Last Seen: An absolutely gripping crime thriller (Detective Bernadette Noel Book 1) by Joy Kluver

Author:Joy Kluver [Kluver, Joy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781800193598
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2021-03-25T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Bernie flicked the light switch. The energy-saving bulb produced a warm glow.

‘You can dump your coat here.’ She hung up her own jacket on one of the hooks screwed into the wall, Sam’s puke mark still visible on the back despite Anna sponging it down. ‘And the bathroom’s there should you need it. Tea? Coffee?’ She could do with a shower but it didn’t seem wise with Anderson there.

‘Tea please, ma’am.’

Bernie left Anderson to it. What would he think of her tiny flat with its mismatched furniture that was clearly not her choice? She switched on the kettle in the kitchenette. The estate agent had billed it as a bijou kitchen but two cupboards on the wall – one for food and one for crockery – along with a small fridge, sink and a two-ringed Baby Belling cooker, didn’t really equate to a kitchen. She’d brought her own kettle, toaster and microwave and that was all she needed.

Anderson was settled on the pink floral sofa as she handed him a mug of tea.

‘Have you just moved in?’ He nodded at some boxes piled up in a corner.

Bernie thought about the items in the boxes with their attached memories – GCSE and A-level certificates, a few books, drawings and designs from her teenage dream of being a fashion designer, and photo albums. But most precious of all, a framed picture of her and Pops after her passing-out parade at Hendon. They had stayed in the boxes because if she took them out then she’d be admitting she definitely wasn’t moving back to London. She couldn’t tell Anderson that though.

‘No. Six months ago. There’s not enough space to put everything out and this place was meant to be temporary. Turns out, saving for a deposit is harder than you think.’ She put her mug down.

‘So what is there to do around here then? Apart from solving crime. I’m trying to decide whether to find a place nearby to live or go a little further afield.’

Bernie was bemused. They needed to work, no time for small talk. She humoured Anderson though. It had been a difficult night. Maybe a short conversation about normal things would be good for them both. ‘To do? Not a lot. Unless you like walking. If you want the cinema or ice skating you have to drive over to Swindon. Plenty of nice restaurants and pubs around though.’

‘Oh yes. Matt was trying to persuade me to go to a pub quiz.’

‘He loves his quizzes. Bit odd for someone so young but each to their own.’

‘And Kerry told me she does martial arts. Runs self-defence classes. So what do you do after work?’

Bernie sighed. Was this Anderson’s way of asking her out? She shrugged her shoulders. ‘I work. I come home. I eat. I watch Netflix. Then I go to bed.’

‘You know what they say – “All work and no play makes—”’

‘Me a very good officer.’ Bernie opened her laptop. ‘We need to work. Come on. It’s very late and I broke the rules sending this file home.

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