BooksBarbecue
Back The Bad Place Save as PDF
Chapters (72)
  1. Cover
  2. THE BAD PLACE
  3. Contents
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Epigraph
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Acknowledgements
  71. About the author
  72. An Invitation from the Publisher

‘Yeah, of course you did,’ said Craig, getting more impatient. ‘Because it’s been all over the news. It’s why it’s so important we speak to this Matt Foster. We need his contact details and the details of the other participants in Lydia Tide’s group sessions.’

‘If, of course, this chap is one of our clients.’ Jon elbowed the cabinet shut. ‘Believe me, I’m not trying to be difficult, I just can’t give you a name right now.’

Craig was about to reply but Lolly nudged him and asked, ‘Why not, Jon?’

‘For one thing, I don’t participate in any of the groups so the name is not immediately familiar to me – Matt Foster, you say? – and because what you’re asking is above my pay grade. I’m not trying to be obstructive but I have to get authorization from my managers. You know how it is, we have a duty to protect the privacy of our—’

‘Clients, yeah.’ Craig rolled his eyes.

Jon bent his wrist to look at a chunky watch. ‘I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go.’

‘They must pay you counsellors well,’ said Craig, nodding at the fancy timepiece.

Jon held out his wrist so that Craig could get a better look. ‘Family heirloom. It’s a Breitling Colt, a lovely thing, used to be my Dad’s. He loved this watch.’ He picked up the satchel and went to the door. ‘I’ll come back to you with those details, I promise. Lydia was a nice lady, she was a fixture around here. I still can’t believe it.’

‘This is someone she believed she was having a romantic attachment with.’ Craig followed him into the main room. ‘Someone she’d have been spending a lot of time with. He shouldn’t be too difficult to identify.’

‘Bye, Kathy,’ Jon called over his shoulder at the woman, who stood watching them from a kitchen area at the rear of the converted flat. ‘See you soon.’

‘Fank you,’ called Lolly with a wave.

They followed Jon downstairs into the bright sunlight and stood together on the pavement.

‘Let me talk to my bosses.’ Jon shook hands with Craig and then Lolly. ‘I’m sure we can help, but there are hoops to jump through.’

‘Just to reiterate,’ said Craig. ‘We’re not just talking about a suspicious death, but also the abduction of two children. This man Matt could very well provide information about their whereabouts.’

‘Understood.’

‘Can we give you a lift anywhere?’ asked Lolly.

‘You know what…’ Pulling the satchel tighter over his shoulder, he lifted his face to the sun. ‘It’s good to walk on a beautiful day like this.’

40

‘Thanks for coming in,’ said Angel’s teacher.