Revenge Killing by Leigh Russell

Author:Leigh Russell [Russell, Leigh]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-02-06T12:03:01+00:00

29

THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED THAT evening, and Ariadne insisted they turn their heating up.

‘It’s only October,’ Nico grumbled.

‘I don’t care,’ she replied. ‘I’m cold.’

The following morning there was a hint of frost on the road. Ariadne hadn’t realised it would be so cold. Without thinking, she had grabbed the jacket she had been wearing for months. It was too thin to offer much protection from the icy wind that sliced through her as she hurried out of the house. She nearly turned back to get her fleece, but she would soon be at work and besides, the temperature would rise throughout the day. Leaving the warmth of her car, she hurried across the compound, her breath forming fleeting puffs of mist in front of her, and was pleased to reach the shelter of the police station.

‘Winter is coming,’ the desk sergeant greeted her.

‘Not yet,’ she protested. ‘It’s only October. It could brighten up.’

The sergeant was uncharacteristically despondent and shook his head. ‘We’re in for a hard winter. This is only the start, you mark my words.’

‘I have a feeling we’re heading for a mild winter,’ Ariadne fibbed. There was no point in expecting the worst. ‘And if not, well, spring will be here soon.’

The sergeant smiled. ‘Trust you to look on the bright side.’ He began to whistle ‘Always look on the bright side of life’ and she smiled back, glad to have helped in restoring his usual good humour.

Ariadne wasn’t surprised when Carly failed to present herself at the police station at nine o’clock. By eleven, she was considering sending a constable to pick her up, when Carly finally arrived. She was wearing a calf-length red leather coat and knee-high black leather boots, an outfit that combined with her lurid make-up to make her look like a sex worker.

Ariadne started by reiterating her condolences.

‘How long had you known him?’ she enquired gently.

Carly described how she had met Jay at The Blue Cat. ‘He came in one night to watch the show, and we got talking.’ She smiled at a memory, and her painted face was unexpectedly infused with warmth. ‘He made me laugh so much. He had a wicked sense of humour. I’m going to miss him.’

She seemed to have forgotten her earlier claim to have parted company with Jay on bad terms. Not for the first time, Ariadne wondered how trustworthy she was and whether she was playing a role. As though sensing Ariadne’s suspicions, Carly explained she had been in a relationship with Jay for three years, on and off.

‘We were and we weren’t together. That is, we were never serious,’ she said. ‘I mean, Jay was a decent guy, don’t get me wrong. I come across all sorts, and he was one of the best. But we weren’t living together or anything. There was a time when I wanted something more. I told you, I would have moved in with him. It made sense, to me at least. But Jay wasn’t up for that. He was a free spirit, you know? Not all men want to be tied down to one woman, and I was okay with that.

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