Page 1 of The Unseen
PROLOGUE
Silence settled over the house like a downy blanket over a sleeping child. Everyone within was warm and snug—even the body submerged in the tub, its skin still flushed from the heat of the bathwater. Wide-open eyes stared from beneath the soapy water in an expression of shock and disbelief.
A woman sat on the bathroom floor, sure if she managed to get up and dared to look at herself, her expression would mirror that of the corpse. Shock and disbelief. Shock at what she’d done. Disbelief at the chain of events that had led her to this moment, this inevitable act of savagery. How was it possible to fall so far so quickly?
Within the coming weeks she would find out if she’d swing for her crime or be granted a reprieve in the form of a life of constant fear. She’d always be looking over her shoulder, wondering if someone would come to take her away and make her answer for what she’d done. But even if no one came and she never felt the rough hemp of the rope against the tender skin of her neck, life would never be the same. She knew what she’d done, and she’d have to live with it always, praying that her true nature would remain unseen.
ONE
DECEMBER 2014
London, England
The day dawned gray and cold, a miserable drizzle coating everything in a slick film of moisture. By the time Quinn left the flat, a steady rain was coming down, the kind that tended to last for hours. She stopped beneath the awning of the building, gave a cursory glance to her shoes, which would be soaked in minutes, and made an executive decision to take a taxi. It’d cost a bomb in this weather, since the journey would take twice as long, but it was a legitimate business expense, so she wouldn’t worry about it. It took a few minutes to actually flag down an unoccupied taxi but was well worth the effort, since she got to stay warm and dry while the taxi crept toward its destination inch by inch. Quinn fished her mobile out of her handbag and dialed Jill. Her cousin had left several messages, but Quinn hadn’t had a chance to ring her back. Judging by the amount of traffic, they’d have time for a proper conversation.
Jill answered on the second ring. “Hey, Quinny. What are you up to on this dreary morning?”
“Actually, I’m on my way to examine human remains. You?” Quinn could almost hear Jill smiling on the other end.
“Only you can make that sound like a treat. I’m marking down merchandise for the Pre-Christmas Sale I’m planning to start next week. After Christmas, it will be labeled a Going-Out-Of-Business Sale.”
“So, this is it?” Quinn asked. Jill had decided to close down her clothing shop in Soho and return to a career in forensic accounting. Her shop had never been a success, but for the last fewmonths, the business had been in the red, which for an accountant was tantamount to death.
“Yes, I’ve decided. I gave it my all, Quinn, but it simply didn’t work out as I’d hoped. To be honest, I’m sort of looking forward to working for someone else again. It’ll be nice to go to bed at night and not worry myself sick about my overhead, cost of stock, and lack of sales. There’s something to be said for being an employee. Stop by the shop when you have a chance. I have some items I’ve set aside for you. I think you’ll like them.”
“Oh, thank you, Jill. I’ll be sure to stop in. I could use some new clothes since I still haven’t lost all the baby weight.”
“You look amazing,” Jill said. “How’s my favorite baby?”
“Alex is wonderful. He’s beginning to sleep through the night, which is a blessing since I don’t think I can take many more sleepless nights. By the time he’s finished nursing, I’m wide awake and can’t get back to sleep. And sometimes he wakes Emma. She’s a very light sleeper.”
“You need a bigger place.”
“We’ve started looking for a house now that Seth has gone home,” Quinn replied. She’d met her biological father only seven months ago, and the road to a father-daughter relationship had not been a smooth one, given what had happened when Quinn visited New Orleans last spring. It would take time for them to find their footing, but they were well on their way, especially after Seth’s visit.
“How was his visit?”
“It was great, actually. I was a little worried about having him here for ten days, but the time just flew by. He loved spending time with Alex, and he was very attentive and kind to Emma. He brought her an American Girl doll with several changes of clothes. Emma is in heaven. That doll goes with her everywhere. She’s even neglected Mr. Rabbit, who’s been a hands-down favorite since she was a baby.”
“Well, she is growing up. That doll is more age-appropriate. Did Seth’s and Sylvia’s paths ever cross?”
Quinn winced at the mention of her mother. Their relationship was complicated at best, disastrous at worst. Having abandoned Quinn at birth, Sylvia had only come into Quinn’s life a year ago, and had done nothing but wreak havoc since. Quinn had done her best to make allowances and try to be understanding of the woman who’d walked away from her without a backward glance, not even bothering to go through the proper adoption channels, but then more revelations had rocked their already fragile bond. Quinn had discovered that Sylvia had given birth to twins that day and had left Quinn’s sister, Quentin, at a hospital, since the infant had difficulty breathing. Sylvia had never gone back, so she’d had no inkling of what became of either of her daughters—an outcome she’d been satisfied with until she found Quinn, quite by chance, just over a year ago.
“Thankfully, no. Sylvia rang when Alex was born, and she came to Emma’s birthday party, but we haven’t properly spoken since I confronted her about Quentin. To tell you the truth, being with Seth is a lot easier than spending time with Sylvia. He says what he means and means what he says, something you could never accuse Sylvia of. I don’t think she ever allows anything to leave her mouth without first considering if she can disclaim it later.”
“Have you completely given up on the idea of having a relationship with her?” Jill asked. Jill, of all people, knew what it meant to Quinn to have finally found her birth mother after decades of wondering where she’d come from and why she had been abandoned.
“I don’t know, Jilly. I don’t think I want to cut ties with her forever, but I need some time to adjust my expectations and figure out what I hope to gain from my relationship with her. Sylvia will never be the mother I want, so I have to decide whether I can live with the mother she is.”
“And Seth?”
“I miss him now that he’s gone back to the States. It was fun having him here. He made us an American Thanksgiving. It was lovely. Perhaps next year we can have Thanksgiving in New Orleans, with him and Kathy. I think they might be cohabitating again by then.”
“Losing a child either tears people apart or brings them together. How is Brett?”
“Brett is still serving his sentence and Seth visits him in prison once a week. We didn’t talk about him much, but Seth has made peace with the situation. He brought me a letter from Brett.”
“Did you read it?”
