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

Wildeve felt the heat of grief in the back of her own throat. Their eyes met and she read the sympathy in his, and so she busied herself by glancing through the paperwork in front of her. “Your GP has confirmed her illness. We’ll see what the postmortem says.” In truth, the PM might not show much at all, given the state of the body, but she wasn’t about to share that.

He shrugged. “It won’t show anything different.”

She changed tack. “Mr. Lovell, five bodies have been found in the woods that edge the place you live and work. Is there anything you would like to tell us about that?”

“Aye, it’s awful. God rest their souls.”

“Did you know any of them?”

“No.”

“Don’t you think it’s a coincidence that you make dolls, and each of the victims was found with glass eyes in their sockets? That you have a talent for painting the faces of your dolls, and each face was skillfully made up with paint?”

A bitter laugh. “Of course it’s not a coincidence. Someone was trying to set me up.”

“Is that so?” DCI Sampson couldn’t contain himself. Wildeve gritted her teeth, but Lovell only laughed again.

“Obvious, isn’t it?”

“Not entirely.” Wildeve leaned forward. “Do you have any idea who?”

“I have my suspicions.”

“Care to share them?”

He opened his mouth to answer, but the door to the interview suite opened, and PC Taylor stuck his head through the doorway, his cheeks reddening.

“Sorry to interrupt you. There’s a call for you, Wildeve. Won’t wait, apparently.”

* * *

Wildeve excused herself, irritated by the interruption.

“This is Wildeve Stanton.”

“It’s Mac.”

She was surprised to hear from him. “What’s up, Mac? It’s the middle of the night. And I’m interviewing a suspect. Is it urgent?”

“Sampson call you in, did he? I guessed he might need you in the end. Is it Lovell?”

She heard the blare of an ambulance siren. “Are you at the hospital? Is everything okay?”

“I’ve just had a call from an old nurse mate of mine who owes me a favor. He didn’t realize I was off the case.”

“Go on.”

“Garrick Lockwood’s wife’s turned up.”

In truth, Wildeve had forgotten all about her, distracted by events of the last couple of hours. “That’s great, Mac, but I’d better go. I think I’m getting somewhere with Lovell.”

“Yes, but that’s not all.”

“Go on.”

“He’s just treated a kid with a gunshot wound in his arm.”

“And?”

“And the kid was breaking into a place in The Avenue when he was shot.”

“Which house?”

“It wasn’t a house.”

A pricking across the back of her neck. “Where, then?” she said, but she already knew what he was going to say.