Page 89 of Not That Complicated

“Ray! There are no more bodies. We didn’t find any. And the team was, uh. They were thorough. If there had been any more bodies in there, trust me, the team would have found them.”

I squinted at the rampaging tangle of Dad’s climbing rose at the bottom of the garden. It had smothered the stone bird bath and was making a determined effort to strangle the small apple tree alongside it out of existence.

There was that tone of voice again.

“There are definitely no more dead bodies,” I said suspiciously. “Now, are you sure? Because last time we did this dance, you half-arsed it. I can’t come back here, Liam. I cannot go through this again. I am on the brink of committing double homicide as it is. Seriously. You try working from home with your parents.”

Liam sounded pained. “I know you’re joking and being dramatic, but please remember that I’m a police officer. You can’t keep threatening to commit crime in my presence.”

“So you whole-arsed it.”

“Every possible nook and cranny has been inspected.”

“That was oddly filthy.”

“I’ve got some forms for you to sign. I can bring them over tomorrow. You should stay another night with your parents.”

I groaned.

“Or if you’re in a hurry, you can swing by the station and catch me before my shift ends. Technically you need to see the house—”

“No! No, no. I will come to you. Today. Thanks, Liam.”

“Doing my job,” he grunted, and hung up.

I stared out into the rain. I still couldn’t put my finger on his tone, but any real curiosity was buried under the relief that I could go home.

The nightmare was over.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The nightmare was not over.

I packed up, thanked my parents, and was on the road an hour after Liam called, putting Steeple Norton in the rear-view mirror.

There was a jam on the motorway with a five-mile tailback, and even though I’d left after lunch, it was close to suppertime when I drove into town and kept on going to the police station.

Liam and his forms were waiting for me at the front desk.

“Hi!” I said, breezing in with a big smile.

He dipped his chin in a curt nod.

Ah, yes. He didn’t like to let people suspect that we had carnal knowledge of each other.

“You could have stayed at your parents another night,” Liam said, sounding somewhat aggrieved. “I didn’t realise you were going to be so late,” We could have dealt with all this tomorrow.”

“One more night and I’d definitely have been tempted to homicide.” I leaned against the desk and smiled. “I’m kidding.”

“And yet I’m not amused.”

“I want to go home, Liam. I no longer even care that there were human dolls there.”

His eyes bulged.

“Sorry,” I said. I wasn’t supposed to know. “Dolls? No one’s talking about dolls. Boring old normal dead bodies is all I’m talking about. And I’m used to the idea. I have emotionally processed it. I want to go home, have a three-hour soak in the tub, then fall into bed.”

“Then let’s get this done. My shift ends in three minutes, and I’ll be off for the next few days.”

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