Read Online Casanova by Mark Arundel - Free Book Online

and onto the track. The firs loomed above us like black unloved Christmas trees and our boots crunched on the newly fallen snow. It was quieter away from the village and the shadows seemed to stretch and loom with baleful intent. We walked on and I could feel the cold mountain air in my lungs. Charlotte held me tighter still and said, ‘It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow.’
    I didn’t respond to her voiced knowledge of the calendar.
    ‘Have you bought me a Christmas present?’ she asked.
    I thought of my expensive Swiss wristwatch and realised I hadn’t even considered Christmas presents.
    ‘You’ll have to wait and see,’ I said. ‘It’s not Christmas yet.’ This response proved enough to achieve a change of subject.
    ‘What are you going to do when you find Casanova?’ she asked.
    I thought of Bradshaw and the ST.
    ‘Get him to tell me everything he knows and then I’ll decide,’ I said.
    Charlotte fell silent. She hugged me closer and we walked with the snow gathering on our hats and around our shoulders like white shawls.
    The chalets were close and we were soon there. Charlotte pointed and said, ‘This one is ours.’
    It was wooden with a sharp pitched roof and all the windows glowed yellow with a warm light. We walked beyond the corner and then turned and went down a slope. I changed my step, and moved my weight to avoid the soles of my boots from slipping. I felt Charlotte do the same. She kept hold of my arm and pulled on it. I almost slipped and she giggled. The slope flattened and we followed a path marked by a line of ground lamps that stuck up above the snow. Another chalet appeared with two lights at the door and the same warm glow from the windows.
    ‘It’s this one,’ Charlotte said.
    I knocked on the door with my gloved knuckles and Charlotte pushed the doorbell. A young woman answered. Charlotte gave her a friendly smile and said, ‘Hello, I’m Charlotte, is Alice at home?’ The young woman smiled back at Charlotte and then looked at me. ‘He’s my bodyguard,’ Charlotte said.
    ‘Who is it?’ A woman’s voice asked from inside.
    ‘Charlotte and her bodyguard,’ replied the girl in a strong French accent. Alice Chester appeared behind the girl, saw Charlotte and smiled happily. ‘Come in, come in,’ she said.
    We knocked the snow off and went inside. I closed the door. We took off our gloves, hats and coats. The French girl was evidently the chalet hostess and she hung our things on a row of wooden pegs.
    ‘Would you like a drink?’
    ‘No, thank-you, we’re not going to stop. We just called to say hello, as we’re neighbours.’
    ‘Oh, thanks, that’s nice of you.’
    The two daughters were sitting on the sofa, quietly reading. They were already dressed for bed.
    I didn’t see any point in being reserved, so I asked, ‘Have you heard from your husband at all?’ Just for a moment, there was a flicker in her eyes and then it was gone and she replied, ‘No, still nothing. I’m so worried for him.’
    She said for him, not about him.
    ‘Yes, of course, it must be dreadful,’ Charlotte said.
    ‘Shouldn’t you have stayed at home in case he calls?’ I asked.
    Again, there was just the hint of something in her eyes. ‘He knows we were coming here; it’s been booked for months; and I have my mobile with me so he can still call me.’
    I was now confident she had heard from him.
    ‘What do the police say?’ Charlotte asked.
    ‘They’re doing all they can but they told me that finding a missing person was difficult, but that most adult men who go missing turn up again safe and sound.’
    ‘Yes, I’m sure you’ll hear from him very soon,’ Charlotte said and glanced at the girls sitting on the sofa. Neither of them seemed to be listening to the adults’ conversation.
    ‘Well, we won’t stay any longer,’ Charlotte said. ‘Are you and the girls skiing tomorrow?’
    ‘Yes, yes we are.’
    ‘The snow’s falling heavily so there should be good powder in the