The Boys - Revealed

Bethan and Katie

Bethan is at work when Katie calls and heads to the disabled bathroom to take it in relative privacy. Her boss has been tolerant of her recent absences and has been understanding of her difficulties but Bethan knows that this will continue only up to a point and that she may be fast reaching that.

"Hi Katie. How are you doing?" Bethan makes her tone light but is bristling inwardly with anticipation and wariness.

"Hi. I'm good. It's awkward but it's okay. Nothing's happened." Katie's free hand pulls at the cuff of her jumper as she talks, a sign of the nerves she's experiencing as she thinks about what she is about to share with Bethan.

Bethan is relieved and leaves a pause for Katie to continue but when she doesn't, she prompts.

"So, I've got some other stuff to tell you, that I didn't get round to telling you about before."

Bethan's hand is gripping her phone so tightly her knuckles are white.

"Okay," she says, keeping her tone soft, like she's coaxing a wild animal to eat from her hand.

"The camera."

Katie thinks of how best to deliver what she has to say: there were other photos, not just the one of the boys; I think that my dad was seeing my mum when he was with you; there's a photo that shows them together; it must have been taken by Laney; I think that my dad knew; I don't know if he killed her to protect his secret. Katie is not thinking about the boys and how she sent the photos to them but this is what is uppermost in Bethan's mind.

"Yes," Bethan says. "The missing camera."

"Yes," Katie pauses again. The fact the camera is missing weighs on her but she wants to share what she knows regardless. It is the right thing to do.

"I sent you the photo of the boys." She is about to tell Bethan about the other photos when Bethan interjects.

"Laney's friends. I remember their faces but their names...not so much."

This surprises Katie and instead of telling Bethan about the other photos, she follows the tangent.

"I know their names."

***

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