Detective Wright intercepted the man, both hands raised. “That’ll be enough, Austin.” He took hold of the other man’s shoulders. “I asked Nick and Madigan to help with the search.”
“You... you asked them? Why would you do that?” Austin blustered.
Wright dropped his hands and took a step back, his attention laser-focused on Austin’s face. “Nick tells us that he’s, in fact, Chloe’s son, and technically that makes him her next of kin. We haven’t found anything to suggest he was involved in Chloe’s disappearance and he’s keen to help however he can.”
Austin’s eyes sprang wide. “He told you... what?” His shocked gaze jerked to mine. “You? Chloe’s son?” He grunted in incredulity. “Like hell you are. This is all just part of your plan to get close to her. It’s not possible. Chloe would’ve said something. My father would have told me.”
Austin’s shock appeared authentic, horror and disdain written all over his face. If I wasn’t ninety-nine percent sure he’d stolen Chloe’s letter from the cottage the night before and therefore had to know who I was, I might’ve believed him too. It was another lie and another performance. I thought again about raising the missing letter but bit my tongue. If Austin had any brains, he’d have destroyed or hidden it, leaving me looking like some conspiracy nutcase.
Instead, I said, “Your father did know. It was onlyyouwho didn’t. Take from that what you will.”
Austin’s furious gaze burned into mine and something akin to hatred bubbled in those depths. It offered a chilling peek into the man’s heart, an inkling of what he might be capable of. But I’d caught a glimpse of something else as well, only for a second,but I was sure I’d seen it. A kernel of fear beneath all that bluster and bravado, and my predator instinct kicked in. I was poised to get up all in his face and demand he tell us about the accounts when Detective Wright’s arm flew sideways to hold me back at the same time Mads’ hand found the small of my back.
Wright said, “Leave this to me.”
Mads whispered, “Settle down, Rambo. Let’s see how this plays out.”
I took a deep breath and got myself back under control, but before Detective Wright could take the conversation further, Belinda stepped forward.
“Have you heard anything yet? Why haven’t they found her?” Tears spilled from Belinda’s eyes. “They have to find her. She won’t survive in this weather without shelter, especially not if she overdosed.”
“Overdosed?” Mads demanded, beating me to it. “What do you mean overdosed? On what?”
It was Wright who answered. “Belinda found an open bottle of Valium on the kitchen countertop with the rest of Chloe’s pills. We don’t know how many she took, if any, but there were only a few left in the bottle.”
“Valium?” It was my turn to demand some answers. “What the hell is she taking Valium for?” I spun to Wright. “Why didn’t you say anything?” When he said nothing, I realised it was likely because we were still potential suspects in his view.
“There was no Valium on the countertop yesterday when I made us tea,” Mads said pointedly.
Austin cut him an irritated glare. “They were my dad’s prescription,” he snapped before glancing at Wright and softening his tone with him. “I thought I’d got rid of everything when Dad died. I checked. I swear. If I’d known...” He trailed off, looking miserable.
Belinda reached for his hand. “Don’t blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault. I didn’t know she had them either. Besides, it’s done now.”
Detective Wright looked between them. “We have every available unit working on this. The entire length of Riverside Park is being searched with more dogs coming from Nelson. We’ve got people doorknocking and checking any security cameras in the vicinity. But if she walked to the far side of the road next to the park where there are no houses, she’d easily be missed.”
Belinda swallowed hard and Austin’s arm slid around her shoulders as he reassured her. “We’ll find her. You’ll see.”
Wright caught my eye. “They did find a cardigan close to the path leading from the car park to the river walk just down the road.” He pulled out his phone and showed them a photo of a blue-and-green cardigan. “Is this Chloe’s?”
Austin frowned. “I . . . I’m not?—”
“It’s hers.” Belinda said with certainty, her teary gaze turning to Austin. “We bought it for her as a gift last Christmas, remember?”
Austin shrugged. “You know how bad I am at that stuff.”
Belinda stared at the photo on the detective’s phone. “But if she went that way, the river walk goes for miles in both directions with tons of entrances and exits.” She looked up at Wright. “She could be anywhere.”
He nodded. “It does make things more complicated, yes. But it’s better than no sign of her at all.”
Belinda leaned hard into Austin, who seemed to be holding her up. “I shouldn’t have left her yesterday. I knew she wasn’t right. Jesus Christ, I’m a nurse. I should’ve seen the signs. If I’d insisted on one of us staying over, she’d still be here.” She pressed her face into Austin’s chest. “I’m so sorry, baby. Weshould have just bought her a GPS tracker the first time she wandered rather than wait and see if she really needed it.”
“Yes. Why didn’t you?” I asked, watching Austin’s jaw tick in annoyance.
He cupped the back of Belinda’s head. “That was my fault. I guess I haven’t wanted to see how truly bad she really is. I should’ve listened to you.” He stroked Belinda’s hair. “Yesterday wasn’t your fault.” He shot an accusatory look my way. “Chloe was upset and confused. We just didn’t know how badly.”
I shook my head. “Well, she wasn’t that way when we left her. She was calm and even offered us tea.”
Austin broke from Belinda and strode toward me. “And what exactly are you insinuat?—”
