‘Run!’ he shouted.
As Tony and Megan swirled around in confusion, three people rushed towards them. Conor turned and fled.
He used to know where the entrance to the tunnel was. But now, ten years later, in the dark, he couldn’t find it. As a hand gripped his shoulder and hauled him down, he was aware only of the wet ground rising up to meet him, and he closed his eyes.
Sixty-Five
One week later
Leo Belfield was propped up with pillows, but all the monitors had been removed.
‘Are you ready to give a statement?’ Lottie asked.
‘It all happened so fast.’
‘I’m sure you can recall some of it.’ She sat on a chair beside his bed.
‘She went for me with the knife. Shouting that she wanted to take your daughters but someone had got them first. Apparently she’d seen Megan talking to them at the accident site. She said she knew you’d come to Farranstown at some stage and she’d get you then.’
‘What did you do?’
‘Defended myself. She had the knife in one hand and a noose in the other. She lashed out. Kept stabbing while I tried to wrench the knife from her hand. One wound was fairly deep and I knew I was losing a lot of blood, but eventually I was able to twist her arm enough so that she dropped the knife.’
‘Mmm. So how come she ended up with a rope around her neck and the life choked out of her?’ Lottie returned Leo’s stare.
‘Do you want me to go to prison?’
‘No.’
‘Let’s say she got entangled in it as we fought. And leave it at that.’
Lottie wasn’t one for leaving things. But Bernie Kelly would no longer be able to stalk her family, and that was good enough for her. As long as the forensic evidence didn’t say otherwise, Leo should be in the clear.
‘I’ll see,’ she said. ‘Rose is outside. You up to listening to her?’
‘Sure.’
His hand reached for hers. She shared the same biological mother with this man, but still she saw him as a stranger. She stood and put her hands in her pockets. ‘I’ll send her in.’
Sixty-Six
They didn’t say much. Katie or Chloe. That worried Lottie. It was as if they had bonded in the hours they’d been held captive and were keeping her outside that experience. They seemed determined to ensure she remained outside.
Katie was sitting on the couch with Louis asleep in her arms, and Chloe was lying with her head on Katie’s lap. They’d been injected with a concoction of drugs by Megan Price, none of which had lasting medical effects. Lottie wondered when, if ever, the psychological effects would evaporate. Easing the door closed, she stood in the hall listening. Boyd was upstairs with Sean. Playing a computer game, no doubt.
Making her way to the kitchen, she felt the unease of failure settling like a wet blanket on her shoulders. Failure at being a good mother.
As she filled the kettle to make tea, she knew what she really wanted was an alcoholic drink, but she had lasted so far without falling back into that bad habit, so tea was all she would drink.
Kirby had recovered quickly and had been back in the office the next day, even more morose than in the weeks following Gilly’s death. Lottie had yet to deal with his error in not searching Amy’s locker. In one of the tunnels, McGlynn had discovered Amy and Louise’s handbags, and bloodstained clothing most likely used by Megan.
She was glad that McKeown had settled in well with the team, and was looking forward to having him working with Maria Lynch when she was back from maternity leave. That was if McMahon allowed her to remain as detective inspector. She’d asked Cynthia Rhodes to have a word with him, to make him think it was Cynthia’s idea to run the missing persons news report on Katie and Chloe. She now owed Cynthia big-time. There was also the question of a review being conducted into Conor Dowling’s conviction and Superintendent Corrigan’s role. But judging by past experience, Lottie knew that could take years.
Leo Belfield was recovering, and Rose had said he could stay with her until he was able to return to America. Lottie was acutely aware that Leo was her last remaining biological relative. Something she needed to address, but not right now.
She thought of Megan Price, who was in Mountjoy women’s prison awaiting trial. The loss of four young lives just because Megan felt betrayed by Conor Dowling and the whole damn world. So many families shattered, and for what? It surely wasn’t love, Lottie thought. Conor had been arrested for the death of Hannah Lee and Tony Keegan had been arrested in connection with the assault and robbery of Bill Thompson. Both were out on bail.
Lottie sighed wearily as Boyd came into the kitchen.
‘All okay?’ he asked.
‘Things can only get better.’ She smiled at him and took mugs down from the cupboard. ‘I have two IKEA cabinets upstairs, still flat-packed, if you’re at a loose end.’
He was looking shifty, rubbing his hands into each other. ‘Lottie, I’ve something to ask you.’
‘I’m busy. Can’t it wait?’
‘Busy? You’re just making tea. And no, it can’t wait.’
‘Go ahead so.’ She put tea bags into the mugs.
He came to stand in front of her, turned her to face him. She felt the touch of his skin on her hand. ‘It’s kind of awkward. I’ve only ever said this once before, and that didn’t work out the way it was supposed to.’
‘Boyd, get a move on. I want a cup of tea and I need to get into the office for a few hours. I’ve so much paperwork to do, the rainforests are in mortal danger of extinction.’
