Page 7 of Chasing Temptation
I hang up just as the waitress I saw heading this way places a huge plate of fried breakfast down in front of me. I thought I was hungry, but staring down at it after having talked about Quinn, even just briefly with Lauren, killed my appetite somewhat.
I waste the day driving around. I fill up the van just in case we need to make a quick getaway and basically just wait until the sun sets. The second the sky turns dark, I make my way back towards the address Eddie supplied me with.
I’ve not heard any more from him since that message, so I assume he’s been busy teaching all day and trying to ignore what could be happening here. He didn’t seem all that keen to get involved yesterday, so I don’t know why I’m surprised.
It’s completely dark when I pull up behind another car that’s parked in the layby I found opposite the house earlier. Pulling my black work hoodie from behind my seat, I drag it over my head and keep the hood up before getting out.
The frozen grass crunches under foot and my breaths come out in clouds of white around me as I make my way towards the house. There are lights on inside, but I see no movement.
Avoiding the stoned driveway, knowing the sound of my footsteps could tip off anyone inside, I make my way around the side of the house.
Looking into a small window, all I can see is the hallway and a couple of doors. Really not helpful. I need to know where she is and if she’s okay, not how she decorated her old house.
Blowing out a frustrated breath, I continue towards the back of the house until a twig snapping up ahead catches my attention and my heart jumps into my throat, but when a figure steps out from the trees, I realise that I vaguely recognise his stance.
“What the fuck?” I ask, marching towards him.
“You were right. We need to make sure she’s okay.”
“And here I was, thinking you were a stuck-up pussy.”
Eddie fumes at my words but wisely keeps his mouth shut. He must be well aware that’s how he came across yesterday when he basically sent me on my mission without even a good luck thrown my way.
“I’m hoping you have a plan.”
The light coming on in an upstairs bedroom halts our conversation, but almost as soon as it’s switched on, it’s off again.
“Not really. If I walk up and say, ‘Hello mate, let’s go and get a pint,’ he’s going to see straight through me. I hated him when I was here, and the feeling was very much mutual, especially when he found out I’d befriended his wife. Apparently she was his and his alone. He’s a control freak. Whatever he’s up to will have been well planned, but—”
“There’d better be something positive coming next,” I mutter.
“But it also means he’s a creature of habit, so he’ll have some kind of routine.”
“Like?”
“Like Friday night was poker night at the school.”
A smile twitches at my lips. We might have a chance at an empty house.
“What time?”
“Eight, but he always got there early to help set up. Arse licker,” he adds, making me want to laugh because I can picture him doing the exact same thing.
“I guess we’d better get comfortable.” I rest back against a tree, my eyes locked on the house, hoping for some movement or a clue as to whether she’s inside.
“What, you’re not going to storm the place anyway?”
“I’m not a fucking Neanderthal. I’d rather find a way to get us all out of this alive if possible.” The mention of anyone dying sends a shiver down my spine. The bloke’s a paedophile and an abuser…surely he’s not a murderer as well, right?
“Do you think he’d really hurt her?” I ask hesitantly when my last comment fades into the darkness around us.
“I wouldn’t put anything past him. He’s hurt her before.”
Something explodes in my stomach and races through my veins. “He what?” I roar, a little too loudly seeing as we’re meant to be hiding.
“Look, I don’t know any details, and he was always careful to keep the bruises hidden—not that that was hard, seeing as she was expected to dress like a nun.”The fucking twinsets.
My fists clench with my need to end this man. How dare he lay a hand not only on innocent kids but on Quinn.MyQuinn.
