Page 21 of Hidden Daughters (Detective Lottie Parker #15)

The hypnotic crash of the waves was soothing with a hint of danger. Lottie looked over the wall and breathed in the freshness of the sea air.

‘It’s amazing,’ she whispered. The sound of the waves calmed her brain and she felt her body loosen and relax.

‘We could ask him for a site,’ Boyd said. ‘Build here and move.’

‘Don’t start, please. But we could take a holiday here sometime.’ She gazed out at the grey sea glittering with the silver and white of the waves. A familiar sound in the distance caused her to lean her head to one side. Listening.

‘Yeah, a six-month holiday would?—’

‘Shh, Boyd. Do you hear that?’

‘It’s thunderous.’

‘Not the sea.’ She turned around and hurried back across the field towards the dirt track they’d walked from Bryan’s house. ‘I hear sirens.’

She broke into a run.

‘Hey, Lottie, slow down. Whatever it is, it’s nothing to do with you.’

She didn’t answer. Just climbed over the fence and jumped out onto the narrow road with grass and weeds growing along the centre. Shading her eyes, she squinted. Down the hill from the house she saw them. Blue strobe lights, flashing.

‘I have to see for myself.’

He reached her side, breathless. ‘Bryan will know what it’s about. Let’s find him.’

‘You can talk to him. I’m heading down there.’

‘It has to be a good mile away, maybe even more.’

‘What’s there anyhow?’

‘Holiday cottages, I think.’

‘Something bad happened,’ she said. ‘I feel it in my bones.’

‘Someone probably had a heart attack. Or something like that.’

They walked in sync.

‘All those vehicles arrived simultaneously,’ she said. ‘That tells me there’s a death, and not from a heart attack.’

‘All that’s wrong with you is that you’re missing the job and wishing for a murder.’

She looked over at him. ‘I would never wish that on anyone.’ She thought for a moment and grinned. ‘Maybe on McKeown.’

‘You’re evil, Lottie Parker.’

‘I’m honest.’ She paused at a fork on the narrow road. From where they now stood, she couldn’t see the strobe lights or any activity. ‘Go talk to Bryan. I’m heading down to the holiday cottages.’

‘What are you going to do?’

‘See if I can help.’

‘Even if it’s something suspicious, it’s not our jurisdiction.’

‘Okay, then I’m just being nosy,’ she said. ‘Find out what you can, and if you want, you can meet me there.’

‘You’re the boss,’ he sighed, repeating his earlier words as he slouched off.

As Lottie walked along the road that sloped downwards, she could feel a knot tightening in the pit of her stomach.

Something awful awaited her at the foot of the hill. She knew it as if she was already there.