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

But something still bothered Wildeve. Cooper had been a calculating and methodical man. Why had he run? She would never know the answer, but she guessed it was for two reasons—because he knew he would be searched before getting into the police car, and he would not defile Audrina’s memories of their happy home by killing himself inside it.

DCI Sampson was jubilant at the triumph of Essex Police in tracing a serial killer. He had been garlanded in the press. He had apologized to Mac, who had shaken his hand, and decided that retirement suited him, after all. DC French was on extended sick leave. The case was closed. The dizzying whirl of long hours and no sleep and little food was over. All that was left for DS Wildeve Stanton was to fall apart and begin the long road of grieving the death of her husband.

106

106

Three weeks later, 2:17 P.M.

25 The Avenue

It was nearing the end of the holidays, one of those afternoons when the dog days of summer were packed up and put away, when the season was beginning to turn and autumn was a promise in the smell of the air and the lifting leaves. The start of the new school term was a few days away.

A FOR SALE sign stood on the front lawn of 25 The Avenue.

Garrick Lockwood pushed his wife Olivia’s wheelchair into the sitting room, which overlooked the garden. He tucked a blanket around her legs, careful not to knock the plaster cast. Her head was healing, but she would have a scar.

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

She smiled up at him. “I’ll be fine. I’m going to read and watch the trees and enjoy the peace and quiet.”

He checked his watch. “Your sister will be here around six. I’m going to get on the road. We’ll be back in a couple of days, once I’ve seen my mother and shown the children the new house. Make sure you rest, Liv. Enjoy the breathing space.”

She grabbed his arm, surprised by her sudden reluctance to let him go. Instead she said, “I’m glad we’re giving this another try, Garrick.”

He kissed her forehead. “Me, too. But we love each other, don’t we? That’s got to be reason enough.”

Against all odds, Garrick had landed the job at the architect’s firm in London. His salary would be enough to rent a small house on the other side of the city while they waited for 25 The Avenue to sell. They had found new schools for the children. Remaking their marriage, their lives. This time they were both determined it would work.