My friends included.
“Elizabeth, stop it!” my father cried, leaning heavily against Keith Allen for support. “Show some respect for your sister.”
I couldn’t stop.
I couldn’t hold it in another second.
Seeing him standing at my sister’s grave, consoling my parents had flicked a switch inside of me.
“He did it, Daddy.” With tears streaming down my face, I screamed at the top of my lungs and pointed tohim. “He killed Caoimhe!”
DON’T EVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN
Hugh
MAY 1, 2000
IWAS IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE.
I had to be.
It was the only explanation for this crazy fucking day.
One minute I had convinced myself that I could see the creepy woman from the woods lurking behind a headstone a few rows back from where I was standing, and the next, Lizzie had accused Mark Allen of killing her sister.
The moment those words came out of her mouth, all hell broke loose.
Momentarily stunned into silence, all I could do was watch on, while the worst kind of accusations were thrown about.
“He did it, I swear,” Lizzie was screaming and pointing at Mark on one side of the graveside. “He made her go in the river. He hurt her. He made her die!”
“Dad, I don’t know what she’s talking about,” Mark protested from the other side. “I never laid a hand on Caoimhe!”
“Why are you doing this?” Keith strangled out, looking horrified. “Why are you saying these things about my son?”
“Stop telling lies, Lizzie,” Sadhbh screamed, whilemymother grabbed her shoulders and gave her a stern look before ordering her tocalm down.
Meanwhile, Gibsie was crying so hard, he could hardly breathe, Claire rushing to his side to comfort him.
“You’re a liar,” Lizzie screamed at the top of her lungs as she tugged and pulled on her hair. “Isawyou! I know what he did, Dad.” She swung her gaze back to her father. “He’s a monster. Caoimhe said so! He does bad things. With his thing.” She swung her glare back to Mark and screamed, “I saw you take her clothes off and make her do that!”
“Do what?” Mike demanded, grabbing his daughter’s shoulders. “What did he make her do?”
“He put histhinginside,” Lizzie sobbed, clinging to her father, while her mother slumped in the chair, clutching her arm and struggling to breathe. “He wasn’t supposed to.”
“Histhing?His penis?” Mike demanded, shaking Lizzie. “Elizabeth, are you telling me that he raped your sister?”
“He made her die, Daddy.” Crying hard and ugly, Lizzie nodded. “I know he did. Youhaveto believe me.”
“She’s a fucking liar,” Mark roared, pointing his finger right back at her. “She’s insane, Dad. Yeah, I had sex with Caoimhe, but she was my girlfriend.” He shook his head and glared at Mike. “Your daughter’s a fucking lunatic, and you need to get her sectioned!”
“Did you rape my daughter?” Mike demanded, body vibrating with anger. “Did you force yourself onmydaughter?”
“No!” Mark bellowed, looking outraged. “I never once forced your daughter into anything she didn’t want to do!”
“Then why is my daughter in the ground, Mark?” Mike roared back at him. “Why is my other daughter blaming you?”
“Because she’s a fucking nutjob, that’s why!” Mark tossed back cruelly, still pointing at Liz. “And you ruined Caoimhe’s life the day you decided to bring that vicious little bitch into—”