‘I think they are anyway, with or without you.’
Lottie stared at his bruised and battered face. She hoped he wasn’t looking for a transfer. No, it definitely was not the time to ask for a transfer.
‘I’m listening,’ she said, and silently prepared her speech as she folded her arms and leaned back against the counter.
He grabbed her hand again and held it to his lips.
‘Lottie, will you marry me?’
‘What did you say?’ She felt his hand tighten on hers.
‘Will you marry me?’
Nervous laughter crept up her throat. ‘Boyd, I think that knock on your head was more serious than you thought. You should have had the MRI like the doctors wanted. I don’t want you passing out on the job and—’
‘Will you stop talking for a minute?’
She clamped her lips tightly shut and felt her eyes widening in disbelief. Had he really said what she thought he’d said?
‘I’m serious,’ he told her.
‘I don’t know what to say, Boyd. This is so sudden …’
His voice sounded more determined. ‘I’ve been thinking about asking you for the last year. I wanted to ask you many times, but I never had the courage.’
‘So what changed?’
‘When that crane came down, I stared death in the face and woke up.’
‘Is that from Shakespeare or someone?’
He rolled his eyes and put an arm either side of her, his hands on the counter. She could feel the heat from his body and it charged through her own. She didn’t know where to look.
‘I know this isn’t the most romantic setting, but it’s so difficult to get you on your own without an audience, and to get you in a good mood.’
‘This is my good mood?’ She tried to still the racing in her heart. ‘Christ, Boyd, you don’t know me at all.’
‘I think I know you better than you know yourself. So, is it to be or not to be? And that is Shakespeare.’
‘You crack me up.’ Should she run or should she stay? Oh God, she didn’t know what to do.
‘I’m serious.’ He didn’t take his eyes off hers.
‘Jesus, Boyd.’ Emotions churned so quickly, she felt them tumbling around in her stomach. An ache spread across her chest and she didn’t know if it was physical or emotional. What did she want? She had no idea.
‘Say something,’ he said, tugging at his clean-shaven scarred chin.<
br />
‘I … I don’t know what I want. Thank you. Oh God, Mark, thank you for asking me, but I need to think about it.’
‘What do you need to think about? We’re not getting any younger. Life is dangerous and unpredictable.’
‘I’m dangerous and unpredictable.’
‘You’re right there.’ He smiled and her heart thumped a little faster.
Yes, she wanted Boyd. But did she want him all the time? Every day. Every minute of the day? She needed time.
‘Okay. Take time to think about it,’ he said.
She took his hands in hers and squeezed. ‘Thank you.’
‘I love you, Lottie.’
She didn’t answer. Just stared at him. He took a deep breath, feathered a kiss on her lips, then turned and picked up his jacket from the back of the chair. She heard the soft thud of the door closing.
She stared at the empty space he’d left in his wake. Alone, she sat down and thought of all she had wanted to say to him and hadn’t.
She hoped it wasn’t too late.
* * *
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Books by Patricia Gibney
THE DETECTIVE LOTTIE PARKER SERIES:
1. The Missing Ones
2. The Stolen Girls
3. The Lost Child
4. No Safe Place
5. Tell Nobody
A Letter from Patricia
Hello, dear reader,
Sincere thanks to you for reading my sixth novel, Final Betrayal. If you enjoyed the book and would like to join my mailing list to be kept informed of my new releases, please click here:
Sign up here!
I’m so grateful to you for sharing your precious time with Lottie Parker, her family and her team. If you enjoyed the read, you might like to follow Lottie throughout the series of novels. To those of you who have already read the first five Lottie Parker books, The Missing Ones, The Stolen Girls, The Lost Child, No Safe Place and Tell Nobody, I thank you for your support and reviews.
It would be fantastic if you could post a review on Amazon or Goodreads, or indeed on the site where you purchased the book. It would mean so much to me. And thank you for the reviews received so far. You can also connect with me on my Facebook author page or Twitter, and I have a blog (which I try to keep up to date).
Thanks again, and I hope you will join me for book seven in the series.
Love,
Patricia
www.patriciagibney.com
The Missing Ones
Detective Lottie Parker Book 1
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The hole they dug was not deep. A white flour bag encased the little body. Three small faces watched from the window, eyes black with terror.
The child in the middle spoke without turning his head. ‘I wonder which one of us will be next?’
When a woman’s body is discovered in a cathedral and hours later a young man is found hanging from a tree outside his home, Detective Lottie Parker is called in to lead the investigation. Both bodies have the same distinctive tattoo clumsily inscribed on their legs. It’s clear the pair are connected, but how?
The trail leads Lottie to St Angela’s, a former children’s home, with a dark connection to her own family history. Suddenly the case just got personal.
As Lottie begins to link the current victims to unsolved murders decades old, two teenage boys go missing. She must close in on the killer before they strike again, but in doing so is she putting her own children in terrifying danger?
