Our cleaner, Vicky, had been in yesterday. Which means one thing. They’re in our industrial bin at the side of the building.

  Letting out a whine, I grab my bag and head out, bumping into Rita on the way. “Hey. I’m sorry to have to call you in on your day off.”

  “It’s fine. But, Charlotte, you really do need to look into hiring someone better. Back in my day, if we acted like that, we were fired on the spot.”

  “She’s in the hospital,” I explain before leaning in and whispering, “Poisoning.”

  “Oh no. Is she okay?”

  I suck in my bottom lip. “I think so.” I forgot to ask and now guilt eats at me. “She seemed okay. Yeah, I think she’s okay. Right?”

  Her brows pull together. “I haven’t spoken to her.”

  I wave her off. “It’s fine. I do need to go, though. I have to check the bins outside.”

  “The bins outside?”

  “Notes,” I tell her in all seriousness before heading out the door.

  The wind blows my hair around my face when I get outside. I glance up at the dimming sky, groaning. It’s going to rain. Drat.

  I rush to the side of the building and stop in front of the bin, lifting the lid. I hold my arm up to my nose, gagging. “I own books and serve coffee,” I groan.

  Inside, I find household rubbish bags and know I’ll have to contact the council once again because of it. This isn’t the first time someone has used our bin for their own personal use.

  I slide my bag to the floor and hang over the side, shoving away a bin bag I know hasn’t come from the library to move on to the next. I pull open the top, finding rubbish from the café.

  Come on.

  I shuffle further in, my legs dangling in the air.

  “Where are you?” I mutter, searching for the blue bag with yellow daisies on that we use for the small bins around the library.

  My phone begins to blast Cardi B’s WAP. It’s the ringtone the girls programmed to play if one of them call me.

  I try to shuffle back but my shirt gets caught on the clip on the bin. The metal begins to dig into my skin the more I tug backward, so I try to move forward instead.

  My phone begins to blare again.

  “She’s round the back,” I hear shouted, just as I catch sight of the daisy bag.

  “Yes!” I yell, the tips of my fingers struggling to reach the bag.

  “What are you doing?” Emily asks, sounding disgusted.

  I scream as I topple over into the bin. No, no, no. I gag as I straighten myself, glancing up to see three heads popping over the side of the bin.

  “Do we need to ask?” Harriet asks, her fingers pinching her nose.

  It really does stink in here.

  “It’s a long story,” I assure them, grabbing the daisy bag. I quickly open it, rifling through the contents.

  “We can stop off at a McDonald’s drive through. You don’t need to go to extremes.”

  I ignore them, sifting through the papers until I find the card. I hold it up, grinning. “Got it.”

  My name is written in bold, black writing.

  “What is that?” Harriet asks, pointing to the note. “And why are you still sitting there?”

  I get up, and together, they help me down.

  “Ouch, you’ll need to disinfect that,” Emily points out.

  I glance down to my torn shirt, wincing when I see blood staining it. “I’m okay.”

  “What was worth going through all of that for?” Olivia asks, scrunching her nose up.

  “Something that came with poisonous cupcakes.”

  Olivia shares a look with Emily before turning back to me, her expression filled with pity. “Did you bake again?”

  “Not mine,” I whisper, my attention returning to the envelope.

  I pull the card out, my heart racing.

  Happiness is only a cupcake away.

  My brows pull together and I turn it over, my heart stopping when I see the poem.

  Your sweetness is a lie.

  Deception is your game.

  Truth rots your soul.

  And only you are to blame.

  “What the fuck?” Harriet whispers.

  I tuck the card into my back pocket, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “Do we have time for me to get changed?”

  Harriet watches me closely before nodding. “Of course.”

  Olivia’s shoulders sag. “Good, because the smell is rotten.”

  I force a smile. “It really is.”

  “We’ll meet you back at the car.”

  While they head over to the car, I go back to my place, my mind on the card burning a hole through my pocket. I was sort of supporting Madison’s notion that this isn’t a male, but after this one, I think it may be Scott sending them.

