Read Online False Money by Veronica Heley - Free Book Online

hand.
    Had Chris – who was not all that tall, or heavy – actually managed to land a blow on Harry? Was that a reddish graze on Harry’s chin? Bea flicked a glance at the girl, who looked amused.
    Harry reddened. ‘Diddums, then. Has his ickle bunny girl deserted him?’
    Chris moved his shoulders within his jacket, but kept his temper. ‘Tomi was special, but never my girlfriend. You ought to know that. You went out with her for what – three months? As soon as the film won a prize.’
    Harry contrived a laugh, inviting Hermia to share his amusement. ‘A five-minute sensation. Yes, she was an amusing little totty to have around for a while, but no one could be serious about her. Or you. I hear you dropped out of college to make your little video, using money you’d borrowed from your father. Not much of a future in that, is there?’
    â€˜Oh,’ said Hermia, frowning. More to herself than anyone else. ‘So you’re that Chris, are you?’
    Chris wasn’t looking at her, but concentrating on Harry. ‘Look, Tomi’s missing. I know she texted you to say she was taking off to France with a friend, but she couldn’t have gone because her passport’s still here, and she’s not picking up messages left on her mobile.’
    â€˜Gone back to her roots, I suppose. Like a rabbit to its burrow. Sudan, Nigeria, Sierra Leone? Take your pick.’
    Chris turned away with a gesture of frustration.
    Bea took up the questioning. ‘Could you tell us when you last saw Tomi and what she was wearing at the time?’
    â€˜Really, I’m not responsible for the girl. Now if that’s all, perhaps you’d leave as we have plans for the rest of the day which don’t include you. Either of you.’
    Hermia picked up her jacket and retrieved a small diary from a pocket. ‘Two weeks last Saturday I was at a party with some friends. Harry came in, moaning that Tomi had gone off with someone else. Does that help?’
    Harry scowled. ‘She stood me up. After telling me she was going shopping for something to wear to the party, too.’
    â€˜That helps,’ said Chris, ignoring Harry. ‘I saw her on the Saturday morning. We went to the library together and took some books out, some of which she was carrying for me. That was the last I saw of her. So between Saturday morning and Saturday evening she went missing, and no one’s seen her since.’
    â€˜She got a better offer, I suppose,’ said Harry, yawning. ‘Now if you don’t mind—’
    â€˜A better offer than you were likely to make to her?’ said Chris. Then stopped, for Hermia had made a slight but definite movement, frowning, communicating . . . what?
    Bea looked from one intent face to the other. She could feel the air in the room becoming supercharged with . . . sex? No, not sex. Though perhaps there was sex in it.
    She tried to work it out. There was a recognition on Hermia’s part that she was interested in Chris, and that he had suddenly realized it. Despite the age gap, something was definitely going on between them.
    But Chris only goes out with blonde cuties!
    Hermia was not a blonde and had never been a cutie, but she had brains and integrity and a cool intelligence, which would make her a better partner than any number of blonde cuties. There was money in her background, too; something which Harry was said to appreciate, but which probably wouldn’t weigh with Chris at all.
    Bea’s brain slid on and on. If Chris and Hermia got it together, would they not argue? Yes, probably. Would she tire of him if he failed to fulfil his early promise of bright young film-maker? Yes, probably. But what if what she was feeling for him now developed into a deep, true love? She’d mother him through his bad times, admire the persistence with which he’d overcome so many problems to produce his first film and appreciate