Page 65 of This Time I'm Keeping You
The little boy reached out and grabbed a handful of her hair.He then jammed it into his mouth.
“That can’t be healthy.”She tried to wrestle it away.
“He’s usually eating something off the floor, so your hair, which I’m sure you washed in the last few days, is probably cleaner,” Liam’s mum said.
Tugging her hair free, which took a few seconds, Poppy tickled him under the chin, which made Liam giggle.The look on her face was wonder, and it made Nick clear his throat.
He caught Gracie’s eye, and the knowing smirk had him raising his middle finger.
“You got the floor,” he said to Billy, who was now holding a large mug of coffee.
“We now think, after today, that there could be someone else involved.”
Nick put an arm around Poppy’s shoulders as her eyes shot to Billy.
“Our guy from the department in Malcolm Davy’s hometown has been doing some digging.We’ve been making a lot of noise over how this case should have been handled better when Poppy kept putting in complaints about Davy’s behavior, so my colleagues there are being more accommodating.But his family are big money in town, so they clearly have sway with some people in the department,” Billy said.
“Which makes me want to go there and give them a piece of my mind,” Aunt Jean said.Everyone agreed with a solemn nod.
“We found out that the reason Davy has backed off over the last year, Poppy, is because he spent some time in a facility.They don’t allow phones or contact with anyone outside the place.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Nick could see Poppy pulling faces at Liam, and he was giving her gummy smiles back, but he knew she was listening, and processing what Billy had said.
“Seems Davy made a friend while he was there.Brad Denton.The man is six years younger than Davy, and according to the staff at the place, they hit it off straightaway.”
“And they think he’s the one helping stalk Poppy?”Nick’s mom asked.
“They do,” Billy said.
“Why?”Thomas asked.
“Because Brad Denton was born here, and chances are when Davy realized that he made use of it.
“So there are two fuckers after her,” Nick snapped.
“Nick!”
“Sorry, Mom.”
Billy took something out of the folder he had put on the floor beside his chair.He then turned the picture to face them.The man was short and slim, with straight brown hair.He was smiling and looked happy.To Nick, he didn’t seem like someone who could kill an insect, let alone stalk Poppy.
“I’ve seen him,” she said, handing Liam to Nick’s dad.She then rose to take the picture.“He came to my book signing.I’m sure of it.”
Nick’s blood was literally boiling now.“So, it’s likely Denton is the one who stole her bag and pushed her down that day on the street?”
Poppy put her hand on the fist he had clenched on his thigh.He opened it and took her small fingers.
“I think so, yes,” Billy added.
“So, what happens now?”Thomas asked.
“Now you all let us do our job, and Nick keeps Poppy safe,” Billy said.“You know what Denton looks like.If you see him, call me.”
“I don’t want anyone taking any risks on my behalf,” Poppy said.“These are dangerous men, and I won’t have you hurt.”
His family all promised they wouldn’t take risks, which Nick was sure didn’t appease her.
Nick got to his feet.“We’re heading out.You know where we’ll be, Billy,” Nick said, pulling Poppy up beside him.
