The Secret Admirer: An absolutely gripping crime thriller (Detective Natalie Ward Book 6)

by Carol Wyer

  ‘What about David?’

  ‘That’s the million-dollar question. Only you can decide if or how much he still fits into your life.’

  She searched her soul for the answer and it was as clear as the sky Chris Martin sang about. No matter how little David remembered, or how much support he’d require, the fact remained that his and Natalie’s relationship and marriage were over. She’d left him to start again with Mike. ‘Josh is out tonight. Why don’t you come in?’

  ‘Yeah, I’d like that.’

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Thursday, 22 November – Afternoon

  Natalie and her team had spent the day writing up reports and ensuring every piece of evidence was logged in preparation for the trials that Henry, Lennox and Rhiannon would face. At 3 p.m. she left and drove across town to visit Sasha.

  Sasha had been busy. Photographs of Gemma that had been in albums were now artistically displayed as montages in frames – a timeline of her daughter’s life from infant to a nineteen-year-old, stretched across the sitting room wall. Everywhere Natalie looked, she saw Gemma’s smiling face.

  ‘I don’t ever want to forget her. I’m returning everything to her room and setting it up as it was before she left home,’ said Sasha with a heavy sadness. She lifted the pink jumper she’d been clutching and held it to her nose. Natalie recognised the garment. It was in front of her in the most recent montage of photos where Gemma, with arms out to her side, swirled and twirled for the camera, in that very garment and ripped jeans. ‘What do I do when the smell goes?’ The voice had weakened and Natalie understood her anxiety.

  ‘By then, you’ll be ready to move forward. One step at a time,’ said Natalie, who still slept with Leigh’s teddy bear for exactly the same reason. She ought to embrace Leigh’s life not hide it away in boxes as she had been doing. She should make collages and montages, like these on the wall, from photos of her own beautiful child. Sasha’s grief was as palpable as her own but she was already ahead of Natalie in terms of progress. She talked about her child, rather than hiding from the truth.

  ‘Will you be at the funeral?’

  ‘Yes.’ Natalie wasn’t going to allow this woman to sit alone in a church while she buried her only child. She would be there for her as would the others on her team as a mark of respect.

  ‘Thank you. And will you still come and visit me afterwards when it’s all over? Just for a cup of tea or a glass of wine?’

  ‘Yes.’ She meant it.

  Sasha gave a brave smile. ‘I’ve got something to show you. I finished it last night.’ She disappeared for a minute and returned with an emerald-green bibbed dress hanging from a wooden coat hanger. ‘It’s the first in a collection of clothes especially designed for students. I’ve named the collection after her. This was her favourite colour. I’m going to keep on with the sewing. There’s a boutique in town that’s expressed some interest in selling my clothes. I’m going to prove Gemma right.’

  ‘She’d have been very proud of you.’

  ‘Yes, she would, wouldn’t she?’ She looked up at the collages of photos on the wall.

  ‘For you, my baby girl. I love you so much.’ Silver tears trickled down her cheeks and Natalie moved towards her, putting arms around her to comfort her, and they stood, sharing the pain that only they could understand existed.

  The phone call had come as she was on her way back to the flat. David was conscious and this time his memory was working. The consultant was encouraged. David was showing no signs of brain damage, and appointments to see a psychiatrist had been arranged. David wanted to see her again if she could find time to come by. She opened the door to her flat and caught the smell of Italian herbs. David’s signature dish was lasagne, and for one fleeting moment, she imagined he was here. It wasn’t David who shouted hello but Josh.

  ‘Hi, Mum. I thought I’d cook for us tonight – it’s only a ready meal. Is that okay?’

  She beamed at her son. A box sat on the kitchen table. It was the hairdryer he’d promised to buy. She couldn’t help herself and wrapped her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. He didn’t push her away. When she broke off, he said, ‘I was talking to Pippa about Dad and she made me understand a couple of things. I think I’d like to go and see him, if that’s okay.’

  ‘That’s definitely okay. He’ll be glad. We can go after we’ve eaten, if you like.’

  ‘Yeah, that’d be good.’

  She headed into the bedroom to get changed then crouched down to pull out a box. She lifted the lid and pulled out the top few photographs. Leigh’s face brightened the room. Her hair blown by the sea breeze was soft and light and framed her sweet face. The top that Eric had bought her on holiday had wrapped itself around her slim frame. Her right arm was balanced across her brother’s shoulders and Josh smiled proudly at the camera. Natalie pressed the picture to her lips and placed it on the bed. It would go into a frame much like the ones Sasha had put up on her walls. She was going to fill frames with photos of her children, and when she finally moved in with Mike, she’d make up frames of Thea and him and hopefully more montages of them with her and Josh. She had to stop hiding away her memories. It was time to move on.

