Family Matters: A gripping detective crime thriller by Mel Sherratt

Author:Mel Sherratt [Sherratt, Mel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blood Red Books
Published: 2025-02-25T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Allie and Frankie sanitised their hands again before going into the ward. They were shown into a waiting room, thankfully empty, while the nurse went to fetch the relatives of seventeen-year-old Chloe Barker.

‘Do you think it’s too early to think they’re connected, boss?’ Frankie asked.

‘Yes, and no.’ Allie sighed. ‘I hope we don’t have a serial attacker. Maybe his or her intention was to kill Chloe, too, but she survived. We’ll find out more when her⁠—’

The door opened, and a man came in. His smile was faint, his face gaunt. He seemed as if he’d had every ounce of life taken from him. In his mid-forties, he was well dressed, facial hair beginning to show a shadow over his chin. He held out a hand when he reached them. ‘I’m Mick Barker, Chloe’s dad.’

Allie introduced both her and Frankie, and they sat down.

‘How is she doing?’ Allie asked first.

‘She’s in a bad way but stable.’ He shook his head in disbelief. ‘The times I’ve heard that on the news and not taken any notice of it. You don’t expect it to happen to your child.’

‘Are you able to tell us what happened? We know the brief details but would like to hear from you, too.’

‘It was half past eight, and Mac, our dog, needed to go out for his last walk. Chloe offered to take him, and I-I said it was okay. We don’t go far, he’s getting on a bit now, so I knew she wouldn’t be long.’ Mick’s hand formed a fist, and he held it in front of his mouth while he composed himself. ‘Her mum and I were watching TV, and it wasn’t until half an hour had passed that we began to wonder where she was. We thought perhaps she’d taken him for a longer walk, so Diane rang her. We got no answer so we both went out to look for her, tracing the way we’d all go with Mac.’

‘Where is that, Mr Barker?’ Allie asked, glancing at Frankie to see he had a notepad at the ready.

‘We live in Claypot Avenue. His walk is around the block there, takes ten minutes at the most. We checked the route she would have taken but we couldn’t find her. It was really bizarre. We tried calling her constantly, but there was no reply.’

‘Was the phone ringing out or switched off?’

‘It kept ringing. Diane left a message for the first few times we tried. And then we saw someone running along Merchant Road.’

Allie and Frankie sat forward at this.

‘Coming towards you or away from you?’ Allie wanted to know.

‘Towards, passed, and then away from us. We didn’t take any notice at first. But then we glanced at each other and ran in the direction he’d come from. I don’t know why, but as we drew closer, we could hear Mac barking.’ A half sob came from him.

‘You’re doing great, Mick.’ Allie leaned across to place a friendly hand on his arm, giving him a moment to compose himself.

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