Voices (Whisper Trilogy Book 3) by Michael Bray Page B

happened. The upset, the trauma. Other days, a deep, all-consuming darkness overcame him. Today was one such day, and as he always did, he sat in his bedroom, unable to muster any enthusiasm or excitement for anything. His sole joy was reading, and it was something he had taken to vigorously, devouring a novel per week, sometimes two. Mostly he read young adult and fantasy, and was currently blasting through the third Harry Potter book. To him, those worlds between the pages seemed like magical locations which swept him away from the mundaneness of his own existence.
    Downstairs, Grant and Tanya were putting away the groceries together. Married for eleven years, they had tried to have children of their own without success. Adoption had seemed like the most obvious choice, and one which was still on the cards. For now, however, with their own careers to manage, it proved to be a better option to volunteer for the temporary care program. Designed with short term care in mind, it gave the children a stable environment in which to live and develop.
    Grant was putting the milk in the refrigerator when the knock at the door came. He walked through the kitchen and opened the door, and instantly recognized the woman standing there. The agency had warned them that she might arrive.
    Melody Samson had aged badly. She had lost weight to the point of looking ill. Deep worry lines made her look older than she was, and her hair was greasy and graying. She tried to smile the way she used to but couldn’t quite manage it. It seemed she had forgotten how such a simple gesture was performed.
    “Hello, I hope you don’t mind me arriving unannounced, my name is—”
    “I know who you are,” Grant said, keeping one arm across the doorframe. “You’re not supposed to be here.”
    “Please, I don’t mean any harm. I need to see my son. Is he here?”
    “You can’t do this. You’ve been warned. We were told to call the police if you showed up.”
    “Please, don’t do that,” she said, trying to look beyond Grant into the house. “Is he here? Can I just see him to make sure he’s alright?”
    “He’s not here.”
    “Please, I just want to see him.”
    “Look, I appreciate your situation, but you can’t do this. You need to let him go,” Grant said, feeling more pity than anger toward the frail woman in front of him.
    “I know it’s easy to say, but try to put yourself in my position. He’s all I have. I need to talk to him.”
    “He’s fine. He has everything he needs.”
    “Is he… sleeping?”
    “He’s sleeping fine,” he said, then as an afterthought, “How long have you known he’s been with us?”
    “A week. I’ve been trying to build up the courage to knock on the door. Please, you don’t need to call the police. I won’t cause any trouble.”
    “You realize how difficult a position you’ve put me in? I’m supposed to call Mr. Styles if you show up here.”
    “Please, I won’t cause any trouble. You seem like nice people. That’s sometimes the worst part, you know? Not knowing what kind of family he’s with,” Melody said. She was wringing her hands, moving her wedding ring around her finger. She saw Grant watching her and put her hands behind her back.
    “I still can’t bring myself to take it off,” she said, just about managing a tired smile. “It’s all I have left.”
    “Look, I appreciate you’ve been through a lot, and God knows it can’t be easy, but you have to go. I won’t call Styles if you go right now, but you can’t come back here. If you do, then you’ll leave me no choice but to make that call. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”
    Melody looked at him. Strong features, blond hair. Handsome apart from his slightly crooked nose. She got the feeling that these were good people, and avoiding another brush with the police was also something she was keen to do.
    “No, I understand. I’m sorry for coming. I just…” She couldn’t finish, choking on the