No Safe Place(Detective Lottie Parker #4)(53)

With a drought in her eyes, she had no tears to shed. A sweeping gush of anger washed over her. Why had he taken her? What was it about her that had made her a target? Was this her own fault?

Her father had that knack. Making her feel guilty about everything and anything. Spilled milk, mucky boots, her mother’s bad moods. Yes, they were all Mollie’s fault. One of the reasons she’d refused to move to London was to escape the condemnation that followed every single thing she did. And when her mother died, yes, that was her fault too. If you’d been here, Mollie, she’d still be alive. How did you expect me to care for her on my own? It’s all your fault.

Guilty as charged.

But no. She was not going to fall for those mind games. She had to get out of here. And the only way she was going to do that was if she was strong and kept her mind alert. She would have to play the bastard at his own game. Shifting uncomfortably on the bed, she wondered what that game might be.

She had to figure it out before it was too late. Because she knew that there was no one to miss her out there. No one at all.





Forty-Three





‘This house is like an ice box,’ Lottie said, as she banged the front door behind her. ‘Sean? Chloe? Katie?’

She dropped the Lynn O’Donnell file on the table and went to check the boiler in the utility room. The switch was on, but there was no heat. Had it run out of oil? Opening the back door, she glanced out at the darkness. She turned on the exterior light.

Sean slouched into the kitchen. ‘What’s all the shouting about?’

‘Will you put on a pair of shoes and check the oil tank?’

She watched as he climbed up on the concrete wall surrounding the tank and plunged in the measuring rod. He brought it back and she examined it.

‘Quarter full,’ she said. ‘So why is the boiler not working?’

‘Turn it off and back on again,’ Sean said. ‘That’s what I do with my computer.’

She tried it. The boiler blasted into life.

Sean smiled. ‘Works every time.’

Emptying the washing machine, she piled the laundry into the dryer. Back in the kitchen, she searched the refrigerator for something to cook.

‘Mam?’ Katie’s voice echoed down the stairs. ‘Can you give me a hand with this case?’

‘In a minute. Just figuring out dinner.’ Taking a tray of mince from the fridge, she found a packet of pasta and began to cook.

‘I’ll have to eat later,’ Sean said. ‘Boyd is taking me training.’

‘Shit, I forgot about that. I’ll be up in a minute, Katie.’

Glancing at the file on the table, Lottie knew it had been a mistake to bring it home. She’d try to grab an hour to go through it at some stage.

The doorbell chimed and Sean belted down the stairs to reach it first. Boyd stepped into the hall. ‘Well, bud, are you ready?’

‘Give me two minutes. Mam’s in the kitchen.’

Lottie turned from the stove. ‘I’m glad you’re taking him.’

‘It’s no problem. I see you brought work home with you.’ She paused, wooden spoon in hand, as he flicked open the file cover. ‘I thought you had enough work without this.’

‘I want to have a read of it.’ Why was she explaining herself to him? ‘I went to the nursing home and met Queenie McWard. Don’t laugh, but she claims she heard a banshee the night this Lynn O’Donnell went missing. Won’t do any harm to have a look at the file.’ She knew she was babbling. Shut up, Parker.

‘I know you, Lottie, and I don’t think you should get stuck into something that will suck the life out of you.’

‘I won’t.’

He grunted.

‘I’ve to drive Katie to the airport in the morning. I’ll be in the office by nine.’ She turned to the cooker and stirred the mince vigorously, defences raised. ‘Make excuses for me if McMahon asks.’

Her phone vibrated on the table. Boyd picked it up. Snatching it from him, she saw the caller ID and switched it off.

‘I saw that,’ he said. ‘What’s he ringing you for?’

‘How would I know? I didn’t answer it.’

‘Why not?’

‘Boyd, would you ever—’

‘Ready when you are.’ Sean arrived with his gear bag on his back and a hurley stick in his hand.

‘See you later,’ Lottie said, as the door closed.

‘Mam!’ Katie shouted. ‘Chloe is melting my head.’

‘Coming.’ Lottie gave a final stir, lowered the heat and made her way up the stairs.

Why had Father Joe been ringing her? Should she ring back? No, he would call again if it was something urgent. Probably only wondering when he could inter Mrs Green. She had quite enough problems without Father Joe.



* * *



Canal Drive was dark and gloomy as Kirby joined Gilly at the top of the steps to Mollie’s apartment. She pressed hard on the bell. No answer. She got out her keys.

‘We’re going to miss the start of the play,’ Kirby said.

‘It’ll just take a minute.’ She turned the key and entered the flat. ‘Mollie? It’s only me.’

‘Come on, this is invasion of privacy.’ Kirby edged back down the steps.