Chapters (58)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Forty-one
- Forty-two
- Forty-three
- Forty-four
- Forty-five
- Forty-six
- Forty-seven
- Forty-eight
- Forty-nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-one
- Acknowledgements
- An Eastbourne Murder Mystery
- Canelo Crime
- About the Author
- Also by Sheila Bugler
‘What do you mean?’ Fiona said. ‘How can she have disappeared? I thought you were with her.’
‘I left her with Maeve, and when I came back to the hotel, I couldn’t find them. Maeve never checked into the hotel. I’ve no idea why. Her car’s still here, though. So is Kitty’s car. Unless they got a taxi, they haven’t gone far.’
She’d walked around the grounds, checking everywhere for any sign of Kitty and Maeve.
‘Your stepfather,’ Fiona said. ‘Do you think they’re with him?’
‘How would he know they’re here?’
‘Maeve must have told him. You saw him in Alfriston, didn’t you? How would he even know to go there if someone hadn’t told him?’
‘He killed Maeve’s sister,’ Emer said. ‘Why would she want to help him?’
‘What about your cousin – Dee? As far as I can see, this is all her fault. If she’d kept her nose out of our business, you’d never have found us. Annie would be safe.’
‘And I’d never have known my sister was still alive.’
When Fiona didn’t reply straight away, Emer guessed the comment had upset her. She didn’t care. Because if anyone was to blame for this mess, it was Fiona herself. She should have gone to the police years ago and told them everything.
‘You’re right,’ Fiona said. ‘You have no idea how sorry I am. I’ve been so focused on not losing Annie, it took over everything. I’d spent so long wanting a child of my own. When we had the chance to care for Kitty, it felt like a gift. Michael wasn’t sure, at first. We both knew Kitty was being hidden from something dangerous and Michael was worried about what would happen if the people she was running from ever found her. He was right to be worried. I know that now. But once she was living with us, he loved her as well. That’s why he killed Eamon. It was the only way he could think of to keep her safe.’
Emer tried to imagine what it would be like to deliberately plan to kill someone, the mindset it would require and what it would do to you afterwards.
‘He didn’t plan it,’ Fiona said, as if she’d guessed what Emer was thinking. ‘He’d arranged to meet Eamon to tell him we weren’t going to pay him any more money. Eamon threatened to tell your stepfather that Annie was still alive, and Michael lost it. Something he’s spent the rest of his life regretting.’
It was all so sad, Emer thought. When this was over, she was going to do two things: she was going to get her shit together, and she was going to make sure her mother and Robert paid for all the damage they’d caused.
‘Are you still there?’ Fiona asked.