  Is he worried I’m telling lies about him? It’s something he threatened me about before I left.

  I know I should call mum, or someone, but I need a minute to figure out what it means without having them all yell at me. I also know I need to go to the police with the new information.

  First, I want to get answers. Hopefully after today, I’ll have them.

  *** *** ***

  “Is this the place?” Emily asks from the driver’s seat. She leans forward to look up at the flat above the Chinese restaurant.

  “It is,” Harriet assures her, checking her phone from the passenger seat.

  The area looks sketchy. People are in groups hanging outside the shops, and I swear that when we drove down the road, we saw at least two drug deals happening.

  The shops don’t look better. Most have their silver shutters down, and the rest have paint peeling along their fronts, as well as broken signs and graffiti all over the windows and brick walls.

  “Are you sure this is the place?” Olivia asks from next to me. “Doesn’t seem like the place Amber would stay. I’m scared to get out.”

  I’m with Olivia. I don’t mean to judge— I feel terrible for it— but I can’t help but look around and wonder if some chick is going to steal my shoes. I’ve read stories about it happening. My uncle Liam had a client who lived around here and they made him search for the culprit who pinched their underwear. I know once I get home, I’ll want another shower.

  “It’s probably all she could afford. Let’s not judge her for that,” Harriet comments, giving Olivia a pointed look.

  Did I say that out loud?

  Emily turns to Harriet. “But I can worry the wheels on my car are going to be stolen, right?”

  Gabby snorts from the other side of me. “It would be doing the car a favour. At least you could claim on your insurance and get a new one.”

  “It got us here, didn’t it?”

  “Let’s not argue,” I softly warn them. “We’re here for Amber.”

  Harriet’s the first to get out of the car. Gabby follows and I slide out behind her. I pull my hood up when a droplet of rain lands on my cheek.

  “Hurry, it took me hours to get this hair straight,” Olivia calls out, racing toward the building.

  Someone is coming out as we reach the door, so we let ourselves in, piling inside to get out of the rain. We turn back at the sound of rain hammering down on the road outside.

  “Shit!” Harriet whispers. “I’ve got fucking clothes out drying.”

  “Bit late now,” Gabby replies.

  Emily nudges my shoulder. “You okay? You’ve been quiet since the bin incident.”

  I’m processing. I have no idea who could be doing this other than Scott. I have no conflict with any other person. I make it a mission to be kind to everyone, even to those who aren’t very nice to me. I’m also scared because I have no idea what any of it means. Were they sent to scare me? Was it in preparation for something? I have no idea, but I’ve watched enough thrillers and horrors to know it does mean something and I shouldn’t keep ignoring it.

  “I’m good. I just have a lot on my mind,” I assure her softly.

  “It’s this one,” Harriet announces, sharing a wide-eyed look with us when we find the front door is open a little.

  Which isn’t the safest thing an area like this.

  “Hello?” Gabby calls out, pushing open the door.

  I groan when she steps inside. “You never go inside,” I hiss. “This isn’t good.”

  “Hello?” she calls out again.

  Emily takes my arm as we follow Gabby and Harriet. Olivia stays outside and I turn. “You coming?”

  “Do I look fucking stupid?”

  Emily snorts, but suddenly, Gabby screams. The shriek coming out of nowhere surprises us all, and we end up screaming along with her. I grip Emily as both of us try to shoulder our way out of the door.

  There’s a new scream added into the mix and my heart begins to race.

  Emily pushes me aside, tripping over her own feet and landing in front of Olivia. Harriet and Gabby step over her, still screaming as they dive out of the door.

  I’m not sure why I’m panicking, but Olivia’s next words get me to stop screaming. I straighten my top, wincing when it catches on the small cut I got from the bins. The blood made it look worse than it was but still, it stings.

  “What, what? What’s going on?” Olivia asks, rising to her tip toes. Her eyes widen and I spin around to see what she’s looking at.

