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‘I thought if I was just direct with him and told him to leave me alone, he’d get the message.’
Stacey was tempted to explain what Charlotte had been through but knew that wouldn’t help her.
‘You spoke to him on your own?’
Stacey nodded.
‘Jesus Christ,’ she said again. ‘You confronted an unhinged man alone and never thought to mention it. Bloody hell, Stace, anything could have happened and I wouldn’t have had a clue. What if he’d attacked you or…oh my God,’ Devon said, pacing around the room as though it might all make sense in a different spot.
‘I know and I’m sorry. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I just didn’t know what to do.’
‘How is it still going on? What did Kim say?’
Stacey choked back a sob.
‘You have got to be joking me? You didn’t tell her either?’
Stacey shook her head.
‘Babe, what were you thinking?’ Devon asked, opening her hands in exasperation.
‘I thought it would just stop. After confronting him, I thought just ignoring him would work, that he’d get bored. Nothing worked. He won’t leave me alone. He’s getting worse. I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, I’m constantly tired and anxious, and I’m not even doing my job, but he just won’t stop.’
‘Don’t you see that you gave him everything he wanted? You gave him intimacy.’
‘I never did—’
‘Not that kind of intimacy. Because you haven’t told anyone, it’s been just you and him locked in this twisted relationship. The sick bastard has had you all to himself. Clearly, he’s been the biggest thing in your head for weeks.’
Stacey couldn’t argue.
‘This is the reason for everything, isn’t it? Why you stopped the driving lessons, why you never want to go out, why you refused to go away with your best friend for a couple of days. You’ve stopped everything because of him?’
‘I know…I know…I don’t know what to do.’
Stacey could see that Devon was torn between comforting her and continuing to process what she’d heard.
Suddenly, Devon’s head whipped round. ‘Hang on, you said you confronted him. Where?’
‘Over the road.’
‘He was watching the fucking house?’
‘He’s always watching the house.’
‘He’s here now?’
Stacey nodded.
‘But I’ve just come in,’ Devon said, heading towards the window.
‘He hides behind the tall conifer.’
‘This is sick, Stace,’ Devon said, drawing back the curtain. ‘He’s fucking standing right there,’ she exclaimed in horror.
Of course he was. He was rarely anywhere else.
Devon pushed open the window. ‘Oi, fuck off, police are coming,’ she shouted before pulling it shut again.
