Stolen Souls by M.L. Rose

Author:M.L. Rose [Rose, M.L]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781805080022
Published: 2023-08-31T16:00:00+00:00

It was the first time Nikki had seen the interior of a police station. She had seen it from the school bus before, but it seemed very different now. It was all grey floors and white walls. They parked at the back, and she clutched her mother’s hand tightly as they went through the sliding double doors. There was a big reception area, and a man in a white uniform stood behind the counter. He nodded and pressed a button when he saw them, and another door at the end of the reception area slid open without a sound.

Once inside, they were shown into a room with sofas, a small table with flowers on it. This room seemed more homely than the corridors outside. A woman in a blue uniform came in and introduced herself as Katie, the family liaison officer. She had a kind face, and she smiled at Nikki.

‘You stay here with me, and your mummy will be back in a minute.’

Nikki looked at Clarissa, whose nose tip was quivering, eyes sunken. She forced a reassuring smile on her face, but it didn’t convince Nikki.

‘What’s happening, Mummy?’ she asked.

‘Nothing. Just stay here and talk to Katie, OK? I’ll be back soon.’

The policeman who had come to see them held the door open. The policewoman went out and Clarissa followed. The door shut softly behind them.

‘So,’ Katie asked, ‘which school do you go to?’

Nikki talked to her, but she could see this was just a distraction. Katie was nice enough, but the adults were hiding something. At the house, Nikki had heard the words Thomas, and boy, and she knew this was about her brother at the care home. The brother that she had never really known. Thomas, or Tommy, had never been to their house. She had asked Clarissa why he didn’t live with them, and her mother never answered.

It was hard to think of Tommy as her brother. Clarissa barely spoke about him. She didn’t see any photos of Tommy at home. And yet, something had happened to Tommy. Nikki felt it in her bones, and she wished the adults would just tell her.

Katie took out a Monopoly board game and gave Nikki some sweets. Nikki pretended to enjoy them, but her mind lay with Clarissa.

Eventually, the door opened and Clarissa appeared. Her eyes were swollen red with a haunted look to them, like she’d seen a ghost. Nikki went to her, and Clarissa gripped her so tight it hurt.

She let go and collapsed on the sofa and wept.

Nikki had seen enough.

‘What’s happened to Tommy? Is he in trouble?’

Clarissa shook her head and then banged it against the wall. Katie had to restrain her, helped by the policewoman.

Nikki watched, scared out of her wits, then she started to cry. She knew her mother’s life had changed for ever.

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