  A young girl—I’d guess eighteen or nineteen— stands in the doorway, frozen as she gawks back at her. Her hands shake around the pile of clothes she has in her grip.

  Her auburn hair is tied up in a knot, and her eyes are red and swollen, as if she’s been crying.

  She takes a step back. “Who are you and why are you here?”

  “We’re not intruders,” I blurt out. “We’re here to see Amber. I swear. We are not robbers. I mean, would burglars turn up in the middle of the day? Would they—”

  “Charlotte, I love you, but shush,” Emily whispers after getting up from the floor. She stands next to me, pasting on a wide smile. “We’re friends of Amber’s.”

  The girl’s shoulders drop. “I’m April, her sister.”

  “Is your sister here? She invited us. We’ve come to speak to her,” Harriet explains, moving back inside.

  April’s eyes water and her bottom lip trembles. I step forward, taking the pile of clothes from her and placing them on the little shelf beside her.

  “It’s okay. I’m sorry we scared you,” I assure her softly. “We really were invited.”

  “It’s not okay,” she blubbers. “Amber got hit by a car last night on her way home from work. She’s in critical condition at the hospital. They aren’t sure if she’ll wake up.”

  Harriet inhales sharply. “What?”

  I pull the girl into my arms, giving her a hug. She must have needed it because she hugs me back, squeezing me so tight, I wince.

  “I’m sorry to hear about your sister.”

  “I need to be back there in an hour. I can’t believe it happened. Witnesses said it was done on purpose, that the car deliberately aimed for her. The police are looking into it, but I don’t understand who would do it to her. My sister is amazing.”

  “She is,” Gabby agrees.

  The girls share a look with each other, keeping me out of the loop. Harriet nods before turning to April. “Why don’t we help you do whatever it is you’re doing then go to the hospital with you.”

  April steps back, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her shirt. “There’s no point. She’s in ICU and they won’t let anyone else in. I’m only allowed in for short periods of time.”

  “But we can be there for you,” I explain, rubbing her arm.

  “I’m sorry. I’m a blubbering mess and you don’t even know me.”

  “It’s okay,” Harriet replies.

  She wipes her tears. “Was there anything important you needed her for?”

  “No,” I reply, not wanting her to worry about it.

  “Yes, but it can wait. We wanted to know about her ex, Scott.”

  Her eyes widen. “You’re those friends. She mentioned she talked to you but never said she was meeting up with you.”

  I rub her arm. “We don’t need to talk about this. Why don’t I make you a cup of tea and then we can get whatever you were doing done and get you back to the hospital?”

  “I’ll make the tea,” Olivia offers, rushing into the kitchen on the left.

  “He dated Charlotte and did some pretty serious fucked-up shit,” Harriet reveals and I turn to her, silently warning her to drop it.

  “Why don’t we sit down,” Gabby declares.

  April nods and shakily turns to the room behind her. We head into the living area, and take a seat on the beige sofas. April sits between me and Gabby on one sofa and Harriet and Emily take a seat on the other.

  Wiping her nose, April turns to me. “You dated him?”

  “I’m not even sure what we were. He lied.”

  She nods. “He lied to my sister too.”

  “What did he do?” Crap! I had no right to ask that. She has more important things going on right now. It was insensitive and rude. “You don’t need to tell me anything.” I clamp my lips shut, fiddling with the thread on my jeans.

  “I don’t know everything. I only ever met him once and it was by accident. He was manipulative, controlling and within the short time I witnessed them together, he was snide with his comments. Amber… she was too nice for her own good.”

  Spotting a picture of April and another woman with bright red hair, I point to it. “Is that Amber?” She nods. “She’s beautiful.”

  She sniffles, tears forming in her eyes. “She really is.”

  “Why did they end things?” Harriet asks, her voice soft.

  “She wouldn’t tell me, but I could tell it was bad. I had my suspicions. She cried a lot. She got depressed and then moved here not long after. It got bad, to the point I tried to get her to see a doctor, but things got better after moving here.”

