Welcome to Case Closed.

You're listening to Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney, narrated by Stephanie Racine.

Let's pick up where we left off last time.

Before. Saturday, 19th December, 1992. Dear Diary, I haven't been talking to mum or dad since I found out we are moving again, but I'm not sure they've noticed. I told Dad this morning that I wanted to go to the park,

and he said that I could. Then, when him and mum were arguing upstairs, I called Taylor.

Her mum made her come to the phone. She didn't say much, but I told her to meet me there if she could.

The park is exactly halfway between our houses. I left at 1247 because I know it takes 13 minutes to get

there and I told Taylor to meet me at 1 o'clock. I don't have a watch but I must have walked very

quickly because I was waiting on the swings for a long time. Just when I was about to give up,

I saw the Volvo on the street outside. Taylor's mum waved and smiled. I waved back at her,

but I didn't smile because I wanted her to know how sad I was. I thought it was strange that

Taylor hadn't walked there by herself. It isn't far. She took ages to get out of the car,

and when she finally did, she didn't look like herself.

She's had her hair cut into a bob, so now we don't look the same anymore.

The playground is for little kids, really, so there are bars all the way around the outside to keep them in, to keep them safe.

Taylor came and stood on the other side of the bars,

so it looked a bit like she was visiting me in jail.

It felt strange at first, not easy and comfortable like before.

I told Taylor I was moving, and she said that she knew that,

and did a funny shrug of her shoulders.

Then she said that she had

heard her parents say that Dad had been fired for stealing. I told her that wasn't true and explained

...