Read Online Blue Murder by Cath Staincliffe - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Cath Staincliffe
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dig. Janine exchanged a glance with Sarah. Ellie hated being sent to Grandma’s. And Janine worried that the kids needed her around more now that Pete had gone.
Sarah scratched her head.
‘Sarah’s got them too,’ Eleanor said gleefully.
‘The whole school’s got ‘em, not just you kids. Occupational hazard. Staff room stinks of Tea Tree.’
‘Done.’ Janine told Eleanor. ‘Off you go.’
‘Remember the present for Holly’s birthday.’
‘Yes.’
Once she was out of the room Janine rang Pete. ‘It’s me. I’ll have to drop them early.’
He sighed. ‘Can’t your mum have them?’
‘No, you know she had them today. They want to see you, Pete.’ She lowered her voice and muttered, ‘God knows why.’ Flicked a glance at Sarah. ‘Be about half-seven, see you then.’
Janine told Sarah all about Michael’s ordeal. ‘I felt so flamin’ helpless. And he won’t report it. I started thinking, if I’d only realised, if I’d been home …’
‘If you weren’t such an awful mother.’
Janine acknowledged that. ‘I’m a Detective Chief Inspector, I’m leading a bloody murder enquiry and I can’t protect my own kids. Can’t even keep up with the shopping.’
‘What? Not still baking your own bread?’
Janine stuck her tongue out. ‘How do we all keep going though?’
‘What’s the alternative?’
She took another chocolate and passed the box to Sarah.
‘How was work,’ Sarah asked her.
‘Murder,’ she said dryly. ‘You see the news?’
Sarah shook her head.
‘They didn’t give details but you know the saying hung, drawn and quartered? Well, this poor bloke had been drawn. Enough to give anyone morning sickness.’
‘Janine!’ Sarah exclaimed. ‘That’s revolting. God. I don’t know how you do it. I’d be in bits. And then after seeing that you’ve got to go after whoever’s done it. I couldn’t do it, no way.’
‘Well, I couldn’t cope with a roomful of screaming eight-year-olds all day long.’ She poured more wine for Sarah, helped herself to some cranberry juice. ‘However – there is good news, too.’
Sarah was all ears.
‘Well, I think it’s good. Richard.’
‘Richard?’
‘Richard Mayne. D.I. We were probationers together. He transferred south when Tom was little, now he’s back. Assisting me. And he is seriously sexy.’
‘Whoo-oo-oo
‘Lovely eyes, nice hands, nice lips, gorgeous lips, really, really …’ she became tongue-tied. ‘Good bloke too.’
‘You fancied him before?’
‘Oh, yeah! One night we were off on a training course, got as far as the bedroom but changed my mind. Pete and I were engaged. Left Richard all hot and bothered.’
‘You’re blushing.’
‘Blame the hormones. There was something special. That spark? But I realised too late. I’d already said yes to Pete.’ She paused. How long before the separation would lose its power to hurt her? Before she could talk about Pete and feel neutral, normal? ‘And where’s it got me?’
‘Maybe this is second time lucky?’
‘I don’t think so,’ Janine said dismissively. ‘He’s asked me out for a bite to eat, whatever that means. I think he was going to book somewhere but he trailed off. This habit he has, not finishing his sentences. Must have missed that bit of literacy hour.’
‘Think he’s interested?’
‘In me? In this state?!’ Janine pulled a face. ‘Get a grip, Sarah. Bit of flirting, I reckon. Good for the soul. Besides, first shot as senior officer in charge of a rather gory murder, six months pregnant, romance isn’t exactly on the agenda.’
She saw the news was starting and turned the sound up. ‘Here we go.’
Michael looked in then, glanced at the TV, sneered and walked off. Time was he’d have been chuffed, Janine thought. Proud of her even. Not now. Rebellion, she supposed. Wanting to be different from his parents.
It was the lead story.
“ The body of deputy head-teacher, Matthew Tulley, aged forty-two, was found on
Sarah scratched her head.
‘Sarah’s got them too,’ Eleanor said gleefully.
‘The whole school’s got ‘em, not just you kids. Occupational hazard. Staff room stinks of Tea Tree.’
‘Done.’ Janine told Eleanor. ‘Off you go.’
‘Remember the present for Holly’s birthday.’
‘Yes.’
Once she was out of the room Janine rang Pete. ‘It’s me. I’ll have to drop them early.’
He sighed. ‘Can’t your mum have them?’
‘No, you know she had them today. They want to see you, Pete.’ She lowered her voice and muttered, ‘God knows why.’ Flicked a glance at Sarah. ‘Be about half-seven, see you then.’
Janine told Sarah all about Michael’s ordeal. ‘I felt so flamin’ helpless. And he won’t report it. I started thinking, if I’d only realised, if I’d been home …’
‘If you weren’t such an awful mother.’
Janine acknowledged that. ‘I’m a Detective Chief Inspector, I’m leading a bloody murder enquiry and I can’t protect my own kids. Can’t even keep up with the shopping.’
‘What? Not still baking your own bread?’
Janine stuck her tongue out. ‘How do we all keep going though?’
‘What’s the alternative?’
She took another chocolate and passed the box to Sarah.
‘How was work,’ Sarah asked her.
‘Murder,’ she said dryly. ‘You see the news?’
Sarah shook her head.
‘They didn’t give details but you know the saying hung, drawn and quartered? Well, this poor bloke had been drawn. Enough to give anyone morning sickness.’
‘Janine!’ Sarah exclaimed. ‘That’s revolting. God. I don’t know how you do it. I’d be in bits. And then after seeing that you’ve got to go after whoever’s done it. I couldn’t do it, no way.’
‘Well, I couldn’t cope with a roomful of screaming eight-year-olds all day long.’ She poured more wine for Sarah, helped herself to some cranberry juice. ‘However – there is good news, too.’
Sarah was all ears.
‘Well, I think it’s good. Richard.’
‘Richard?’
‘Richard Mayne. D.I. We were probationers together. He transferred south when Tom was little, now he’s back. Assisting me. And he is seriously sexy.’
‘Whoo-oo-oo
‘Lovely eyes, nice hands, nice lips, gorgeous lips, really, really …’ she became tongue-tied. ‘Good bloke too.’
‘You fancied him before?’
‘Oh, yeah! One night we were off on a training course, got as far as the bedroom but changed my mind. Pete and I were engaged. Left Richard all hot and bothered.’
‘You’re blushing.’
‘Blame the hormones. There was something special. That spark? But I realised too late. I’d already said yes to Pete.’ She paused. How long before the separation would lose its power to hurt her? Before she could talk about Pete and feel neutral, normal? ‘And where’s it got me?’
‘Maybe this is second time lucky?’
‘I don’t think so,’ Janine said dismissively. ‘He’s asked me out for a bite to eat, whatever that means. I think he was going to book somewhere but he trailed off. This habit he has, not finishing his sentences. Must have missed that bit of literacy hour.’
‘Think he’s interested?’
‘In me? In this state?!’ Janine pulled a face. ‘Get a grip, Sarah. Bit of flirting, I reckon. Good for the soul. Besides, first shot as senior officer in charge of a rather gory murder, six months pregnant, romance isn’t exactly on the agenda.’
She saw the news was starting and turned the sound up. ‘Here we go.’
Michael looked in then, glanced at the TV, sneered and walked off. Time was he’d have been chuffed, Janine thought. Proud of her even. Not now. Rebellion, she supposed. Wanting to be different from his parents.
It was the lead story.
“ The body of deputy head-teacher, Matthew Tulley, aged forty-two, was found on
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