_OceanofPDF.com_The_Girl_on_the_Train_-_Paula_Hawkins

The train stops at the signal. I take a sip from the cold can of gin and
tonic and look up at his house, her terrace. I was doing so well, but I
need this. Dutch courage. I’m on my way to see Scott, and I’ll have to
run all the risks of Blenheim Road before I do: Tom, Anna, police, press.
The underpass, with its half memories of terror and blood. But he asked
me to come, and I couldn’t refuse him.
They found the little girl last night. What was left of her. Buried in the
grounds of a farmhouse near the East Anglian coast, just where someone
had told them to look. It was in the papers this morning:
Police have opened an investigation into the death of a
child after they found human remains buried in the garden
of a house near Holkham, north Norfolk. The discovery
came after police were tipped off about a possible
unlawful killing during the course of their investigation
into the death of Megan Hipwell, from Witney, whose
body was found in Corly Woods last week.
I phoned Scott this morning when I saw the news. He didn’t answer,
so I left a message, telling him I was sorry. He called back this afternoon.
“Are you all right?” I asked him.
“Not really.” His voice was thick with drink.
“I’m so sorry . . . do you need anything?”
“I need someone who isn’t going to say ‘I told you so.’”
“I’m sorry?”
“My mother’s been here all afternoon. She knew all along, apparently
—‘something not right about that girl, something off, no family, no
friends, came from nowhere.’ Wonder why she never told me.” The
sound of glass breaking, swearing.
“Are you all right?” I said again.
“Can you come here?” he asked.
“To the house?”
“Yes.
“I . . . the police, journalists . . . I’m not sure . . .”
“Please. I just want some company. Someone who knew Megs, who
liked her. Someone who doesn’t believe all this . . .”
He was drunk and I knew it and I said yes anyway.
Now, sitting on the train, I’m drinking, too, and I’m thinking about
what he said. Someone who knew Megs, who liked her. I didn’t know her,