The Dark Places by R. Whitfield (novel24 TXT) 📕

decided to take Parker the scenic route back to her parents’ house. They finished by driving past her old high school on Irishtown Road.

“And this is the home of the Indians,” she smiled. Parker nodded. “The best varsity football team for miles,” she continued jokingly.

Parker glanced out his side window at the towering pine trees that bordered the school oval. “A school on the edge of the woods,” he commented. “How many lessons did you skip exploring in there?”

Surin smiled but said nothing.

Parker noticed her hand was gripping the door handle so hard that her knuckles were white. He was about to ask her if she was OK when his phone rang. “Shit,” he said and pulled the car over to the kerb. “Rhodes,” he answered after fumbling to get the mobile out of his back pocket. Surin smiled and shook her head. “Her phone must be on silent, but she is here, sir,” he continued.

She looked over at him. It must be the chief.

“Doesn’t sound like our guy, but I’ll head back as soon as we’re done here to check it out anyway.”

Surin’s heart immediately started pounding. Has he struck again? Another girl?

“Thanks for the heads up,” Parker added and hung up the phone.

“Well?” Surin asked immediately. “Has he done it again?” she added, not masking the anger in her voice.

Parker shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

She waited for details.

“A girl that fits our victim profile was found dumped and strangled, but there’s no sign of rape, and no necklace has been found as yet.”

Surin sat back in the seat as relief washed over her, then she was engulfed by guilt as she realised that whoever this poor girl was, she deserved justice as well.

“The chief thought we still might want to check it out,” Parker said and pulled back out onto the road.

“You should go,” Surin continued, and Parker looked over at her quickly. Surin saw his questioning glance and added, “If I don’t at least stay for dinner, my mother will never forgive me. Dad can drive me up first thing tomorrow.”

Parker drove into the driveway of her parents’ home. “I’ll come in and say goodbye to your parents and apologise for leaving,” he said.

Surin rolled her eyes. “They will understand, Parker, relax,” she said. “Plus, it will give my mother a chance to ask me fifty questions about you once you’re gone.”

He laughed loudly, a sound she didn’t realise she had needed to hear. He got out of the car, and they walked to the front door together.

“I guess if this girl is one of ours, the tenuous connection all this might have had to me will be void,” Surin said, talking aloud but to herself.

Parker looked over at her. “I’ll call you as soon as I get the details.”

She nodded. “Do we have an ID yet?” she asked.

Parker flipped open his notebook. “Lucy,” he said soberly. “Lucy Mead.”

***

Surin balanced three large plates in one hand as she carried them into the kitchen to help her mother clean up, from dinner. “You have outdone yourself as usual,” she said, planting a kiss on her cheek.

“Sury, it was a roast lamb for goodness sake,” her mum said, shaking her head as she rinsed off the knives and forks in the sink.

“Well, it was the best roast lamb I have had in quite a while,” Surin replied. “Actually,” she added, perching on the barstool and leaning forward on her elbows, “it’s probably the first time I’ve had a roast since I was here last.”

Erin laughed. “So I won’t ask if you’re looking after yourself then,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

“I am perfectly fine,” Surin retorted, “there’s just not a lot of time to whip up a roast when you’re hunting killers,” she said.

“So dramatic,” Erin replied, rolling her eyes, “just like your father.”

Surin smiled as her mother bustled around the kitchen, fixing coffee. She took a moment to let the comforting sounds of her childhood home saturate her senses. Her father was mumbling incoherently at the television from the adjoining room, and pipes creaked as water trickled into the cistern. She smiled and listened to her mother hum an unnamed song under her breath. Surprisingly, she felt herself start to relax and realised, in that moment, that she was actually enjoying being there. Maybe the ghosts of North East had finally departed.

“Did Detective Rhodes say he would be back at all?” Erin casually dropped into their conversation.

“No, Ma,” Surin answered with a smile. “The lead we were chasing ended up being a dead-end, and we got another dead body back home.” She shifted her gaze down to her hands.

“Well, can’t say I’m not happy about that,” Erin replied, wiping down the bench. She nudged Surin’s arms out of the way. “No killer would be living in North East,” she added with a huff. “I knew you must have had your wires crossed.”

“Oh, really?” Surin started. “Next time I have a lead, I’ll run it by you first to see what you think.”

Erin nodded. “Wouldn’t be the first time. Your father used to ask me all the time for my opinion on his cases.” Surin laughed quietly, and as her mother walked past, she wrapped her arms around her waist.

“I do miss you,” she whispered and buried her face deep into her mother’s neck. There is no other scent in the world that was as comforting or calming as her mother’s delicate perfume mixed with the fragrance of lavender soap.

“I know,” Erin whispered back. “Let’s do this more.” She smiled and kissed Surin on the forehead. As she turned to leave, Surin immediately recalled a question she had wanted to ask her parents ever since she got back home that afternoon.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Eamon