BooksBarbecue
Back The Family Next Door Save as PDF
Chapters (117)
  1. Also by
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Epigraph
  5. PROLOGUE
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58
  64. 59
  65. 60
  66. 61
  67. 62
  68. 63
  69. 64
  70. 65
  71. 66
  72. 67
  73. 68
  74. 69
  75. 70
  76. 71
  77. 72
  78. 73
  79. 74
  80. 75
  81. 76
  82. 77
  83. 78
  84. 79
  85. 80
  86. 81
  87. 82
  88. 83
  89. 84
  90. 85
  91. 86
  92. 87
  93. 88
  94. 89
  95. 90
  96. 91
  97. 92
  98. 93
  99. 94
  100. 95
  101. 96
  102. 97
  103. 98
  104. 99
  105. 100
  106. 101
  107. 102
  108. 103
  109. 104
  110. 105
  111. 106
  112. 107
  113. 108
  114. 109
  115. 110
  116. Teaser chapter
  117. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Did you see Adam Stanton on Sunday?” Mac was unflinching, the authority in his voice unmistakable.

“Yes.”

“And what did you talk about?”

Lovell wiped his eyes again. “I can’t remember. Lots of things. My doll business. The bodies in the woods.”

“Did you kill him?” There was an unrelenting hardness to Mac’s voice, and Wildeve flashed him a surprised look.

Lovell’s eyes widened. “Of course I didn’t bloody kill him. He was as right as rain when he left my house.”

Wildeve cut in. “So why are there police surrounding your property at this very moment?”

His face collapsed. “That man. French. He was hitting me with a baton. I—”

“You did what, Mr. Lovell?”

“I hurt him.” He whispered. “I didn’t have much choice.”

“Did you hurt your wife, too?”

“No, I would never hurt Annie.” He lifted his head and slammed a hand against the polished wood. The pew vibrated with his anger. “I can’t believe you would ask me that question.”

“Is your wife alive, Mr. Lovell?” She did not know if this man was telling the truth. Originally, she had believed him, but it was clear he had a temper.

Lovell buried his face in his hands, but not before he shook his head.

“And those bodies in the woods? Did you kill them?”

Lovell lifted his face to hers, and she glimpsed a flicker of something in his eyes, although she wasn’t sure what it meant.

“No,” he said, quiet defiance infusing his words. “I did not kill anyone.”

Mac and Wildeve exchanged a glance. Although she was officially off duty, DS Wildeve Stanton still had a responsibility to uphold the law. For Mac, it was different. He was officially retired. He owed nothing. But she had always believed in the importance of doing the right thing.

“Trefor Lovell, I am arresting you on suspicion of assaulting a police officer.” She read him his rights while Mac handcuffed him.

“I didn’t kill my wife,” he said again. “And those murders—you’re looking in the wrong place.”

69

69

Tuesday 31st July 2018, 4:23 P.M.

25 The Avenue

Evan Lockwood was sitting on his bedroom floor surrounded by candy wrappers and a thin, brown ribbon of unspooled tape.

His sister stuck her head around his door. Despite her summer tan, she looked heavy-eyed and pale.

“Can I come in?” she said, leaning against the doorframe. She didn’t give him a chance to reply. “Look, don’t tell Dad I left you on your own. He doesn’t need to know.”

“He knows already.”

“Shit.”

“That’s a swear, Aster.”

“Sorry, buddy. You’re right. Naughty Aster.” She mock-slapped her hand and sat cross-legged next to him. “I know things are a bit weird at the moment, what with Mum and everything. Are you all right?”