MURDER AT THE COUNTRY HOUSE a gripping cozy crime mystery full of twists by ADAMS JANE

Author:ADAMS, JANE
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thriller and cozy mystery
Published: 2021-12-16T00:00:00+00:00

FOURTEEN

Gail had said very little since they left Aikensthorpe. David Franklin drove, concentrating on trying to keep the car in a straight line or simply to keep it moving where the snow had drifted and now packed round the axles. Twice, he had handed over to Gail while he pushed the car out of the drift; more than twice she had suggested they go back.

‘You wanted to leave; we’re leaving.’

‘That’s right, blame me for this. Are you even sober enough to be driving?’

‘Should have thought of that before, shouldn’t you? Damn and blast it.’ They had wedged deep again; a snow drift blocking the gated road had grounded the car. He bashed the steering wheel in frustration. ‘Bloody hell!’

‘Fuck,’ Gail said. ‘You’re allowed at least one. I agree it’s an overused expletive, but I think you can have at least one.’

He glowered at her for a moment and then began to laugh uncontrollably. Gail, unable to resist, gave in and joined him. ‘Oh, God,’ she said. ‘What the hell are we doing here?’

‘Trying to leave,’ David suggested.

‘Yeah.’ She reached out and took his hand. ‘When are you going to tell her, David? I’m sick of all this pretence.’

‘Soon, I promise.’

She pulled her hand away. ‘That’s what you said a month ago and a month before that.’

‘She won’t agree to a divorce easily, I told you that. She’ll make me pay, big time. You’ve got to see that, Gail.’

‘I see it. I see that you’re more worried about your money and reputation than you are about me, about us.’ She sighed. ‘Don’t know why I ever thought any different.’

‘Gail—’

‘Please. Don’t bother. Get out and push, and I’ll steer.’

‘Gail—’

‘Don’t. Just don’t.’

They had to dig the car out this time. Two hours had passed since they left Aikensthorpe, but finally the main road was in sight. David turned the wheel and the car slid sideways out into the road. He swore. ‘Frozen,’ he said. ‘On top of the snow. Must be the run-off from somewhere.’

Gail clung on to the door handle, her face pale. The road curved steeply down the hill, turning out of sight beyond the hedge. It was still not properly light, and the car headlights picked up the dark edifice of hedge and steep bank, the solid white of road. The clock on the dashboard told her it was ten to eight. ‘We should have stayed,’ she whimpered.

‘Now you decide. I thought you couldn’t stand any more.’

‘I didn’t realize how bad it would be out here.’

Gail squealed in panic. All semblance of control had been abandoned now. David steered and then oversteered, sent the car into a skid and frantically wrenched the wheel trying to straighten up. Gail screamed this time.

‘You are not helping,’ David yelled at her. His knuckles white on the steering wheel, he gripped tighter, trying to ease the vehicle on to something approaching a straight line. The road swept down and to the right, and David gave up all pretence of knowing what to do. ‘Just hang on,’ he snapped.

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