Just Keep Breathing, GS Rhodes [best book club books for discussion TXT] 📗

from the concerned looks painted on each and every one of their faces, he would put money on each of them offering condolences.

“Wow,” Zoe said. “She certainly knows how to make an entrance.”

“You’ve got to hand it to her, she knows how to orchestrate a moment.”

“How well do you think she could do that?” Zoe asked.

Kidd took a moment. “Not well enough to plan her own daughter’s disappearance I would say,” he replied. “She played the part of the broken mother far too well. If she could call on that at the drop of a hat, then she should be on stage, not showing people how to clean their bathrooms on Instagram.” Though even Kidd wasn’t entirely sure he believed it. Should he be thinking of her as a suspect? “Shall we?”

“I think we’d better,” Zoe said, noticing a semi-orderly queue forming near where they were standing. “We’re going to be here all night just waiting to talk to them.”

“Like hell we are,” Kidd said, ignoring the queue and walking straight over to Laura’s side. He tapped her on her bare shoulder and she about jumped out of her skin. Her face was annoyed until she realised it was him and she softened instantly.

“Of course, DI Kidd, you said you were going to be here,” she said, leaving a hand resting on his arm. She turned to Chris and pulled his focus away from a couple of women who definitely seemed to be fawning over him, and pointed out Kidd. “Honey, this is the man who came to visit today, DI Kidd.”

Chris’ brow knitted together in confusion as he took Kidd in, like he didn’t entirely understand what had just been said.

“And this is DS Sanchez,” Kidd said, pointing out Zoe who had come around to stand next to him. This seemed to please Chris a little more and smiling, he inclined his head. “We’d love to get a chance to chat to you in private at some point, Mr Harper,” Kidd continued. “It’s a shame that you weren’t in when we came to the house earlier on.”

“Well,” he said with a shrug. “Houses won’t build themselves. There are people counting on me.”

“And I’m sure your daughter is too, wherever she is,” Kidd said with a smile. “Can I come see you at your office?”

Chris reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a card, handing it across to Kidd. “I don’t really want to get into this right now,” he said. “But if you call my office in the morning, they would be more than happy to arrange a meeting. But I warn you, I’m a very busy man.”

“Too busy to take the time to help find your daughter?” Zoe said under her breath.

“What was that?” Chris said.

“I hope we manage to find a time that’s suitable,” Zoe said with a smile. “I’m sure you agree. We just want to find Sarah.”

“Of course,” he said, his brows knitting together again. “What are you suggesting?”

“They’re not suggesting anything at all, honey,” Laura said as if she was talking to a small dog rather than her heavyset husband. “However, as Chris already said, now is not the time to discuss this.” She turned back to her adoring public. “Alexandra, darling!” Laura exclaimed, throwing her arms wide and wrapping a small, redheaded woman into a tight hug. “It’s so lovely to see you tonight, how have you been?”

Alexandra looked a little shaken when she removed herself from the hug. “Oh, you know,” she said. “It’s been a little bit rough. Caleb has been worried about Sarah, of course. I have been too. It’s been such a hard time for him. I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

Laura straightened up, painting on that warrior’s smile she’d had when Kidd had seen her earlier in the day. “It’s a rough ride,” she said. “But, as they say, these things are sent to try us.”

“Well you are a saint for even coming out tonight,” Alexandra said. “I nearly didn’t want to leave Caleb with his grandparents, given everything that’s been going on.”

Laura and Alexandra continued to talk, but Kidd found his attention drawn to Chris. He seemed very focussed on their conversation, but at the same time, a little bit shaken by it, like he couldn’t take his eyes off of what was going on. His eyes seemed watery, something that Kidd hadn’t expected, and without warning he hurried for the double doors leading out of the hall.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“What on earth was that all about?” Kidd asked.

“Maybe he really didn’t want to be here,” Zoe said. “If my child were missing, the last thing I’d want to do is be out at some party with a bunch of people I’ve barely spoken to in the last twenty or so years.”

But he knew all these people, didn’t he? If Laura knew them, Chris must have at least had a passing acquaintance with them since they’d all gone to school together. Though maybe he didn’t anymore, if he worked so hard that he was hardly ever in the house. That was how Laura had made it seem anyhow.

“I’m going to go and see where he’s gotten to,” Kidd said quietly. Zoe nodded and Kidd quickly slipped away and out into the corridor. There was no way of knowing where he’d gone, he’d taken off at quite a speed.

To his left was a door leading to a darkened corridor, so it wasn’t likely he’d gone that way. On the way back to the front door, he could see the corridor that led to the offices, to where he’d spoken to Ms Lu and Ms Chowdhury earlier. He slowly shuffled over to it and tried the door, only to find it locked.

Another darkened corridor lay behind him, and then the front door. It was the only one that was open, the only one that seemed like the obvious choice, and if he had been upset like DS Sanchez seemed to think, the first thing you