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

list of household chores, struggling over the odd word but checking the picture next to it as a prompt.

‘Good lad,’ Paton said. ‘Man of the house.’ He regretted the phrase instantly, worried it might start Tommy off again asking for a kitten. He’d been upset the other evening when Paton and Wendy had to deny him what he wanted, and Wendy had felt guilty. Perhaps Tommy would settle for a gerbil or fish instead.

Paton patted Tommy on the shoulder then changed his mind and pulled him into a hug. Tommy might be fifteen but unlike most other teenagers he still enjoyed close contact. He gave his dad a big wet kiss on the cheek. Paton grinned, resisting the urge to dry it off in front of Tommy, then lifted his case off the bed and went downstairs to kiss Wendy goodbye. Tommy stood on the doorstep, waving as Paton drove away with a surge of excitement and anticipation. Could this be it? Would he catch up with Trina at last?

The journey was uneventful but tedious, and Paton made good time. Milton Keynes was a surprise. He was expecting a spread of modern housing and factories but there were trees – thousands of trees of different sizes, shapes and hues from majestic horse chestnuts holding candles of flowers aloft to silvery willows and bright green oak – lining the roads and shielding the housing estates from view. It was stunning and easy to get across town with the grid system. He was glad he’d got Satnav, though. He’d never navigate all these roundabouts without it.

Paton checked into the Holiday Inn then went straight out again. He entered a postcode of the location near Bletchley where the silver Fiesta was last recorded and set off. When he reached a vast housing estate of what looked like social housing he decided to drive around rather than knock on doors. There were simply too many houses here. He suddenly felt overwhelmed with the task he’d taken on. He must have been mad to think he may be able to trace the car or Trina Hodges. It would take a whole task force undertaking door to door enquiries on several estates for there to be any hope of finding them. He couldn’t give up this early though. He’d persuaded Metcalf to put his faith in him so he had to try his best for the next two days.

The Lakes Estate had a strange layout. Many of the flat-roofed terraced houses were only accessible by footpaths, and cars had to be left in nearby parking areas. Paton drove up and down the narrow roads, stopping and turning round in the car parks, looking for a silver Fiesta. He spotted a few but they were the wrong year and model. The one he was looking for was much older. After two hours he gave in to his rumbling stomach and drove into Bletchley centre to find something to eat. He sat in a café and studied Google Maps on his phone while he ate a tasteless burger. Were there any corners of the Lakes Estate that he’d missed? He wasn’t sure if he’d covered Gorman Place on the edge of the estate.

As he drove back, he wondered why he was bothering to do this. Even if he found an old model of the right age the owner might have changed the number plates. The car hadn’t been seen on the ANPR cameras for some time. He pulled into Gorman Place and passed the parked cars before coming to a dead end. Hang on. There was a silver car tucked into the corner. His pulse increased. It was a Fiesta and the right age of car. The number plate was different but Paton parked up and walked around the vehicle.

The offside rear wheel arch was damaged – bodywork dented and paint scraped off. It didn’t look recent, judging by the ingrained dirt. Paton glanced about and, seeing no one, pulled his phone from his pocket and took a photograph.

Back in his car he called his team. ‘Tony, can you take another look at the Fiesta on the Paisley car showroom cameras. See if you can spot any damage to the off-side rear wheel arch. And check out this number plate.’ He gave Tony the details. ‘Cheers. Call me as soon as you can.’

He needed to find the local shops now to show the shop assistants the E-Fit of Trina. Where were the shops around here, though? He’d been driving around this estate for hours and he hadn’t seen any.

Chapter 57

The Following September | Grace

I pull a baggy grey jumper over my head and tug the hem down over my loose cotton trousers.

‘Mmmm, sexy,’ Mark teases, as he enters the bedroom.

I push his shoulder gently and laugh. ‘I’m not wearing decent clothes to work when I never know what I might be doing.’

I’m also trying to make myself look different from Lucy with her neatly-fitting, smart, designer labels and elegantly-styled, shiny blonde hair. I’d been thrilled when, on my first day as their cleaner, Jenna casually said her sister Lucy was calling in later and I’d held my breath as the back door opened and Lucy glided into the kitchen. She was everything I could have been and wanted to be. I’d hoped to experience a rush of emotion at finally having a sibling but all I felt was intimidated – by her confident walk, direct gaze and forthright questions.

I was fascinated to see we shared some common features – height, cupid’s bow lips, eye colour – and I was glad I’d had the foresight to dye my own blonde hair brown. With my frumpy clothes and subservient manner, the similarities faded into insignificance, and I’ve been able to maintain my charade as Grace the cleaner.

I’m not sure how I feel towards Lucy now. She’s not a warm person but she’s driven and knows what she wants out of life. I admire that, but I can’t help wondering