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

‘Do what you have to do, we’ve got everything covered here. If there’s any developments, I’ll ring.’

She didn’t need telling twice, went to her desk and grabbed her bag. ‘You’ll hardly know I’ve gone.’

‘The sooner you’re gone, the sooner you’re back.’

50

‘Can I help you?’

Craig was waiting impatiently in the empty reception of the Tarpley Care Home when a young nurse clutching a pair of fluffy towels came over.

‘I’m here to see Ian Carrington.’ He flashed her his warrant card. ‘DC Craig Power.’

‘Ah,’ she said. ‘Peter’s son.’

‘I was told he’d be here.’

Craig Power wasn’t in the mood to be hanging around the reception of an old people’s home in case some fella, who may or may not know something about stuff that happened decades ago, should happen to swing by. This whole Bad Place business was a distraction and a total time-suck.

‘I’m just off to check on Peter now, why don’t you take a seat?’ The nurse gestured to the empty reception desk. ‘I’m sure someone will attend to you soon.’

‘Why don’t I just come up with you since you’re on the way?’

‘I don’t think we allow just anyone to wander around the building,’ she told him. ‘Good try, though.’

‘I’m not just anyone, though, I’m a police officer.’ He flashed his best winning smile and took the towels off her. ‘Tell you what, I’ll even make myself useful by carrying these.’

‘I’m not sure you should,’ said the young woman, but she didn’t put up much resistance, and together they walked to the lift.

When they got to the room, Craig was shocked to see how withered and frail Peter Carrington was. Sasha had described how the old man had been rendered mute and unresponsive by a massive stroke, and the nurse had tried to warn him on the way up, but he still wasn’t prepared for the sight of the hunched and twisted figure in a wheelchair.

‘How are you doing, Mr Carrington?’ said Craig loudly. ‘I’m Detective Constable Craig Power. I’m police, just like you.’

The old man didn’t react at all, he just stared out of the window, his only movements a slight shudder in the jaw that seemed to sit lopsided on one side of his face, and a tremble of the gnarled hands in his lap.

‘Can he hear me?’

‘Oh, yes, sure he can. I bet you’re looking forward to Ian getting here, aren’t you, Peter?’ The nurse fussed around his wheelchair, tucking in a blanket, wiping the moisture clinging to the corner of his eyes, making sure he was comfortable. ‘I hope when I’m your age I’ll have someone visit me so often.’

Craig wandered to a tallboy cabinet to look at all the photos. ‘He comes every day?’