by Jay Gill
Rayner shook his head.
“Well, you need to do that. He needs to be kept up to date. Do it today, after you’ve showered.”
“I will,” said Rayner. He scooped sausage and onion gravy and mash into his mouth. The man mountain towered over my mother.
“Please sit down at the table while you’re eating, Gabriel. Otherwise, you might get indigestion.” I watched the big man do as he was asked. I secretly winked at him and he grinned.
After eating, he showered, changed and called the chief as instructed. He and I then spent a couple of hours going over the twins’ murder investigation. We analysed the case file Webster had given me, and Rayner brought me up to speed with the investigation as he saw it. It was good to see the old Rayner back for a while as we tossed theories back and forth. But Jenny was never far from his mind, and I could see he was soon itching to get back to the hospital.
“Give her our love, won’t you?” I said.
Alice and Faith were playing outside as I walked Rayner to his car.
“Sure thing,” said Rayner. He knelt beside the girls. “Which one of you can give me the biggest, strongest, squeeziest, most monster hug?”
“Me,” said the girls in unison.
They both grabbed him and ferociously threw their arms around him, crushing him as tightly as they could. Their laughter turned to squeals of excitement as, with one tucked under each arm, he got to his feet and began running around in circles.
“I love you two,” said Rayner, as he finally set them down again and looked at them properly. I could see he was getting emotional as he let his guard down for a moment. “Come here, you rascals,” he said, “and let me give you a proper hug. Now, can I have a second one from each of you to take back to Jenny?” The girls leaned in, beaming, and squashed him again.
“Are you coming back tomorrow?” asked Alice. “I’m making an apple crumble with Nana.”
“Apple crumble? That’s my favourite. How could I resist?”
Faith was uncharacteristically quiet.
“Are you all right, Faithy?” said Rayner.
Faith nodded glumly. “My drawings for the baby got burned in the house fire. I wanted to give them to Jenny when the baby was born.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” said Rayner, his voice breaking a little. He reached out and pulled her close. “I’ll tell you what. How about tomorrow you and I work on some new drawings together. I’m pretty good with a crayon, but I bet you could teach me a thing or two.”
Faith beamed. “I’ll get everything ready.” She wrapped her arms around Rayner’s neck, squeezed and kissed him, then ran into the house to start setting things up.
Alice and I watched Rayner drive away. She held onto me as we both waved him off. “He’s different, somehow,” said Alice. “Still Rayner, but not. Does that make sense?”
Alice’s insight and empathy never ceased to amaze me. “You’re right,” I said. “Life changes us all. Just when you think you understand how it all works, something comes along and you have to rethink it. But he’ll be fine. We all will, sweetheart.”
I put my arm around my daughter and kissed the top of her head as we walked back to the house.
Hardy returns in Killing Shadows
When the devil holds the dice,
the odds are stacked against you.
Inspector Hardy plans to spend long overdue quality time with his daughters and Monica. The sabbatical is short-lived when he is thrust back into the dark world of murder after a family is found dead at their country home.
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Turn the page for a sneak peak…
Chapter One
I was giddy with excitement. I opened the car door for Monica and grabbed a kiss. ‘I love you.’
Monica chuckled, ‘Love you too.’ She lowered herself into the car seat.
After helping her with the seatbelt I closed the door, walked around the car and climbed in beside her.
‘Good news,’ I said while putting on my seatbelt.
We’d just come from an antenatal check with our midwife, Sally. She’d told us Monica’s blood pressure was a little high and that was most likely the reason she’d been getting headaches. She’d keep monitoring her blood pressure, but at this stage it was nothing to worry about.
Monica looked relieved. ‘You know, in just a few weeks we’re going to be up to our armpits in dirty nappies and bleary eyed from sleepless nights. This is really happening.’
I looked down at the bump. Our baby. Then back up at Monica. Glowing. So beautiful. We looked into each other’s eyes for a moment then burst out laughing. ‘We must be crazy,’ said Monica. ‘Are we really doing this?’
‘We are, and I’m pretty sure it’s too late to change our minds now,’ I joked.
Monica placed her hands over the bump and caressed it as the baby moved. She spoke softly to our baby. ‘Did we wake you up? Your mummy and daddy are having an hysterical moment. We love you, baby. You have two big sisters who cannot wait to meet you. And grandparents who are going to spoil you rotten.’
I started the car. We were going to have lunch at Oriel on the Quay. Just the two of us. Their excellent Mediterranean cuisine has quickly made it a favourite of ours. With hand-painted murals on the walls and views overlooking Poole Harbour and Brownsea Island it’s a place we need little excuse to go to when we want to spoil ourselves. I checked my jacket pocket and my heart sank. With all the madness that goes with simply trying to get out of the front door these days I’d forgotten something. Knowing it would be just the two of us and assuming we’d be on cloud nine there was something very important I had meant to bring with me. Trying to hide my disappointment I pretended nothing was amiss. ‘Every time I speak to your mum and dad I can tell they can’t believe it. I think they’d given up on ever having a grandchild,’ I said.
‘They know everything has worked out for the best. They never warmed to Scott; I suppose they could sense something I couldn’t. When I finally admitted to them how he was they insisted I use any means necessary to get away from him. They were heartbroken to think I was in an abusive relationship. They were scared for me. As much as I’ve always wanted children I’m so glad Scott and I didn’t have any. Children with him was the last thing on my mind.’ She sighed. ‘Those final years with him and the divorce feel like a lifetime ago. It’s as though it happened to someone else, not me. Does that make sense?’
‘It makes perfect sense.’ I could feel the atmosphere darken. Monica’s mood changed when she thought about her time with Scott, his drinking and violent outbursts. I didn’t want to lose the joy of the moment and moved the subject back to our baby. I said, ‘Baby names. If it’s a boy I was thinking Odysseus, Thor or Hercules. I don’t mind which.’
Monica chuckled and joined in. ‘That’s fine. But if it’s a girl we’re going with Barbarella or Glitter.’
I laughed and nodded in agreement. ‘Barbarella Hardy does have a certain ring to it. I like it.’
‘So does Odysseus Hardy. That could work.’ We both howled with laughter. We chatted excitedly for the rest of the drive and all through lunch about what our new life would be like. It was a wonderful day. Life felt good.
* * *
Killing Shadows is out now.
Inspector Hardy series
Knife & Death
Walk in the Park
Angels
Hard Truth
Inferno
Killing Shadows
Don’t Go Home
About the Author
Born in Dorset, southern England, Jay Gill moved to Buckinghamshire where he worked in the printing industry, primarily producing leaflets and packaging for the pharmaceutical industry. After several years of the London commute, and with his first child about to start school, he realised it was high time for a change and moved back to the south coast of England. This change freed up time for him to write the detective stories he dreamed of one day publishing.
Safe to say, he’s caught the writing bug
in earnest now. With several Hardy novels under his belt, a growing “family” of characters both good and heinous, and a host of exciting new ideas bouncing around in his head, Jay busily juggles his writing and family life and is hard at work on the next instalment in the DCI James Hardy series of thrillers.
If you’ve enjoyed this book, please consider spreading the word by leaving a review on Amazon. Reviews help bring the Hardy novels to the attention of other readers.
* * *
Many thanks, Jay
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