Read Online The Pleasures of Autumn by Evie Hunter - Free Book Online
Authors: Evie Hunter
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been framed? If so, he realized, his job of tracking down the missing ruby would be a lot harder. And instead of being free to go chasing it, he was stuck here looking after Sinead O’Sullivan.
She took a breath. ‘Until the police do their job, I’m trying to look at this as an unexpected holiday, a chance to get my apartment fixed up the way I want it. I’m just scared that when it’s all over, my reputation will still be tarnished. “There’s no smoke without fire” is what people will say. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life proving I’m not a thief, not to you or anyone else.’
She didn’t wait for his reply, but turned and marched on.
Bloody ass. Sinead tramped along the path, trying to put distance between them. Did he think she had stolen the Fire? It was too stupid to contemplate.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she fumbled as she pulled it out. She didn’t recognize the number. ‘Hello?’
‘Miss O’Sullivan, this is Gerhardt Arnheim of Arnheim Associates.’
It was the lawyer she had contacted the previous day. Her Uncle Tim had recommended him. Mr Arnheim had sounded none too pleased at being called on a Sunday morning, but as soon as she mentioned Tim’s name he had changed his tune. Now he was all urbane politeness.
‘Is this a good moment to talk?’
‘Of course.’
‘I’m afraid that matters have dis-improved, as you say.’
That didn’t sound good. ‘In what way?’
‘The police have completed their preliminary enquiries and are happy that they have sufficient evidence against you to proceed with a prosecution.’
A fist squeezed her heart. Her shock must have shown, because suddenly Niall was beside her. He touched her arm and mouthed a question to her. She opened her mouth to respond but the words wouldn’t come out.
‘Miss O’Sullivan?’ the voice on the phone continued.
‘Yes,’ she croaked, in a voice that didn’t sound like hers.
‘I’ve requested copies of their files and any other evidence that they may have. In the meantime, I suggest thatwe meet as soon as possible, so that we can discuss your defence or your guilty plea.’
‘I didn’t do it. I didn’t …’ The phone slipped and tumbled from her hand and was caught by Niall.
He spoke into it. ‘This is Niall Moore. I’m looking after Sinead. Can you give me your address? Yes. I know the place. Yes. Okay. We’ll see you there this afternoon.’
He disconnected the call. ‘I’m sorry.’
Niall’s expression said it all. They were going to prosecute. She was going to have to stand up in a courtroom full of people and be accused of stealing. Even when she was declared not guilty, when they discovered that it was all a horrible mistake, her reputation would be tainted forever.
And they would find out about Lottie. She could just imagine her grandmother’s face when that came out. Her knees trembled. The muesli she had eaten for breakfast threatened to make a reappearance.
‘Breathe, Sinead. Just breathe.’ Niall helped her along the path to a wooden bench and they sat and stared at the lake. He held her hand, rubbing his thumb along her knuckles. His face was unreadable.
Niall wound an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. The slow thump-thump of his heart steadied her nerves and her racing pulse returned to normal. She felt safe in his arms, protected.
‘Sinead, I have to ask you some questions and I want you to answer me. No matter how hard it is, you must tell me the truth. You know me. You know that you can trust me.’
‘I know.’ He was probably the only person in Geneva that she could trust.
‘Tell me what happened on the day of the theft, everything that you remember. Every detail, no matter how small or insignificant. Even the smallest thing could be important.’
Sinead snuggled closer. ‘It was a normal day. I did lots of admin work, insurance for the show, a meeting with the Finance Unit about next year’s budget, that sort
She took a breath. ‘Until the police do their job, I’m trying to look at this as an unexpected holiday, a chance to get my apartment fixed up the way I want it. I’m just scared that when it’s all over, my reputation will still be tarnished. “There’s no smoke without fire” is what people will say. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life proving I’m not a thief, not to you or anyone else.’
She didn’t wait for his reply, but turned and marched on.
Bloody ass. Sinead tramped along the path, trying to put distance between them. Did he think she had stolen the Fire? It was too stupid to contemplate.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she fumbled as she pulled it out. She didn’t recognize the number. ‘Hello?’
‘Miss O’Sullivan, this is Gerhardt Arnheim of Arnheim Associates.’
It was the lawyer she had contacted the previous day. Her Uncle Tim had recommended him. Mr Arnheim had sounded none too pleased at being called on a Sunday morning, but as soon as she mentioned Tim’s name he had changed his tune. Now he was all urbane politeness.
‘Is this a good moment to talk?’
‘Of course.’
‘I’m afraid that matters have dis-improved, as you say.’
That didn’t sound good. ‘In what way?’
‘The police have completed their preliminary enquiries and are happy that they have sufficient evidence against you to proceed with a prosecution.’
A fist squeezed her heart. Her shock must have shown, because suddenly Niall was beside her. He touched her arm and mouthed a question to her. She opened her mouth to respond but the words wouldn’t come out.
‘Miss O’Sullivan?’ the voice on the phone continued.
‘Yes,’ she croaked, in a voice that didn’t sound like hers.
‘I’ve requested copies of their files and any other evidence that they may have. In the meantime, I suggest thatwe meet as soon as possible, so that we can discuss your defence or your guilty plea.’
‘I didn’t do it. I didn’t …’ The phone slipped and tumbled from her hand and was caught by Niall.
He spoke into it. ‘This is Niall Moore. I’m looking after Sinead. Can you give me your address? Yes. I know the place. Yes. Okay. We’ll see you there this afternoon.’
He disconnected the call. ‘I’m sorry.’
Niall’s expression said it all. They were going to prosecute. She was going to have to stand up in a courtroom full of people and be accused of stealing. Even when she was declared not guilty, when they discovered that it was all a horrible mistake, her reputation would be tainted forever.
And they would find out about Lottie. She could just imagine her grandmother’s face when that came out. Her knees trembled. The muesli she had eaten for breakfast threatened to make a reappearance.
‘Breathe, Sinead. Just breathe.’ Niall helped her along the path to a wooden bench and they sat and stared at the lake. He held her hand, rubbing his thumb along her knuckles. His face was unreadable.
Niall wound an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his chest. The slow thump-thump of his heart steadied her nerves and her racing pulse returned to normal. She felt safe in his arms, protected.
‘Sinead, I have to ask you some questions and I want you to answer me. No matter how hard it is, you must tell me the truth. You know me. You know that you can trust me.’
‘I know.’ He was probably the only person in Geneva that she could trust.
‘Tell me what happened on the day of the theft, everything that you remember. Every detail, no matter how small or insignificant. Even the smallest thing could be important.’
Sinead snuggled closer. ‘It was a normal day. I did lots of admin work, insurance for the show, a meeting with the Finance Unit about next year’s budget, that sort
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