Paula Hillman, author

My new publisher has asked me which of my novels they should lead with in their publicity campaign. Now, there’s a conundrum. My thoughts always circle back to Ed Diamond in Chapel Field…he is the ultimate fall-guy/underdog/scapegoat, and he takes his revenge in the most perfect way (by letting the truth speak-my favourite form of retribution!) I loved writing Ed. He’s the epitomy of small-town misunderstood characters, but when I’ve looked back at Chapel Field, I realise I gave him a hard time at the beginning of the story (for the sake of the plot obviously!)

Remeber this scene, near the beginning, when teenage Laurie has lured Ed on a date- his first time getting chips….

When Ed has eaten every scrap, he screws up the greasy papers and tucks them into one of his pockets.

‘They were good,’ he sighs. ‘That was a first for me, Laurie. I’m glad you suggested it.’

She enjoys the sound of her name on his lips. She can’t remember sharing it with him. It must have been Marcus who did. Marcus. She looks at her watch. It’s gone half-past nine. She imagines him waiting on the beach with Ruth and Pete and Jamie. He’ll be kicking at the shingle and calling her fit-to-burn. She doesn’t care, only cares that she’s brought a tiny slice of happiness into Ed Diamond’s life. He is smiling again and asking if she wants to sit on one of the promenade benches for a while. She’s about to say yes when she sees a small group of people heading towards them. Before she can think about anything else, she hears Marcus’s shout.

‘Eduardo Diamond. What you doing keeping our Laurie up? Or is it her keeping you up?’ He makes a gesture she doesn’t care for, dragging guffaws from Pete and Jamie. Ruth is lagging behind, hunched and shivering in a tiny denim jacket and short skirt. Ed’s shoulders sag and he pushes his hands into his pockets.

‘Diamond. I’m talking to you.’ Marcus is faking annoyance, Laurie can tell, but she’s not sure what to say.

‘Get lost,’ Ed whines as Marcus reaches them.

‘Get lost, get lost,’ he mimics. ‘I think it’s you two that’ve been lost.’ He turns to Laurie. ‘We’ve been waiting on the fucking beach for half an hour. Where have you been?’

She doesn’t dare look at Ed, knows he will have figured everything out in an instant.

‘Lay off, Marcus,’ she hisses. ‘Just let him get home.’

But Pete and Jamie have got him cornered so that he can’t back away and can’t move forward. Pete reaches around Ed’s waist and puts a hand on his groin.

‘Got a hard-on, have you, Diamond? You fucking creep. You make me sick.’

Ed thrusts his elbows backwards and knocks the wind from him. He folds for a moment.

‘Ooooh. Narky,’ sniggers Marcus. ‘Did you really think Loz was interested, you fucking retard. Look at you. Slobbering all over her. She hates you as much as the rest of us do.’

‘Marcus–’ Laurie wants it all to stop. No matter how she tries, she can’t think of a way through. It’s too late, anyway. Ed pulls back his arm and smashes his fist full into Marcus’s face. There is a collective inhale and time seems to stop for a moment. Then Marcus bends at the waist, clutching his nose. Ed is starting to make the sobbing sound Laurie has heard before. It gets louder and takes on more substance so that it becomes a gravelly howl and then a full-blown wolf-yowl. It doesn’t stop Marcus and Pete and Jamie jumping on his back and pulling him to the ground. Then they are kicking and punching and spitting so much that Laurie grabs Ruth’s hand and drags her away towards the village as fast as she can.

The first thing she notices when they stop to catch their breath is that Ruth is crying. Her teeth are chattering and loud sobs escape every few seconds. Laurie wonders if they should contact the police. Ruth says no, says Marcus and Pete and Jamie are their friends and anyway, Ed Diamond pulled the first punch; he deserves everything he’s getting.

‘Why are you crying then?’ Laurie spits, ‘if you don’t care what’s happening back there?’ She stares into the darkness. There is nothing but a set of car headlights approaching then zipping past.

‘I don’t want Marcus hurt, that’s all. I think I’m in love with him.’

Laurie can suddenly taste grease at the back of her mouth. She remembers Ed’s smile, the one that is now likely to be smudged all over Marcus Butcher’s knuckles and boots, and she leans forward and vomits up every last chip.