The Unquiet Grave

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The Unquiet Grave Page 45

by Steven Dunne


  Brook drove through the dark, feeling despair and exhaustion washing through him. Christmas Eve and he was going home to an empty house and a cold bed while the rest of the world embraced.

  When he saw the Fiat blocking his driveway he nearly wept with joy. He ran into the steamy warmth of the kitchen and into Terri’s arms before she’d even had a chance to put down her wine glass.

  ‘Am I glad to see you.’

  ‘What a welcome, Dad,’ she said, giggling. She extricated herself from his bear hug to look him over. ‘You look terrible and you stink of smoke.’

  ‘There was a fire.’

  ‘A fire?’

  ‘I’m exhausted, Terri,’ he said, sagging on to a chair. ‘Or I was until I saw you.’

  She poured him a glass of wine. ‘Thought you had nothing important on.’

  ‘So did I,’ replied Brook.

  ‘I’ve got fish pie in the oven,’ she said.

  ‘Great,’ said Brook, not registering.

  ‘We’ve time for a few drinks and you can tell me all about this shooting,’ she said with a stern expression. ‘Honestly, Dad. I thought I’d done something wrong.’

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he replied mechanically, not taking his eyes from her. ‘I’m a stupid, selfish old man.’

  ‘No argument here,’ she laughed. Brook managed a washed-out smile. ‘Jesus, Dad. You’re almost catatonic. What have you been doing?’

  He shook his head to consign the last two weeks to the past, feeling the tension begin to fall away. ‘I’ve been investigating the investigators,’ he mumbled. ‘Tough beat.’

  ‘Well, it’s Christmas now, Dad.’ She raised her glass, smiling. ‘So here’s to a better day tomorrow.’

  ‘Yes.’ Brook looked up at her and nodded. ‘A better day tomorrow.’

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  About the Book

  About the Author

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Epigraph

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Twenty-Nine

  Thirty

 

 

 


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