BooksBarbecue
Back The Midnight Man Save as PDF
Chapters (70)
  1. Title Page
  2. Contents
  3. Copyright
  4. Praise for Caroline Mitchell
  5. Also by Caroline Mitchell
  6. Dedication
  7. Epigraph
  8. Prologue
  9. 1
  10. 2
  11. 3
  12. 4
  13. 5
  14. 6
  15. 7
  16. 8
  17. 9
  18. 10
  19. 11
  20. 12
  21. 13
  22. 14
  23. 15
  24. 16
  25. 17
  26. 18
  27. 19
  28. 20
  29. 21
  30. 22
  31. 23
  32. 24
  33. 25
  34. 26
  35. 27
  36. 28
  37. 29
  38. 30
  39. 31
  40. 32
  41. 33
  42. 34
  43. 35
  44. 36
  45. 37
  46. 38
  47. 39
  48. 40
  49. 41
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. 46
  55. 47
  56. 48
  57. 49
  58. 50
  59. 51
  60. 52
  61. 53
  62. 54
  63. 55
  64. 56
  65. 57
  66. 58
  67. Epilogue
  68. Acknowledgements
  69. About Caroline Mitchell
  70. About Embla Books

As the conversation came to a close, Sarah realised that what passed between them had felt like a confessional, and Sarah had forgiven her. But she would never forgive John, which was why she was here.

A young nurse wandered into the room, checking his stats and giving Sarah a gentle smile. ‘He’s not in any pain,’ she said, her soft voice imbued with empathy. She mistook Sarah for someone who cared. Up until now, the only people who thought about the man before her were the vultures waiting for their piece of the pie. Not only had John recovered from his debt, he’d became wealthy from the business ventures which followed. The nurse didn’t know who Sarah was or the circumstances which brought her here. Had she known the danger John was in, she would never have allowed Sarah into the room.

‘That was heavy.’ Richie squeezed Sarah’s hand as the nurse left. ‘Are you ready to go?’

‘I need five minutes alone with him. Why don’t you grab a coffee? I won’t be long.’

Sarah felt nauseous at the thought of John in the crawlspaces of their home.

The second Richie left, Sarah leaned over John’s bed and whispered into his ear. ‘You evil old bastard. You’re going to hell for this. I’ll never forgive you for what you did. Never.’

Because only now did she know the full story. Today John was paying for his crimes.

57

‘Would you like me to dim the lights?’ The nurse popped her head in. ‘I can get you a blanket if you’re going to stay.’

‘I’m fine, thanks.’ Sarah forced a gentle smile. ‘I’m heading off soon.’

The click of the door invoked unwelcome memories as she recalled the sound of the key turning in the wardrobe lock. Folding her arms, she stood over John’s bed. The man was a shell of his former self, his eyes sunken, his skin like parchment. Cancer had already ravaged his body. All his money couldn’t save him now. Sarah did not know if he could hear her, but she was determined to have her say.

‘Mum was ten years younger than I am when you murdered her in cold blood. Why did you leave her until the end?’ She shook her head bitterly. ‘Did you think she’d run away with you after you killed her children? Is that what it was?’ No reply. He was a monster trapped in the body of a frail old man. ‘Was it worth it? Because everybody hates you. And you can’t take your precious money where you’re going.’