  If The Secret Admirer had you flying through the pages, deep into the night, then why not sign up to Carol Wyer’s mailing list to be the first to hear about her new releases?

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  Books by Carol Wyer

  The DI Natalie Ward series

  The Birthday

  Last Lullaby

  The Dare

  The Sleepover

  The Blossom Twins

  The Secret Admirer

  The DI Robyn Carter series

  Little Girl Lost

  Secrets of the Dead

  The Missing Girls

  The Silent Children

  The Chosen Ones

  Other titles

  Life Swap

  Take a Chance on Me

  Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines

  Surfing in Stilettos

  Just Add Spice

  Grumpy Old Menopause

  How Not to Murder Your Grumpy

  Grumpies On Board

  Love Hurts

  Available in Audio

  The DI Natalie Ward series

  The Birthday (Available in the UK and the US)

  Last Lullaby (Available in the UK and the US)

  The Dare (Available in the UK and the US)

  The Sleepover (Available in the UK and the US)

  The Blossom Twins (Available in the UK and the US)

  The DI Robyn Carter series

  Little Girl Lost (Available in the UK and the US)

  Secrets of the Dead (Available in the UK and the US)

  The Missing Girls (Available in the UK and the US)

  The Silent Children (Available in the UK and the US)

  The Chosen Ones (Available in the UK and the US)

  A Letter from Carol

  Hello, dear reader,

  My sincere thanks to you for buying and reading The Secret Admirer. I really hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. There’s more to come in this series, and if you’d like to keep up to date with all my latest releases, just sign up at the following link. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

  Sign up here!

  Wow! Book six in the series already and I find myself fully enmeshed in Natalie’s life and wondering what will happen next. Actually, I already know… but that would be telling.

  I am aware that many of my readers have found David to be somebody they love to hate. I hope after reading The Secret Admirer you will feel more sympathy towards him and have an understanding of what he has been through. Of course, Natalie has had her own fa
ir share of troubles and difficulties, and I’m afraid there are more problems and shocks to come in the next book.

  If you enjoyed reading The Secret Admirer, please write a review, no matter how brief it is. You have no idea how much they mean to me and I would be hugely grateful if you would spare a few minutes to write one.

  I hope you’ll join me for the next book in the DI Natalie Ward series, which will be out Summer 2020.

  Thank you,

  Carol

  www.carolwyer.co.uk

  The Birthday

  Detective Natalie Ward Book 1

  One hot summer’s afternoon, five-year-old Ava Sawyer went to a party. She never came home…

  When five-year-old Ava Sawyer goes missing from a birthday party at a local garden centre, the police are bewildered by the lack of leads. That is until two years later, when Ava’s body is found and another little girl, Audrey Briggs, goes missing. Audrey also attended that party…

  Leading the investigation is Detective Natalie Ward. A mother of two teenagers, this case chills her to the bone, and is a disturbing reminder of the last job she worked on. One that ended very badly.

  Natalie soon discovers that Ava’s mother has some worrying gaps in her alibi and as she digs deeper, she’s sure Ava’s father is not telling the full story. And what did the owner of the garden centre Elsa see that day? Something that she’s not telling Natalie…

  Just as Natalie is facing up to the grim possibility that Ava and Audrey were killed by someone close to home, another little girl from the party doesn’t come home from her ballet lesson. Can Natalie find a way to stop this killer before more innocent lives are taken?

  Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will send shivers down your spine. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.

  Order The Birthday now!

  Last Lullaby

  Detective Natalie Ward Book 2

  Charlotte’s baby is safe. But is she?

  When the body of young mother Charlotte Brannon is discovered by her husband in their immaculate, silver bedroom, Detective Natalie Ward is first on the scene. The killer has left a chilling calling card: the word ‘Why?’ written on the wall in blood.

  Determined to find justice, Natalie quickly discovers the husband is hiding a troubled past, and she’s sure the teenage babysitter’s alibi doesn’t quite add up.

  But before Natalie can dig deeper, another mother is murdered, her young son left distraught, staring at a fresh ‘who’ scrawled beside her.

