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Back The Missing Wife Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. THE MISSING WIFE
  2. PRAISE FOR SAM CARRINGTON
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. THE EPILOGUE
  58. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  59. Prologue
  60. Chapter One
  61. Chapter Two
  62. About the Author
  63. By the same author
  64. About the Publisher

‘Oliver,’ a young woman called from the centre of the room; she stood up so she could be seen. ‘Why didn’t you report her missing that night? You left the party and went home without her. Why do that?’

Louisa turned her head involuntarily towards Oliver. That was exactly what had bothered her. She noted that neither Oliver, nor the police, had mentioned the argument they’d had at the party. But argument or not, what husband would leave and drive home without knowing where his wife was?

DS Mack cut in quickly, explaining how Melissa had previously gone off for days at a time when she’d lived with Oliver in York; therefore, this occasion was initially believed to be the same as the others – he hadn’t immediately been worried. DS Mack added that because Melissa didn’t have a job yet, or friends to occupy her time, her anxiety levels had increased, which ultimately led to a few disagreements, but none that he considered warranted her disappearing for days.

Louisa assumed all this information had come from Oliver, but she supposed it could well have come from Melissa’s family too. She found it interesting that ‘the argument’ Oliver had mentioned to her had become ‘a few disagreements’, and that Melissa not having a job came up. Oliver had told both her and Brian his move here was temporary, so surely there’d be no need for Melissa to get a job anyway. Louisa again found herself wondering what the real reason for Oliver’s return was. DS Mack deflected a number of other awkward questions before bringing the appeal back to its main focus. Then he held up an enlarged photograph of Melissa.

Long, auburn spiral-curls framed her pale, round face. Freckles spattered her nose and cheeks. Her full lips were upturned in a smile that crinkled her blue-silver eyes. Those eyes made Louisa shudder. It was the first time she’d seen a photo of Melissa; she was certain she hadn’t ever seen one prior to this moment.

The sound of the room was drowned out by the whooshing of her blood storming around her body. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. She quickly turned away from the picture.

20

THE PHOTOS

Thursday p.m.

‘How do you think that went?’ Oliver asked the second they were alone.