Behind Closed Doors by Susan Lewis

broad daylight.
    How the hell were these people getting out of the stores without setting off any alarms? It had to be an inside job, but in
every
store?
    Deciding to deal with Gould when she returned to the office, she let the call go through to messages, and quickly read a couple of texts that had arrived while she was at the salon.
    Dad’s just arrived. Staying at Grandma Carol’s today so we can be with him. Love you. Axxx
    Cancelled my driving lesson tonight so you don’t need to take me. Decided to stay here with Dad and Grandma Carol. Probably be home tomorrow. Lx
    Clicking off, she tried to gather her thoughts. For some reason she wasn’t finding it easy today. It could be the heat, or more likely the memories of Penny that kept causing a pure and present ache in her heart. Or the fact that Graeme was due back tomorrow night and Martin was now in Kesterly. He’d texted last night to say it had been too late to call by the time he’d got her message, but could they meet?
    She hadn’t replied yet, but she would as soon as they’d finished here.
    ‘Let’s find Barry, get the lowdown on what the uniforms have come up with around the camp this morning,’ she said. ‘Then, presuming the Monroes still haven’t heard anything, we should head over to Estelle Morris’s.’
    ‘Tomasz? What it it?’ Kasia asked worriedly, as he clicked off the phone and came in from the garden. She hadn’t heard any of the conversation, but from the tone of it, and the worry in his face, it was clear something was wrong.
    ‘It’s nothing,’ he replied distractedly.
    ‘Then why are you . . .?’
    ‘Actually, it’s my mother. They’ve taken her to the hospital.’
    Instantly alarmed, Kasia said, ‘What’s happened? Has she had an accident?’
    As he shook his head he seemed so agitated that she wasn’t sure he’d even registered the question. ‘She collapsed,’ he muttered. ‘In the street. No one knows why, but they’re doing some tests.’
    ‘You have to go to her,’ Kasia insisted. ‘She needs you there.’
    He dropped his head in his hands. ‘I have so much to do here . . .’
    ‘It doesn’t matter. She is your mother. If anything were to happen, you would never forgive yourself if you weren’t there.’
    His normally gentle blue eyes showed his anguish as they came to hers.
    ‘Everything will be fine,’ she told him firmly. ‘Mr and Mrs Poynter will understand why you must go, and you have a good team. Wesley will be able to manage them until you get back.’
    ‘You’re right,’ he said, wiping a hand over his face. ‘I have to go.’
    Taking his hand she squeezed it between both of hers and held it to her cheek. ‘I will pray for her,’ she promised earnestly.
    Drawing her into his arms he held her tightly. ‘
Kocham cie
,’ he whispered fiercely.
    ‘I love you too,’ she whispered back.
    After a while he pulled away and cupped her fragile face between his large, workman’s hands. ‘I should go upstairs and book the flight,’ he told her.
    Smiling, she said, ‘You can use our new computer.’
    It seemed he couldn’t smile too.
    ‘Would you like me to come with you?’ she offered. ‘I can ask Olenka if she could mind the children.’
    His eyes closed as he shook his head. ‘They need you here.’
    Of course, but she knew how she would feel if something had happened to her dear
mamia
. She wouldn’t want to travel alone, and Tomasz had no brothers or sisters to help shoulder the burden.
    ‘I’ll be fine,’ he assured her, as though connecting with her concern.
    ‘God and our Blessed Virgin will take care of you,’ she said, touching her fingers to the tiny Medal of the Immaculate Conception at her throat.
    He nodded, and turned around as Anton came charging in through the door. ‘Hey, little man,’ he smiled, swinging him up in the air. ‘Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you.’
    ‘We’re going to build a house for Ania,’ Anton told his mother.
    Feigning surprise, even