Dead End by Gwyn Bennett

Author:Gwyn Bennett [Bennett, Gwyn & GB, Gwyn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-14T16:00:00+00:00

19

Nick has been an absolute star. After DI Roberts left I cried for about two hours solid, missing Ben, missing my old life. Nick turns up at about seven o’clock to find me most of the way through a bottle of wine with eyes like pink, puffy dough balls.

‘Are you upset about Dylan?’ he asks me, enveloping me in a muscular hug. I breath in his musky scent and a little shiver runs through me.

‘Not really, it’s just all of it…’ I tell him.

‘Is Ben already in bed?’

‘No. He’s somewhere safe.’

Nick holds me away from him and studies my face. ‘Somewhere safe? You are being honest with me aren’t you?’

‘Yes. Absolutely.’ I realise that the state of me, and no Ben to be seen, might be giving him the wrong impression. ‘He’s safer away from me right now. I’m the one that Stuart Porter has the issue with. If Ben’s not around me, then he’ll be much better off for now.’

Nick considers me for a moment longer and then squeezes me into a tight hug.

‘I know how hard it must have been for you to make that decision,’ he says. ‘You don’t need to tell me where Ben is. Keep his location as secret as possible, and I’ll help look after his mummy until we can sort this all out and put Stuart Porter where he belongs. You’re such a great mum to him Abs.’

‘Thank you,’ I reply, looking up at him, ‘that means a lot. It must have been hard on you when you lost your mum so young.’

Nick clenches his jaw, I see his muscles tighten and he looks away.

‘I didn’t have a great childhood. My dad was always working and we had no money. I guess he did his best but I missed my mum being around.’

‘I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been.’

‘Yeah, I kind of went off the rails for a short while, angry at the world for taking mum. It’s hard to rationalise these things as kids. It’s good that Ben is that bit younger and so doesn’t understand what’s going on.’

‘Ben is fine, he really hasn’t noticed any change because Dylan had already gone.’

‘That’s good. I was about fourteen, tough enough being that age without losing your mum.’

‘What made you want to become a cop then?’

‘My dad I guess, it’s all he talked about when he was at home. A couple of his buddies gave me a good talking to which made me realise that I couldn’t carry on like I was, and I replaced the hurt and anger with a new drive.’

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