Read Online 2 A Different Shade Of Death by Gillian Larkin - Free Book Online Page B

think Emily Heath might have killed me.”
    Grace
drew a doodle on the paper. In a small voice she said, “We can’t rule anyone
out.”
    “I
think we can rule Emily out. What do we do next? Are you going to question all
these suspects? You don’t seem the confrontational type.”
    “I’m
not but I have to do something. I think it would help if we tried to go into a
vision again, perhaps find out more about you.”
    Charlie
shrugged. “If you think it’s worth a go I’ll do it but I think you’re wrong.
We’ll end up in the hall again with that mad man pacing up and down.”
    Grace
reached into her handbag and took the pocket watch out. She was about to sit
next to Charlie so he could touch the watch when the room began to blur.
    “What’s
happening?” Charlie asked.
    “Looks
like I don’t need you to touch the watch. Look, we’re in Heathville again. This
is the room I was in earlier with Amy.” Grace moved further into the room,
Charlie followed her.
    He
said, “There I am, at my desk. What’s that I’m looking at?”
    Grace
and Charlie moved closer to the Charlie in the vision. Grace looked over his
shoulder. “It looks like an old map.”
    Charlie
said, “I remember now, it’s the original plans for the house. Can you see where
the hall is on the map?”
    Grace
squinted and moved a bit closer. “Oh yes, I can make out the library as well.
Hang on, that doesn’t look right.”
    “What
doesn’t? What’s happening now? Where’s the room going?”
    “The
vision is changing again. I think we’ve gone back to the past.”
    Charlie
looked around the room that they were now in. He said, “This isn’t the past,
this room is my secret office. I can’t remember how I found it, did someone
tell me about it? It’s amazing, isn’t it? It’s exactly the same as when the
house was built, no one has touched it, apart from adding a few modern touches
like the lights.  Look at the furniture, isn’t it beautiful?”
    Grace
studied the room, it was beautiful. “Someone liked green, I’ve never seen so
many shades. Look at the flocked wallpaper, it’s a lovely mint green. The
paintwork, even the candles are green. It’s quite calming.”
    A
sudden aroma made Grace retch. “What is that smell? It’s disgusting! Smells
like something mouldy and rotten.”
    There
was no response. She looked to where Charlie was. She jumped as she saw his
horrified expression.
    He
clutched his stomach in pain and cried out, “Get out, Grace! Get out of this
room!”
     

Chapter 20
     
    The
green room faded and Grace found herself back in her living room. Charlie was
bent over on the sofa, his face was screwed up. He gasped, “This is the worst
I’ve been! It feels like I’m dying all over again. You’d better get to your
brother, he might be hurting too.”
    Frankie’s
words suddenly came back to her. He’d called Charlie’s clothes ‘quality’ and
he’d said that he’d even consider wearing his suits. Was Frankie still been
affected by Charlie somehow? Another look at Charlie’s distorted features
spurred her into action.
    Grace
flung the pocket watch into her handbag and grabbed her phone. Her fingers
shook as she pressed speed dial 1. The phone rang and rang, after a while it
went to voicemail.
    Grace’s
scalp prickled. Something was wrong. Frankie always answered his phone.
    “I’ll
have to go to the shop,” she said to Charlie.
    Charlie
curled up even more, his body shimmered as if it was going in and out of focus.
Then, with an anguished cry, he disappeared.
    Grace
didn’t have time to worry about Charlie, her primary concern was Frankie.
    She
picked up her handbag and coat and raced out of her house. She ran to the bus
stop wishing fervently that she had a car.
    She
hopped from foot to foot as she waited for the bus. Where was it? Could she run
to the shop instead?
    She’d
phone for a taxi, that’s what she’d do. Grace pulled her phone out just as the
bus came round the corner. Typical. She