Pursuing Shadows

Pursuing Shadows

Chapter One

“Oh my God, Drew… where is she?”
“Renee, there… there was nothing they could do-”
“Where is she, Where’s my little girl!”
“She’s gone, Renee, there was nothing they…”
His voice broke as he saw the hot tears streaming down her face. He could see the heartbreak in her eyes and his own clouded with water.
“What do you mean…gone?” Renee’s voice was a hoarse whisper and all colour drained from her skin.
“She was too badly burned, they couldn’t revive her” His hand shook as he reached out to take hers. She pulled away from him, wrapping her arms around her body.
“It’s not her” She shook her head, trying to block out the words that echoed around her fragile mind. “It’s not my Amy”
Drew looked away. He had seen this happen so many times. The tragedies that could tear apart people’s lives, could tear apart families. Too many times he had watched the stages of accepting your loved one was gone.
Denial was the first stage. Renee was in denial now, refusing to believe her daughter had truly been taken from her. But soon she would have to accept it. Then she would want someone to blame- The police, the doctors, the boyfriend, the school. To convince herself her Amy could have been saved, because she needed an answer to the only question no one could answer- Why had her little girl died?
“Renee, she died”
“Don’t say that, don’t ever say that!” She stepped back from him angrily, her fiery eyes burning into his.
“She‘s dead” He said it quietly this time and there was a silence that followed. He didn’t break it, knowing Renee was finally hearing him, taking it in.
“Oh my God” She buried her face in her hands and sobbed, her auburn hair falling forward. “Amy, my Amy”
After that they had the rest of their lives to grieve.

Andrew Coffey took the call in his office. He was rushed for time as usual and he was feeling the pressure.
“Andrew speaking”
“Drew, it’s me”
Hearing Rachel’s voice caused him to swear under his breath.
“What do you want, Rachel?” He crossed the room as he spoke to shut the door.
“To talk. Look, I heard what happened to Amy”
Drew was silent. He had a headache and he couldn’t deal with Rachel now.
“What do you want?” he asked again. “you never call for a social chat so therefore you want something, right?”
“Okay” Rachel said taking a breath. “I’ll just come right out and say it…”

Three minutes later Drew slammed down the phone. He was fuming. Nothing, absolutely nothing, gave her right to go behind his back like that.

Renee Brewster was sitting at the table in her flat, her hands circling a steaming mug of tea. It had been five days since Amy had died. The police had told her that no one was to blame, there was no way of knowing. She hadn’t believe it for a second. If only her Amy had been better looked after, better protected, then she would still be alive today.
She was going to find out who was to blame for killing her little girl… and make them suffer so much they were going to wish it was them who died in that fire.

Yes, she was going to find out who was to blame for killing her little girl.

Dianne Trescott was arranging a variety of flowers into a swan shaped vase in her kitchen. She loved the contrast of the bright sunny colours against the marble white walls. She hummed happily while she twisted the last stem in place and then turned to her husband, who was reading a newspaper at the table.
“Do you think I should maybe pop some flowers next door, Arthur?” She brushed the broken leaves into her palm and threw them in the bin.
“You mean round Delia‘s?”
“No, I mean number eight, you know, her daughter died last week”
Arthur folded up his paper and left it on the table. Diane purposely avoided meeting his eyes.
“I told you before, Di, I don’t want us involved with her, she’s not right in the head”
“She’s not insane, Arthur”
“Anyone can see she’s unstable-”
“Of course she’s unstable, her child’s dead for god’s sake”
“Well if you ask me, it was inevitable, trying to keep them kids locked up all the time-”
“She’s a good woman, she’s just lonely that’s all, but she loves them girls, an’ she was a good friend to me an’ all, always there for me, an’ she never judged me, not even when you-”
She stopped as quickly as she had spoken but it was too late.
“Even when I what”
“Nothing, I didn’t mean anything”
He took two quick strides which put him right in front of her. She almost wilted as his tall frame towered over her.
“What have you been telling people, Diane”
“I-nothing” she shook her head even as he cupped her chin with his hand and forced her to look up at him.
“I haven’t said anything” she whispered. Her heart beat loudly against her chest as he leaned in closer, trapping her between him and the counter.
“For your sake, I hope your telling the truth” he breathed in her ear. As he left the kitchen, his hand shot out and caught the swan vase.

Bright, sunny flowers littered the floor.