Left You Dead

41

On the journey to the mortuary to collect Cleo, Roy Grace sat tense in the rear seat of the speeding police car, desperately worried for Bruno. His phone rang and he answered instantly.

‘Boss,’ said Branson, ‘I’ve heard the news and we’re all gutted — and hoping he’ll be OK. Kids are resilient, you know.’

‘Yep,’ Grace replied bleakly. ‘Let’s hope so.’

‘Don’t worry about anything here, I’ll take care of it all — do whatever you want to, take whatever time you need, and just know that we’re all here for you.’

‘Thanks, I appreciate it. Let’s quickly run through the actions for today so that you can deal with anything that comes up.’

‘You sure you want to?’

‘We have to, Glenn. Let’s just talk over everything so you have all you need.’ Grace just managed to keep his focus despite the enormity of what he might now be facing with his son. ‘That last piece of information that came in this morning from Chris Gee at the Paternosters’ house — what do you make of it?’

Gee had delivered an interesting development. The forensic team had discovered two sacks of cat litter behind a large bag of barbecue charcoal in the cupboard in the utility room.

‘Would you forget you had two sacks of cat litter in your house, boss?’

‘I don’t think so — if I had a cat.’

‘Yeah. Don’t think I would either. I guess it could happen but maybe Niall Paternoster thought we wouldn’t find it?’

‘We’ve already figured Niall Paternoster’s not the brightest flame in the bonfire. He told us that he and his wife’ — it took Grace, with his distracted mind, a moment to recall her name — ‘Eden, had argued because they needed cat litter, which is what he claims she went into the store to get. On the face of it, Gee’s discovery certainly casts some doubt on that story, don’t you think?’

‘Just a little, in my humble opinion.’

‘We have just under twenty-four hours left to keep Paternoster in custody. When Exton and Potting lob the cat litter in, see how he reacts. I’m unlikely to be back in the office for a while, but please ring me with an update and leave a voicemail if I don’t pick up.’

‘Will do, boss.’

They were just driving in through the mortuary entrance. ‘OK, thanks, just about to collect Cleo, then on to the hospital. I’ll call you later when I get a chance.’

‘I hope you have some positive news about Bruno — we’re all thinking of you.’

As Grace ended the call, a tear from one eye trickled down his cheek. Then his phone rang.

It was Cassian Pewe.

‘Roy?’ His voice was all charm and sympathy. But there was something else underlying his tone that unsettled Grace. ‘I’ve just heard the terrible news about Bruno. God, I’m so sorry. Please take whatever time out you need. There are moments in life when family has to come first. I’ll speak to your team and tell them to give you whatever space you need.’

‘Very good of you, sir.’

‘Keep me updated on Bruno’s progress, will you?’

‘Yes, sir, thank you, of course. I’m on my way to see him now.’

‘We’re all praying for you — for him.’

Cleo was already standing outside the front door, head bowed against the drizzle. Trundle jumped out and held the rear door open for her. She climbed in, her face white, gripped Grace’s hand and hugged him tightly. ‘Darling, this is so dreadful, any news?’

He shook his head, then they both sat in silence as the car headed out through the mortuary gates.

‘Bruno is young,’ she said. ‘Kids are more supple than adults, they have a far higher chance of surviving impacts.’

But he was barely listening to her. He was thinking about something Pip Edwards had told him on the way here, that a witness had told the police at the scene that she’d seen the boy on his phone at the side of the road moments before the collision.

He was trying to think back to the last conversation he’d had with Bruno, in his car just a few hours ago, before he’d dropped him at school.

Education’s a joke, don’t you think? I can learn more from Google than any teacher can tell me.

Is there any point in dreaming anything? Look at my mother. The teachers aren’t worth it. But is anything in life worth it?

Some while later, after Grace had dropped his son off and seen him enter the gates, Bruno had left school during break time and stepped out into the road in the path of a car.

So many bad memories returned. Sandy, Bruno’s mother, had died after being hit by a taxi in Munich.

Surely this couldn’t be happening again?

Bruno had to survive this, he had to.

He was still deep in troubled thought when they arrived at the Emergency Department entrance to the hospital, pulling up beside a row of ambulances.