The House of Secrets by Sophie Draper

Author:Sophie Draper
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2019-10-30T17:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 34

CLAIRE – BEFORE

Joe’s in the kitchen when I get back inside. I’m surprised – I thought he might already have scarpered back to his room. It reminds me of when he was little and wanted to stay close. He looks unhappy. I place my boots against the wall in the utility room and, still wearing my coat, move across to fill the kettle at the sink. Water pools on the tiles at my feet.

‘Do you want a cuppa, Joe?’

He doesn’t reply.

He looks dazed. Like his brain is momentarily stranded. I’m determined to behave normally. The coin itself doesn’t matter, I realise that now. But Joe does. I flick on the kettle and busy myself with a couple of mugs and the tea caddy. I cut two slices of bread and push them into the toaster, then search around for a tin of baked beans and some eggs. Food, that’s always been my first response. Feed him and then perhaps he’ll talk to me.

Joe slides onto a bar stool at the kitchen island and waits, exactly as he did when he was a child. One hand is picking at the skin at the base of the other hand’s thumb and he still doesn’t speak.

A few minutes later, I push a plateful of scrambled eggs and beans on toast under his nose and fish out a knife and fork.

‘Eat, my love.’

He doesn’t complain about the phrase my love. He eats. I join him at the island, nursing my cup of tea. After a moment, I speak.

‘Do you know him, Joe?’

He looks at me briefly but doesn’t reply.

‘Is he one of your metal detecting friends?’

I’m sure friend is entirely the wrong choice of word.

He shakes his head. His grip on the fork tightens and he stabs a too big piece of toast and levers it into his mouth.

‘Not freakin’ likely,’ he says, speaking with his mouth full.

‘But you do know him – he said he knew you. He wanted to bring some of his mates to work on the field. He said he’d split anything they found fifty-fifty.’

Joe’s eyes dart up to mine and he lets his fork drop loudly to his plate. Only half of his food is eaten.

‘You said no, didn’t you?’

‘Course I did.’

I take a deep breath.

‘Joe, is there anything you want me to do? Anyone we should ring? If you think these guys could get nasty, then we could talk to Martin.’

Duncan’s best friend, DCI Martin White. He’d be discreet. What are police contacts for if not to be discreet?

‘No!’ Joe shakes his head vigorously. ‘No, that’s the last thing you should do. I … I need to figure this out myself.’

I reach out to touch his arm and he flinches like he always does. Or at least has done since he hit puberty.

‘Joe, it’s not worth it – nothing’s worth it. If you think there’s anything dodgy about these people, then you should let your father and me deal with this. We should contact the authorities and be done with it.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.