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Back When I Lost You Save as PDF
Chapters (81)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Dedication
  4. Prologue
  5. One
  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. Twenty-one
  26. Twenty-two
  27. Twenty-three
  28. Twenty-four
  29. Twenty-five
  30. Twenty-six
  31. Twenty-seven
  32. Twenty-eight
  33. Twenty-nine
  34. Thirty
  35. Thirty-one
  36. Thirty-two
  37. Thirty-three
  38. Thirty-four
  39. Thirty-five
  40. Thirty-six
  41. Thirty-seven
  42. Thirty-eight
  43. Thirty-nine
  44. Forty
  45. Forty-one
  46. Forty-two
  47. Forty-three
  48. Forty-four
  49. Forty-five
  50. Forty-six
  51. Forty-seven
  52. Forty-eight
  53. Forty-nine
  54. Fifty
  55. Fifty-one
  56. Fifty-two
  57. Fifty-three
  58. Fifty-four
  59. Fifty-five
  60. Fifty-six
  61. Fifty-seven
  62. Fifty-eight
  63. Fifty-nine
  64. Sixty
  65. Sixty-one
  66. Sixty-two
  67. Sixty-three
  68. Sixty-four
  69. Sixty-five
  70. Sixty-six
  71. Sixty-seven
  72. Epilogue
  73. Acknowledgments
  74. Read More
  75. Prologue
  76. One
  77. Two
  78. Three
  79. Four
  80. Follow Merilyn online
  81. Dedication

Carla could hear the tension in Paul’s voice. She caught Bremer’s eye, his look a mix of anger and concern. Striding across the office, he took the radio.

‘DC Hare, what do you mean DS Jackson has gone in? Gone in where?’

‘She’s headed to the Grahams’ address, sir.’ The helicopter was so loud in the background, it almost drowned out his words.

‘I told her not to go in without armed officers. How long ago did she leave?’ Bremer checked the clock.

‘One minute ago, sir.’

Bremer’s finger hovered over the button. He looked at Carla. ‘That leaves three minutes at least until the firearms unit gets there.’ He held the radio up to his lips.

‘DC Hare, you are not to follow DS Jackson, do you understand?’

‘But what about Nell, sir? She’s on her own.’

‘That’s the choice she made, Constable, but I’m giving you a lawful order, and I repeat: do you understand?’

Carla almost couldn’t bear to hear Paul’s response; a lawful order was as high as it got, you disobeyed a lawful order from a senior officer and you might as well hand in your warrant card to HR the same day. But how must he feel, knowing Nell was going in while he just sat and watched?

After a short pause, Paul replied. ‘Yes, sir.’

Bremer put the radio back on the desk and folded his arms. Carla didn’t say anything while he stared at a blank wall.

‘I know what you’re thinking,’ he said, not looking at her. ‘DS Jackson can disobey an order if she wants to, but I’m not losing Paul just because of her stupidity.’ He stared down at her. ‘I’m not losing both of them, Carla.’

Nell entered the house silently through the back door. Baton outstretched, stab vest securely pulled around her chest, she scanned each room as she entered. With downstairs clear, she moved to the bottom of the stairs, pausing as she heard voices: upstairs, door to the left, immediately at the top of the stairs, two voices, both female. She moved slowly up the stairs and onto the hallway landing, then moved along the wall until her hand was on the door handle. She took three deep breaths, steadied her hand, and walked in.

Sixty-four

Now – Mary

There is a sound. It doesn’t come from the beach. I tense. The tears stop. I grip the metal in my hand.

‘It’s OK, it’s just the wind,’ Joanne tells me.

But it isn’t. The lights flash outside like a black and white movie and I pull myself up. I hear footsteps on the stairs, each one a burst of gunfire, then a face appears at the door. I know that face. How do I know it?

‘Eve Graham, put the gun down.’