Breathe by Cari Hunter

Author:Cari Hunter [Hunter, Cari]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635555240
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2019-07-14T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

“There you go, sweetheart. And you can put that bloody money away.”

Jem knew better than to argue with Paula. She dropped a couple of quid into the cafe’s charity box and shoved the chocolate into her pockets to leave her hands free for the drinks. Reminded of her B&Q conversation with Rosie, she tapped the box, the proceeds of which were being donated to a city-centre homeless charity.

“You ever hear of a shelter called Olly’s, Paula?”

Paula’s vigorous wiping of the counter became slow, contemplative circles. “No, I haven’t. Is it local?”

“I think so, but I’ve never heard of it either.” Making a snap decision, Jem wrote “Tahlia Mansoor” on a blank section of the takeaway menu. All sorts of gossip passed through the small cafe, and Paula was perfectly placed to eavesdrop. What she didn’t know about local affairs probably wasn’t worth knowing. Jem slid the menu across the countertop. “Police are looking for this lass, and that shelter was mentioned as a possible place of safety for her. She’s fourteen, mixed race, been missing from home for a couple of weeks. Can you keep your ear to the ground for me?”

“Of course I can, love.” Paula folded her dishcloth into a neat square. She had mild OCD when it came to cleanliness and tidiness. “Was that you, out on your own with the lad by the river the other night?”

“Aye. Did one of the papers give my name?”

“No, I just bloody knew it. I told Dan as much. ‘That’ll have been our Jem,’ I said, and he bet me fifty pence I was talking shite.”

“He owes you fifty pence,” Jem said. “Make sure he pays up, as well. He’s tighter than a duck’s arse.” She collected the drinks and waited until Paula came round to get the door for her. Paula shimmied in front of the counter and then rolled up her left trouser leg to reveal a newfangled prosthesis.

“What do you think of this? Swanky, eh?”

“Hey, check you out!” Jem said. “That’s fab.”

“I’m jogging again.” Paula did a little jig on the spot to demonstrate. “Not far, just around the lake, but it’s a start, right?”

“Absolutely. It’s bloody brilliant.” Jem gave her a brew-restricted but heartfelt hug. It was less than eighteen months since a truck had mounted the pavement and hit Paula while she’d been out running. Jem had crawled beneath the chassis and clamped her fingers around Paula’s exposed femoral artery. It had taken over an hour to extricate them, and a further half-hour until the surgeons at A&E had allowed Jem to let go. As bonding experiences went, it was certainly a unique one.

“Are you on a bus today?” Paula asked, indicating the two cups.

“No, the car. One of these is for a friend.”

“Is it, now?” Paula elbowed her. “A ‘friend’ you’re meeting mid-shift?”

“She’s a police officer, Paula. We did the Kyle Parker job together and got talking, that’s all.”

“Mm-hm,” Paula said, scepticism radiating from every inch of her. “Your hair looks gorgeous, by the way.

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