  “I’m so sorry she went through that,” I tell her sincerely, tears gathering in my own eyes.

  She rubs the palms of her hands down her thighs. “She wanted her first time to be special. She spent years having men sleazing over her, acting like they had a right to degrade her at her work, so she wanted that to be a moment she looked back on and cherished. And she thought he was the person to give it to her.”

  I share a look with Gabby, sucking in my bottom lip. It could just be a coincidence that the two of us were virgins. My stomach rolls at the thought of him doing what he did to me, to her.

  “Did he send her anything or try to contact her after they broke up?” Emily asks, as Olivia walks in with a tray of tea.

  I take the one she offers me, everyone else doing the same. April blows the steam away before taking a sip.

  “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

  “She didn’t get sent anything but some things happened after.”

  “What things?” I ask, taking her hand when I see it begin to shake. Gabby takes her drink and places it on the wooden coffee table in front of us.

  “A woman attacked her at work, accusing her of being a home wrecker and a whore. It’s why she had to voluntarily resign from her position and leave. The boss was fed up of the drama this woman was causing. Amber would never sleep with a married man. Never. Not long after her car was trashed, so was her flat, and then her car again. When she went for a new job, the woman turned up there too and Amber was fired.” She takes a deep breath. “It’s why I moved to be here with her. She didn’t want to be alone anymore. She was being hassled by other women who were also accusing her of sleeping with their husbands. But she wouldn’t do that. Whatever Scott told his wife, she believed him.”

  “Hey, we aren’t here to judge. We know exactly what he is like,” I assure her.

  “I just miss her. She’s in a bad condition and I don’t know what to do. She’s the person I go to when I need advice or if things are bad,” she explains, snivelling. “I wish she were here to tell me what to do.”

  “Were you getting her things ready to take to the hospital?”

  She nods. “Yes. She likes having her things around her. She’ll want something there for when she wakes up.” Her eyes close, a painful expression tightening her features. “If she wakes up.”

  I squeeze her hand. “She will,” I assure her. “I’m sorry we’ve bothered you at such a hard time.”

  “No, if it’s Scott you came to talk about, she’ll want to help. She might not have told me everything, but I know he did something bad. And I’m not talking about his wife attacking her either. He did something. It happened the night she was going to surprise him.”

  “Surprise him?”

  She nods. “Yeah. She saw an invitation to a party in his pocket the night they finally had sex, and decided she was going to surprise him by going to make up for it not being that good. We went to get her a new outfit, and she was so excited, but after that day, I didn't hear from her for a long time. She shut me out for weeks. I think he hurt her that night. I know he did.”

  I clench my eyes shut, trying to hold the tears at bay. “He hurt me too.”

  “Have you contacted the police?”

  I nod, glancing down at my lap. “I have, but he gave me a false name— or at least, his last name is fake by the sounds of it. I never went to his house or met any of his friends. He didn’t let me take pictures either, so I don’t even have that to give to the police.”

  She tenses. “Amber has one.”

  “Has what?” I ask, sitting straighter.

  “A photo. Someone at her old club was taking photos for the new website, and he caught a photo of them together in a booth. Because he never got written consent to use the image, he gave it to Amber instead. It was before the place was open to the public so he knew they must have been at least friends.”

  My pulse picks up. “Do you have it? We could give it to the police.”

  “I’m not sure where she would have kept it but we definitely have it. I remember spotting it when we moved in.”

  “She didn’t chuck it?” Harriet asks.

  April shakes her head. “No. She kept it to remind her that she shouldn’t trust so easily.”

  Harriet continues to ask about her sister— how she is; do they know who ran her over— but I can’t focus on the answers, not when my mind is reeling over it all. I stare at the picture of Amber’s smiling face, and can’t help but notice the resemblance between the two of us. It isn’t that we have red hair, or even that we were virgins, but from everything the girls are saying, we’re similar in personality too.