Follow the Leader

by Mel Sherratt

  ‘I’m glad to hear that.’ Allie’s tone was harsh so she relented. ‘When is the funeral?’

  ‘At the end of next week. Friday afternoon, two p.m. Finally, he’ll be at peace.’

  It was on the tip of her tongue to mention all the families that would never have peace again because of loved ones that Patrick had killed, but she refrained.

  Allie’s phone rang and she smirked as Andy Williams burst into tune again. But the smile soon faded when she saw that the call was from Riverdale Residential Home.

  She answered it quickly. ‘Hello?’

  ‘Hello. It’s Dr Merchant.’ A short pause. ‘Allie, we’ve had to take Karen to the hospital.’

  ‘What?’ Allie gasped for breath for the second time that day. She stood up. ‘Why? Is she okay?’

  ‘She’s become unresponsive in the last half hour. She’s on her way now in an ambulance.’

  ‘Miss, what’s wrong?’ Ray Morgan asked, looking up at her.

  But Allie didn’t answer; she was too busy running out the door.

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks to my amazing fella, Chris, who looks out for me so that I can do the writing. I wish I could take credit for all the twists in my books but he’s actually more devious than I am when it comes down to it – in the nicest possible way. We’re a great team – a perfect combination.

  Thanks to the professionals – Emilie, Sana and Neil from Amazon Publishing in the UK, who are a joy to work with. Thanks to Victoria and Jennifer for adding the ‘glitter’ to my words. Also huge thanks to my agent, Maddy Milburn, who is always there for me – and Cara too, in the background! You ladies rock!

  Thanks to Alison Niebieszczanski and Talli Roland, who give me far more friendship, support and encouragement than I deserve. Thanks to my early readers and friends Rebecca Bradley, Sharon Sant and Sharon and Chris Tatton – I love that you share the journey with me. Thanks to authors Elizabeth Haynes and Lisa Cutts, and also Juliet Prince from Staffordshire Police for help with research. Any errors are are mine alone!

  Finally, thanks to all my readers who keep in touch with me via Twitter and Facebook. Your kind words always make me smile – and get out my laptop. Long may it continue.

  About the Author

  Photo © 2013 Martin Brough

  Mel Sherratt has been a self-described “meddler of words” ever since she can remember. After winning her first writing competition at the age of eleven, she has rarely been without a pen in her hand or her nose in a book. Since successfully publishing Taunting the Dead and seeing it soar to the rank of #1 bestselling police procedural in the Amazon Kindle store in 2012, Mel has gone on to write three more books in the critically acclaimed The Estate Series.

  Mel has written feature articles for The Guardian, the Writers and Artists website, and Writers’ Forum magazine, to name just a few, and regularly speaks at conferences, events, and talks.

  She lives in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, with her husband and her terrier, Dexter (named after the TV serial killer, with some help from her Twitter fans), and makes liberal use of her hometown as a backdrop for her writing.

  Her website is www.melsherratt.co.uk and you can find her on Twitter at @writermels.