‘That’s nice.’ Another pause. Had Bowman once been on a course called A beginner’s guide to the use of the pregnant pause to scare the shit out of people? He would have passed with flying colours. ‘Tell you what, Sinead, I suggest you line up your mother to keep him for another night or two.’

CHAPTER SEVEN

It was not yet five, but Maggie was wide awake. She stumbled to the loo, splashed some water over her face and returned to the bedroom. She turned on her sidelight and dressed quickly in the clothes she had taken off only four hours earlier.

‘Sam?’ She leaned over him and gently shook his shoulder, but all he did was twitch and give a slight snort.

She nodded, satisfied. Sam might think he was clever, with his cryptic codes and devious ruses, but when it came down to simple cunning, she was a match for him.

She had sat up waiting for him, watching some third-rate Liam Neeson film on TV, until he appeared at about half past eleven. She had left the wine bottle on the kitchen table and he had, predictably, downed a glass within a couple of minutes of collapsing next to her on the sofa. She had gone to the kitchen and brought the bottle through, filling his glass again and emptying the remainder into her own. Liam Neeson had just killed a couple of thugs when Sam put his glass — again empty — on the table and laid his hand on her thigh. Her leg jerked violently as if she had just spotted a tarantula on it. Her glass, still full, catapulted across the room and smashed against the stone surround where the wood burner sat.

&n

bsp; ‘What the hell are you playing at?’ she had snarled.

‘Hey!’ He held up his hands in a gesture of mock surrender. She had seen it before. Turning it into a joke. Making out it wasn’t an issue. As if wanting a quick grope was nothing. Just a bit of inebriated fun.

She got up and started to pick up the pieces of glass in silence.

‘Jesus, Maggs. You know how I feel about you. Just for old times’ sake, hey?’

‘Not even for old times’ sake!’ she snapped.

He swore and stood up. ‘Off to bed.’ And he stumped off up the stairs.

She remained on her knees, searching for shards until she heard his heavy tread along the corridor above her and into the double bedroom.

By the time she had got upstairs, he was lying on his back on the double bed, snoring softly. Which was pretty much what he was doing now, at just gone five in the morning. He looked as if he hadn’t shifted position all night. Not that Maggie was surprised. Two large glasses of wine was more than she had planned on him drinking when she had added the sleeping drugs to the bottle. Well, he should sleep for several hours yet, by which time she would be miles away.

And Beth would be miles away too, because there was no way she was going to leave the girl with him. Maggie didn’t trust him further than she could spit. He had lied about Ellie. Why, she didn’t know, but Beth was safer with her, and if she owed Ellie anything it was to keep her daughter safe. She would be a mother to her in whatever way she could.

So by five fifteen, a drowsy Beth was strapped into the back of the car, their bags were in the boot, and they were on their way. Maggie felt confident that she had stolen a march on Sam as well as whomever it was he was working for. It would be hours before he woke up and even longer before he would be able to raise help. She had taken his mobile — turned off so that they couldn’t be tracked — and tucked it away in her handbag, along with all the cash she had found in his wallet. She had smashed his tablet PC with a large stone from the garden rockery. She had done the same to the Wi-Fi router in the house. She had removed his shoes to slow him down if he decided to run off to a neighbour’s. And finally, she had left a trap for him, a coup de grace. A small part of her was ashamed that she had stooped so low, but it was tiny. The longer it took for Sam to raise the alarm, the more chance she had of doing what she knew she had to do. Because now she was convinced that Sam was part of the plot.

* * *

Sinead received the text at six thirty-five. She awoke instantly, even though she had had barely five hours’ sleep. Over the last few days, sleep had become somewhat elusive, to say the least.

The text was from Bowman. No courtesies. Not even a verb. Just a time and a place.

She sat up and tried to think. Now what did he want of her? Hadn’t she done her part? She had done exactly as he had instructed — or nearly. Sinead just wanted her life back.

She went into the bathroom and showered, washing her hair twice and soaping her body until the water ran cold. Then she went into the galley kitchen, made some fresh coffee and poured herself a bowl of muesli.

She knew she had to go along with it until she had paid her debts to the bastard. What choice did she have?

Her mobile beeped again. It was her mother. ‘Jake just woken up. Slept like a log, bless him! Do you want to come over for lunch?’

Jake was the love of her life and her weakest point, as Bowman knew. ‘How is that little boy of yours?’ he’d said, and it hadn’t been from concern. It had been a warning, a reminder that he held the power. There was a chain which bound the two of them together and she knew deep down that Bowman would never let his end go.

So what the hell was she going to do? Go along with him meekly, or . . . or what?

She was still working on an answer when her mobile began to ring. It was a number she didn’t recognise. Should she answer? She had no real choice. She answered it.

* * *

Bowman was sitting on the balcony of his top floor flat admiring the view. He was wearing a coat against the early morning chill. His mobile rang. Sinead, he thought, ringing to wheedle or argue. But it was that arch-creep, Ashcroft, sidestepping Reid. Bowman allowed himself a glimmer of a smile. Nothing like a bit of dissension in the ranks.

‘Yes, Ashcroft?’ He spoke calmly. ‘I trust this is important. I don’t generally like being rung by sergeants at this time of the morning.’ Or any other time either, he might have added. Sergeants reported to inspectors.

Tags: Peter Tickler Mystery
Source: readsnovelonline.net