Read Online Against a Dark Sky by Katherine Pathak - Free Book Online

or if she envisaged herself creeping into Daniel Goff’s bed instead. By James’ reaction, she was pretty certain he wasn’t in on the sordid little arrangement. Clearly no one had been sneaking between his sheets this week.
                  Amit appeared confused. ‘But you never told me this – and we didn’t actually do that, Philippa. Tonight is the first time we’ve been together since we got to Scotland.’
                  ‘I’m saying that’s what Jo and I discussed , I’m not suggesting we’d got around to putting it into action just yet.’ The woman looked indignant.
                  James put his hand up, as if obtaining permission from the teacher to speak. Dani humoured him by nodding her assent. ‘I’m sorry, Philippa, but that doesn’t sound like something Joanna would do. I know she’d had a few different boyfriends over the years, but she was actually quite moralistic in lots of ways. A married client of ours, very good-looking and well-off, was coming on to Jo for months. He sent flowers and chocolates almost every day. Jo was very definite about not getting involved with him. She said cheating on your wife was the pits. It gives me no pleasure to tell you this, but Jo didn’t actually like you very much. You were her lodger and she felt sorry for you not being able to find a job after qualifying. I simply don’t believe she’d have orchestrated this set-up on your behalf.’
                  Philippa sprang to her feet, pushing the chair back so that it scraped across the stone floor. ‘Well, that’s where you’re wrong!’ She declared, storming up the stairs. Several minutes later a distant door slammed shut.
                  ‘You do realise that this changes everything?’ Bevan’s question filled the silence.
                  Batra stared down at his lap. ‘I just didn’t want my wife to find out.’
                  ‘Do you think it could have had something to do with Jo’s murder?’ James asked.
                  ‘I certainly can’t rule it out.’
                  As Bevan stepped outside the cottage, to check on the progress of the search, she left James Irving gaping at Amit Batra with a mystified expression on his face. The reality was obviously dawning on him that he wouldn’t be able to trust his old friend ever again.                              
    *
     
    DS Driscoll was jogging down the hillside towards her as she crunched across the gravel drive.
                  ‘Any luck?’ Bevan called ahead.
                  Driscoll shook his head. ‘No sign of him, Ma’am. We’ll get the helicopter out at first light.’
                  ‘Damn it!’ Bevan exclaimed with considerable feeling.
                  ‘You were right not to go after him. It wasn’t feasible without back-up. Do you think it was Goff?’
                  ‘I didn’t see the man’s face but he was tall and strong, I think we have to assume so.’
                  ‘What was he doing back here? It was a huge risk for him to return.’
                  ‘Maybe he thought his stuff would still be at the bothy. Or perhaps he knows there’s something still here that belongs to him.’
                  ‘You should get some rest, Ma’am. We’ll need you to give a detailed statement about what happened.’
                  ‘Oh, the intruder’s only the half of it, Dave.’
                  The man looked puzzled.
                  ‘Leave a pair of uniforms to guard the place and send the remainder of the search team home for a couple of hour’s kip. We’ll meet back at the incident room at 8.30am for a briefing. I’ll fill you in on all the sordid details then.’
     

 
    Chapter Twelve
     
     
     
    A ndy Calder was the only member of