NB04 - Killing a Stranger by Jane A Adams

Author:Jane A Adams [Adams, Jane A]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mystery, UK
Publisher: Severn House Publishers
Published: 2015-03-23T14:00:00+00:00

Twenty

January the sixth was bitterly cold. Naomi could taste snow in the air. If it fell, and didn’t just bugger off inland as every threat had done so far, it would be the first of the year. Naomi still possessed a childlike love of snow and ice, though these days, not being able to see the surface she walked on made her more wary. She had learned to trust Napoleon in most ways, but his four feet were more secure on any surface than were hers and this was still a major anxiety for her.

Today though, she hoped the snow would hold off for different reasons. She had persuaded Harry to drive her to Pinsent, to meet a contact from her police days. In her bag she had a picture of Adam Hensel, clipped from the local paper and then photocopied and enlarged. Harry reckoned it was still a clear likeness and, without pestering Alec for prints the investigation might have had access to, it was the best she could manage.

She hadn’t yet told Alec of her plans and she hadn’t yet told Harry that her informant was a prostitute. Harry could, on occasion, shock easily. Much more to the point, he also hated driving in snow, hence her worry about the threatened weather.

‘It’s looking a bit murky,’ he told her halfway through their journey.

‘We won’t be long, I promise. We’ll be back before dark and the forecast says it should hold off until then.’

‘Tell that to those clouds. They’re full of it. Must weigh a ton.’

‘How’s Patrick?’ she asked to take his mind off things.

‘Oh, all right, I suppose. Been spending a lot of time on that chat thing these past few days. He’s not looking forward to Monday.’

‘Oh, are they back at college then?’

‘Yes, so I expect he’ll be reinstating his afternoon visits. You sure you don’t mind? You’ve been very good about it.’

‘I don’t mind. He’s welcome and he’s got a key if I’m not there.’

‘I know. I think that’s very decent of you. He’s no right to expect that much. Why are we going to Pinsent, anyway?’

‘You could say I’m following a lead.’

‘Oh, something to do with the Hensel thing?’

‘Maybe. I can’t be sure. I’m just chasing rumours.’

‘And Alec doesn’t know.’

She sensed he was rather glad to have been taken into her confidence when Alec had not. ‘Alec doesn’t know. It may be nothing after all.’

‘Hmm. Right. Oh damn and blast.’

‘What?’

‘Snow,’ Harry told her disgustedly. ‘The forecast got it wrong again. I could do better with bloody seaweed.’

It was snowing more heavily by the time they reached Pinsent nine miles up the coast. This time of year there were spaces on the promenade and Harry parked, posting enough coins into the meter for a couple of hours. He helped Naomi out of the car and she was glad not to have brought the dog along. She shivered, pulling her coat and scarf more tightly and wishing she had thought to bring a hat.

‘How far is it?’

‘Along the promenade, to the right.

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