Read Online She Woke to Darkness by Brett Halliday - Free Book Online Page A

disillusion you,” Ralph told her heartily. He was making like a big brother now. “It really wasn’t important and you’re better off not remembering too much. What else comes through?” he ended with a sharpened note in his voice.
    “There was some man,” Aline faltered. “Someone I’d never seen before.”
    “There was, indeed. A Mr. Torn, wasn’t it? Didn’t I hear him being introduced as Vincent Torn?”
    “I don’t know. Describe him.”
    Ralph chuckled. “After all, my dear Aline, who should be better able to describe him than you?”
    “But I tell you there are gaps.”
    Ralph shrugged his broad shoulders. “He wasn’t the type who lends himself to description. Mediocre, that’s it. Nondescript. What you can see in a fellow like that…” He shook his head sadly over the vagaries of women.
    “Did I leave the party with him?” Aline asked fearfully.
    “I’m not sure, but I’m positive you did if you were able to drag him away.” Ralph put two fingers under Doris’ chin and lifted her face. “Did you see Aline leave, sweet?”
    “I thought she went with you.” Doris’ voice was husky. She cleared her throat and added, “You both disappeared about the same time.”
    “But you can’t be positive?” Aline asked her.
    “No, but I asked two or three people and they told me not to worry about you… that Ralph could be trusted to take good care of you,” Doris gave a short, harsh laugh.
    Ralph smiled indulgently. “Which I could be, of course, if I had escorted you home, Aline. But I left the party alone, while you were still there. You can ask Bart,” he went on swiftly. “He argued about my leaving so early. I couldn’t tell him that you and I,” he gave Doris a squeeze, “had plans for later on.”
    “But we didn’t,” Doris protested. She sat erect, and her eyes were round and guileless. “I was never so surprised in my life when you turned up on my doorstep.”
    “As if you hadn’t known I was coming… and arrayed yourself in your most beguiling negligee. And I loved you for it.” He bent his head and kissed Doris tenderly on the lips. Her arms went around his neck.
    Aline stood up. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds now,” she said in a thin voice. “Sorry I interrupted, but I did want to get a line on last evening.”
    “Oh, no.” Ralph hastily released Doris and came to his feet. “It’s almost daylight. I have to consider Doris’ reputation and not stay too late. My car’s parked just outside. I’ll run you home.”
    “You needn’t bother,” Aline said stiffly, turning to the door. “I can walk.”
    “No bother at all. I’m sure Doris wishes we’d both go and let her get her beauty sleep.”
    He was directly behind Aline as she stepped out, and for a brief moment she felt a chill sense of fear course up her spine. It was silly, of course. She knew it was silly. But she wished desperately that Doris would call him back.
    Ralph closed the door firmly and took Aline’s arm to help her up the stairs, muttering in a low voice, “Thank God for small favors. I thought I was never going to be able to break away from that empty-headed little fool.”
    “A fine thing to say about a girl,” Aline retorted. “Particularly after you’ve just spent the night with her.”
    “Exactly the time one would say it about Doris,” he told her cheerfully. They reached the street level and he led her toward his parked convertible.
    “What did you say about me after that last time?”
    “The truth, of course. Not all the truth,” he amended hastily, opening the door for Aline. “No one in the world knows anything about that night except that you passed out and I took you home and tucked you in.” He patted her hand, closed the door, and went round to the other side to slide under the wheel.
    As Aline settled back against the cushion she felt something hard against her right hip. Twisting around slightly, she put her hand down to discover a small leather handbag