Lottie is about to come face to face with a twisted soul who has a very warped idea of justice.
Fans of Rachel Abbott, Karin Slaughter and Robert Dugoni will be gripped by this page-turning serial killer thriller, guaranteed to keep you reading late into the night.
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The Stolen Girls
Detective Lottie Parker Book 2
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The young woman standing on Lottie’s step was a stranger. She was clutching the hand of a young boy. ‘Help me’ she said to Lottie. ‘Please help me’.
One Monday morning at dawn, a young woman and her son visit the house of Detective Lottie Parker, begging for help to find a lost friend. The same day, the body of a young pregnant woman is found.
Could this be the same girl?
When another victim is discovered by the same man, with the murder bearing all the same hallmarks as the first, Lottie needs to work fast to discover how else the two were linked. Then two more girls go missing.
Detective Lottie Parker is a woman on the edge, haunted by her tragic past and struggling to keep her family together through difficult times. Can she fight her own demons and catch the killer before he claims another victim?
The Stolen Girls is a gripping and page-turning thriller that will leave you breathless. Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Karin Slaughter and Robert Dugoni.
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The Lost Child
Detective Lottie Parker Book 3
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They placed me in here and threw away the key. I look down at the gown they’ve put on me. I want my own clothes. I don’t know how long I’ve been here.
An elderly woman is found murdered in her own home, and Detective Lottie Parker and her partner Detective Boyd are called in to investigate. When they discover that the victim’s daughter is missing as well, they start to fear for the safety of the whole family…
Two days later as a nearby house is set on fire and with the body count rising, Lottie and her team begin to unpick a web of secrets and lies, as the murders seem to link back to a case investigated by Lottie’s father before he took his own life.
With little knowledge of what really happened to her father, Lottie knows this is a case that could give her some answers. But how much does she want to know? And how far is Lottie prepared to dig to uncover the truth?
The Lost Child is a thrilling page-turner from the bestselling author of The Missing Ones and The Stolen Girls that will have you guessing right to the very last page. Perfect for fans of Rachel Abbott, Angela Marsons and Robert Dugoni.
Get it here!
No Safe Place
Detective Lottie Parker Book 4
Buy it now!
Her bare feet stuck to the frost as she ran. She wanted to scream out loud, but she knew he’d find her if she made a noise. As she stopped to listen for his heavy footsteps, she wondered if she would ever make it out alive…
As funeral mourners stand in silence at Ragmullin cemetery, a deafening cry cuts through the air. Lying crumpled at the bottom of an open grave is the bloodied body of a young woman, and Detective Lottie Parker is called in to investigate.
Knowing the body can’t have been there long, Lottie wonders if it could be Elizabeth Bryne, a young woman who vanished without trace just days earlier. And with a new boss who seems to have it in for her, Lottie is under pressure to solve both cases quickly.
As two more women go missing from Ragmullin, Lottie and her team fear there is a serial killer on the loose. And the disappearances are strikingly similar to a cold case from ten years earlier. Could history be repeating itself?
As journalists begin to interfere with Lottie’s investigation, she fears the killer is about to strike again. Lottie is in a race against time to find the missing women, but the killer is closer than she thinks. Could Lottie be his next target?
If you love Angela Marsons, Robert Bryndza and Rachel Abbott, you’ll love the latest pulse-pounding thriller from Patricia Gibney. No Safe Place will keep you guessing until the very last page.
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it here!
Tell Nobody
Detective Lottie Parker Book 5
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The boy’s body was so white it was almost transparent. But that’s not what caused the nausea to rise up her throat. He was so young. His body was unmarked, surrounded by a halo of plucked wildflowers.
One hot summer evening, eleven-year-old Mikey Driscoll is on the way home from playing with friends. Two days later, his body is discovered on a bed of wildflowers by some local teenagers.
The case is assigned to Detective Lottie Parker and this time it’s personal. The victim was a close friend of her son, Sean, from the run-down Munbally estate on the other side of town. Sean tells his mother Mikey was behaving normally before he died, but Lottie can’t help but feel that her son is keeping something from her…
Then days later, another boy is found dead, surrounded by wild flowers next to beautiful Ladystown Lake.
On the hunt for a twisted individual with a terrifying calling card, Lottie must uncover the web of secrets within Mikey’s circle of friends. Someone is hiding something but who are they protecting and can Lottie find out before it’s too late? Lottie is desperate to catch the killer before he strikes again because this time her own child could be in terrible danger…
If you love Karin Slaughter, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Abbott, you’ll love the latest heart-stopping thriller from Patricia Gibney. Tell Nobody will keep you guessing until the very last page.
Get it here!
Acknowledgements
This is the sixth book in the Lottie Parker series, and I am hugely indebted to so many people for supporting me on this writing journey.
Final Betrayal Page 33