Page 120 of Perfect Three

“It’s Jack.”His voice sounded extremely terse as he continued.“What’s happened to Lucy?”

By now, Allison sobbed.“I went to see her.She’s drunk.My mother never drinks!I’m sorry.I’m so scared.”

“Is she still drinking?”

“No.I took the bottle away.I found another in the kitchen and took that, too.”

“Good.”

“She’s talking strange.She ...I think she’s going to kill herself.”

“What?”Jack shouted.“We’ll be there straight away!”

“I’m so sorry.”

“We can discuss that later.”

Allison could hear the anger in Jack’s voice as he hung up, and she didn’t blame him one bit.She’d interfered in his life and now look what had happened.All she could hope for was that they could get her mother to see reason before it was too late.

Next, she called her husband.Frantically, she said, “Geoff?Oh, Geoff.I’ve ruined everything, and now Mum’s going to kill herself.”

“Calm down, Allison.Tell me what’s happened.”

Allison took another breath, her words tumbling out as she tried explaining to Geoffrey what had happened.“I didn’t know what to do!Geoff, it’s all my fault,” she wailed.“What if they don’t get here in time?What will I do?”

“Jack said they’re on their way?”

“He said they’d come immediately.Should I go back inside and make sure she doesn’t do anything?”

“I don’t think that’s wise.I’ll be there as soon as I can.Stay in the car, but for God’s sake don’t let her leave!”

Allison kept sobbing as Geoffrey tried calming her down.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.Just let me know when the boys get there.”

Allison hung up and dropped her head back onto the steering wheel.She wasn’t sure how long she sat there, maybe fifteen or twenty minutes.

Finally, a red SUV pulled up alongside her car and the two men jumped quickly out.

Allison didn’t know what to do, what to say.

Jack ran to her door as she unwound the window.Brusquely, he asked, “Where is she?”

“In the front living room.The back door’s unlocked, the conservatory one.”

He nodded and the two of them raced around the side of the house.

Sebastian had ignored her completely.

Allison was under no illusion.These men didn’t like her, and she didn’t blame them at all.Resignedly, she rang Geoffrey and told him the men were there.“They’ve just got here, Geoff.”

“I’m leaving the station now.Maybe it’s better you come home, and I’ll meet you there.Seb or Jack can ring me if they need anything.”

“I want to be here.”

“I know you want to, but there’s nothing you can do.The only people who can help are with Lucy now.All we can do is wait and pray.”

“I’ll wait here.I can sit in the kitchen until I know she’s okay.”

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