Read Online The Elemental (Blair Dubh Trilogy #1) by Heather Atkinson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Atkinson
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Do you want a hot drink?”
“ I’d love a coffee thanks,” he said, removing his coat as he recalled what his friend had told him and hanging it up in the porch. Then he followed her into the kitchen in just his black trousers and jumper.
Her hand shook as she spooned out the coffee into the mugs. Craig knew if she was ever to trust him properly then they had to talk about the elephant in the room.
“I heard about PC Docherty.”
The spoon clattered from her hand. “Who told you?” she said, clinging onto the worktop, keeping her back turned to him.
“ I have a couple of friends in Glasgow. Apparently you know one of them, Sergeant Williams. He got talking about you.”
“ So you didn’t call him to ask about me?”
If he told her the truth then he ’d alienate her for good and probably drop the poor lovelorn Dr Pierce right in it. He had no choice but to lie. “No. We keep in touch regularly. When he called I mentioned my old friend had come back to Blair Dubh and he said he knew you. He’s pleased you got clean, he said to pass on his best.” She didn’t reply, just continued to cling onto the worktop, head bowed. “Animals like Docherty are rare Freya. The majority of us are good people.”
“ I know but when I see the uniform, especially the fluorescent jackets, I get scared, I can’t help it. He always wore his jacket when he attacked me and when I see one now I just want to run.”
“ Did he attack you a lot?”
She nodded. “Sometimes I’d fight back but that only made him angrier. A couple of times I managed to outrun him, but somehow he always found me and the beatings were even worse. I made sure I was constantly drunk so when he did find me I couldn’t feel it. But he’s in prison now and will be for a very long time.”
The kettle boiled and she set about making the coffees, indicating the conversation was at an end.
Gently he rested his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t lump me in the same category as him. I would never hurt you.”
“ I know.”
Those green eyes turned on him again and he swallowed hard. Every time she looked at him it was like being hit by a sledgehammer. Just to be safe he released her and retreated across the room. She picked up her coffee, handed him a mug and he followed her into the sitting room. When she sat on the couch he took the armchair by the fireplace, wanting to maintain some distance between them.
“I have to tell you Freya, Catriona’s death wasn’t an accident. She was murdered.”
Her hand slipped and she almost dropped the mug. “What happened?”
“ She was drowned.”
“ That’s how it began fifteen years ago. Lorna MacDiarmid was drowned in the bath of her cottage. It’s starting again.”
“ As yet we don’t know that for sure.”
“ Not until there’s a second death and there will be.”
“ How can you be so sure? Father Logan’s dead.”
“ I just know, I can feel it.”
“ We can’t get ahead of ourselves and make assumptions. Now, did you see anyone go in or out of her cottage? You have a pretty good view of it from here.”
“ No I didn’t. Sorry.”
“ Don’t apologise.”
“ Am I a suspect?”
“ Why would you think that?”
“ There hasn’t been a murder in this village since the last time I was here, at least, I’m assuming there hasn’t.”
“ You’re right, there hasn’t.”
“ Then I return and a woman dies. Before you ask I’ve been here alone all day and there’s no one to back me up on that.”
“ I appreciate how candid you’re being.”
“ It’s not my first time being interviewed by the Police. I did hope it wouldn’t happen again.”
“ You’re being interviewed as a possible witness, not a suspect,” he lied. “And as yet there’s nothing to indicate this is linked to The Elemental Murders.”
“ But it has to be.”
“ Not necessarily.”
“ If it’s not then it’s an incredible coincidence.”
“ Then who is it? Logan’s dead.”
“ He had
“ I’d love a coffee thanks,” he said, removing his coat as he recalled what his friend had told him and hanging it up in the porch. Then he followed her into the kitchen in just his black trousers and jumper.
Her hand shook as she spooned out the coffee into the mugs. Craig knew if she was ever to trust him properly then they had to talk about the elephant in the room.
“I heard about PC Docherty.”
The spoon clattered from her hand. “Who told you?” she said, clinging onto the worktop, keeping her back turned to him.
“ I have a couple of friends in Glasgow. Apparently you know one of them, Sergeant Williams. He got talking about you.”
“ So you didn’t call him to ask about me?”
If he told her the truth then he ’d alienate her for good and probably drop the poor lovelorn Dr Pierce right in it. He had no choice but to lie. “No. We keep in touch regularly. When he called I mentioned my old friend had come back to Blair Dubh and he said he knew you. He’s pleased you got clean, he said to pass on his best.” She didn’t reply, just continued to cling onto the worktop, head bowed. “Animals like Docherty are rare Freya. The majority of us are good people.”
“ I know but when I see the uniform, especially the fluorescent jackets, I get scared, I can’t help it. He always wore his jacket when he attacked me and when I see one now I just want to run.”
“ Did he attack you a lot?”
She nodded. “Sometimes I’d fight back but that only made him angrier. A couple of times I managed to outrun him, but somehow he always found me and the beatings were even worse. I made sure I was constantly drunk so when he did find me I couldn’t feel it. But he’s in prison now and will be for a very long time.”
The kettle boiled and she set about making the coffees, indicating the conversation was at an end.
Gently he rested his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t lump me in the same category as him. I would never hurt you.”
“ I know.”
Those green eyes turned on him again and he swallowed hard. Every time she looked at him it was like being hit by a sledgehammer. Just to be safe he released her and retreated across the room. She picked up her coffee, handed him a mug and he followed her into the sitting room. When she sat on the couch he took the armchair by the fireplace, wanting to maintain some distance between them.
“I have to tell you Freya, Catriona’s death wasn’t an accident. She was murdered.”
Her hand slipped and she almost dropped the mug. “What happened?”
“ She was drowned.”
“ That’s how it began fifteen years ago. Lorna MacDiarmid was drowned in the bath of her cottage. It’s starting again.”
“ As yet we don’t know that for sure.”
“ Not until there’s a second death and there will be.”
“ How can you be so sure? Father Logan’s dead.”
“ I just know, I can feel it.”
“ We can’t get ahead of ourselves and make assumptions. Now, did you see anyone go in or out of her cottage? You have a pretty good view of it from here.”
“ No I didn’t. Sorry.”
“ Don’t apologise.”
“ Am I a suspect?”
“ Why would you think that?”
“ There hasn’t been a murder in this village since the last time I was here, at least, I’m assuming there hasn’t.”
“ You’re right, there hasn’t.”
“ Then I return and a woman dies. Before you ask I’ve been here alone all day and there’s no one to back me up on that.”
“ I appreciate how candid you’re being.”
“ It’s not my first time being interviewed by the Police. I did hope it wouldn’t happen again.”
“ You’re being interviewed as a possible witness, not a suspect,” he lied. “And as yet there’s nothing to indicate this is linked to The Elemental Murders.”
“ But it has to be.”
“ Not necessarily.”
“ If it’s not then it’s an incredible coincidence.”
“ Then who is it? Logan’s dead.”
“ He had
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