Read Online Death in July by Michael Joseph - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Michael Joseph
Tags: Thrillers, Crime, Mystery, Private Investigators, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Murder, Thrillers & Suspense, Pulp
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Alice's mum where she is...'
Alice whirled around, her own eyes glistening.
'And that must be how Richard found out! He wouldn't have had a clue otherwise!'
Moira put an arm around Alice.
'I'm so sorry, darling. I didn't realise how bad things were between you and Richard until you told me earlier-'
Alice shrugged her off.
'I'm going,' she said, shaking her head. 'I need time to think.'
With that, she leaned under the counter, grabbed her bag and stormed out the shop. Moira looked at Sam, stunned.
'Sam?'
'I'll go after her,' he nodded.
***
'Alice!'
She stopped but didn't turn around. Sam caught her up.
'Where are you going?' he asked.
'Back to the apartment,' she snapped, anger in her voice.
'Do you want a lift?'
She turned around and gave him a stony look.
'I thought coming here was a good idea but-'
'Alice?'
'What?'
'Let me take you back. You're in no mood for walking. You'll probably thump someone on the way...'
Alice stared at him for a few moments, then her features softened.
'Okay,' she said quietly.
'Good,' said Sam, getting out his keys. 'Here, have a seat in the car while I let Moira know what's happening.'
Sam passed her the keys and watched her head towards his car. He went back to the shop and popped his head inside the door. Moira was leaning against the counter, dabbing her nose with a tissue. She gave Sam a forlorn look.
'Moira, I'm going to drop Alice back at your place.'
'Thanks, Sam,' she sniffed. 'Try and talk to her, will you? Tell her I'm sorry.'
Sam told her not to worry. Everything was going to be alright.
***
'Moira would never do anything to hurt you or put you in danger.'
Alice shook her head. Sam tried again.
'She wouldn't-'
'I know, Sam,' sighed Alice. 'I'm just angry right now. I know it's not her fault. I'll apologise to her later.'
Sam drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. They were sat in his car outside Moira's apartment. The sun was setting in front of them.
'So, why didn't you tell your mother where you were going?'
Alice sighed. It was a deep, meaningful sound.
'Because I knew this would happen if she found out. What you've got to understand is my ex, Richard, is a charmer. Always has been. He's managed to convince everybody, including my mum and friends, that his fling was nothing. A silly mistake. They think I should give him another chance.'
'And you think your mum told him where you are?'
'Probably,' nodded Alice. 'She would have done it innocently. She just can't see how strongly I feel.'
Sam didn't know what else to say. His heart went out to Alice.
'What will you do now?' he asked.
Alice shook her head. She really didn't know.
***
Sam got out of his car, locked up and started across the road to his flat. The flower shop was closed and shrouded in darkness. Moira would be home now, hopefully making up with her niece. Alice had been in a far more agreeable mood when Sam left her.
Sam's thoughts turned to the intruder at the cottage. He wondered what the man wanted with Geoffrey. And what about John Carr's caginess? Something was amiss there. But Sam couldn't see how-
Suddenly, tyres screeched and an engine roared. Sam looked around. Headlights were bearing down on him at speed. Instinctively, he leapt for the kerbside and threw himself hard against his flat door. Wheels mounted the pavement and his world was full of dazzling white light. A glancing blow struck him on the thigh as the vehicle swept past him. His leg buckled and he collapsed to the floor. Lying on the cool pavement, he gritted his teeth and turned his head. A pair of blurred red lights disappeared into the darkness.
***
Sam dragged himself out of his car and hobbled towards the cottage. Inside, he followed the same routine as the previous night, settling down in the armchair, focusing on the front of the cottage. Only this time he had a bottle of whisky and a box of painkillers for company. The pain in his thigh was constant, the
Alice whirled around, her own eyes glistening.
'And that must be how Richard found out! He wouldn't have had a clue otherwise!'
Moira put an arm around Alice.
'I'm so sorry, darling. I didn't realise how bad things were between you and Richard until you told me earlier-'
Alice shrugged her off.
'I'm going,' she said, shaking her head. 'I need time to think.'
With that, she leaned under the counter, grabbed her bag and stormed out the shop. Moira looked at Sam, stunned.
'Sam?'
'I'll go after her,' he nodded.
***
'Alice!'
She stopped but didn't turn around. Sam caught her up.
'Where are you going?' he asked.
'Back to the apartment,' she snapped, anger in her voice.
'Do you want a lift?'
She turned around and gave him a stony look.
'I thought coming here was a good idea but-'
'Alice?'
'What?'
'Let me take you back. You're in no mood for walking. You'll probably thump someone on the way...'
Alice stared at him for a few moments, then her features softened.
'Okay,' she said quietly.
'Good,' said Sam, getting out his keys. 'Here, have a seat in the car while I let Moira know what's happening.'
Sam passed her the keys and watched her head towards his car. He went back to the shop and popped his head inside the door. Moira was leaning against the counter, dabbing her nose with a tissue. She gave Sam a forlorn look.
'Moira, I'm going to drop Alice back at your place.'
'Thanks, Sam,' she sniffed. 'Try and talk to her, will you? Tell her I'm sorry.'
Sam told her not to worry. Everything was going to be alright.
***
'Moira would never do anything to hurt you or put you in danger.'
Alice shook her head. Sam tried again.
'She wouldn't-'
'I know, Sam,' sighed Alice. 'I'm just angry right now. I know it's not her fault. I'll apologise to her later.'
Sam drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. They were sat in his car outside Moira's apartment. The sun was setting in front of them.
'So, why didn't you tell your mother where you were going?'
Alice sighed. It was a deep, meaningful sound.
'Because I knew this would happen if she found out. What you've got to understand is my ex, Richard, is a charmer. Always has been. He's managed to convince everybody, including my mum and friends, that his fling was nothing. A silly mistake. They think I should give him another chance.'
'And you think your mum told him where you are?'
'Probably,' nodded Alice. 'She would have done it innocently. She just can't see how strongly I feel.'
Sam didn't know what else to say. His heart went out to Alice.
'What will you do now?' he asked.
Alice shook her head. She really didn't know.
***
Sam got out of his car, locked up and started across the road to his flat. The flower shop was closed and shrouded in darkness. Moira would be home now, hopefully making up with her niece. Alice had been in a far more agreeable mood when Sam left her.
Sam's thoughts turned to the intruder at the cottage. He wondered what the man wanted with Geoffrey. And what about John Carr's caginess? Something was amiss there. But Sam couldn't see how-
Suddenly, tyres screeched and an engine roared. Sam looked around. Headlights were bearing down on him at speed. Instinctively, he leapt for the kerbside and threw himself hard against his flat door. Wheels mounted the pavement and his world was full of dazzling white light. A glancing blow struck him on the thigh as the vehicle swept past him. His leg buckled and he collapsed to the floor. Lying on the cool pavement, he gritted his teeth and turned his head. A pair of blurred red lights disappeared into the darkness.
***
Sam dragged himself out of his car and hobbled towards the cottage. Inside, he followed the same routine as the previous night, settling down in the armchair, focusing on the front of the cottage. Only this time he had a bottle of whisky and a box of painkillers for company. The pain in his thigh was constant, the
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