me then."

"What?"

"Show me where you found it."

*

The silent observer followed.

***

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