Read Online Kennedy 01 - Into the Shadows by Shirley Wells - Free Book Online
Authors: Shirley Wells
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on Saturdays now.’
‘Yes, I know.’
‘Idolized his mother,’ Ian went on. ‘Closer to her than to his dad, I reckon. Not that he don’t get on well with his dad. A terrible business all round. But I won’t have him down as a killer. I won’t.’
A young couple walked in, strangers to Jill and to Ian, and Jill picked up her change and left him to serve them.
She sat at a small round table in the corner, next to the fire.
People had warned her about the harsh winters endured in this corner of Lancashire, but she’d had no idea those winters arrived so early.
She liked The Weaver’s Retreat. It was on the edge of the village, on the Todmorden Road, and was popular with the locals. Ian always had a warm welcome for his regulars; it was a homely place to relax.
Not that Jill was feeling relaxed. She was still trying to picture Alice Trueman as a fun-loving ex-dancer. It didn’t fit. Except, of course, she’d had the elegance and grace of a dancer, and those long, shapely legs. She was also curious about the sort of people Jonathan Trueman thought his son was mixing with. What had he meant by that? Kids taking drugs? Or simply kids from the council estate?
What would he have made of her, she wondered, if he knew of her lowly beginnings?
‘Are you turning to drink?’
Jill looked up, startled to see that Andy Collins was in the bar. He must have come in through the back door.
“I called in for eggs,’ she explained with a smile, ‘and was tempted to linger in the warmth. Winter’s come early.’
‘Winter? This is a pleasant autumnal day,’ he told her with a laugh. ‘Mind if I join you?’
‘I’d be glad of the company.’
He paid for his pint and brought it over to the table.
Before sitting down, he brushed a couple of specks of mud from his trousers.
‘I’ve been showing a prospective purchaser round Top Bank Farm,’ he explained, ‘and the chap insisted on walking through the fields. It’s ankle deep in mud. Still, a sale is a sale,’ he added, downing almost half his pint in one swallow.
‘You look as if you needed that,’ Jill remarked.
“I can’t seem to get going at all at the moment.’ He shuddered.
“I keep thinking of poor Alice. I liked her a lot.’
‘Dreadful, isn’t it? I wish I’d known her better. Did you know she’d been a dancer?’
‘Yes. Years ago, she was in one of those groups - you know, like Pan’s People or Hot Gossip. Or perhaps that’s before your time.’
‘She was that sort of dancer?’ Jill was amazed. I’d imagined her ballroom dancing.’
Andy shook his head.
‘She was a real little raver by all accounts. Lovely woman, though. Lovely family come to that,’ he said.
‘Michael - now I know the police don’t arrest people without reason, but I simply can’t believe it of him. He’s a smashing lad. Jon’s the same. He gets on his high horse now and again, but he’s a good enough sort. Once you get to know him, you’ll find he’s a good laugh.’ He took another swig of his beer. ‘Not that he’s got anything to laugh about now.’
‘No, poor man.’
‘It’s the sort of thing you see on the TV,’ he murmured, ‘not the sort of thing that happens in real life, to real people. And certainly not in a place like this.’
Isn’t that what everyone caught up in these situations said? Whether you lived in a sleepy little hamlet or on a bustling inner city estate, it was one of those things that happened to other people in other places.
The door opened and Tony Hutchinson came in.
‘Andy! Jill!’ he called out. ‘Can I get you a drink?’
Jill refused. It was tempting to enjoy the warmth a little longer, but she was hungry. Andy accepted another pint.
‘Is this a private party,’ Tony asked, ‘or can anyone join in?’
‘Sit down.’ Jill moved round the table to give him more space.
‘What a day,’ Tony said, taking a drink. “I had all the kids together for a special assembly this morning, but it’s damned
‘Yes, I know.’
‘Idolized his mother,’ Ian went on. ‘Closer to her than to his dad, I reckon. Not that he don’t get on well with his dad. A terrible business all round. But I won’t have him down as a killer. I won’t.’
A young couple walked in, strangers to Jill and to Ian, and Jill picked up her change and left him to serve them.
She sat at a small round table in the corner, next to the fire.
People had warned her about the harsh winters endured in this corner of Lancashire, but she’d had no idea those winters arrived so early.
She liked The Weaver’s Retreat. It was on the edge of the village, on the Todmorden Road, and was popular with the locals. Ian always had a warm welcome for his regulars; it was a homely place to relax.
Not that Jill was feeling relaxed. She was still trying to picture Alice Trueman as a fun-loving ex-dancer. It didn’t fit. Except, of course, she’d had the elegance and grace of a dancer, and those long, shapely legs. She was also curious about the sort of people Jonathan Trueman thought his son was mixing with. What had he meant by that? Kids taking drugs? Or simply kids from the council estate?
What would he have made of her, she wondered, if he knew of her lowly beginnings?
‘Are you turning to drink?’
Jill looked up, startled to see that Andy Collins was in the bar. He must have come in through the back door.
“I called in for eggs,’ she explained with a smile, ‘and was tempted to linger in the warmth. Winter’s come early.’
‘Winter? This is a pleasant autumnal day,’ he told her with a laugh. ‘Mind if I join you?’
‘I’d be glad of the company.’
He paid for his pint and brought it over to the table.
Before sitting down, he brushed a couple of specks of mud from his trousers.
‘I’ve been showing a prospective purchaser round Top Bank Farm,’ he explained, ‘and the chap insisted on walking through the fields. It’s ankle deep in mud. Still, a sale is a sale,’ he added, downing almost half his pint in one swallow.
‘You look as if you needed that,’ Jill remarked.
“I can’t seem to get going at all at the moment.’ He shuddered.
“I keep thinking of poor Alice. I liked her a lot.’
‘Dreadful, isn’t it? I wish I’d known her better. Did you know she’d been a dancer?’
‘Yes. Years ago, she was in one of those groups - you know, like Pan’s People or Hot Gossip. Or perhaps that’s before your time.’
‘She was that sort of dancer?’ Jill was amazed. I’d imagined her ballroom dancing.’
Andy shook his head.
‘She was a real little raver by all accounts. Lovely woman, though. Lovely family come to that,’ he said.
‘Michael - now I know the police don’t arrest people without reason, but I simply can’t believe it of him. He’s a smashing lad. Jon’s the same. He gets on his high horse now and again, but he’s a good enough sort. Once you get to know him, you’ll find he’s a good laugh.’ He took another swig of his beer. ‘Not that he’s got anything to laugh about now.’
‘No, poor man.’
‘It’s the sort of thing you see on the TV,’ he murmured, ‘not the sort of thing that happens in real life, to real people. And certainly not in a place like this.’
Isn’t that what everyone caught up in these situations said? Whether you lived in a sleepy little hamlet or on a bustling inner city estate, it was one of those things that happened to other people in other places.
The door opened and Tony Hutchinson came in.
‘Andy! Jill!’ he called out. ‘Can I get you a drink?’
Jill refused. It was tempting to enjoy the warmth a little longer, but she was hungry. Andy accepted another pint.
‘Is this a private party,’ Tony asked, ‘or can anyone join in?’
‘Sit down.’ Jill moved round the table to give him more space.
‘What a day,’ Tony said, taking a drink. “I had all the kids together for a special assembly this morning, but it’s damned
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