Page 68 of Her Hidden Shadow

Her daughter took a few more steps. ‘Mum? Fifi? What is it, girl?’

Nancy thrust her head back, pulling a tendon as she hit it against the radiator, then she let out a muffled scream. He tightened the material around her neck, and she heard her daughter shrieking. White-hot pain seared through her face as something sharp hit her. It was over, he had won, and it had all been Nancy’s fault. Now they were both going to die. What had she started?

Fifty-Three

Gina finally got through the traffic queue and past the temporary lights that had held everyone up. Cars full of parents leaving a school added to the chaos. Her phone rang. It was PC Smith. ‘Hello.’

‘Guv, Shaf and I just did a shift change. As soon as I got here, I could see something was wrong.’

‘What was it?’

‘A scarf was caught in the undergrowth a little way down the path. A brown one that was almost camouflaged by the mud. Given what Tiffany had reported, I thought I should knock to see if she was okay.’

‘And?’ Gina indicated and took a right onto the carriageway.

‘There was no answer. I ran around the back, and I saw her sleeping in a chair, at least I thought she was sleeping, then I saw the empty blister packs. She’s taken an overdose, guv. Paramedics have just arrived, and I don’t know how it’s looking yet. I smashed the door to get in, called it in and waited for the ambulance to arrive. I’m on my own here until someone arrives but I thought I should let you know. We didn’t mean to leave her alone. She was okay when I left. She had a friend with her, and we thought she’d be okay for a short while.’ He paused, and she heard him exhale. ‘If we’d have planned it better, this might not have happened.’ She heard PC Smith’s voice cracking.

‘Smith, it’s not your fault.’

‘I stopped off for some snacks from the garage. I knew it was going to be a long night.’ He paused. ‘Hold on, they’re bringing her out.’

‘I’m going to put the phone down in a minute. Just to warn you, I’m not meant to be out, and you need to report this direct to DI Collier. I’m meant to be at the station.’

‘I’ve done that already. Guv, are you in trouble?’

‘Listen. Just tell me how Tiffany is. Can you see anything?’

‘The paramedics have just wheeled her into an ambulance and DI Collier has just pulled up with DC Wyre. Tiffany looks dead.’ He paused.

‘Did the scene look suspicious?’

‘Yes, I’ve also reported that too. There was mud over the windowsill and a footprint which was odd. The kitchen was covered in water and there was a shattered jug on the floor. They’re sending someone over to take a look. We’ve called her husband and he said he’s heading to the hospital. There’s also a typed-up suicide note.’

Gina swallowed. ‘What does it say?’

‘I have it here in an evidence bag. It says, “I’m sorry but I couldn’t go on. Every day I live in fear and that’s no way to live a life. I can’t carry this pain any longer. Kieron, if you found me, please know that it’s not your fault. You did everything you could. I’m sorry for all the times I hurt you, all the times I wandered out in my sleep and stressed you out, and I’m sorry for all the drinking. Please forgive me and don’t hate me for what I’ve done. Tiff. X”’

‘Shit.’ Gina wiped a stray tear from her eye.

‘Collier and Wyre are about to approach. Should I tell them that I’ve spoken to you?’

‘Just tell them the truth.’ She couldn’t bear for him to get into any trouble and if she was wrong about everything, they’d see his phone records anyway. She hung up and drove straight towards Malvern. As she pulled onto the winding country road in darkness at the base of the hills, she couldn’t help but think about Tiffany. She should never have been left alone. The trauma she’d gone through had broken her. She didn’t care what Sullivan and Collier thought; Tiffany wasn’t making things up and Jacob had not killed anyone. Gina thought of the pain that Tiffany would have been in as she took those tablets.

Swallowing her upset down, she pulled up next to Nancy’s cottage. Nancy’s car was parked outside the house. Collier’s name flashed up on her phone as it rang. She pressed end on the call. Just as a message came through from Sullivan, her phone battery ran out but not before glancing at the two words Sullivan had sent. They almost took her breath away.

You’re suspended.

Fifty-Four

Gina stood at Nancy’s front door and rang the bell as dusk created shadows everywhere. It chimed from behind the hallway and the dog barked. There was no other sign of life coming from the cottage. She banged on the door. ‘Police.’ If she had to, she’d say that she’d never received that message from Sullivan and her phone was now dead. As far as she was concerned, she knew nothing of her suspension. She’d continue standing at Nancy’s door and call out the word ‘Police’. Until she knew that Lauren was safe, she was staying on the case.

Gina lifted the letter box. ‘Nancy, it’s DI Harte. Please open the door.’ She dropped the flap and wondered if Nancy had popped out for a walk, then the dog began to yap and snuffle again at the bottom of the door. She couldn’t imagine that the woman had gone for a walk up the hills and not taken her dog.

She lifted the letter box again and stared through the tiny slit, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark interior. There was a bunch of flowers in a box on the floor, at least they looked to be the shape of flowers. Her line of vision continued along the hall and through the downstairs where the faint light from a kitchen gadget showed her the open back door. It began to creak as a gust of wind caught it. Her heart began to hum and the cold chill in the air reached out and touched the back of her neck. Something wasn’t right. Gina shook her head. Maybe Nancy was in the garden and couldn’t hear her knocking and calling. But why would she be in the garden when it was almost dark? The dog sprinted along the hall and ran through the back door. That’s when Gina heard a tinny banging noise coming from upstairs. ‘Nancy.’ The bang came again.

Without hesitating, Gina ran from the front door. She pushed the bushes away that were dense along the side of the cottage as she followed the path to the back garden. Shivering, she glanced around at the trees and hills beyond. No one would hear if anything went wrong. Gina felt her hands tremble slightly, knowing that there was no place to run to out here. No houses, shops, people. She was alone.

On reaching the back gate, she stepped into the garden. The breeze whipped up a pile of dead branches and leaves. The dog darted towards her. ‘Nancy,’ she called. She pulled her phone from her pocket and confirmed that she had no charge at all. She’d never felt so alone while entering a potential crime scene, but it was the only way. She knew that the intended target was Lauren and none of Sullivan’s team were listening. She stared at the lit-up hands of her watch, and she could see that it was almost five. Within minutes, the news would go out that Jacob had been charged with the most horrific of crimes.

---