Blood On Vines by Madeleine Eskedahl

Author:Madeleine Eskedahl [Eskedahl, Madeleine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780995136946
Publisher: Squabbling Sparrows Press
Published: 2021-03-20T16:00:00+00:00

33

There was nothing more they could do at the crime scene so with heavy hearts Bill and Niko drove into Warkworth. It was their duty to inform Tina, James’s estranged wife of his tragic death. It was never easy to let people know that their loved one had been killed. For Bill, having had a family of his own it got worse as the years went by and he got older. Niko had made enquiries, and Tina was at work. Driving to the supermarket, they were both thinking about how such a tragedy would affect the small community. It was imperative to get hold of her promptly as terrible news like this had a tendency to spread like wildfire. Niko had spoken to Clive, the store manager, on the way. He was standing outside waiting for them, his black shirt and pants with a thin belt hugging him slightly, making his overhanging stomach more pronounced. His short grey hair and generous walrus moustache made him look every bit the granddad he was.

Clive took them straight into his small office. The cramped room barely had enough space for a small desk and two spindly kitchen chairs. He asked them to wait while he got Tina from the checkouts.

“Tina, I’m afraid we have some terrible news,” Bill said.

“My god, what’s happened? Are the boys all right?” she said, her face rapidly losing its colour.

“The boys are fine, but you’d better come and have a seat.” She sat down on the empty chair, steeling herself for what was to come.

“I’m sorry to tell you, but James is dead,” Bill said, weighing each word carefully.

Tina just stared at him with a blank expression. A moment later and as the realisation set in, she let out a gasp followed by loud sobbing, her body rocking back and forth.

“I know it’s an enormous shock. We found him this morning at home,” Bill continued.

From Tina’s expression she seemed unable to comprehend what Bill was saying. Clive came in and put his arms around her, comforting her like a child, as she burrowed her face into his shoulder.

“I’ll call St John,” Niko said, helpless at the emotional breakdown of the woman in front of him, then left the room to organise the ambulance.

“How did it happen?” Tina said between sobs.

“It was not accidental,” Bill said, careful to not give her any gruesome details. As the reality set in, Tina was hyperventilating, her body shutting down, spinning her into a deep void. She didn’t take any notice when the ambulance officer walked in.

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