  Natalie knows it’s only a matter of time before the killer strikes again, but all the key suspects have alibis. It’s her toughest case yet, and with her marriage hanging by a thread, the cracks are beginning to show.

  Just when Natalie finds an unsettling clue she thinks could solve the case, another young woman and her baby disappear, and a member of Natalie’s team is put in terrible danger.

  Can Natalie stop this twisted killer and save one of her own before more families are torn apart forever?

  Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will send shivers down your spine. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.

  Order Last Lullaby now!

  The Dare

  Detective Natalie Ward Book 3

  Jane’s daughter is a good girl. But what is she hiding?

  When thirteen-year-old Savannah Hopkins doesn’t come straight home from school as she always does, her mother Jane immediately raises the alarm. With her blonde ponytail and red school jumper, someone must have spotted Savannah.

  Detective Natalie Ward is determined to help the distraught mother – her own daughter is the same age as Savannah. But before Natalie and her team can get started, their worst fears are confirmed when the teenager’s broken body is found in nearby shrubland.

  Evidence points towards a local recluse, but just as Natalie closes the net around him, one of Savannah’s friends, Harriet, is reported missing. Harriet might look grown up and sophisticated but she is only fourteen…

  As Natalie delves into the lives of both girls, she soon discovers a sinister video on both their phones, daring the girls to disappear from their families for 48 hours. She’s sure this is the key to the case, but before she can act, Harriet’s body is found discarded on a roadside.

  Natalie’s superiors don’t have to put any extra pressure on Natalie. Devastated, she and her team work without sleep, watching that video over and over. But just as she thinks they’re getting close, the person Natalie loves more than anything goes missing.

  Natalie is no stranger to loss. She is terrified and the clock is ticking. Can she push through her fear to catch this depraved killer, before her loved one becomes the next victim?

  This gripping rollercoaster of a read will have you up in the small hours turning the pages. Fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Caine and Robert Dugoni will love The Dare.

  Order The Dare now!

  The Sleepover

  Detective Natalie Ward Book 4

  Roxy had a secret. Now she’s gone.

  When fourteen-year-old Roxy says she’s going for a sleepover at her best friend’s house, Cathy sees no reason to check her daughter’s story. The two families are so close, and the girls are in and out of each other’s homes every day.

  It turns out to be a decision she will regret. A day later, Roxy is found murdered in exclusive Linnet Lane. Detective Natalie Ward, called in to lead the investigation, is struck by the contrast between the house Roxy grew up in, and the one where her life ended.

  As Natalie begins to look closely at Roxy’s family and friends, she soon discovers that this isn’t the first time Roxy has gone missing. All the signs point to an unhappy teenager who was hiding a great deal from her family.

  Then Roxy’s mother Cathy disappears.

  When Cathy’s body is discovered close to Linnet Lane, Roxy’s toy cat clutched in her arms, Natalie is forced to face the grim fact that they are dealing with a killer with a twisted plan.

  Struggling to join the dots, Natalie wonders if she’s missed a vital clue when one of Roxy’s classmates is also found murdered.

  Natalie’s not frightened of anyone, but the latest victim reminds her of her own son Josh, who is edging towards the wrong side of the tracks. With teenagers like her boy dying, can Natalie solve the case in time to keep Josh safe? Or is he about to make a dangerous new friend?

  Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will keep you flying through the pages long into the night. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter.

  Order The Sleepover now!

  The Blossom Twins

  Detective Natalie Ward Book 5

  Their parents thought they were hiding…

  One beautiful summer’s evening, thirteen-year-old twins Ivy and Erin Westmore snuggle down in a tent in their back garden, giggling and sharing secrets.

  When their mother goes to wake the girls the next morning, their tent is empty.

  The alarm is raised and Detective Natalie Ward is put onto the case. When the twins’ bodies are discovered on nearby marshland, covered with deep pink petals, an icy shiver travels down Natalie’s spine. Everything about the girls’ deaths reminds her of a horrifying case she worked on earlier in her career, which saw a killer of the worst kind placed behind bars.

  The next day, that feeling is heightened when she receives a chilling note saying ‘I’m back’. Is this killer a copycat or did Natalie put the wrong person in prison all those years ago? In a small town, where no stranger goes unnoticed, what is Natalie missing?

  Consumed by the case, determined to prevent more deaths, Natalie misses the fact that it is her attention the killer wants. And to get it, he has his sights set firmly on her precious daughter Leigh…

  Gripping, fast-paced and nail-bitingly tense, this book will keep you flying through the pages long into the night. Perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaug
hter.