Blood Loss by Kerena Swan (good beach reads .txt) 📕

young, with round cheeks and an easy smile, and he had no trouble striking up a conversation with her. ‘This cake is delicious. I might have to find a hotel nearby so I can come back tomorrow for another one,’ he joked.

She laughed. ‘Yummy, aren’t they?’

‘Is this the only place that sells them?’ he asked, already knowing the answer. ‘I might get some for the team. It’s my turn to buy cakes.’

‘There are six other Bramwell cafés across Manchester and they all have the same cakes so you can buy them elsewhere. For now, anyway,’ she added darkly.

‘For now?’

‘The owner is selling out.’ She shifted uncomfortably, clearly regretting her indiscretion.

‘Shame. Will you keep your job?’

‘I think so. I just hope the new owners are good to work for.’ She gazed out of the window for a moment then pulled her attention back into the room. She lowered her voice. ‘Although, the last I heard the deal had come to a standstill.’

Paton was about to ask if she knew why when another customer called for his bill. She was back within minutes and Paton ordered a coffee. He put the photo of Robert Nash on the table and showed her his police ID badge. She looked startled. ‘Have you ever seen this gentleman in here?’ Paton asked.

She picked up the photo and stared at it. ‘Has he done something wrong?’

‘We’re just trying to trace someone he may have met.’

‘He came in a couple of times to see the boss. I remember because he tripped over his bag and knocked a woman’s coffee over her magazine.’ She giggled. ‘He asked me to make her another coffee, dropped a five pound note on the table and ran out of the door.’

Paton’s face fell but she smiled. ‘I thought he couldn’t face the embarrassment but he was back within five minutes with another magazine for her. They got chatting and a few days later met here again. So romantic.’ She sighed and rubbed her naked ring finger. ‘I wouldn’t mind him throwing coffee over my table. He’s very handsome.’

Not anymore. ‘Would you be able to describe the woman he met?’ Paton asked.

‘Probably.’ She lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘To be honest I was a bit envious. She was skinny – slim, I suppose is the right word – and blonde with lovely green eyes and clear skin.’ She paused. ‘Her clothes were pretty ordinary though. Why do you need to know this?’

‘Could you come to the police station and do an E-Fit picture? We need to trace this woman in relation to a suspected crime.’

The waitress’s eyes widened with interest and her voice raised a pitch. ‘Wow. What’s she done? She looked like she wouldn’t even steal pick-n-mix sweets.’

‘I can’t tell you that. The E-Fit may take some time. When do you finish work? I also need to record a statement from you.’

She checked her watch and glanced around the café. ‘I’ll see if I can get away early as it’s fairly quiet now. How exciting!’ She clasped her hands together. ‘I’ve never done anything like this before.’

Chapter 35

March | Sarah

Derek’s scowl is chased away by a beaming smile when he sees me on his doorstep.

‘Can I be cheeky and use your computer again? I need to research something and the library is shut.’

‘Be as cheeky as you like.’

Derek winks at me and I suppress a shudder of revulsion. He opens the door but doesn’t leave a big enough gap so I have to squeeze past him. My nose tingles from the smell of sweat and engine oil emanating from his work clothes.

The kitchen door isn’t latched properly and Rex gambols down the hall and jumps up to put his paws on my shoulders. I pull back as a wet tongue flaps towards my cheek. Bloody dog. Why can’t Derek teach him to behave? God, I hate coming round here. As soon as I can afford it I’m getting myself a laptop.

‘He’s pleased to see you too,’ Derek laughs. ‘Down, Rex. He hasn’t had his walk yet. I’ve been too busy.’

‘I can walk him later as a thank you for using the computer.’ At least that will stop Derek asking for any other payment.

I sit in front of the screen and scrawl through numerous website ads, trying to find a resource that will give me details of births at the hospital where I was born. Rex is lying on my feet and Derek is watching me and glancing at the screen but I ignore them both. Derek doesn’t appear to be busy so I don’t know why he can’t take his smelly dog out for a walk now. I change the Google search a few times then see an advert offering a free view of birth records in selected towns with no sign-up required. I click on the website and see that they’re asking for volunteers to help enter data and keep it as a free service. I tick boxes to say I’m searching for birth records within a certain three-month window. I don’t have a surname but there can’t be many babies called Jenna born within that time frame in Milton Keynes, especially as the town itself was in its infancy.

It only takes a couple of minutes for the result to pop up. Jenna Winterbourne born between Sept and Dec 1995. I suck my breath in and hold it. Oh my God. This is the one. This is me! I should be Jenna Winterbourne – not Sarah fucking Butcher. Two babies in the same incubator, their ID bracelets removed by an incompetent student and the wrong infants handed back to the mothers. I want to scream the news to the world. I want to research baby swaps to see if this has happened to anyone else but I need to be alone. I feel quite faint.

‘Are you all right, Sarah? You’ve gone white.’ Derek is peering into my face and I rear back. His breath smells worse than the dog’s. ‘What’s