01 Spare Me the Truth by CJ Carver

Author:CJ Carver [Carver, CJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Fiction
Published: 2016-04-06T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

When Dan heard Joe Talbot worked with Stella at DCA, he felt like a kid in a playground who’d been left out of a game. If he could kick his faulty memory into working properly, he would. Funny how he couldn’t remember Stella or Joe but could tell you, in minute detail, about the pattern of brown speckles on the belly of the spaniel puppy he’d been given as a boy. He couldn’t remember his old work colleagues but there were faces from his childhood that he knew as surely as if he’d created them himself.

Although he didn’t expect to find anything more, Dan spent another hour searching the remainder of Stella’s house. He’d been surprised to find Stella’s main stash behind the skirting board because the wood had been marked from where it had last been pried open, and not painted over afterwards, making it easier to spot, making him wonder if she’d wanted it to be found.

Had the men posing as R.V. Cleaners discovered Stella’s stash? If so, why had they left it alone? Perhaps nobody had found her stash, and Stella had been careless by not painting over the jimmy marks on the wood, but he didn’t think that would happen. From what he knew of Stella, she was careful, methodical and precise, and he guessed she’d no more leave her hidey-hole with a mark than hack off her own hand with a bread knife.

When he said goodbye to Grace she was emptying the contents of the kitchen cupboards into boxes. She’d rolled the sleeves of her sweater to her elbows and tied her hair back with a strip of red ribbon that looked as though it came from the carton of gift-wrapping lying in the hallway.

‘I’ve got to go,’ he said.

She pushed back a lock of hair. ‘I can’t thank you enough for your help. I would never have found that stuff without you.’

‘You might wish I’d never found it,’ he said.

She shook her head. ‘I needed to know. Where shall we meet tomorrow? Do you want to come here and we travel down together?’

‘I’ll meet you in London,’ he said.

‘At DCA?’

‘Yes. Can I have your mobile number?’

They each put the other’s number into their phones.

‘Do you need help with the money?’ Dan asked. ‘Carrying it to the bank or anything?’

‘No, but thanks. You’ve been great.’

‘Just shout if you need me, OK? I’m happy to help.’

She saw him out. A stray curl had escaped and if she’d been Jenny he would have tucked it tenderly behind her ear, but she wasn’t his wife and although he felt protective of her, it wasn’t the time or place. As he stepped along the path, he heard her close the door behind him, then bolt it. He wondered what she’d do with the cash, and guessed she’d keep it until she knew more of what was going on.

Slipping into his car, Dan opened his road map. Normally he’d use his satnav to guide him but he didn’t want

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