BooksBarbecue
Back Stalker
Chapters (66)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. EPILOGUE
  63. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  64. MORE FROM GEMMA ROGERS
  65. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  66. ABOUT BOLDWOOD BOOKS

I rubbed at my temples and lowered my head to stretch the crick in my neck. It must be a coincidence. There were lots of David Shaw’s, Oxford was a big place. I got up, pushed my chair back and stretched my legs, in search of a bin. I found one by the stairs and took a slow walk back to the computer section. The top floor of the library was empty apart from one librarian stacking shelves. Deciding to call it a day, I began to close the tabs on the computer one by one. As I lingered on the care home website and the fake smile of the blonde model; it dawned on me. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. It was no mistake that David was at Nuthatch. Ian had put him there on purpose. As punishment.

47

HIM

I lost control, I admit it. By the third blow, the girl had lost consciousness, but I couldn’t stop. Rage propelled me on until I could no longer feel my hands. She wasn’t so pretty by the time I finished. All the time picturing Eve’s sweet face, her full lips, split and bloody. Still the frustration lingers, even after I used that girl as a punchbag. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to control myself. No matter, she’ll be worth waiting for.

Once I’ve spent my weekend with Eve, I’ll take a few days off. I know my father will love to hear a detailed account of how I spent my weekend. He’ll twitch and moan and maybe even cry, but I know deep down he’ll enjoy it, almost as much as I will reliving it. I’ll tell him how perfect Eve was, just as he told my mother all those years ago.

I just have to figure out what to do with her. I cannot let her go. This time I’m going to take more than her body. She will be perfect.

48

MONDAY 22 JANUARY 2018

Left reeling by Ian’s possible motive to entrust his dad to Nuthatch, I walked home, mind racing. Images of him tipping staff with banknotes each time he visited flooded my thoughts. Ensuring his father was neglected or abused at every opportunity. A cruel smile and sly wink alongside a commissioning handshake to the Care Home Manager.