Read Online Too Soon a Death: A Scottish mystery where cosy crime meets tartan noir: Borders Mysteries Book 2 by Janet O'Kane - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Janet O'Kane
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number is pretty memorable. I’ve come into work to do some paperwork and your contact details on Mac’s records jumped out at me. When I compared the number that called with yours, I found they were the same. I hope you don’t mind me following it up.’
Zoe couldn’t help smiling at the suggestion he just happened to be looking at Mac’s records on a Sunday morning. He had obviously planned to ring her anyway, but she’d provided him with the perfect excuse. ‘It’s me who should apologise for wasting your time. I can’t have ended the call properly because I was so pleased to see Mac reappear.’
‘Do you plan on bringing him in to be checked over?’
‘There’s no need at the moment but I’ll call you if it turns out the damage is worse than I thought.’
‘Good. Well, I’m pleased to hear it.’
Zoe waited for the vet to say more, although she had no idea how to react if he suggested they meet up socially. However, it didn’t come to that. He simply said goodbye and she responded likewise. Maybe Kate was wrong after all.
After sharing her roll with Mac, she opened the laptop, checked her bank account then turned her attention to nursery furniture. She soon felt overwhelmed by the choices to be made. Dark wood, pale wood, or white? Cot, Moses basket or crib?And how could a tiny baby possibly need a wardrobe?
She heaved a sigh and went to make a cup of tea. This part of imminent parenthood was fun, or so everyone told her. But any concerns she had about giving birth then enduring months of sleepless nights were far outweighed by the need to acquire furniture, bedding, clothes and everything else deemed essential for a new baby. It wasn’t the money involved, although she was shocked by how much she could easily spend, but the inescapable fact was that however much she wanted the child she was carrying, the arrival of nursery paraphernalia would confirm once and for all she was going to be a mother, entirely responsible for another human being. This terrified her.
A text came in from Kate mid-afternoon: Want a visitor? Promise not to go on about exes!
Eager for a distraction, Zoe texted back then closed down her laptop. Unlikely though it was that Kate would be able to keep her promise, she sounded upbeat, suggesting her meeting with Ken had gone well. Once again, Zoe thought back to what Robbie had said, still unsure if he had been telling her that Ken took money from the Mackenzies to end his marriage to Kate. Telling herself this was none of her business, she got up and attempted to put it out of her mind by emptying the dishwasher.
‘What a lovely dress,’ she said on opening the front door a few minutes later.
‘It’s Sunday.’ Kate struck a pose to show off her pink frock with white embroidered flowers. ‘I like to wear something special, even if I don’t go to church.’ She bounded in, nearly knocking over the hall table.
‘How did you get on with Ken?’
Kate’s grin became a pout. ‘Let’s sit down and I’ll tell you about it.’
Once they were outside with their glasses of iced orange juice, Kate launched into an account of her discussions with her ex-husband, which had centred around the news that Ken had recently remarried and his new wife was expecting a baby. ‘This appears to have reminded him of the existence of the children he already has,’ she said, her ability to sound sarcastic unhampered by her lack of hearing. ‘Doubtless egged on by the new Mrs Simons, he’s decided he wants us all to play happy families.’
‘What would that entail?’ Zoe asked.
‘He wants to spend time with Frankie, Eva and Mhairi in order to “build relationships” with them.’ Kate’s exaggerated air quotes demonstrated what she thought of this idea. ‘And then, when they’re better acquainted, he expects me to pack them off to stay with him on a regular basis.’
‘Won’t that be difficult, as he’s living in London?’
‘Oh no, here’s the best news of all. He’s
Zoe couldn’t help smiling at the suggestion he just happened to be looking at Mac’s records on a Sunday morning. He had obviously planned to ring her anyway, but she’d provided him with the perfect excuse. ‘It’s me who should apologise for wasting your time. I can’t have ended the call properly because I was so pleased to see Mac reappear.’
‘Do you plan on bringing him in to be checked over?’
‘There’s no need at the moment but I’ll call you if it turns out the damage is worse than I thought.’
‘Good. Well, I’m pleased to hear it.’
Zoe waited for the vet to say more, although she had no idea how to react if he suggested they meet up socially. However, it didn’t come to that. He simply said goodbye and she responded likewise. Maybe Kate was wrong after all.
After sharing her roll with Mac, she opened the laptop, checked her bank account then turned her attention to nursery furniture. She soon felt overwhelmed by the choices to be made. Dark wood, pale wood, or white? Cot, Moses basket or crib?And how could a tiny baby possibly need a wardrobe?
She heaved a sigh and went to make a cup of tea. This part of imminent parenthood was fun, or so everyone told her. But any concerns she had about giving birth then enduring months of sleepless nights were far outweighed by the need to acquire furniture, bedding, clothes and everything else deemed essential for a new baby. It wasn’t the money involved, although she was shocked by how much she could easily spend, but the inescapable fact was that however much she wanted the child she was carrying, the arrival of nursery paraphernalia would confirm once and for all she was going to be a mother, entirely responsible for another human being. This terrified her.
A text came in from Kate mid-afternoon: Want a visitor? Promise not to go on about exes!
Eager for a distraction, Zoe texted back then closed down her laptop. Unlikely though it was that Kate would be able to keep her promise, she sounded upbeat, suggesting her meeting with Ken had gone well. Once again, Zoe thought back to what Robbie had said, still unsure if he had been telling her that Ken took money from the Mackenzies to end his marriage to Kate. Telling herself this was none of her business, she got up and attempted to put it out of her mind by emptying the dishwasher.
‘What a lovely dress,’ she said on opening the front door a few minutes later.
‘It’s Sunday.’ Kate struck a pose to show off her pink frock with white embroidered flowers. ‘I like to wear something special, even if I don’t go to church.’ She bounded in, nearly knocking over the hall table.
‘How did you get on with Ken?’
Kate’s grin became a pout. ‘Let’s sit down and I’ll tell you about it.’
Once they were outside with their glasses of iced orange juice, Kate launched into an account of her discussions with her ex-husband, which had centred around the news that Ken had recently remarried and his new wife was expecting a baby. ‘This appears to have reminded him of the existence of the children he already has,’ she said, her ability to sound sarcastic unhampered by her lack of hearing. ‘Doubtless egged on by the new Mrs Simons, he’s decided he wants us all to play happy families.’
‘What would that entail?’ Zoe asked.
‘He wants to spend time with Frankie, Eva and Mhairi in order to “build relationships” with them.’ Kate’s exaggerated air quotes demonstrated what she thought of this idea. ‘And then, when they’re better acquainted, he expects me to pack them off to stay with him on a regular basis.’
‘Won’t that be difficult, as he’s living in London?’
‘Oh no, here’s the best news of all. He’s
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