Dr Potter's Private Practice: A Vita Carew Mystery set at Christmas in Cambridge (Vita Carew mysteries Book 3) by Fran Smith

Author:Fran Smith [Smith, Fran]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hog Fen Publishing
Published: 2021-09-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 22

Snowflakes danced in the platform lights. Vita recognised the crossing keeper’s cottage and imagined Bob Marshall standing ready at the gates, still oblivious to the cold.

A carriage door slammed further down the train. The women looked at each other across the empty carriage. Vita closed the ledger, wrapped it hastily back in her shawl, and clasped it on her knee.

In a rush of freezing air, the door of their carriage was thrown back. The closely wrapped figure of a woman climbed in. She wore a dark grey coat with the hood high, and a veiled hat, black lacework hiding her face. She slammed the door closed behind her and stood looking away, out of the window.

Jane and Vita shrank further back into their seats. Vita gripped the ledger tightly.

Turning on her heel, the new passenger stepped without warning towards Jane and Vita. ‘I will take that, please. It belongs to me,’ she declared. Her voice was shrill and her movements jerky. ‘Hand it to me now and no more will be said. Give it to me or I shall take it by force.’

Neither of the young women spoke. The situation was so extraordinary that it seemed unreal. It was difficult to take seriously a threat from a slight woman who seemed about twice their age, however fiercely she spoke. The train juddered into motion and she had to cling to a luggage rack to keep her balance.

‘You are Miss Finch, I believe,’ Vita said, hoping to distract her.

‘That is none of your concern. Hand me that ledger. It is mine. You have no right to take it. It is stolen property.’

Both young women looked silently back. Vita now holding the ledger firmly to her chest.

‘Miss Finch,’ Jane said. ‘I’m sure there has been a misunderstanding…’

The older woman turned slowly to Jane. As she did, Vita saw her slide a knife from her pocket. To her horror, Vita recognised it as a medical scalpel. She held the blade towards Jane first, then turned and aimed it at Vita.

‘You imagine, don’t you, that I would not have the courage to use this? I will cut your pretty faces to shreds if you don’t hand that book you have stolen back to me immediately. You are nothing but a pair of dirty thieves.’

‘And we believe that you, Miss Finch, are an accessory to murder,’ Jane spoke calmly, but Miss Finch responded with a twist and a lunge of the knife.

Vita saw only a brief movement, a flicker of the grey fabric of Miss Finch’s coat, but she heard a shriek of shock and fear from Jane. When Miss Finch stood upright again, Jane was clutching her neck with both hands. Blood was already showing on her gloves.

The sight seemed to shock the attacker, too. Enough for her to take a step back and look in surprise at her own weapon. Her eye then turned to Vita and the ledger. She lunged to grab it; the blade passing dangerously close to Vita’s neck. With only one hand free, Miss Finch tried ineffectually to yank the book out of Vita’s grasp.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.