Dark Place to Hide by A J Waines

hearing Nicci laugh at him was the ultimate humiliation and it tipped him over the edge. In those few seconds, he didn’t know what he was doing.’
    ‘What do you think?’
    ‘I’ve only met Victor once – earlier this year. It’s hard to say. He seemed meek and unassuming – but you can never tell what people are capable of, can you?’
    ‘Do you think Harper can spot a criminal mind?’ Tara looks fascinated, leaning back on her arms, her mouth hanging open.
    ‘He says there’s no such thing as a criminal mind. No particular type as far as he’s concerned. People cross the line for hundreds of different reasons; greed, a sense of entitlement, fear, revenge, passion, anger, hurt, to protect their kids. Then there are those who are mentally unwell, or have a warped sense of what is right and appropriate.’
    ‘Yes – but don’t you think there are people who are pure evil and hurt because they can, without any real motive?’
    Diane taps her lip with her tongue. ‘I think the ones who hurt others have been hurt themselves. It’s a vicious circle. It comes from their own past – they don’t just make a decision to be cruel.’
    Tara makes a little humming sound, as if she’s not convinced. She lies back on the bed, Diane’s stilettos still on her feet, as if this is her place. They both jump when a sparrow flies into the glass of the French windows that lead onto the roof terrace. The tall panes were one of the features she and Harper loved about the place. Diane rushes over, concerned the bird is seriously injured. She hovers with her hand on the handle, wondering whether to open the door to rescue it.
    ‘You’ll frighten it,’ says Tara. ‘See if it recovers on its own.’
    Diane finds it hard to stand by when a living creature is in pain – whether it’s a dog, a frog or a squirming cockroach. She watches it as it hops around, disoriented, then flies off. She holds her chest and lets out a blast of air.
    ‘Do they ever fly in when you have the windows open?’ Tara is full of questions today; Diane can barely keep up.
    ‘Yeah – only once. A robin came in.’ She stays by the window and admires the work she’s done on the roof terrace – the tall grasses around the edge to create privacy, the pots ofherbs, the boxes of lavender. ‘Let me get that dress,’ she says, suddenly remembering why they’re up here.
    She comes back holding it against her body. It’s off the shoulder, like her wedding dress, with a ruched crossover bodice at her ample bust, in sapphire-blue silk. Tara is, however, transfixed by something else. She’s knocked over Diane’s bag beside the bed and a book has flopped out onto the floor.
    Tara’s eyes widen. ‘
Managing Anger with Compassion
,’ she stares with curiosity. ‘This can’t be for you…?’ she says, hooking a question mark in at the end.
    Diane stalls. ‘There was a programme on TV…I’m interested…’
    Tara pulls her down onto the bed; Diane’s still clutching the dress. ‘Oh – come on – you can’t brush me off like that. Not when it’s right here by your bedside.’
    Diane doesn’t know what to say. She hadn’t planned on explaining this to anyone.
    Tara lets out a loud whoosh of air. ‘Sheesh – Dee, it’s
me
– you can tell me anything, girl.’
    ‘I know,’ says Diane, trying not to look at Tara. ‘It’s fine. Honestly.’
    Tara looks worried all of a sudden. She jerks upright. ‘God, Dee – Harper’s not rough with you, is he? He’s not…abusive?’
    Diane laughs, flapping her hands. ‘Oh no, nothing like that.’ It comes out rather flat.
    ‘What then?’ Tara waits, her mouth open.
    ‘It’s, er…look, I don’t want to…you know…it’s between Harper and me. It’s no big deal.’
    Tara’s voice softens. ‘You don’t want to talk about it?’
    Diane doesn’t answer straight away. She’s cursing the fact that Tara has found the book – she meant to find a proper hiding place for it – with the others.