BooksBarbecue
Back Before You Were Gone Save as PDF
Chapters (58)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. One
  4. Two
  5. Three
  6. Four
  7. Five
  8. Six
  9. Seven
  10. Eight
  11. Nine
  12. Ten
  13. Eleven
  14. Twelve
  15. Thirteen
  16. Fourteen
  17. Fifteen
  18. Sixteen
  19. Seventeen
  20. Eighteen
  21. Nineteen
  22. Twenty
  23. Twenty-one
  24. Twenty-two
  25. Twenty-three
  26. Twenty-four
  27. Twenty-five
  28. Twenty-six
  29. Twenty-seven
  30. Twenty-eight
  31. Twenty-nine
  32. Thirty
  33. Thirty-one
  34. Thirty-two
  35. Thirty-three
  36. Thirty-four
  37. Thirty-five
  38. Thirty-six
  39. Thirty-seven
  40. Thirty-eight
  41. Thirty-nine
  42. Forty
  43. Forty-one
  44. Forty-two
  45. Forty-three
  46. Forty-four
  47. Forty-five
  48. Forty-six
  49. Forty-seven
  50. Forty-eight
  51. Forty-nine
  52. Fifty
  53. Fifty-one
  54. Acknowledgements
  55. An Eastbourne Murder Mystery
  56. Canelo Crime
  57. About the Author
  58. Also by Sheila Bugler

‘Hang on,’ Dee said. ‘I really think Annie might be my cousin. I’m not lying about that. I swear to you.’

‘I’ve already told you. Annie doesn’t have any cousins. Both her parents are only children.’

‘But they’re her adopted parents,’ Dee said, ‘aren’t they? I think Annie’s birth father is my uncle.’

‘How do you know she’s adopted?’

‘Because my uncle had a daughter who was given up for adoption. But later, he had another daughter, and now she’s an adult and she’s trying to find her sister. And she thinks that sister could be Annie.’

‘This sister,’ the girl said, ‘she’s not Irish, by any chance?’

‘She is, actually. Why?’

‘She was here yesterday. Asking about Annie just like you. But she didn’t say anything about being Annie’s sister.’

‘Tall with dark hair?’ Dee said. Then, when the girl nodded, ‘Her name’s Emer. I don’t suppose you know where she is now, do you?’

‘Sorry.’ The girl shrugged. ‘I told her where Annie lived and she left. I haven’t seen her since then.’

Thanking her, Dee went outside and called Emer.

‘It’s me,’ she said, when she got her cousin’s voicemail again. ‘I know you’ve been to Annie’s house. I’ve just come from there, but it’s empty. Call me as soon as you can. I really need to speak to you.’

‘Everything okay?’ Louise had followed Dee outside, holding two paper cups. ‘I got your coffee to take away. Here.’

‘Thanks.’ Dee took the cup and drank some of the coffee. ‘I’ve just called Emer but she didn’t pick up. Can you drop me home? If she was in Alfriston yesterday, maybe she’ll turn up in Eastbourne today. If she does, I want to be there.’

Except when Louise pulled up outside Dee’s house, it wasn’t Emer who was waiting on Dee’s doorstep.

‘Looks like you’ve got a visitor,’ Louise said.

‘What the hell…?’ Dee unstrapped her seatbelt, then changed her mind. ‘Can you drop me in town, Louise? I really can’t face this right now.’

‘Don’t be such a coward,’ Louise said. ‘Go on.’

Dee rolled her eyes, but did as she was told, making sure to slam the door hard when she got out so Louise would know she was annoyed with her. She waited until Louise had turned the car and driven away. Then she walked slowly towards her house, where Ed Mitchell stood waiting for her.

Thirty-five