The Games People Play by J.R. Sinclair

Author:J.R. Sinclair [Sinclair, J.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-20T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

JOSEPH FELT a real pull in his gut as Gabby’s mum, Mary Dawson, had tears streaming down her face. She was sitting next to the DI at the press conference, looking out at the reporters gathered there. Her husband, Joe, glassy-eyed and mute, was on the other side of her, flanked by Chris.

No one had asked Gabby’s parents to be there, but as soon as they’d heard about the press conference, they’d insisted on attending. Mary had told them that they wanted to help in any way they could. Despite the detectives wanting to shield them from the press, they also knew a request for information coming from the grieving mother’s lips would help to get the message out there like nothing else could.

The DI noticed Megan giving him a thumbs up from the back, before spotting Kate sitting among the other journalists. His ex-wife caught his eye and gave him a grim look. Of all people, she knew just as well as he did this was the worst sort of grief for a parent. Joseph certainly doubted that in Mary’s place, he could hold it together long enough to get any words out. He was always all snot and tears when it came to anything happening to Ellie. But Mary Dawson, it seemed, was made of sterner stuff.

Despite her hands visibly trembling as she looked down at her notes, Mary raised her head to look out at the audience and the video cameras and the photographers taking photos of her.

The woman took a shuddering breath and began. ‘Our beautiful daughter, Gabby, was murdered with a crossbow last weekend in the woods just outside Oxford. Our loss has destroyed our family, but now we need the help of the public to try and bring her killer to justice. Only yesterday, her wonderful boyfriend, Ryan, was nearly killed by someone who fired a crossbow at him. If it hadn’t been for the swift action of DI Stone sitting next to me, he almost certainly would have been killed, too.’

Dozens of cameras turned towards the DI and shutters whirred. But he studiously ignored them, not feeling in any way a hero.

‘You are probably wondering why Joe and I are here today, but we both felt we needed to do something to help the investigation,’ Mary continued. ‘You see, right now, no one knows who the murderer is, but someone out there must. The police have reason to believe the suspect is someone called’—she looked at her notes—‘a freerunner. These are people who love to vault, jump, and climb through cities and over rooftops. They view it as a form of sport and call it Parkour. Much to our surprise, it turns out that Gabby and Ryan took part in this as well, despite the danger. But of course, our daughter loved to live life to the fullest, doing things like bungee jumps with Ryan, so maybe we shouldn’t be so surprised.’

Joseph noticed how Mary’s voice was growing stronger the longer she’d been speaking.

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