Page 62 of The Truth Will Out
Her roller-coaster ride of emotions had taken its toll on her today, and now, at the end of their shift, she was going to be forced to go home and deal with the dogs.
Shit! Casper, he’s still at the office with Brenda.
She gave the secretary a call. “Brenda, I’m so sorry for running out on you the way I did earlier. I totally forgot about Casper. I’ll come and pick him up.”
“Sam, you’ve got enough on your plate. He’s fine with me. Let me take him home this evening.”
“What? Are you sure?”
“It would be a pleasure. Terry and I can take him for a walk and pick up some dog food when we get home. He seems settled here.”
“What would we do without you? If you’re sure you don’t mind?”
“I’ve already run it past Terry, and he’s up for it. We lost our Max a year ago and have been considering whether to get another dog or not. Rhys keeps telling me how special Tilly is; we think we’re going to rescue a pup, just like you have. This might be the push we need to see if we’re up for it.”
“I can put you in touch with the organisation I used, no problem.”
“Let’s see how the dog sitting goes for now.”
“I’ll call you later this evening if that’s all right?”
Brenda gave Sam her mobile number and ended the call.
Sam felt relieved she only had Tilly to deal with later. Doreen was going to be shocked to hear the news about Rhys.
Her thoughts drifted back to Claire. It was a struggle for her to get past the deceit. She had always prided herself on being able to read people and on knowing who to trust.
Now… that confidence was crumbling fast.
First Claire. Now Rhys. How many more secrets were buried just beneath the surface?
Bob pushed the door open with his foot. He entered the room carrying two mugs of coffee. He paused when he saw her tortured expression. “Shit! Are you okay?”
“No,” she admitted, her voice brittle. “I’m struggling to get past the fact that Claire showed up for work every day and deceived me for years. At least, that’s how it feels.”
Bob put the mug in front of her and sat.
“I gave her my trust. Shared intimate details with her. Now I’m sitting here wondering if I ever really knew her at all. What the fuck, Bob? I trust all of you and treat you all as if you were my family. Am I wrong to do that?”
“Without knowing the truth, we don’t know her reasons forkeeping that side of her life from you, from all of us. Let’s face it, Sam, it’s not only you who feels betrayed. There’s a sombre atmosphere out there. This has affected the team, all of us, even Nick.”
“I know. I don’t really want to make this all about me.” She rubbed her temples. “What does this truly say about me? About my instincts? I missed it all. I keep missing it. First Claire, now Rhys… What if I can’t trust anyone anymore?”
Bob hesitated. No wisecracks forthcoming—only one question, straight from his heart: “Do you trust me?”
She glanced up, her eyes stinging. “Yes, I think so.” But even as she said it, a sliver of doubt remained. For the first time in her career, Sam wondered if the cost of uncovering the truth might be more than she could bear. Her gaze drifted towards the photo again.
Everything felt different now.
7
The killer watched, lurking in the safety of the shadows in the corner of the car park. His plan was working. He could tell Sam Cobbs was slipping he could see it. He held the binoculars up again when he saw her standing at her office window, the doubt in her eyes evident as she took in the view of the surrounding hills. She was second-guessing her instincts. It was beautiful to witness. There was nothing finer than watching an SIO sink fast, tightrope-walking on a precipice.
Truth was a significant weapon.
And lies? They were an art.
He would wait until she was home and send her a message, an untraceable text to her mobile. He knew the effect it would have on her fragile state of mind. Did he care? Not one bit. He laughed and slipped away.
