Read Online Island for Dreams by Katrina Britt - Free Book Online Page B

around the shoulder bag. Suspicions were running around in her head like a demented hornet. She was suspicious of everyone—Jony, Tricia, even Juan, who knew she could swim and who would see no point in pushing her into the water even if he had wanted to. Besides, he looked upset as if he was suffering from shock.
    She hesitated, then said in a small voice, ‘ Thank you for the bag. I dropped it into the sea as I was diving in from the pier. ’
    Juan looked startled at that. ‘ Diving from the pier with your shoulder bag? What would you be doing that for? ’ A smile that did not reach his eyes lifted the corners of his mouth. ‘ You didn ’ t happen to want to put an end to it all on account of our falling out? ’
    ‘ Very funny ! No, I was pushed from the pier. ’
    ‘ Pushed? ’ he echoed incredulously. ‘ Who would want to push you off the pier? Was it vandals? ’
    ‘ I don ’ t think so. I never heard a sound, no voices or anything. It was around quarter to ten and the pier was deserted as far as I could see. ’
    Instantly he had leapt to his feet to grip her slim shoulders between his hands.
    ‘ Go on, ’ he commanded. ‘ What happened next? Did you go back to the pier to see who it was? ’
    ‘ No, I swam to the beach and came back to the flat. I didn ’ t miss my shoulder bag until I came to unlock the door. ’
    ‘ Poor child! ’ He drew her against his chest. ‘ Were you very frightened? ’ He drew in a deep breath. ‘ I ’ d like to get my hands on whoever did it! You don ’ t think it might have been a seagull? They dive-bomb the railway lines along the pier at night with mussels in order to crack them open for food. ’
    ‘ I don ’ t think so. I only saw one poised on top of one of the lights. ’ Suddenly Nora remembered the little plastic purse. ‘ It was an opening in the guard rail along the pier where I saw this purse. I went nearer to the edge of the space than I would have done normally to pick it up. It was near the edge of the pier as if someone had dropped it. I have it here. ’
    Juan took the purse she gave him and examined it in silence.
    ‘ Meant to lure you to the edge, no doubt, ’ he concluded grimly. ‘ Mind if I keep this? ’
    Nora looked at him disliking the confused feeling that close contact with him gave her.
    ‘ What do you want to keep it for? ’ she asked curiously.
    But Juan refused to be drawn. ‘ I might find out who it belonged to, ’ was all he said.
    ‘ Do you think we ought to tell the police? ’
    He shrugged. ‘ What can they do? They ’ ll probably put it down to hooligans on a last-minute romp before the pier closed. No, leave this with me, I ’ ll make a few discreet enquiries. ’ A thought struck him. ‘ Does anyone know about it? ’
    ‘ The porter of the flats. He thinks I dropped the bag accidentally into the sea. He ’ s promised to send a friend to find the bag for me. It concerns him since I ’ d left my keys to the flat in it. I ’ m so grateful to you for finding it for me. ’
    ‘ You can tell him that a friend found it for you. ’ He prowled around the lounge, gesturing for her to sit down. Then he draped himself against the frame of the door leading into the kitchen.
    ‘I’ m going to be around for the next few weeks or so, and I have something to suggest to you. I know it ’ s the wrong time of the day to talk, but we have to do so. How do you feel about going along with the idea that there ’ s something between you and me? ’
    ‘ You mean pretend we ’ re more than friends? ’
    ‘ It might help. ’ He unzipped his parka and blew out a tortured breath. ‘ It ’ s warm in here. Doesn ’ t anyone turn the heat off? ’
    ‘ It is off. I was going to suggest a cup of coffee, ’ Nora added with a smile.
    Juan sloughed his jacket. ‘ I ’ d welcome a cup—been to a party. My throat is dry, ’ adding as he caught her wary look, ‘ And it isn ’ t through over-drinking. Everyone today seems to be mad