Read Online Butterfly Grave (Murder Notebooks) by Anne Cassidy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anne Cassidy
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round in circles. She actually had something important to tell him. She needed to let him know about the SUV but that would probably bring about some other barbed comments. Why didn’t you tell me before? Or Why are you bringing that up when there are other more important things to worry about?
She picked up the door keys from the hall table and went outside. She looked up the street. The SUV was still there. She walked a few steps along the pavement and stood in full view staring at the driver. The woman stared back. The car was too far away to see her face but she sensed that the woman was concentrating on her. Then she saw the dog’s face on the passenger side. Rose crossed her arms and stood very still. A couple of women passing by had to get round her and said, ‘ ’Scuse me, pet.’ The woman’s arm reached across to the dog. Then seconds later Rose heard the engine start and the indicator clicked. The car moved out and went down the street, gathering speed gradually. The driver’s profile never flinched as the car passed her. When it was gone Rose felt herself relax suddenly.
She turned and saw Skeggsie coming towards her.
She put her hand in her back pocket and pulled out the piece of paper with the registration number on it.
‘What you doing out here?’ Skeggsie said.
‘It’s a long story. Could you ask your dad to find out about this registration number?’
She held out the piece of paper.
‘How come?’ he said, taking it.
‘It’s a silver SUV, like the one that Josh and I had dealings with in Stiffkey. It must have been parked in the services where we stopped on the way up. The first stop. And it’s been parked in the street for short periods ever since. I think it might be following us. I didn’t want to tell Josh in case I’m wrong or it winds him up more.’
‘I’ll see what I can do. There’s a couple of programmes I’ve got for ferreting information out. If I can’t then I’ll ask Dad.’
‘I don’t think you should mention it to Josh yet. He’s not in a good place.’
‘I know.’
‘Do you think that Brendan was here talking to Stuart on the night of the accident?’
Skeggsie blew between his teeth.
‘Maybe. We know Brendan’s alive, right?’
‘And my mum.’
‘ ’Course. We know they’re both alive. Why would Brendan not be in some sort of contact with Stuart? He is his brother and he’s looking after his son.’
‘But would Stuart keep it from Josh?’
‘If Brendan asked him to. If the reason he disappeared is important enough. Yes, I think he would.’
Joshua appeared at the door. He looked at both of them sternly.
‘When you two have finished with the small talk maybe we can get on? I’ve got to go to the hospital at eleven and then see Joe Warner!’
Rose met Skeggsie’s eyes and exhaled slowly. She followed him up the path and into the house.
NINE
In the afternoon Rose and Joshua took Poppy for a walk.
Skeggsie was seeing relatives so they got the bus along Broadway for four stops until they got to Cullercoats. Then it was a short walk to the cliffs.
Joshua was in a better mood. At the hospital his uncle had been sitting up in bed sipping a drink, he said. He was still a bit groggy but seemed to remember the fact that he’d had too much to drink just before the fall.
‘You didn’t say anything to him about Brendan?’ Rose said.
Joshua shook his head.
The policeman, Joe Warner, had been at the hospital talking to Stuart. On the way out, after the visit, he’d been positive. He’d told Joshua to give it time and that if there was anything to find out the police would do it. He’d also told him to try and get through Christmas.
‘Shall I come and see him with you?’ Rose said.
‘That’d be nice. Come on Christmas Day.’
It was almost two o’clock and they were walking along the cliff path. It was cold and overcast. Rose had her hands in her pockets and her jacket zipped up to the neck. Behind them were the ruins of a
She picked up the door keys from the hall table and went outside. She looked up the street. The SUV was still there. She walked a few steps along the pavement and stood in full view staring at the driver. The woman stared back. The car was too far away to see her face but she sensed that the woman was concentrating on her. Then she saw the dog’s face on the passenger side. Rose crossed her arms and stood very still. A couple of women passing by had to get round her and said, ‘ ’Scuse me, pet.’ The woman’s arm reached across to the dog. Then seconds later Rose heard the engine start and the indicator clicked. The car moved out and went down the street, gathering speed gradually. The driver’s profile never flinched as the car passed her. When it was gone Rose felt herself relax suddenly.
She turned and saw Skeggsie coming towards her.
She put her hand in her back pocket and pulled out the piece of paper with the registration number on it.
‘What you doing out here?’ Skeggsie said.
‘It’s a long story. Could you ask your dad to find out about this registration number?’
She held out the piece of paper.
‘How come?’ he said, taking it.
‘It’s a silver SUV, like the one that Josh and I had dealings with in Stiffkey. It must have been parked in the services where we stopped on the way up. The first stop. And it’s been parked in the street for short periods ever since. I think it might be following us. I didn’t want to tell Josh in case I’m wrong or it winds him up more.’
‘I’ll see what I can do. There’s a couple of programmes I’ve got for ferreting information out. If I can’t then I’ll ask Dad.’
‘I don’t think you should mention it to Josh yet. He’s not in a good place.’
‘I know.’
‘Do you think that Brendan was here talking to Stuart on the night of the accident?’
Skeggsie blew between his teeth.
‘Maybe. We know Brendan’s alive, right?’
‘And my mum.’
‘ ’Course. We know they’re both alive. Why would Brendan not be in some sort of contact with Stuart? He is his brother and he’s looking after his son.’
‘But would Stuart keep it from Josh?’
‘If Brendan asked him to. If the reason he disappeared is important enough. Yes, I think he would.’
Joshua appeared at the door. He looked at both of them sternly.
‘When you two have finished with the small talk maybe we can get on? I’ve got to go to the hospital at eleven and then see Joe Warner!’
Rose met Skeggsie’s eyes and exhaled slowly. She followed him up the path and into the house.
NINE
In the afternoon Rose and Joshua took Poppy for a walk.
Skeggsie was seeing relatives so they got the bus along Broadway for four stops until they got to Cullercoats. Then it was a short walk to the cliffs.
Joshua was in a better mood. At the hospital his uncle had been sitting up in bed sipping a drink, he said. He was still a bit groggy but seemed to remember the fact that he’d had too much to drink just before the fall.
‘You didn’t say anything to him about Brendan?’ Rose said.
Joshua shook his head.
The policeman, Joe Warner, had been at the hospital talking to Stuart. On the way out, after the visit, he’d been positive. He’d told Joshua to give it time and that if there was anything to find out the police would do it. He’d also told him to try and get through Christmas.
‘Shall I come and see him with you?’ Rose said.
‘That’d be nice. Come on Christmas Day.’
It was almost two o’clock and they were walking along the cliff path. It was cold and overcast. Rose had her hands in her pockets and her jacket zipped up to the neck. Behind them were the ruins of a
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