Read Online Pursued by Shadows by Medora Sale - Free Book Online

suspicion. Its jewel green turned her eyes the shifting colour of the sea over sand and gave her whole body a luminescence he found difficult to ignore. He had a feeling that he was about to be manipulated. “And I spent a hell of a long time trying not to explain it to the entire floor,” he said, lightly. “I wish if you’re going to leave funny messages you’d leave them with Ed. He’s a bit more discreet than the others.”
    â€œHe wasn’t there,” said Harriet. “Or I would have. Didn’t it ever occur to you that when you’re not there, Ed isn’t, either? Most of the time? It’s because you’re partners,” she explained with mock sententiousness, “if you hadn’t figured it out.” She turned toward the kitchen. “How about a beer? I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since we had lunch and you’re going to get thirsty before I finish. How’s the case coming along? I assume that since you’re here, it’s not too sticky.”
    â€œSure,” he said. “The case? It’s over. We picked up this guy wandering down an alley with a knife in his hand, so polluted he’s falling over, and a few yards away is his drinking buddy with a dozen knife wounds in him. A certain amount of legwork, but all of it’s finished. Including court this morning. I would have come over anyway,” he added, with hesitation. “I wanted to make sure that you were okay after the weekend—”
    â€œDon’t be an idiot,” said Harriet, closing the subject with a sweeping gesture of dismissal. “Or I’ll get irritated and change my mind about pouring out my troubles at you.” She handed him a beer. “First of all, before you say it, I really am going to have the locks changed, and I have double-locked the doors and put the chain on every minute I’ve been home.”
    â€œRight. And if—”
    â€œWait. There have been some more strange things. One is that I have this paranoid feeling that someone has been going through the apartment while I wasn’t here—you know what I mean? Everything seems to be just slightly out of place.”
    â€œWho?” asked John, his voice sharp with worry. “Guy?”
    â€œI don’t know,” said Harriet, looking very embarrassed. “Probably no one. Guy messed things up on Thursday and I could have put things away in strange places. I was upset and not thinking very clearly. Nothing has disappeared, as far as I know. That’s one,” she went on, counting on her fingers. “Number two is much more substantial. I got another letter from Jane. A weird letter, let me warn you.”
    Sanders gave her a wary look. “Let’s hear it,” he said, against his better judgment.
    â€œWell, first of all, it’s from Skaneateles, New York.”
    â€œFrom where?”
    â€œSkaneateles. It’s near Syracuse. On one of the Finger Lakes. Very pretty.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œWhy not? That’s where she seems to be. Anyway, stop interrupting me and listen:

    â€˜Dear Harriet,’ it says, ‘I’m sorry to bother you again. I couldn’t call you in Toronto because I was being followed, I think. Guy must have been on the next flight after mine. Could I ask you for an even bigger favour? Could you possibly come down here? I am desperate. I daren’t go home in case something happens to Agnes. I am so tired of running, and I have no one at all to turn to. At the moment life doesn’t seem worth living.
    â€˜I am renting a lovely house here (an early nineteenth-century restoration, well done) at 96 Lake Street; there is plenty of room for you. Bring a sleeping bag. I know you like the town or I wouldn’t have had the nerve to ask for your help like this.
    â€˜Bring cameras—there’s so much to do here. And do you think you could bring a macro while you’re at it? It’s