Eight Days by Jack Benton

Author:Jack Benton [Benton, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AMMFA Publishing

24

Slim pushed Carter to the ground, then reached into his pocket. As Carter twisted around, Slim grabbed his hand, but this time he thrust two hundred quid in used ten pound notes into Carter’s fingers, then squeezed them shut. He pushed Carter’s hand away, noticed the man’s incredulous look, and smiled.

‘That’s for your trouble,’ he said. ‘And I’m sorry about strong-arming you. Really. I prefer it to running, but sometimes I need things said.’

‘Watch your back,’ Carter snarled as he backed away, the money swiftly pocketed, but it was the retort of a wounded, retreating beast, beaten in battle but relieved to be escaping with its life. ‘I’ll be looking for you, old man.’

‘Line those banknotes up by serial number and you’ll find my phone,’ Slim said, having written the digits of his number across several of the notes. ‘In case you remember anything else. There’s the same again in it for you, and I promise not to rough you up next time.’

It was a modest olive branch, one designed to soften the pain of defeat and relax feelings of revenge. It was unlikely Carter had more to tell, and even more unlikely he had the patience to figure out Slim’s number, but Launceston was a small town and Carter certainly had more friends than he did. Someone might know something.

He took a scenic route back up the hill and past the castle, making sure to avoid bumping into Carter again so soon.

His head was starting to ache with ideas and possibilities. Nothing made much sense, but at least he had some leads to go on. The more he thought about it, the harder he found it to turn his suspicions away from the family themselves. Georgia, in particular, had an under layer he was just starting to uncover. Psychopaths came in all shapes and sizes, but he still found it hard to believe that she could have been involved in her daughter’s disappearance. If she had something to hide, why would she have hired him?

He needed some answers and explanations if he was ever going to get anywhere, however. Georgia was a book he didn’t dare open, so that left James. Gaining the man’s trust was paramount, but there was also the fear that he might pass information onto his wife.

By the time Slim got back to the house, the Martins had finished dinner already. Georgia had saved Slim some casserole and set him a place at the table despite his protestations that a bowl eaten alone in his room would suffice. It was still light outside so James was pottering about in the garden. As Georgia served Slim’s food up on a tray and carried it through to the dining room, Slim watched her husband crouched over a flowerbed at the end of the garden where he appeared to be pulling up weeds.

‘Mr Hardy, your supper’s ready,’ Georgia called. Slim took one last look at James before starting to eat.

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