Bad Blood: the biggest debut of 2025 - an explosive psychological crime thriller with a triple twist by Sarah Hornsley

Author:Sarah Hornsley [Hornsley, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Published: 2025-03-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Only two days after we buried Max, and just after Noah’s taxi has rounded the corner, DS Rose pulls up in her Škoda. She is dressed in a tailored black suit and I wonder how she can stand it in this heat. Is it that important to her to dress the part? I can’t help but wonder if she has been watching the house all morning, waiting for the opportune moment to confront me.

The wolf always did know how to hunt its prey.

I push my panic far down and plaster a serene smile across my face. Infallible, that’s me.

‘Come in,’ I say, leading the way through into the kitchen. ‘Can I get you a coffee or tea?’

‘I’m fine, thank you.’ Boundaries established and message safely received. This is not a social call. We are no longer on the same side.

We take our places at the table. I sit purposely in the same chair she had sat on last time we were gathered in this kitchen. We’re creatures of habit, meaning we look to establish order in everything we do. Today, I feel like disturbing that security a little. Before she can say anything, I launch straight into it, taking her by surprise with my readiness. ‘I assume you’re here to ask me about the night Dad died?’ They are small power moves, but I learnt from the best that the consistent use of subtle actions no one can call you out on is often the most effective way of chipping away at a person’s confidence.

‘That’s right. As I said before, I’m going through all the big historic cases from the town to give me some context and a better sense of the place and people here.’ It’s a nice line, but no part of me believes she hasn’t intentionally dug out our family’s old file.

‘Is there anything in particular you want from me?’

‘The thing is, I’ve been told the previous DS knew your dad well, and apparently all the officers working the night he died would also have been very familiar, friends even, with your family. Am I correct?’

‘Most probably, Dad was well loved.’

‘Well, I didn’t know Gerard Stone and I don’t know your family. Can you tell me about him?’

‘I don’t understand why it’s important?’

‘Character profiles, background checks, they’re a huge part of putting together a history on a victim. I don’t have that here. I’d like your help with filling that context in for me.’

Victim. I swirl the word round in my head. Is anyone ever just one thing?

‘Dad was a big character. He helped the town in many ways; he gave money to local causes and employed lots of people from here for his firm. He always did what he could for other people. I think the fact a mud run is held in his honour is testament to that, DS Rose.’

She smiles but looks uninspired by my description.

‘The thing is, in my experience people are never wholly good. But all I’m ever told about your dad – your whole family, in fact – is how good you all are.

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