The Next Girl(Detective Gina Harte #1)(21)

‘So, what have you both been up to?’

Luke glanced at Brooke, noticing her wet eyes. ‘Nothing. Just making tea. Do you want some?’

‘I’m all tea’d out, I’m afraid. At my age, too much tea means too many trips to the loo and I still have to pop to the supermarket and pick up a few bits.’

‘Thanks for taking them out this morning. They love going out with you.’

‘I have a little secret. I love going out with them too. Anyway, I have to dash. I’ll pop by for a cuppa another time. Enjoy the rest of your day.’ She winked at Luke as she turned and walked towards the door. Luke smiled uncomfortably. Cathy paused and looked over at Brooke. ‘Are you both okay?’

‘We’re fine,’ Brooke replied, forcing a smile.

‘Okay, I’ll leave you both to it. Bye, kids,’ she called out.

The children didn’t respond. They were still running around upstairs, screaming and shouting. Cathy waved and left.

‘There goes my tidy house. I’m sorry—’

‘It’s okay, really it is. I’m just being silly. She’s lovely – Cathy, I mean. You’re so lucky to have her,’ Brooke said.

‘I know I am. I’m so lucky to have a lot of people in my life. I really am sorry about earlier.’

‘It’s probably a good thing it didn’t happen. Look at the timing. What would she be thinking if she’d walked in on something she couldn’t unsee?’ Brooke stared out of the window. He’d hurt her, he knew it. He had to right things. He couldn’t lose her.

‘She’s already thinking it. That woman knows everything. The way she looked at me, my messy hair, and my shirt. She knew. She always knows.’ Luke paused and stared out of the window, at the spot in the garden where Debbie was tending to Max in the photo. ‘There’s something I need to do.’

‘What’s that?’

Luke didn’t answer. Instead, he walked to the living room and picked up the photo from the hearth. He could sense that Brooke was behind him, wondering what he’d meant, so he turned his back on her. Some things he needed to be alone for, and this was one of them.

‘I’ll finish making the tea then, shall I?’ she asked.

‘Please.’

As he heard her taking the mugs off the mug tree and setting them on the worktop, he looked at the photo of Debbie and Max. ‘It’s not that I don’t love you, Deb. It’s just… You understand, don’t you?’ he whispered. He held the photo to his heart and stared out of the window.

As he snapped out of his thoughts, he stared back at the man he now noticed in the distance. Sitting on a wall several houses down, with a dark hood covering his head and upper body, he sent a shiver down his spine. The scarf he wore covered his mouth, but his stare felt intrusive. The man stood and walked away. Luke watched as he reached the end of the street and looked back once before disappearing around the corner.

‘Are you alright, Luke?’ Brooke shook his arm.

‘What?’

‘I called you twice to say that the tea was made.’

‘Sorry.’

Brooke reached out. ‘Shall I put the photo back on the fireplace?’

‘What? No. That’s why I came in here. I’m going to put the photos away for now.’

She looked down, passed him a cup of tea and took the photo from his limp hand. She walked over to the fireplace and put the photo back where it belonged. ‘The people we love from our past are part of our children’s lives. She should stay. She’s their mother.’

‘I know, but I’m scared I’ll never be able to move on,’ he replied, as a tear ran down his cheek. ‘Look at me. I have you, a beautiful woman who wants to—’

‘Don’t say any more. I’ll not have your kids resenting me if all the photos go. The time will come when you’re ready. I’ve been where you are. I’ve grieved, mourned, thrown things in temper, even felt like ending it all. It’s a good job I had Joe, he’s been my rock. The time will come when you can move on, and that photo will still be there. Your kids need that photo there. They need their mother in their life.’

‘What have I ever done to deserve you?’ He put his tea on the window ledge and squeezed Brooke. She held him back. He glanced over her head, out of the window. The man hadn’t come back. He reached across and pulled the curtain slightly as an uneasy feeling washed through him.





Fourteen





‘I did what you wanted. I think the police should figure out that Florence has someone to stay with, for now,’ he said with a grin as he entered and sat on the end of her bed. She edged away from him, forcing her malnourished frame into the tiniest space possible.

There was hope. He’d done as she asked. She wanted to scream with joy, but that joy was soon quelled by doubt. Had she put her family in danger? Had she done the right thing? She wanted to punch the wall until her knuckles bled. Her chaotic thoughts threatened to expose themselves as she clenched her hand into a fist under the sheet.

He leaned into a bin bag and pulled out a brand-new quilt, a couple of pillows and some thick fleece blankets. ‘It’s about time you had something new. Let me take these dirty blankets away.’ Debbie shivered as he pulled the soiled blankets off her and deposited them in the bin bag. ‘Oh dear. It’s been a bit of a blood bath here. I’d better clean you up.’ He left the room, and she listened to the tap running as he filled a bowl.