AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I shouldn’t have asked you that question, Dee. It was unforgiveable. But it has nothing to do with me thinking you’re capable of such an act.’ She took a breath. ‘I asked you because if the situation was reversed, I’m not sure I wouldn’t have done it myself.’
The tears spilled from Devon’s eyes, and instinctively Stacey reached out to pull her closer. Relief surged through her when Devon didn’t object.
‘I just don’t know where we go from here,’ Devon said into her shoulder.
Stacey tipped up her head. ‘You still love me?’
‘Always,’ Devon breathed.
‘Then that’s a damn good place to start.’
SEVENTY-SIX
Kim sighed heavily as she pulled away from the park-up spot on Hollytree at 10.05p.m., after briefing Bryant on the activity in and out of the target property.
Whereas the other occupants had been in and out, Dean Newton had left only once to visit the row of shops at the edge of the estate. She’d trailed him on foot and watched as he’d bought four beers and a pack of cigarettes. He hadn’t noticed her presence and had re-entered his home untroubled fifteen minutes after leaving it. He’d been there ever since.
Much as she’d attempted to keep her mind occupied during the five-hour stint, her brain had constantly tried to take her back to when she was six years old.
She’d remembered the feelings of fear and dread as she held Mikey’s hand walking the short distance back from school. Always trying to think of a way she could make them escape, wondering if all the kids in their class were going home to a mother who wanted to kill them. As she’d watched Newton buy his beer, her mind had travelled back to when the boarded-up space next door had been a fish-and-chip shop.
She’d taken Mikey in most nights to ask for a bag of bits; the burned, crispy, fat-soaked crumbs fished out at the end of a frying and put to the side. They were free but somehow, just now and again, a stray scallop had found its way into the bag from the kindly owner.
Mikey would whoop with delight as he peeled back the batter to reveal the potato disc inside. He would offer it to her to share and she’d scrunch up her face in disgust so that he could eat the whole thing guilt-free. He would savour every bite, closing his eyes tight in ecstasy. And those were the moments that Kim had tried to prolong, to capture for him, a happy memory before they went home.
She felt the weight of her past lifting as she travelled further away from the estate. It was as though being there geographically transported her back in time.
She’d shaken off the feelings of helpless rage by the time she pulled onto the drive.
This was her safe place. Hollytree and all its evils had no place here. She let out a contented sigh, picturing Barney on the other side of the door, eagerly awaiting her return. They were going to have a good few hours of quality time together.
She unlocked the door and stepped inside as she always did. Barney appeared by her legs, but something wasn’t right. He was just a second or two late.
Her senses moved into hyper alertness. Something in her home had changed.
She switched on the light and jumped out of her skin.
‘Fucking hell,’ she cried as her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
Leanne King was sitting on her sofa with an unreadable expression.
‘Really? I mean, what the fuck do you think you’re doing in my house?’
‘What the hell do you think you’re doing calling me on a number you shouldn’t even have?’
‘You shouldn’t leave it lying around then, although I think mine was the lesser offence,’ Kim said, waiting for the blood to stop pumping in her ears.
‘I don’t believe in proportional response, and what I have to say is best done in person.’
‘Splendid. You want coffee?’ Kim asked, adjusting to the situation. Annoying as it was, the witness protection officer never did things conventionally. She wanted to speak in person, so she’d broken in and sat in the dark, waiting.
Kim appraised the woman quickly as she stood and headed for the kitchen. She wore light-blue jeans that hugged her long legs without stifling them. Her ankle boots added another two inches to her already impressive height. Her plain black tee shirt was covered by a navy-and-white baseball jacket. She remembered those exact same clothes. Just like her, Leanne had found a style that she was comfortable with and stuck to it.
In the short time Leanne had been forced to live with her as a protection officer, she’d learned some of Kim’s habits. Not least that the first job on coming home was to head for the kitchen and fire up the coffee pot. Second job was to let Barney out into the back garden, but he was still quite enamoured with their guest.
‘Stay away from the bad lady, boy – she told me to get rid of you.’
Leanne rolled her eyes. ‘Still with the dramatics, eh, Stone? I only advised you that he was your biggest weakness. Which he is. Ooh, nice toaster.’
