Ed our hero

Jerrel 16, his niece

Anne Marie 16, her firend

Ed Tavener was an ordinary man. Happily married, a good job, nice house, no kids but a large collection of nieces and nephews. By now he had enough for a soccer team. It all changed for Ed a few months ago. His 16 year old niece Jerrel and her friend Anne Marie had come round to his house to drop off a box of stuff from her mother for his wife. Ed barely nodded as they came in and dumped the box off with his wife. Soon after he heard them leave, his wife leaving for the downtown a few minutes afterwards.

About ten minutes later Ed decided he needed another beer so he headed for the fridge. It was then he spotted the small black bag on the table. Ed knew it wasn't his wife's. Closer examination revealed it was open so he peeked inside. Books, a pink jumper, it looked as if one of the girls had left it behind. Ed picked up the book on top to see if it had a name or something. It appeared to be a diary belonging to Jerrel.

Ed flicked through a few pages of her diary, stopping here and there to read some entry or other. Mostly the usual stuff about school, clothes, music. He nearly gave up when his eye caught an entry. It seems she and her best friend Anne Marie were having a sleepover at Anne Marie's house one weekend about 16 months ago.....(cont)