filled every shelf scattered around the house.
Even though the house was less than thirty years old, it felt ancient to the kids, who were used to their modern home. Forest Grove had just consisted of the one road of five large properties when it was built, but over the years four more roads had been added, forming circles around the forest, Old and New Pine Road the closest to the woods.
The girls were sitting on kitchen stools now, drinking orange juice as Lewis helped Bill cook some bacon. At first, it seemed a bit inappropriate to Melissa, the way Bill was frying up a breakfast after what had happened the night before. But then she realised he was probably just trying to present a sense of normality for his grandchildren.
The kids were still in their nightwear, faces pale and wan. They always managed to look more vulnerable in their night clothes, even Lewis in his #NOTTIRED T-shirt, which Lilly had got him for his birthday last summer, a reference to how restless her insomniac brother was at night. Sprawled out behind them was the forest, a lone hawk watching from the trees. The morning sun filtered in through the kitchen window, yellow and speckled, like it often was in the forest.
They all looked up when their mother walked in, a flicker of worry in their eyes. They were clearly expecting a grilling from her, and they were bloody right! She peered over at Bill. Should she bring it all up now, in front of her father-in-law: the way the kids had been, the disappearing knife, the lies and the secrets Melissa saw weighing heavily on her children’s shoulders? God knew Bill and Rosemary were experts at sharing heavy burdens. But this was different. She wasn’t a child any more. She was a mother and her first duty was to her kids. She needed to know everything first, then she’d make a decision about who else to tell. Plus, she needed to remember Patrick was Rosemary and Bill’s child and he was their priority . . . maybe over their own grandchildren. So she needed Bill gone before she could grill the kids.
She looked at the clock. When would she be alone with the kids, though?
Sandy trotted over to her, nudging his wet nose into her skin as he tried to get her attention. Bill and Rosemary’s two chocolate Labradors sat obediently on their expensive beds in the gated utility room, their coats gleaming. What a contrast they were to Sandy, who still had mud on his golden coat from his walk the day before and was now trying to grab a piece of bacon from Bill’s pan as he shoved him away.
Bill and Rosemary bred show Labradors. The famous Byatt Labrador line of show dogs had been on a winning streak for the past thirty years, even picking up a Crufts ‘Best in Show’ win. The litters their dogs produced were in high demand, with families willing to spend over a thousand pounds for a Byatt Labrador puppy.
Sandy, however, was a happy mistake that had occurred five years ago after one of the Byatt bitches, Bertha, had an entanglement with a golden Labrador during a walk in the woods. Unfortunately, Melissa had been the one walking her. Funnily enough, her in-laws had never allowed Melissa to walk their precious dogs again. Melissa could see on their faces each time they saw Sandy how much they resented the one blip in an otherwise perfect lineage. Bill had even suggested Bertha have an abortion when he found out she’d been impregnated by a ‘standard’ pet dog. Luckily, the twins had their grandfather wrapped around their little fingers so were able to convince him to keep the puppies, taking one of the four that were born for themselves.
Melissa went to each of the twins now, kissing them on their foreheads and pulling them into a hug, whispering that she loved them as she did so. She then gave Grace a big cuddle. They each relaxed into her, relief exuding from them that she wasn’t going to jump in with the interrogation about the missing knife . . . yet.
‘How was Patrick when you left him?’ Melissa asked Bill.
‘Same,’ Bill said with a sigh.
‘We’ll go see him once we’re ready, won’t we, kids?’ Melissa said, examining each of their faces for any clue of what they’d witnessed the day before.
They all seemed to squirm in their seats, avoiding her gaze. Melissa’s stomach dropped. Why