Swell (Complete)

Chapter Forty-Eight (Part Two)

"Forever bound in your net of safety,
And it's the most dangerous place I can be,
Like torture to me."

....

"Thanks for today, Will." Adora leaned against his chest and felt his shoulders shrug.
"It's alright. We both needed a break from family after yesterday." His arms were secure around her shoulders and she couldn't remember the last time she felt so comfortable and safe.
"I should get going." She looked up and smiled.
He nodded down at her. "Yea, you should."
"I'll be back for dinner, see you later." Adora stepped up on the tips of her toes and gave Will a kiss.
"Be safe." He mumbled behind her lips.
"I will." She left his warm arms and straddled her bike, pushing the kickstand up she propelled herself off the driveway onto the pavement.
Adora rode along the Esplanade on the beach side once she turned onto the main street. The sky was grey and the sand was almost empty.
A fisherman and his dog spotted the area near the pier and Adora stopped her bike when she realised the other person on the sandy shore was Debbie.
She left her bike at the rock wall near the park and approached her old friend.

"Deb?" She asked, her stomach churning as she moved towards the bench.
Debbie turned around with a start and put her hands on her face as Adora sat beside her.
"Adora, I'm so sorry." Debbie's voice was thick with tears and Adora swallowed a lump of her own.
"Are you alright?"
"I hate myself so much right now. I was stupid." Debbie put her hands into her lap and looked out over the ocean. "Why the hell... No, I know why. I just..."
"Is this about Tom?"
Debbie went silent for a few moments before she forced herself to meet Adora's eyes. "I lied because he was cute, and I was annoyed that he wanted you first, and furious that he spoke to you at the party." Debbie's shoulders trembled. "I put everyone in danger. He could have gone after Brett again... And Gus..."
Adora felt her face turn cold. She hadn't thought too much about Debbie's lie since they'd arrested Tom the day before, but now Debbie spoke of it, alternative scenarios flashed in her mind.
Scenarios where Gus was still alive.
"I should turn myself in. If I hadn't been his alibi, he might have been arrested and this might have all been over then." Debbie looked at her with tears in her eyes.
Adora couldn't feel anything.
Gus could still be alive, she might never have been under guard, and she and Will could have been dating longer.
"I have to go, Mum is expecting me." Her sudden goodbye slurred as she moved off the beach to her bike and hurriedly pushed the pedals to gain speed as Debbie called out another apology.
Tears burned down her cheeks and the cold wind whipped at the trails like thorns as she rode toward the Escape.
She didn't even put the kickstand of her bike down when she arrived at the farmhouse. Edgar was waiting for her and he jumped up excitedly as she headed towards the backdoor.
"Edgar, down boy." She snapped and waved a hand towards his snout to push him down. He stopped jumping and trotted behind her as she moved through the ground floor and then up the stairs.
Would they have kept Tom if Debbie hadn't lied about his whereabouts that night? Was there enough evidence then?
Would Gus still be alive if Debbie hadn't lied for him?
She curled up on her bed and Edgar whimpered from the floor beside her.
Time slipped away from her as Adora tried to delete the encounter with Debbie.
Edgar put his paws on the edge of her bed and rested his head on them to watch her.
She sniffed and forced herself to sit up and give Edgar some attention, some thanks for his watchful eyes while she tried to recompose herself.
She had come home to pack for a sleepover with Marti, and that was going to be the focus of the evening.
Yet even when she was laughing with her friend over a movie Adora didn't feel right. She couldn't place the feeling, it wasn't fear; Tom was in jail, she may have been in his home, but she was safe there now because he was in custody.
Mr and Mrs Taylor were scarce and Will joined the two girls for one movie. Adora sat between Marti and Will for that one, her hand sneakily holding his under the large blanket they all shared.
Dinner was quiet, but easy at the family table. Adora couldn't ignore Tom's absence though.
She wanted to ask about bail; did people suspected of murder get bail?
It didn't seem right that they would, but she was sure Tom wouldn't try and escape his trial and punishment.
But she hadn't really imagined Tom as her deadly stalker.
Would he have killed her eventually? Hurt his own siblings for being so close to her while he hadn't been?