Page 113 of Worse Than Murder

‘You know you can.’

She reaches over and takes my hand, holding it firmly in both of hers. ‘Answer me honestly. When you find the person who killed your mother and nephews, are you going to kill him?’

I look at her. ‘I haven’t decided yet.’

‘I’m really worried about you,’ Adele says, a tear rolling down her face.

‘Do you want to know the truth? I’m worried about me, too.’

Iwake early. I open my eyes, look across, and see the sleeping face of Adele in front of me. It seems strange to be sharing a bed with someone again. It seems even stranger for that someone to be a woman. I lie back and try to return to sleep, but my mind is already at work. I decide to get up.

I make myself a mug of tea then pad through to the main part of the restaurant where I stand in front of the window and watch the sun rise over Lake Windermere. I could get used to a view of this magnitude.

‘You’re up early.’

I turn and see Carl standing in the doorway, a Labrador either side.

‘So are you.’

‘I like to take the dogs for a walk before school, if I can.’

‘How are you feeling this morning?’ Despite Carl’s questioning of Adele about her job last night, he had fallen quiet whenever the break-ins and his father’s injuries were mentioned.

He pulls out a chair and sits down. His smooth face is frowned with worry.

‘Did you know, before I was kidnapped, Mum and Dad received a lot of silent phone calls?’

I don’t answer him. I did know that.

‘The kidnappers were obviously planning and preparing for their attack. Now, we’ve had these attempted break-ins. It’s leading up to something, isn’t it?’

I sit down opposite him. ‘I’d be lying if I said I knew what was going on, but I can promise you one thing. After last time, your mum, your dad, and me, we’re all on our guard. We will not let anything happen to you.’

A tear rolls down his face. He doesn’t wipe it away. ‘They killed my gran. They could kill any of you.’

I reach for his hand and squeeze it. ‘I don’t for one minute believe the kidnappers are back. If they were, they wouldn’t have attempted this many sloppy break-ins. This is something completely different. I just don’t know what it is yet. But I will.’

‘I’ve got a bad feeling that it’s going to end horribly.’

‘Carl, right now, I’m the queen of doom-mongering. I cannot see the brightness in anything, and that’s something I’m going to have to work on, but there are some things in my life that I am positive about and they are you and your mum and dad. You’re a wonderful family and I love you all. I will fight to the death to keep you all safe. That’s a promise.’

One of the Woodys barked.

‘And I think he agrees with me too,’ I smile.

This makes Carl laugh.

‘Shall we take them out for a walk before they leave a puddle on your mum’s clean floor?

Carl nods. He stands up, comes over to me and wraps his arms around me.

‘Thank you,’ he says in my ear.

‘What for?’

‘For being here. For speaking the truth. For not treating me like a child.’

Carl’s leaves the restaurant to fetch the dogs’ leads. Naturally, they go with him. I turn to look back out of the window. Carl’s words from yesterday ring in my eyes.