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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

‘They actually started the business together years ago.’ Jessica shot her husband a dark look. ‘But now she bosses him around. He’s the backbone of that company, it would fall apart in an instant if he wasn’t there. I don’t know how many times I’ve told him to leave, and she’s always here interfering in our lives.’

‘She’s been good to us,’ Alan insisted. ‘She’s Sammi’s godmother, it’s only natural that she’s going to be concerned.’

‘It’s not appropriate for her to be here.’

‘Underneath the sharp manner, she’s a good soul.’

‘I want her gone,’ snapped Jessica.

‘You heard what she said, she’s got all sorts of useful contacts.’

‘She’ll do what she usually does and make everything about her. Sammi’s missing but don’t worry because Michelle is all over the papers – again!’

Sasha said, ‘I’ll ask her to leave.’

Michelle came back into the room empty-handed and said, ‘I’m sorry, I couldn’t find the teabags.’

‘They’re in the cupboard,’ hissed Jessica. ‘With the mugs. In a pot with the word TEABAGS written on it in giant red letters.’

‘I didn’t see it.’ Michelle eyed Sasha. ‘Maybe you or one of your officers could do it. Just to let you know, I’ve asked someone from the local paper to come along, and they’ll get the word out.’

‘That’s not very helpful until we’re absolutely certain there’s cause for concern,’ said Sasha. ‘Sammi’s only been absent since—’

‘There’s that word again,’ said Alan. ‘She’s not absent, she’s missing.’

A phone rang in Michelle’s Prada bag, the familiar barking chorus of ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ filled the room, and she took out her Samsung. ‘I’m going to have to take this. There’s been a mix-up at work. If Alan was there, it never would have happened.’

When she spun out of the room again, Jessica began to weep. ‘I just want my baby home.’

Sasha walked outside, shielding her eyes against the sun rising in the clear blue sky. It was going to be yet another hot day. A single puff of white cloud hung suspended on the horizon. An airliner, sleek like a needle, took off from the airport in the distance. She saw Michelle pacing the pavement, giving someone a piece of her mind on the phone.

But all Sasha could think about was that odd, unlikely connection.

Michelle was there last night when Lydia described an abduction she said she had witnessed – a girl bundled into a van. And now here she was a few hours later when a girl – her own god-daughter, no less – was reported missing.

Abducted.

The same thing that happened to Michelle all those years ago.

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