Here to Stay by Mark Edwards

Author:Mark Edwards [Edwards, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Thriller
ISBN: 9781542006613
Google: CbirvAEACAAJ
Amazon: 1542006619
Barnesnoble: 1542006619
Goodreads: 42249612
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2019-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

We parked outside the house. Cuckoo Lane was quiet, wind blowing leaves along the street, the crime-scene tape that still ringed George and Edith’s place vibrating in the breeze.

‘I’m going straight to bed,’ Gemma said.

‘Can you not wait? I want to talk to your parents.’

She groaned.

‘Come on, Gemma. We need to speak to them about this money they borrowed from you and whether they’ve received the cash they’re owed. If the whole thing isn’t a lie, that is.’

She didn’t try to defend them.

‘I’m going to tell them I want them to move out,’ I said. ‘It’s time we gave them a deadline. One week today. I think that’s fair.’

‘But . . . what if they can’t find anywhere to go?’

‘I don’t know. Maybe they can move in with Stuart.’

She shook her head. ‘No.’

‘We need to be united on this, Gemma. Ideally, you should tell them as they’re your parents.’

‘I can’t,’ she whispered.

Again, I fought back my irritation and reminded myself how difficult this must be for her. She’d had a terrible childhood. Her insides must have been churning with conflicting emotions. ‘I understand. I’ll do it.’

I went to open the car door but she put her hand on my arm. ‘What about Chloe? I can’t bear the thought of her being out on the street.’

‘They’re not going to be on the street.’

‘They will be if they can’t find anywhere else to live.’

With everything I thought I now knew about Jeff and Lizzy, I wasn’t too upset by the idea of them being homeless. But I said, ‘Listen, if it comes to it, Chloe can stay with us. For a while, anyway, until she gets a job. Maybe I can find someone who’ll give her some work.’

Gemma nodded. She looked sick and miserable. Her skin was grey and damp.

‘But we can deal with that separately. Maybe they’ll surprise us and tell us the money’s come through and they’ve already found somewhere. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?’

‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘So would world peace.’

I left it at that and got out of the car, lifting our bags out of the boot.

‘Jeff? Lizzy?’ I called as I went inside. ‘We’re back.’

Silence, and the house felt empty. The post was on the doormat, indicating they’d been out a while, though the postman didn’t usually come until mid-morning.

‘Maybe they’re out looking at a house,’ I said to Gemma as she followed me towards the kitchen. ‘Or perhaps—’ I stopped dead. ‘What the hell?’

The kitchen was in total disarray. Dirty dishes and mugs were stacked up in the sink and there were three plates on the table containing what looked like the remnants of a full English breakfast. There was a puddle of milk on the floor by the sink. There was cereal all over the counter and a pile of what looked like cat vomit by the back door.

Worse than this, there was an odd gassy smell and, if I concentrated, I could hear hissing.

I rushed over to the cooker. One of the dials on the hob was turned slightly to the left.

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