What the Dead Want by M.J. Lee

Author:M.J. Lee [Lee, M J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-06-15T00:00:00+00:00

He switched off his phone, time to get moving. ‘I’ll get my things and be on my way in a few minutes, Jenny.’

‘What are you going to do, Ridpath?’

‘Obviously, defend my reputation, but right now, I promised my daughter I would pick her up from school. And this time I am going to keep my promise.’

Chapter FORTY-TWO

Eve was surprised to see him standing at the gates of her school.

‘Dad, I didn’t think you’d come.’

‘I promised I would and so I’m here.’

She waved at Maisie who was walking away.

‘Can I give you a lift home?’ he asked his daughter’s best friend.

‘Thanks, Mr Ridpath, but I’m meeting Mum at Sainsbury’s. She’s doing the weekly shop.’

They walked towards Ridpath’s car parked on one of the side streets.

‘It’s good to see you, Dad. I wasn’t expecting you to come.’

‘Too many broken promises, huh.’

‘Something like that.’

She went silent for a long time until they reached the car. The electronic beep as it opened seemed to wake her up.

‘Dad, I…’

‘You don’t have to say anything, Eve. I’ve been a bloody idiot. Even worse, I’ve been an arrogant idiot.’

‘You don’t have to—’

‘But I think I do. You’re old enough to decide your own friends now. I should trust you more, particularly when I can’t be there all the time. I tried to smother you, control you, but you’re becoming your own person.’

She leant over and kissed him on the cheek. ‘Thanks, Dad, I should have told you about Billy, but in my head it was no big deal, he was just another friend. Should have told you though.’ A short pause. ‘And in some ways, I’m sort of glad you got mad, it shows you still care, like when I was little.’

‘I’ll always care, Eve, no matter what happens or what you do, I’ll always be here for you.’ He snapped his fingers. ‘I’ve got an idea, why don’t we invite him round one night.’

She rolled her eyes extravagantly. ‘Yeah, that would work… not. “Come and meet my dad, the policeman, he wants to check you out. Oh, and don’t be surprised if he frisks you when you walk through the door, asks to check your ID and performs a quick stop and search.”’ She laughed. ‘Anyway, Billy’s not that sort of friend. He’s gay for a start and somebody I like to talk to.’

‘Okay, bad idea. Let him know he’s always welcome though.’

‘I will.’ She paused. ‘You’re still going to frisk him though, aren’t you?’

‘When he comes in and when he leaves. Just in case he nicks the silver spoons.’

‘We haven’t got any silver spoons.’

‘He’s already been there, has he?’

She was silent for a moment, then after realising he was joking, laughed with all the joy of a teenager let loose in H&M with a credit card. When she’d finished, he spoke again. ‘I’ve some bad news though. I have to go back to work tonight.’

‘The boy found in Withington?’

He nodded. ‘How do you know about it?’

‘Duh, it’s all over the papers. Everyone in school is talking about it, even the Maths teacher, Miss Sellars.

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