‘You know what I think? Leading The Reborners was a massive power trip for Christian. I’m not convinced that Geoffrey or Emily tried to blackmail him. Running the cult made him feel godlike, choosing who deserved a second chance and who didn’t. His ratings were flagging because of his rubbish predictions, and the public was fickle, only loving him for his fiancée, not for himself. He involved Bert because he was jealous of his psychic powers, and maybe even mine.’ Jennifer stared through the office window, thankful for clear blue skies. The more she spoke, the closer she came to believing her own theory. ‘Christian wanted Bert to get his comeuppance, just like the others, but the power of Bert’s convictions scared him, and that’s why he always kept us one step behind, in case he needed us to bail him out. We found other letters in his home, one for Geoffrey, and one for George. I guess it became too risky to deliver them, with all the police on the streets.’
Ethan swivelled his chair to face her. ‘The main thing is that you and Will came through it in one piece. If you ever need to speak to anyone, my door is always open.’
‘Don’t worry about me, I’m like a rubber ball,’ Jennifer said, wearing her most convincing smile. She was glad of the distraction of staying at Will’s while he recovered, and did not relish the thoughts of going home alone. The adjoining loft to the empty flat next door had been sealed up, but she still felt ill at ease in her home. Will had denied making any noises in the loft, much less throwing the items that distracted Christian long enough for her to fight back. He had looked at her blankly, when she put it to him. His only memory was being held captive by Bert, and passing out as he inched the knife into his stomach.
Christian had given his interviewing officer the same blank look when questioned about writing on her bathroom mirror, with the words ‘LOOK UP’. He actually had the cheek to send his apologies, and planned to write a book of his experiences. The news of his denial provided her with comfort. Whatever was in the walls of her home had tried to help her, and she would not question it further. Perhaps it was George who had come back to right a wrong, or the written warning had come from older souls, who had inhabited the space long before. Whatever the reason, such occurrences were woven into the very fabric of her life, and impossible to escape. The best news came in the form of George’s dog, Tinker. Having heard the story of the pining pet, Will persuaded his parents to take him in. It may not have been the grandchild they wished for, but being the focus of their adoration helped the little dog settle in quicker than any of them dared hope for.
Ethan’s voice broke into her thoughts as she rose to leave. ‘Hang on, Jennifer, I have a proposition to put to you.’
‘Go on,’ Jennifer said, eyeing him warily. It was no secret she was with Will, and she tried to contain the blush spreading to her cheeks as she wondered what he was going to say.
He slid a manila folder from his neatly stacked pile. ‘How do you feel about doing a little family liaison work for a couple of weeks? It’s day shifts, and would give you a bit more time with Will.’
Jennifer frowned. She had trained as a FLO before joining Operation Moonlight in the hope of being given some better jobs. It hardly seemed to matter now. ‘What’s it all about?’
Ethan flipped open the folder and handed her some copies of the enquiry log. ‘It’s Sergeant Duncan from Lexton MIT. You may have heard that one of his twins went missing … The press is going to be all over this and we need one of our best officers supporting the parents. Are you up for it?’
‘That’s awful,’ Jennifer said, reading through the paperwork. A photo of the identical blonde girls caught her eye. Both wearing the same colourful dresses, the children smiled brightly for the camera. She read the names, Abigail and Olivia. They weren’t much older than her nephew Joshua. A pang of sadness drove through her chest as she wondered which girl had disappeared. But she couldn’t bring herself to take it on. Her emotional involvement would only serve to hinder the case. It only took seconds to decide against it.
‘I appreciate you thinking of me, boss, but I’m not sure I’m the right person for this family. After all, I’ve just joined Op Moonlight, and Claire needs me.’
‘Your sergeant suggested you for it. This is far from straightforward, Jennifer; there’s been some strange goings-on with the other twin,’ Ethan said.
Jennifer eased herself back into her chair, her interest piqued. ‘Really? What sort of things?’
Ethan gave her a knowing smile. ‘Enough to make the current FLO walk out on the family. Let’s just say we need someone with your skills to handle the case.’
Jennifer slowly nodded, a flutter of excitement awakening inside as the meaning behind his words took hold. ‘In that case, count me in.’
Letter from Caroline
Releasing my first fiction novel, Don’t Turn Around was a nerve-wracking experience. I wondered if readers would suspend their beliefs long enough to take DC Jennifer Knight into their hearts. An ordinary detective dealing with the extra ordinary took on a whole new level when I introduced Frank Foster AKA ‘The Grim Reaper’ to the scene.
Nothing could have prepared me for the amount of support I received upon release. I was literally moved to tears. Many of you will know my own story, and of my personal experiences with a paranormal entity in my home. During those difficult years when the activity was at its worst, my family and I felt very alone. My writing career is the silver lining, which has blossomed from those dark days, and using my personal experiences in both the police and the paranormal has helped me develop immensely as an author.
Thank you to everyone who has promoted my work through word of mouth or by social media. Every tweet, share, review and recommendation really does matter, and I am so very grateful. I have been fortunate enough to meet many new friends in the form of authors, industry professionals, book bloggers, and readers since joining Bookouture, and I value your support dearly.
If you’d like to keep up-to-date with all my latest releases, just sign up here:
Caroline Mitchell new releases email
Thank you so much for your support – until next time,
Caroline
www.caroline-writes.com
Also by Caroline Mitchell
Detective Jennifer Knight series
1. DON’T TURN AROUND
2. TIME TO DIE
Non fiction
PARANORMAL INTRUDER
Published by Bookouture
An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
23 Sussex Road, Ickenham, UB10 8PN
United Kingdom
www.bookouture.com
Copyright © Caroline Mitchell 2015
Caroline Mitchell has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.