Read Online The Jackal Man by Kate Ellis - Free Book Online

into their lives from time to time and then disappear to immerse
     himself in his work. Wesley could have pursued the same career path after university and he sometimes wondered whether he’d
     have been happier as anarchaeologist. He certainly wouldn’t have had to face women traumatised by violence like Clare Mayers.
    He whispered a few encouraging words to Amelia before joining his son on the floor.
    ‘So what do you know about Ancient Egypt?’ he said, ruffling Michael’s dark curls.
    But it was Amelia who spoke. ‘Della’s getting us a kitten.’
    There had never been any question of Pam’s mother, Della, being Nanna or Granny to her grandchildren. Della didn’t like anything
     that might make her sound her age.
    ‘When’s this kitten arriving?’
    ‘Della’s friend’s choosing one for us. She runs an animal sanctuary,’ said Michael, matter of factly.
    ‘I’d better go and get my supper.’ Wesley was hungry. And he wanted to find out what his mother-in-law was up to now. Getting
     a kitten was news to Wesley. Knowing Della, one kitten probably meant a houseful of cats, none of them house-trained and each
     bent on destruction.
    He found Pam at the kitchen table with a pile of exercise books by her side. ‘I’ve got to get this marking done tonight,’
     she said as she looked up. ‘Can you help Michael with his Egypt project? I tried to phone Neil earlier but there was no answer.’
    ‘I’ll do what I can. What’s this about a kitten?’
    Pam sat up straight and pushed her hair back from her face. ‘Why? Don’t you want one?’
    ‘Well, I like cats but …’
    ‘But?’
    ‘Why do I get the feeling that this is something your mother’s foisting on us?’
    Pam sighed and sat back in her chair. She looked a little tired after a long day’s teaching but Wesley thought shelooked good and the blue top she was wearing brought out the colour of her eyes.
    ‘I admit it was Della’s idea. Her latest thing is playing lady bountiful to a load of stray animals. I can’t see it lasting
     myself.’
    ‘Michael said something about a friend with an animal sanctuary.’
    ‘She went to a university conference and met this psychology lecturer. They got talking and he mentioned that his mother ran
     an animal sanctuary in Hugford. Between you and me she probably fancied the lecturer and thought it was a good way to ingratiate
     herself. You know what she’s like about younger men. Anyway, one of the sanctuary cats had kittens a couple of months ago
     and Della thought it would be nice for the kids to have a pet.’
    Wesley said nothing. If it had been anybody but Della, he would have been all for it but, in his experience, everything Della
     ever did for them came at a price.
    The doorbell rang and Pam leapt up, meeting the children in the hall. Wesley watched the three of them dash to the front door.
    Sure enough their visitor was Della and she was carrying a wicker cat basket. As Wesley stepped forward his eyes were drawn
     to the little creature inside and it would have taken a heart a lot harder than his not to warm to the small, inquisitive
     face with its large eyes and whiskers.
    Pam did her best to calm the children’s excitement as Della took the basket into the front room and placed it on the floor,
     turning to look at Wesley, a challenge in her eyes.
    ‘Hope you aren’t going to arrest me for being in possession of a vicious animal.’
    Wesley had heard it all before, the jibes against his chosenprofession. And over the years he had learned to ignore it. Della still lived back in a time when all police were ‘pigs’
     and agents of an oppressive state. He’d given up trying to convince her of his good intentions long ago.
    She sat down on the sofa, spreading out her ankle-length black skirt. She still wore her greying hair long, a couple of starry
     hair slides holding it back from a high-cheekboned face lined from years of smoking and too much wine.
    It had taken Wesley a while to get