Dear Mr Sheehan,
It doesn't feel right calling you Mark anymore. It's all over the news again. They've found more bodies. Ben and Rod and most of your crew. Apparently you'd hidden them just before they'd arrested you. Do you know who found then? A five year old child, Mr Sheehan. Five years old. She was digging in her garden and she found a hand, then an arm. She's in shock, do you know that?
I don't understand why you did it. I know I said I'm no better than you, but really? Why did they deserve to die? As far as I know, they did nothing wrong. None of then slept with your wife, none of them tried to kill you. So why did you do it? I was starting to trust you, thinking maybe you weren't that bad. But now I see you really are. I don't even know why I'm writing to you again. I should just cut off communication right now, but I can't live with my secret. I need to tell someone. And unfortunately for me, that someone is you. So I'm just going to write it now.
Looking over at the basement wall, I can see the last ever picture we took together, me, Jack and Dylan. We're at the beach, and if you look closely, you can see Billy in the background, running through the ocean with Mark by his heels. The dog, Mr Sheehan, the big chocolate labrador with the odd eyes. But I'm not going to tell you anything about that day until the end of this story. Because that's when it was taken. The end. For now I'm going to tell you a bit about the day I saw Jack and Dylan at the same time, in the same place.
It was the spring of 2015. The blackbirds were chirping merrily in the trees as I dragged Billy around town. Pigeons waddled lazily around us, and Billy was asking if I had any bread he could throw for them. I tore a bit off my sandwich and gave it too him, smiling to myself as he ran giggling through the swirl of grey feathers. The next thing I knew, someone was holding onto my elbow, preventing me from falling after they'd knocked into me.
"Hey! Watch where you're going you..." I started to shout, but stopped when I realised who it was.
"You what?" Dylan laughed, placing me firmly back onto my feet.
"Nothing." I smiled. I seem to say that word a lot. Truth is that was my favourite one of your songs. Dylan started to sing it, making me laugh slightly. But then he started grumbling about the fool who ruined one of the greatest bands in the world. You, in other words. Maybe if you say nothing right now, he'll start singing it again. Maybe he'll remember this day aswell. You should try it.
We walked along in silence for a while, watching Billy as he tried to negotiate with a squirrel. It must have stolen his food or something.
"Isn't this a bit weird?" Dylan asked after a while.
"What? Billy talking to a squirrel? No, that's normal for him."
"No!" Dylan laughed, "The fact that I'm basically his uncle, and yet I may as well be his dad. I'm guessing you feel the same way about me as I do you?"
I stopped walking then, and so did he.
"Y...You..." Was probably all I managed to stutter.
"I love you, yes. How could I not?" He smiled sweetly, taking hold of my hand, "Come on, I'll buy you and Billy a drink."
So I nodded. As Dylan had said, how could I not? I called Billy over and he ran to us as fast as his little legs would take him. He flung himself into Dylan's arms before walking beside us calmly.
We eventually reached a small Costa, the one Jack had taken me to on our first date. Dylan ordered two coffees and a bottle of water for Billy. I still order that now Mr Sheehan. Everytime I take Billy for a drink, I order two coffes. The other one goes cold, of course. But that isn't important right now. What is important, is that just as Dylan started asking about our future together, Jack walked in through the door.
"Oh, hey you two!" He grinned, pulling a chair up to the table and sitting next to Billy, "What are you doing here?"
"We were just...you know..." Dylan muttered, it wasn't the time to tell Jack the truth.
"I bumped into him while me and Billy were shopping." I smiled, "So he invited us for a coffee"
Jack nodded and placed his hand on top of mine. It took all the strength I had not to pull it away.
"I was thinking Anna. Maybe I was a bit lazy, and I'm sorry for that. Do you think you could forgive me so we can be a family again?"
I glanced nervously at Dylan, who was sat playing with his empty cup.
"Urm..." I stuttered.
"Please?" Jack begged, his eyes wide and worried.
"Ok." I whispered, and Mr Sheehan, that is where this story really begins. The moment I became a cheat.
But that'll have to wait. I have things to do, people to meet. I don't know when I'll write to you again. Give me some time to hate you less I suppose. Yeah. I'm not going to wish you well. I hope you think about that girl every second that remains in your life. I hope you think about the bodies aswell. Hands clawing at their coffins under the dirt, hoping to reach you and get revenge. Sweet nightmares Mr Sheehan, murderers don't have sweet dreams.
Anna
