Dying to Score by Judith Cutler

Author:Judith Cutler [Judith Cutler]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2019-08-22T23:00:00+00:00

EIGHTEEN

We’d agreed to sleep at my house on Sunday evening, on the grounds that I hadn’t seen the place for some time, and that, according to Aggie, the reporters hadn’t returned. As I drew my bedroom curtains, I could have sworn I saw a motorcyclist rev away. I felt quite rattled, not least because I didn’t want to burden Mike with my fears. I’d have had to promise, wouldn’t I, to pass them on to the police? And suddenly that was what I wanted to do. Perhaps it was a result of the strains of the morning that I felt weary to the soles of my feet. I slumped on the bed, and wrote on the memo pad I always keep there: Phone Ian Dale. After a moment I wrote another line: Phone Dr Burrows – contraception. If this was going to be the long-term relationship I hoped it would be, then there would come a point where something other than condoms was called for. And I ought to mention the allergy that had seemed so important when it flared up. I added, and rash.

Mike padded in from the bathroom. It was a good job I’d drawn the curtains, given that he was mother-naked. ‘Ian?’ he asked, not quite idly.

‘A policeman friend of mine,’ I said. ‘His retirement party’s coming up soon. The invitation’s in that pile of post in the kitchen. He wants me to take Aggie. And you, once I’ve told him about you.’ I hoped to God Chris would take Helena or someone plausible – it would break Ian’s heart if he thought Chris was languishing after me. But I didn’t want to suggest going without Mike, lest he feel snubbed.

Mike nodded. Then he pointed to the next item. ‘You mean the pill or something?’

‘Whatever’s the safest—’ I was disconcerted: I’d expected him to be over the moon at the prospect of abandoning condoms.

‘I don’t want you taking any risks,’ he said.

I waited. There was something else.

‘My sister was on the pill. She had a blood clot.’

I didn’t need to ask what happened. Perhaps that was why what might have been a jolly, indeed lascivious, conversation had been so bleak. I took his hand and pulled him down beside me. It wasn’t just sexual relationships he’d had in the past, it was all sorts of other painful experiences. And there was nothing in the world I could do to take away the pain. ‘I thought about the mini-pill,’ I said at last. ‘When I was with the only live-in partner I’ve ever had, it seemed to suit me. There’s always IUDs, I suppose.’

‘But aren’t they more suitable for women who’ve had pregnancies?’

I’d never told anyone else. But I had to tell him. I took a deep breath. ‘As a matter of fact—’ I began.

‘So long as you don’t expect to need contraception tonight,’ he said, yawning hugely. ‘I’d forgotten how knackering all this activity is. Am I getting old?’

‘You? You’re a mere stripling,’ I said. I didn’t feel very young.

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.