BooksBarbecue
Back What I Never Told you
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Also by Dawn Goodwin
  3. WHAT I NEVER TOLD YOU
  4. Copyright
  5. Contents
  6. Dedication
  7. Prologue
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. Acknowledgements
  55. About the Author
  56. An Invitation from the Publisher

Another email from the same sender, this time saying:

THE TIME HAS COME. TRUTH. SOON.

Dramatic, certainly.

She remembered the figure she thought she had seen at the shop last night. It was Saturday and Jenni was due to work today, but something told Helen she needed to get there first. It was still early, only just gone 7 a.m. She could get to the shop before Jenni arrived to open up at 9 a.m.

It was quiet downstairs. She expected to see Hugh lying on the couch, his shoes kicked off and his face slack in sleep. But he wasn’t. There was a light on under the study door – he must still be there, either asleep in the armchair or up early like her. She couldn’t possibly see what was keeping him so busy though.

She had thrown on some jeans and a jumper already. Shoving her feet into trainers, she grabbed Clive’s lead and knocked on the study door. She poked her head into the room, not waiting for an answer. Hugh was at his desk. He looked dreadful. His hair was dishevelled and he was wearing last night’s clothes, now creased and crumpled. He jumped and flinched as the door creaked and she saw him quickly click the mouse in front of him.

“Morning,” she said. “Um, you didn’t come to bed.”

“Er, yes, paperwork to catch up on.”

He looked sweaty, almost feverish, despite a chill in the room. “Are you ok? You look pale.”

“Tired, that’s all. I’ll finish this, then lie down for a bit.” He ran a hand through his hair, making it stand up even more.

“Ok, well, I’m taking Clive out for an early walk. See you in a bit.”

He said nothing further, so she closed the door again. She zipped herself into a raincoat as Clive wiggled at her feet, excited at the sight of the lead in her hand and the prospect of some morning air. “Come on, boy,” she said, clipping it onto his collar. “Let’s go.”

It was crisp outside, the breeze off the sea growing ever more wintry with the passing days. Helen and Clive walked past the pool house, with Helen resisting the urge to check inside for any new graffiti. The gate was still unlocked and Helen pulled it towards her, feeling the wood catch on the grass and soil. There were fresh gouges in the earth where it had been opened recently. Helen made a mental note to speak to Arthur about making it more secure again. Anyone could find their way into the garden and on into the house.