‘Good. She loves playing with the other kids. Every day I come home with another work of art for the fridge, which is why I brought a few over for your fridge.’ Hannah paused. ‘It broke my heart the first day I left her there.’
It had been well over twenty years ago when Gina had taken Hannah to preschool but it was a memory she’d never forget. Her little girl had immediately wanted to play with all the other children and Gina had hidden the lump in her throat and the tears in her eyes until she’d driven off to attend police training.
‘They grow up so quick.’ Gina paused. Her relationship with Hannah hadn’t always been this good but they’d been talking more over the past few months. ‘I’m glad you both came to visit. I mean it. It’s lovely to have you here.’
‘I’m glad you took some time off to be with us. Gracie always jibbers on about you. You’re her hero.’
A lump formed in Gina’s throat as she kneeled on the floor and gave her granddaughter a kiss on the cheek. ‘I don’t say it enough but you really have done a brilliant job with her. She’s perfect.’
Hannah uncomfortably looked away. Gina knew she struggled to take a compliment.
‘How’s Greg?’
Hannah bit the skin on the side of her finger. ‘Fine. Work is good. He’s got a job for a building company now. New builds. He’s away for the next week.’
Her smile was forced. Gina knew the effort it took to pretend. A smile that is natural takes little effort but Hannah had a grimacing line on her forehead and a smile that didn’t match it. The light twitch in her temples showed Gina that she was subtly clenching her teeth together.
‘So all is good with you both?’
‘Couldn’t be better.’ Hannah placed the lid on the popcorn and swung her legs off the settee before stepping over her sleeping daughter and stretching.
‘You know you can talk to me about anything.’
Hannah shook the crumbs from the snuggle blanket. ‘I don’t need to talk. Gracie and me, we’re happy. Greg is doing well. My job is good and now that Gracie is at nursery, I’ve upped my hours.’
Gina waited for the next clue.
‘Stop staring at me like I’m one of your victims or suspects, Mum.’
‘I’m sorry. Bad habit.’ She’d almost pushed it too far – almost. ‘What are we doing tomorrow?’
Hannah shrugged. ‘I know Gracie would love to go to Cadbury World.’
‘Sounds like a plan.’
Gina’s phone began to buzz across the coffee table.
‘That’s if you’re available.’
DCI Chris Briggs’s name flashed up and he knew that she’d booked the week off. She tensed up as she took the call. ‘Briggs?’
‘Sorry to call you. I know you’ve booked holiday but DS Driscoll’s plane has been delayed. He’s still stuck in Portugal and Wyre is visiting a friend in Staffordshire. She’ll be here soon, but I need someone to meet me at Cleevesford Manor, now. We have the body of a young woman, looks like murder and we can’t afford to lose any time. Forensics are on their way now. Please tell me you can be there.’
Hannah slumped back onto the settee, her gaze fixed on Gina. The expression she was reading on Hannah’s face now was one of disappointment.
‘I’ll be there in about half an hour.’
‘See you soon.’ Briggs ended the call.
A shiver ran through Gina’s body. She wasn’t sure if it was a result of Hannah’s reddening face or having to work that closely to Briggs again. Once her lover, now he was the keeper of her deepest darkest secret. She’d avoided being too close to him for too long, but now she was going to be working the next case with him until the other detectives in the department were back on the scene soon.
‘Come on, Gracie. Looks like we’re on our own tomorrow. I don’t know why I expected it to be any different.’ Hannah lifted the sleepy girl up and wrapped her in a blanket.
‘I’ll make it up to you, I promise.’ Gina went to give Gracie a peck on the forehead but Hannah turned away. ‘Don’t be like that. I can’t help it that a case has come in. Everyone else is on holiday or away. There’s only me.’
‘This was meant to be our time; you, me, and Gracie. You promised. Aren’t there any other detectives?’
Gina shook her head. ‘None that can get there now. It’s a big case.’ She turned away and dropped her hands in frustration. ‘Hannah, it looks like a woman has been murdered. I have to be there because at the moment there may be a killer on the loose. I’m doing my best. I love you and I love Gracie, more than anything.’
‘No, you love your job more than anything!’ With that, Hannah was already halfway up the stairs.
‘Goodnight, chicken,’ Gina called out to Gracie up the stairs.
The door to the spare room slammed. Gina flinched as Ebony, her little black cat, began rubbing its head against her leg. ‘At least you’re not angry with me.’ She glanced at the clock – if she hurried, she’d make it by half past midnight.
As she grabbed her bag and keys, Cleevesford Manor ran through her mind. She’d been a couple of times, once following a burglary and another time she took Gracie for an afternoon tea. The grand building had been there for centuries, owned by the same family. Its land, spread over acres, was the place to book for any extravagant celebration. She shivered, wondering who the woman was and why anyone would want to harm her.
She knew Hannah was right, she did love her job more than anything. She didn’t love the people she came across all the time but she loved the fact that she was taking bad people off the streets. She wanted this killer in a cell. Maybe then, she and Hannah would be able to carry on with the week they had planned.
Chapter Three
Sunday, 10 May 2020
He crossed his thumbs over her jugular as he reached his end. Her moaning below him only moments earlier had been all he needed to finish off.
‘You can let go now.’ Removing his hands, she rubbed her neck, stood and pulled her dress back down.
They wouldn’t talk about this. Not because he didn’t want to, it wasn’t part of the unwritten agreement. He did what he was meant to do and he’d enjoyed it, but was it enough? He had a taste for something more, an intensity he couldn’t explain or expect anyone to ever understand.
Was it enough? He asked himself the same question over and over again as he lay there in the darkness, staring out of the window at the stars in the clear May sky. Was it enough? That question was going to haunt him. It had to be enough. He rolled off the bed and slipped his trousers back on.
Nothing was ever enough. He needed more now, there was no going back.
A star twinkled. Maybe it was a planet. It was bright enough. She’d already left the room and he funnily missed her presence.
He exhaled. It wasn’t enough.
Chapter Four
Gina drove along the half-acre long tree-lined drive, a string of fairy lights leading the way, and pulled up behind Briggs’s car. An ambulance surrounded by three police cars was parked near the entrance.