Read Online Dead Woman's Shoes: 1 (Lexy Lomax Mysteries) by Kaye C. Hill - Free Book Online Page A

had fallen downstairs and broken his neck. He was stone dead.”
    “Christ,” said Lexy, softly.
    “When we realised he was dead, we were all crying,” Hope continued, speaking faster now, as if she wanted to get the words out before they stuck in her throat. “But Guy and I were actually crying with relief and hugging each other. Is that awful?”
    “No… no.” Lexy passed Hope another napkin.
    “Our mother thought we were wicked to be rejoicing,” said Hope. “She called an ambulance, and the police came, and there was an inquiry.” She gave a humourless laugh. “Even after death he kept hurting us. They didn’t accept that it was an accident. We all had to give statements. Guy and I… we didn’t see what had happened. I think the police thought our mother had pushed him, because it was obvious he had been drinking, and there had been some sort of scene. But that was never proven. In the end the verdict was death by misadventure.”
    She pushed back her hair. “But the damage was done. Local people, who had no idea what our father was really like, started whispering, saying that mum really had pushed him. They reckoned she did it deliberately so she could hook up with another local farmer she was friendly with. Then a hate campaign started in earnest. Mum couldn’t take it. She sold up, put the money in trust for us, brought us to Clopwolde to our godparents, who had just moved here, and then she walked into the sea down near Sizewell and drowned herself. Like she was finally admitting guilt for what she’d done.” Hope nodded, emphasising this last fact.
    “I’m sorry,” said Lexy ineffectually, appalled by the tale. “Do you think she was guilty?”
    Hope looked down. “I do think she might have been having an affair. But Guy and I didn’t see what happened, so I guess we’ll never know.”
    “Can’t have been easy.”
    Hope gave a faint smile. “We survived. Local people gradually forgot, and new faces replaced old ones. Our godparents were wonderful, considering they’d had a couple of screwed-up kids dumped on them when they were looking forward to a peaceful retirement.
    “Anyway, as time went on, Guy did well at school and decided to become a vet. We settled here and eventually bought the practice with the money we’d inherited, and we bought our two properties, and we’ve been happy ever since.” She paused. “At least I was happy…”
    She opened her handbag. “Then I got this. The first one. Delivered by hand to the surgery.” She gave Lexy a small white envelope.
    Lexy, resisting an urge to pick it up with the corner of a napkin, took it reluctantly.
    Hope threw her a warning look. Kitty was approaching with a tray.
    “There we are, my dears. One black coffee, one double espresso, and two chocolate croissants.”
    Hope immediately grasped her cup.
    “How are the driving lessons, going, dear?” Kitty asked.
    Hope grimaced. “Bit of a struggle.” She glanced sheepishly at Lexy. “I had my third one this week – I think the instructor is even more afraid than I am.”
    “Well – keep at it.” Kitty waddled off, and Hope gave a nervous giggle which was cut off as Lexy, with some trepidation, slid out a sheet of paper from the envelope. It was pasted with an assortment of letters cut from magazines. If there was a text-book on how to construct and word a poison pen letter, this one would have illustrated it.
    I KNOW WHO KILLED YOUR FATHER
    Lexy stared at the words, feeling a chill slice through her.
    “And you’ve had two more?”
    Hope nodded. She drained the last of her coffee with a grimace.
    “Same wording?”
    “Pretty much.” Hope’s face crumpled.
    “It’s OK. We’ll figure something.” Figure something? Figure what? What was she saying?
    Lexy replaced the letter distractedly in the envelope and handed it back to Hope.
    “Were all the letters delivered by hand?”
    “Yes.”
    “Any pattern – like were they all delivered on the same day of the