Death's Taste: A Chilling Essex Murder Mystery Novel (DS Tomek Bowen Crime Thriller Book 5) by Jack Probyn

Author:Jack Probyn [Probyn, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cliff Edge Press
Published: 2024-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

THIRTY-TWO

The smile had disappeared from Tomek’s face by the time he made it home. On the twenty-minute drive back, Tomek had received a phone call from his mum, the first in a long time, inviting him, Abigail and Kasia over for dinner the following evening. Tomek had stalled and delayed as much as possible until his mum had hounded him for an answer. By the end of the call, he had agreed to let her know that evening.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see his parents; it was just that the past few times hadn’t ended well. Not to mention their relationship had been disjointed for almost thirty years. Since his brother’s death, his parents (in particular, his mum) had excluded him from the family, but in recent times they’d all begun to make amends. Tomek had introduced Kasia to them, which had come as a shock. He couldn’t blame them for that. “Hey, Mum, here’s a teenage daughter I knew nothing about until a few weeks ago.” That was the sort of news that needed some groundwork and an unhealthy dose of alcohol.

Before that, Tomek had taken a former partner to a meal once, to honour the anniversary of his brother’s death. It had ended with a massive argument and Tomek storming out during the main meal.

And it was that which concerned Tomek. Taking Abigail. His new girlfriend. Introducing her to the family.

It was a big step in their relationship. It signified long-term commitment, that he was in this for the long haul. Tomek could only remember two other girlfriends that he’d introduced to the family. One had turned out to be the mother of his child, the other a serial killer. It wasn’t a decision he took lightly. And on the drive home, he’d boarded the flight to Second Thought Suburbia, where he’d overthought every detail of his and Abigail’s relationship. Did he love her, or was it too soon? Did he see a future with her, or was it just a bit of fun for now? Did he want to be with her long term? She was a few years younger than him, and even though they hadn’t discussed it, he knew that she wanted children. Would Kasia be enough, or did she want more? Was he ready to welcome another Tomek Bowen spawn into the world? He was forty years old, at a comfortable spot in his career. Did he have it in him?

He didn’t know. And he wasn’t ready to confront those sorts of questions just yet. So, like he always did, he pushed the questions – and answers – to the back of his mind, where he would deal with them later.

Whenever that may be.

Fortunately, when he got home, he was distracted by Kasia. His daughter had changed into her casual clothes and was in the middle of watching the television, sprawled across the sofa, face engrossed in her phone, as he stepped through the front door.

‘How was school?’

‘Fine.’

‘Sure?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Would you tell me if it wasn’t?’

‘Yeah.

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