Page 24 of The Truth Will Out (DI Sam Cobbs #18)
“That’s not to say the abuse wasn’t going on long before that, though,” Bob pitched in.
“That’s true. If only Rhys had been more open with me about his experience.”
“None of us could have foreseen this happening,” Bob said.
“Claire knew something; maybe we’ll find the answer on her computer,” Liam suggested.
“Or maybe in her drawers,” Sam added.
Bob raised his eyebrows.
She punched him in the arm. “I meant in her desk.”
“Thanks for the clarification. It’s always good to have.”
Sam stared at the computer screen. “She wasn’t just a detective,” she said quietly. “She was trying to uncover her past, and now it’s coming for the rest of us.”
“What? You can’t possibly believe that’s true, Sam,” Bob said, appalled by her revelation.
“Can’t I? As far as we know, the killer has already abducted Rhys. He might be dead by now... Just another victim waiting to be discovered. How many more are out there?” She tapped a finger on the photo. “We’ve got to make it our priority to warn all the others in this photo.”
Bob sighed. “What if one of them is the killer?”
Over the next couple of hours, the team knuckled down and managed to contact most of the people in the photo.
They were warned to remain vigilant at all times.
While the team were dishing out the warnings, they also enquired if the people knew why they might be specifically targeted.
The reply, across the board, had been a resounding “I don’t know. ”
Sam had spent the time in her office completing some important paperwork, which acted as a distraction to stop her worrying about Rhys.
Most of the time, it had worked, too. But every now and again, Sam’s attention was drawn back to the photo lying on the desk beside her, like a splinter of betrayal.
Claire, someone she’d trusted with her life for years, had lied, not only to her but to the whole team.
She’d kept an entire piece of her life hidden.
Sam felt torn; she didn’t know whether to feel angry, heartbroken, or foolish.
Her head was a mess, and then, on top of all this, she had Rhys’s disappearance prodding her like a stick.
She picked up her phone and dialled his number. She held her breath while it rang out, until the voicemail clicked in, and out of curiosity she listened to it, just in case the kidnapper had decided to alter the message Rhys had uploaded. Her fiancé’s voice calmed her, but the anger soon returned.
Her roller-coaster ride of emotions had taken its toll on her today, and now, at the end of their shift, she was going to be forced to go home and deal with the dogs.
Shit! Casper, he’s still at the office with Brenda.
She gave the secretary a call. “Brenda, I’m so sorry for running out on you the way I did earlier. I totally forgot about Casper. I’ll come and pick him up. ”
“Sam, you’ve got enough on your plate. He’s fine with me. Let me take him home this evening.”
“What? Are you sure?”
“It would be a pleasure. Terry and I can take him for a walk and pick up some dog food when we get home. He seems settled here.”
“What would we do without you? If you’re sure you don’t mind?”
“I’ve already run it past Terry, and he’s up for it.
We lost our Max a year ago and have been considering whether to get another dog or not.
Rhys keeps telling me how special Tilly is; we think we’re going to rescue a pup, just like you have.
This might be the push we need to see if we’re up for it. ”
“I can put you in touch with the organisation I used, no problem.”
“Let’s see how the dog sitting goes for now.”
“I’ll call you later this evening if that’s all right?”
Brenda gave Sam her mobile number and ended the call.
Sam felt relieved she only had Tilly to deal with later. Doreen was going to be shocked to hear the news about Rhys.
Her thoughts drifted back to Claire. It was a struggle for her to get past the deceit. She had always prided herself on being able to read people and on knowing who to trust.
Now… that confidence was crumbling fast.
First Claire. Now Rhys. How many more secrets were buried just beneath the surface?
Bob pushed the door open with his foot. He entered the room carrying two mugs of coffee. He paused when he saw her tortured expression. “Shit! Are you okay?”
“No,” she admitted, her voice brittle. “I’m struggling to get past the fact that Claire showed up for work every day and deceived me for years. At least, that’s how it feels.”
Bob put the mug in front of her and sat.
“I gave her my trust. Shared intimate details with her. Now I’m sitting here wondering if I ever really knew her at all. What the fuck, Bob? I trust all of you and treat you all as if you were my family. Am I wrong to do that?”
“Without knowing the truth, we don’t know her reasons for keeping that side of her life from you, from all of us. Let’s face it, Sam, it’s not only you who feels betrayed. There’s a sombre atmosphere out there. This has affected the team, all of us, even Nick.”
“I know. I don’t really want to make this all about me.” She rubbed her temples. “What does this truly say about me? About my instincts? I missed it all. I keep missing it. First Claire, now Rhys… What if I can’t trust anyone anymore?”
Bob hesitated. No wisecracks forthcoming—only one question, straight from his heart: “Do you trust me?”
She glanced up, her eyes stinging. “Yes, I think so.” But even as she said it, a sliver of doubt remained. For the first time in her career, Sam wondered if the cost of uncovering the truth might be more than she could bear. Her gaze drifted towards the photo again.
Everything felt different now.