Page 62 of The Reaper
She bowed her head, and I could see from the expression on her face that she was wracking her brain for anything that’d help.
“There’s no family. No one we spoke to anyway, only Stella.”
Yeah, that’d been a dead-end I wasn’t prepared to wander down again.
“As for friends…” She stood up and walked over to the cabinet in the corner of the room, taking her wedding album out and clutching it to her chest as she went over to the dining table. She placed it on the table and began flicking through the pages, and I stood next to her, watching her skim over her memories. Memories she clung to and ones I’d rather forget.
Eventually, she stopped on a group photo and started to point from left to right, listing the whereabouts of each person.
“He’s dead. He went missing a few years ago. I haven’t seen him for ages. I think he might have died too.” I knew the dead ones because I’d been there when most of them took their last breath. I was just about to state that it was pointless me being here when she stopped and hovered her finger over a man in the photo. “Now, Eddie Hall, that’s a face I haven’t seen in a long time. Him and Vinnie used to be quite close. Went drinking together, played on the same football team if I remember right.”
It wasn’t the golden nugget I was looking for, but it was something.
“Is there anyone else on there who might still be around?”
She shook her head. “Not that I know of.” She looked up at me sadly. “I’m sorry I can’t be more help, Devon. And I’m sorry that you’re still taking your dad’s disappearance so badly. I always focused on Brooke. I thought she was the one who’d taken it the worst, but maybe I should’ve given you more support. You were always so quiet and just got on with things. I never stopped to think you might be hurting too. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not suffering, Mum,” I told her to put her mind at rest. “And he wasn’t my dad. I just need to get to the bottom of something.”
She smiled and nodded.
“You want to find out where Vinnie is. We all do.”
I knew where Vinnie was, but that was a conversation I wasn’t willing to have on a Sunday morning. Not in my current frame of mind.
“You’ve been a lot of help, Mum. I’ll let you go back to bed,” I said and kissed her. Then I walked out of the living room, down the hall, and back out onto the street.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and sent a message to the soldier group chat.
Look into an Eddie Hall for me. He used to be friends with Vinnie. That’s the only name I’ve got right now.
Then I pocketed my phone and got back into my car. I wouldn’t rest until I’d seen her, and I didn’t care if I had to go to her father’s church to do that. No one was going to keep me away from my little raven.
ChapterTwenty-Eight
DEVON
Iparked up around the back of the church. When I got out, I could hear the church organ playing and the sound of the congregation singing a hymn. I headed to the rectory first, thinking she might’ve given the service a miss this morning after our heavy night last night, but when no one answered, I knew I should have trusted my first instinct. She’d never let her father down. She wouldn’t let anyone down.
I picked my way across the soft grass, still wet from the morning dew, making sure to avoid trampling on any wildflowers that grew there. Flowers that I knew she’d love. She loved anything wild, reckless, and full of beautiful chaos––a little like me.
As I approached the imposing double doors that led into the church, the congregation reached their crescendo, belting out their love for God on this windy Sunday morning. My trainers slipped on the flagstones at the entrance, so I wiped my feet on the mat and strolled in with my hood pulled low and my hands shoved deep into my pockets. I hoped they were all still standing up because I didn’t want to draw attention to myself, and thankfully, luck was on my side, because not only were they all standing, singing, shielding me from view, but I spotted Leah May right away, sitting on her own in a pew at the back of the church. The nearest parishioner to her was three pews down.
Perfect.
I sidled into the pew to sit next to her, and she jumped slightly and turned to face me. I grinned a wicked grin from under my hood and she reached up to pull it off my head.
“Devon? What are you doing here?” she asked, nervously glancing around to see if anyone had noticed my presence, then shyly looking back at me.
“I missed you. I wanted to see your beautiful face.” I went to lean forward and kiss her, but she flinched, and shaking her head said, “Not here. My dad might see.”
The church organ played its final extended dour note and the congregation sat down. Over their heads, I could see her dad at the pulpit, ready to give his sermon. He was smiling, but when his eyes landed on mine that smile faltered. He righted himself soon enough, but I noticed it. He didn’t like that I was here.
Leaning my head to the side until it touched Leah’s and keeping my eyes on her father, I whispered, “He can’t see everything.”
I peered down and thanked my lucky stars that she was wearing a dress. A pretty, cotton white sundress that she’d paired with a little blue cardigan to keep herself warm. She was the picture of innocence, and I couldn’t wait to corrupt her.
My heart was beating out of my chest as I reached down to pull her skirt up a little. Then I placed my hand on her bare knee, squeezing and smiling as I felt her looking at me out of the corner of her eye. She knew me well enough now to know what my intentions were.
