MURDER OF A DOCTOR: a gripping mystery based in the Midlands (Detectives Roy and Roscoe crime fiction series Book 3) by Tony Bassett

Author:Tony Bassett [Bassett, Tony]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Book Folks - British murder mystery publisher
Published: 2022-05-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

Tom Vickers had plunged into the depths of depression. His girlfriend, Sunita, wanted nothing more to do with him. She believed he wasn’t wholly committed to her.

He realised this state of affairs was largely his fault. If only he’d stood up to his ex-wife and prevented her from moving back into his home. He should have known that once she had passed across the threshold, she would prove as challenging to remove as a barnacle from a boat.

If only he hadn’t taken pity on her and escorted her to the doctor’s with his arm around her shoulder. Could he ever undo the damage this had done to his relationship with the sergeant and win her back?

He raised himself from his bed and glanced at the clock. It was nine o’clock on Saturday morning. The calendar gave the date as 10 November. Peering through the curtains into the quiet street outside, he could see it was a cloudy day with a hint of sunshine. This did little to enhance his mood.

Then his phone rang. It was Chloe’s older sister, Louise.

‘How are you doing, Tom? Hope I didn’t wake you,’ she said.

‘No, I’ve been up a while. Been unable to sleep much, to be honest. How are you? We haven’t spoken in months.’

‘That’s right. Tom, how are you and Chloe getting on? She’s told the family she’s moved back with you and you’re trying to make a go of it.’

He tutted in exasperation. ‘That’s not true at all. I said she could stay for a few days. Now she’s taking liberties and I can’t get her to move out.’

‘Really? Is she there right now? Her phone’s off and I’ve been trying to reach her.’

‘She was asleep on the settee downstairs when I came in from the pub last night.’

‘Can you ask her to call me?’

‘Sure thing. Listen, Louise, I think it’s extremely unfair that none of your family will put her up – now her boyfriend’s kicked her out.’

There was a long pause before she replied.

‘Honestly, I don’t know what you mean. I’d be more than happy for her to move in here. We’ve got plenty of space, but she’s never asked. She just said she was happy where she was in Halesowen and the two of you were trying to work things out.’

Vickers took a deep breath. ‘Really? Well, that’s very interesting.’

This was the last straw out of a whole agglomeration of final straws. He’d done enough for his free-loading ex-wife. Now it was time for her to take responsibility for her future life, he decided.

‘Are you all right, Tom? You’ve gone a bit quiet.’

‘Louise, get yourself ready for a house guest.’ He then ended the call and threw his handset onto the bed.

In fury, he pulled on his dressing gown and marched downstairs, where his wife remained asleep on the settee. He grabbed the bed clothes and shook her awake.

‘Your time’s up,’ he shouted. ‘You’re leaving this morning.’

She lifted her arm onto her forehead and squinted at him in the half-light.

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