Little White Lies by Katie Dale Read Free Book Online Page A

great,” Christian says suddenly, and I look up. “I expect they get really lonely, separated from their family and friends, everyone they’ve ever known.” His eyes meet mine.
    “But isn’t that the point?” Vix argues. “That’s part of their punishment. They’re criminals—they broke the law.”
    “Not everyone in prison has broken the law,” Christian counters.
    Vix rolls her eyes. “Most people.”
    “You’d be surprised,” he says, a rough edge to his voice.
    I stare at him.
    “What did the person you’re writing to do?” Vix asks me. “Or are they innocent?”
    Kenny and Christian both turn to me and I flush under their gaze.
    “Um... er...” I swallow, then shake my head. “He didn’t do anything wrong,” I tell them. “He shouldn’t be in jail.”
    “Poor guy,” Christian says quietly. “It’s awful to be wrongly accused.”
    “Well, that’s what they all say.” Vix shrugs. “Or else you wouldn’t write to them, would you, Lou?”
    “I...” My head feels like it’s going to explode. I have to get away from everyone before I fall apart completely. “Sorry—I’m not feeling very—” I turn and hobble quickly to the toilets, lock the door, and close my eyes.
    What am I doing?
My blood throbs in my temples, tears stinging my throat.
How could I be so
stupid
?
So
careless
?
I nearly ruined
everything
!
    “Lou?” Vix’s voice calls gently from outside the cubicle. “Are you okay?”
    Get a grip.
I swallow hard, trying to steady my breathing.
    “I’m fine,” I reply shakily. “I just... I just feel a little weird. It’s probably still the shock of falling over or something.”
    “Right...,” she says uncertainly. “Can I get you anything? A glass of water?”
    “No, just... give me a minute, yeah? I’ll be out in a sec.”
    “Okay,” she says reluctantly. “See you in a mo.”
    I close my eyes and listen till I’m sure she’s gone, then take a deep breath and pull the envelope from my pocket.
    How could I forget his letter?
    The first letter, the first contact in
weeks,
and I just leave it sitting, unopened, in my bag?
    I stare at the envelope, at its prison postmark, my heart heavy. Then, carefully, gently, I open the seal and slide out the single sheet of paper, his oh-so-familiar handwriting dancing across the page and tugging at my insides.
Sweetheart,
    I hope your first few weeks at uni are going well. It will undoubtedly be hard at first. It’s always difficult moving somewhere new, especially where you don’t know anyone—believe me, I know.
    But I’m sure you’ll make good friends. You’ve been an incredible friend and cousin to my daughters—like another sister—and I’m so proud to view you as a daughter of my own. You’re smart and kind, and so, so strong. You’ve had to cope with so much in your young life, and I’m sorry to have made that even harder for you with my current situation, the notoriety it has incurred, and my enforced absence from your life.
    I understand your decision to alter your name for university, and think it a wise one. I hope your new life will be filled with all the happiness you deserve.
    All my love, always,
    Uncle Jim x
    I choke on my tears.
All the happiness I deserve.
I don’t deserve any happiness. I
caused
this mess. Guilt floods my veins as I think of him all alone in a prison cell.
    It’s all so
wrong
! Uncle Jim isn’t a criminal. He should be at home with Aunt Grace and his beautiful daughters, living happily ever after. He
would
be if it weren’t for me—
this is all my fault!
    Well, not
all
my fault... I close my eyes and that face pops into my head, unbidden. The same eyes that have haunted my dreams ever since the trial, boring into my soul.
    If it weren’t for
him,
none of us would be in this situation.
    And it’s time I put things right, once and for all....

SIX
    “That,” Vix sighs, setting down her cutlery, “was delicious.”
    “Lovely,” I lie, forcing a smile. I didn’t taste a