She sighed and slipped her hands from his, and rubbed at her eye. ‘Is that what you really think?’
‘I’m scared what they’ll do to you if you don’t stop.’
‘I know.’
A loud whine from behind them interrupted her thoughts, and a smile broke across Adam’s face.
‘In other news, Holly is a mum.’
‘What? When?’
Kay leapt from the kitchen stool and dashed round to where Adam sat.
He pointed to Holly’s bed, where four tiny wriggling forms curled up next to the huge dog, who stared up at them with deep dark eyes, her tongue lolling out.
Kay crossed her arms over her chest. ‘Well, you do look pleased with yourself, Holly.’ She glanced over her shoulder. ‘How old are they?’
‘Born at ten o’clock this morning. No complications, so I’ve phoned the family – they’ll be here in a bit to collect her and take them all home.’
Kay bent down and patted the huge dog on the head. ‘Good girl,’ she said, and stroked Holly’s head. Her eyes fell to the puppies suckling and tumbling over each other. ‘They’re so tiny.’
‘They’ll grow up fast enough. Maurice, the owner, has had Great Danes before, so he knows what he’s doing.’
‘I might go and get changed before he gets here.’
‘No problem.’
She kissed him on the way past, and then picked up her bag and shoes and climbed the stairs before making her way along the landing to their bedroom. She undressed, then moved into the en suite and turned on the taps.
A loud sob escaped her lips, and she allowed herself a couple of minutes to let it all out before splashing her face with cold water and drying her eyes.
She glared at herself in the mirror over the small sink.
‘Get a grip,’ she said. ‘You can’t be jealous of a dog.’
She heard the doorbell ring and hurried into the bedroom, throwing on jeans and a sweatshirt before running downstairs and into the kitchen, where Adam was talking to Holly’s owner and his son.
‘We’ve told Alec he’s allowed to keep one,’ said Maurice. He ruffled his son’s hair. ‘Have you made up your mind?’
‘This one. She’s really nice. And she doesn’t give up – look.’ The boy pointed out the tiny puppy that was now fighting its way over its siblings to get closer to its mother.
‘Thought of a name?’ said Kay.
Alec grinned. ‘Hunter,’ he said.
Adam snorted. ‘Well you’re going to have your hands full, that’s for sure.’
‘Oi.’ Kay slapped his arm, then turned back to Alec. ‘That’s very nice of you, thank you.’
‘We should get going.’ Maurice held his hand out to Adam, and then Kay. ‘Thanks for everything. I knew she’d be in safe hands.’
‘No problem,’ said Adam. ‘She was an absolute dream to deal with. You’ve got my number. Don’t hesitate to call if you need to.’
‘Ah, we’ll try to let you get your life back,’ Maurice grinned. ‘When do you want to see her at the surgery?’
‘I’ll be back in on Monday, so if you phone Anna and get an appointment then, that’ll be fine.’
Kay helped Alec gather the four puppies and placed them in the carry box, and Adam handed Holly’s lead to Maurice before giving the dog’s ears a rub.
‘Well done, Holly,’ he said.
They stood on the doorstep as the family waved goodbye, then watched the tail lights of the car recede down the street.
‘Come on,’ said Adam. ‘It’s wine o’clock.’
He kissed her cheek then moved away, his footsteps padding back to the kitchen.
‘Yeah.’ Kay swept her eyes over the street, seeking out the shadows between the streetlights.
Who was watching? Were they out there, waiting for another opportunity?
She wouldn’t be stopped, not now. She owed Gavin that much.
She had to find out who had attacked him.
She turned her back and slammed the door, sliding the new bolts across the top and bottom of the frame.
She straightened, then reached into her jeans pocket, her fist clenching around the USB stick.
‘I’ll get you, you bastards.’
* * *
<< THE END >>
A note from the author
* * *
Dear Reader,
* * *
First of all, I wanted to say a huge thank you for choosing to read Will to Live. I hope you enjoyed the story. If you did enjoy it, I'd be grateful if you could write a review. It doesn't have to be long, just a few words, but it is the best way for me to help new readers discover one of my books for the first time.
* * *
If you'd like to stay up to date with my new releases, as well as exclusive competitions and giveaways, you’re welcome to join my Reader Group at my website, www.rachelamphlett.com. I will never share your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time. You can also contact me via Facebook, Twitter, or by email. I love hearing from readers – I read every message and will always reply.
* * *
Thanks again for your support.
* * *
Best wishes,
Rachel Amphlett
Scared to Death
(Detective Kay Hunter series, book 1)
* * *
A serial killer murdering for kicks.
A detective seeking revenge.
* * *
When the body of a snatched schoolgirl is found in an abandoned biosciences building, the case is first treated as a kidnapping gone wrong.
* * *
But Detective Kay Hunter isn’t convinced, especially when a man is found dead with the ransom money still in his possession.
* * *
When a second schoolgirl is taken, Kay’s worst fears are realised.
* * *
With her career in jeopardy and desperate to conceal a disturbing secret, Kay’s hunt for the killer becomes a race against time before he claims another life.
* * *
For the killer, the game has only just begun…
* * *
Scared to Death is a gripping fast paced crime thriller from author Rachel Amphlett, and the first novel in a new series introducing Kay Hunter – a detective with a hidden past and an uncertain future…
One to Watch (Detective Kay Hunter, book 3)
Sophie Whittaker shared a terrifying secret. Hours later, she was dead.
* * *
Detective Kay Hunter and her colleagues are shocked by the vicious murder of a teenage girl at a private party in the Kentish countryside.
* * *
A tangled web of dark secrets is exposed as twisted motives point to a history of greed and corruption within the tight-knit community.
Confronted by a growing number of suspects and her own enemies who are waging a vendetta against her, Kay makes a shocking discovery that will make her question her trust in everyone she knows.
* * *
One to Watch is a gripping murder mystery thriller, and the third in the Detective Kay Hunter series.
Copyright © 2017 by Rachel Amphlett
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN eBook:978-0-9944337-7-0
ISBN paperback:978-0-9944337-8-7
ISBN audiobook:978-0-9945479-2-7
Contents
Untitled
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 1
5
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
From the Author
Also by Rachel Amphlett
Untitled
Will to Live Page 21