BooksBarbecue
Back The Game
Chapters (68)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. NOW
  4. One
  5. BEFORE
  6. Two
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Seven
  12. Eight
  13. Nine
  14. Ten
  15. Eleven
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. NOW
  26. Twenty-One
  27. BEFORE
  28. Twenty-Two
  29. Twenty-Three
  30. Twenty-Four
  31. Twenty-Five
  32. Twenty-Six
  33. Twenty-Seven
  34. Twenty-Eight
  35. Twenty-Nine
  36. Thirty
  37. Thirty-One
  38. Thirty-Two
  39. Thirty-three
  40. Thirty-Four
  41. Thirty-Five
  42. Thirty-Six
  43. Thirty-Seven
  44. Thirty-Eight
  45. NOW
  46. Thirty-Nine
  47. BEFORE
  48. Forty
  49. Forty-One
  50. Forty-Two
  51. Forty-three
  52. Forty-Four
  53. Forty-Five
  54. Forty-Six
  55. Forty-Seven
  56. Forty-Eight
  57. Forty-Nine
  58. Fifty
  59. Fifty-One
  60. NOW
  61. Fifty-Two
  62. Fifty-Three
  63. Fifty-Four
  64. Fifty-Five
  65. AFTER
  66. Fifty-Six
  67. Acknowledgements
  68. About the Author

Mark paused, trying to shake his thoughts into some semblance of order. ‘There’s something there, under the surface. Something we’re not being told. I’ve got no idea what it is, or if it’s even anything to do with either Emily’s disappearance or the dead woman. Could just be like every other family we know.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Secrets and lies. Every family has those. I can only keep digging. People don’t go missing out of the blue – well, not often, anyway. Not without some kind of reason. She’s out there and we need to find her. Every minute that passes, well, I don’t have to tell you what the likely outcome will be.’

‘No, you don’t,’ DI Bennett said with a sigh. There was a pause, then she continued. ‘This is why I hate missing person cases. Far too many questions and never enough answers. How are the family holding up?’

‘As best as they can, under the circumstances. I really wish I hadn’t had to take them to the Royal though. Doesn’t exactly make us look good.’

‘No, you’re right. But there was nothing in the initial report that mentioned distinguishing features. If there was, we wouldn’t have done that. Don’t worry. I’ve made sure that uniform will be told of proper practices.’

Mark ended the call and opened the door back inside. He needed to prepare the family for the next stage. How would they react to having to appear in front of a bunch of cameras? How would they cope with the scrutiny they were about to expose themselves to?

Sixteen

Mark hovered in the doorway of the living room. He could see the youngest in the family, scowling at the television in the corner. He turned over the boy’s words from earlier that day, trying to find a way of fitting in Joanna Carter if the uncle was involved.

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

Natasha.

He checked it in the kitchen, putting his half-drunk cup of tea on the side. Smiled at the sight of her name and the message attached.

Thinking of you.

Mark fired off a quick response in kind, then pocketed his phone. A thought flashed through his head as he did so, the worry that things were moving too quickly between them. He quickly banished it, hoping that he was wrong. That sometimes, things are just right.

He shook his head and tried to forget what was happening a world away from where he was. Where his life was. Went back to work.