BLOOD STAINED an unputdownable crime thriller with a breathtaking twist (Detective Claudia Nunn Book by Rebecca Bradley (whitelam books .txt) 📗

Dominic stayed seated where he was, there was no point in escalating the situation any further. If he could calm Jonathan down and get him to talk that would be the better outcome. Having a knock-down fight with the grieving sibling of a murder victim was not going to happen on his watch. He kept his voice low and soft, could see Hayley looking at him out of the corner of his eye. ‘Jonathan, I need to talk to you.’ He lifted his hands in a placatory manner. ‘I know this is difficult and I’m sorry.’

Helen was standing now and had both her hands wrapped around one of Jonathan’s arms. She was trying to pull him down, her voice quiet in his ear. Dominic could just make out a couple of words through the noise Jonathan was still screaming at them. Listen. Please. Ed. Help. Julie. And it was at the sound of his sister’s name that he stopped shouting and the room dropped into silence.

There was a moment’s standoff as Jonathan glared at Dominic and Hayley and Helen silently pleaded up at him, still clinging on to his arm, gently pulling him back down to the sofa he had not long evacuated.

Hayley gave a soft smile to Helen in appreciation. There was no response. She wasn’t doing this for the police. She was doing this for her husband. She hated to see him in so much pain, Dominic understood this. Whatever the reasoning he was grateful of the help.

When breaking news of a death you never knew what reaction you were going to get. Some relatives took it in their stride and barely batted an eye. You would have thought you had just informed them that their favourite football team had lost the latest match. It was surreal, but the emotions were forming. They were tiny, a small bud. They needed a little time to grow and push their way to the surface, but in the meantime the family member could function and get on with the tasks that needed to be performed.

Other relatives broke down. Crumbled like sandcastles in a hurricane. Falling in on themselves. Needing the support of their nearest and dearest, or those that were left behind that could help. Dominic did his best to support as he interacted with them, but he had a job to do. His job was to find out the information they held and progress the investigation.

Then there were relatives like Jonathan Butler. These were among some of the most difficult. Those in denial. How he was supposed to wheedle information out of them when they couldn’t even process what they were being told was always something he hated trying to figure out. He shot a quick glance at Hayley. She had fashioned her face into a neutral mask. There was no point involving yourself in the grief of others.

Tears were streaming down Helen’s face. She knew the truth, at that point still unsaid, and could only watch on as her husband fought against it. She held up a hand to Dominic and Hayley and turned to Jonathan, put a hand on his chest, stared into his eyes. He shook his head.

‘No, Helen. Just no. No. No. No.’

He turned to Dominic again. ‘You have to leave. You have to go right now.’

Helen spoke. ‘Listen to them, John. Hear what they have to say. Whatever it is, we need to hear them and deal with it.’ Her voice was gentle.

It may have been his wife’s voice or her hand on him — whatever it was, he suddenly collapsed onto the sofa and covered his face with his hands. ‘I just can’t.’

Helen sat down beside him. ‘I know, love.’ Her hand found his again.

Jonathan stared at Dominic and Hayley. The question was in his eyes. He had no way to ask them. All fight had gone out of him.

‘I’m sorry,’ Dominic said again.

Tears slipped down Jonathan’s cheeks.

‘We found a body in Ecclesall Woods today and—’

The heartbreaking sound came up from somewhere deep within Jonathan. It sounded like an animal in pain. He bent over and clutched himself.

‘We believe it to be Julie,’ Dominic finished, to make sure they knew the reality of what they were there to tell them and so that there was no confusion later.

‘It’s not Julie, she’s missing. We just need to find her. She’s missing, she’s not dead,’ Jonathan pleaded.

‘I visited the site earlier and having seen a photograph I strongly believe it to be Julie, but we do need you to do an official identification to make sure.’

Jonathan rubbed his face where the tears were tracking down his cheeks. ‘So, it might not be, you still need me to tell you if it is her or not? It still might not be her, this isn’t a definitive.’ He was clinging on to the last vestiges of hope.

‘We do need you to do the official identification, but it will be for official purposes only, Jonathan. I’m sorry.’

Helen sobbed and Jonathan cradled her close to him as they united in their grief.

‘When can I see her?’ Jonathan asked, his voice broken and weak.

Dominic took in a deep breath. ‘I can take you to see her tomorrow. She isn’t currently in any state to be visited.’

Jonathan sagged against Helen. It was as though the air had gone out of him. All the fight had taken flight.

‘My beautiful girl. What did he do to you?’

Chapter 15

Dominic

Dominic’s ears pricked up. ‘What do you mean, what did he do to you? Who is he?’ Dominic leaned forward, eager to know what it was Jonathan was talking about.

‘Julie was dating. It’s on the notes, I presume they made notes, the cops