Read Online A Deadly Imperfection: Calladine & Bayliss 3 by HH Durrant - Free Book Online Page B

bloody cousin - isn’t she always.  In fact we’ve just had words about it.  We don’t often argue, but just lately she’s become real hard work.   Lydia says he won’t talk to her.  My gut tells me he’s up to something, but I can’t think what.  I’ve a shrewd idea he’s using her to get to me again.  I’ve no idea what he’d want but I intend to stay well away.  I’ve brought a bottle of red,’ he proffered the bottle he had tucked under his arm.  ‘It’s a good one.’
    ‘So I see,’ she smiled leading the way into the sitting room.
    ‘Hi Tom,’ Jake Ireson greeted him.  ‘I’m going to leave you two to it.’ He began to gather up his stuff – a pile of papers and books.  ‘I’ve got a mountain of marking to get through – mock ‘A’ levels,’ he grimaced.
    ‘He’s already eaten,’ Ruth told him.  ‘So there’s no excuse, we can have that talk now.’
    ‘What talk,’ Jake asked?
    ‘Keep out of it,’ Ruth warned lightly.  ‘Tom and I have some old business, family business that needs sorting.’
    Jake gave them both a smile and went upstairs to his study.
    ‘You two getting on well?’
    ‘Very well, Tom.  He’s really good to have around, and I wouldn’t want to be without him.’
    Calladine wasn’t in the mood to listen to any lovey dovey stuff, not while things between him and Lydia were as they were.  But he was pleased Ruth had found someone, of course he was - she deserved to be happy.  But then so did he.  All he seemed to do was go round in circles.  First there’d been Monika, steady and always there, until Lydia had crashed into his life that was.  Lydia was poles apart from Monika and the attraction had been instant.  But now, he didn’t know how he felt.  Lydia was demanding and he couldn’t deliver, not while he was working anyway.  Things were only going to get worse.
    ‘You’ve got the place nice,’ Calladine noted, changing the subject.  ‘You’ve decorated and bought some new furniture too.’
    ‘We chose the stuff together – we wanted to make the place ours and not just mine.  We decided it made sense for Jake to move in with me,’ she explained.  ‘His old place was a flat and he has the dog.  I have a nice big garden here.’
    ‘Where is the dog?’
    ‘He’s had to have a small op, so he’s staying at the Veterinary Hospital tonight.’
    ‘Expensive!’
    ‘Insurance – we’re not that daft,’ she laughed.
    ‘So you and Jake – it’s looking serious then.’
    Ruth smiled – if he had to put a word to the way she looked right now it would have been enigmatic .    ‘Well,’ he shrugged, ‘are you two an item or what?’
    At that she laughed and got a glass from the cupboard, a single glass, he noted wondering why she wasn’t joining him. 
    ‘I certainly hope so – I really don’t want to do the next bit on my own,’ she told him with a small smile hovering on her lips.
    She was trying to tell him something, he scratched his head – he didn’t get it.  There was an odd sort of silence, he could hear her antique clock ticking, and she still had that weird smile on her face.
    ‘I’m pregnant Tom,’ she said at last, averting her gaze from his.  There was a difficult few moments as neither knew how to follow that.  Ruth had worried how he’d take it, and daren’t look at his face in case it showed disapproval. 
    ‘Pregnant,’ he repeated as if he’d no idea what the word meant.
    ‘But don’t you dare tell anyone, it’s still early days,’ she handed him the glass and went to find a corkscrew.
    Tom Calladine watched her walk into the kitchen.  She’d just dropped a bombshell – she was pregnant, his Sergeant, Ruth Bayliss was going to have a child!  How come he hadn’t guessed? 
    ‘How did that happen,’ he asked following her and feeling foolish for asking a question like that?  ‘I mean – is it what you want, a child I mean, at your age?’
    She slapped him playfully with the