Summit of all Fears by J.D. Whitelaw

Author:J.D. Whitelaw [WHITELAW, J.D.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781914480294
Publisher: Red Dog Press

23

Another faceless room and another long, drawn out wait. Martha, usually the voice of reason and sensibility, couldn't muster up enough of her usual calm to be still. She paced back and forth near the door, while the others sprawled on the couches, tucking in to the free snacks and drinks.

“You can’t help yourself, can you Helen?” asked Geri. “If there’s a free sandwich, free packet of crisps, free lecture on the breeding habits of the star-nosed mole—you’ll be front and centre.”

“You what?” asked Helen, speaking with her mouth full.

“Just look at you,” Geri pointed at the empty packets and crushed cans littered about Helen’s feet. “You’ve ravaged the spread here in record time. You can’t help yourself.”

“I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast,” said her sister, draining a bottle of water. “And besides, it’s not like we’re not supposed to eat and drink this stuff. It’s a spread, that’s what it’s there for. Right?”

Geri shook her head. She folded her arms and kicked her legs over the arm of her chair. Turning to Martha, she let out a sigh.

“So what’s wrong with you then?” she asked. “Seems like I’m the village problem solver this afternoon.”

“Nothing’s wrong,” said Martha, deep in thought. “Nothing more than the obvious.”

“Obviously,” droned Geri. “I have fifty pence in my pocket that tells me you’re worried, stressed and anxious all at once, Mart. And I don’t have to be a detective of world famous proportions to know that. The threadbare line you’ve worn in the carpet is enough.”

Martha hopped a little and looked down at her feet. The carpet was fine.

“Made you look,” laughed Geri.

“Very good,” said Martha. “Fine, yes, something’s wrong. Something’s always wrong with us. I just can’t let it all go. Not until we’re out of this, cleanly, with nothing hanging over us.”

“She’s trying to say it’s your fault Geri,” said Helen, reaching over for a free banana. “She’s just too polite to say it in as matter-of-fact a way as I would.”

“That’s not true,” said Martha. “Well, it is true, of course I’m worried about Geri. But it’s not your fault Geri. Not at all.”

Helen shrugged and peeled her banana. Geri remained worryingly quiet. She kicked the side of her chair with her heels. Letting her head lie back on the opposite arm, staring up at the ceiling.

“Who would have thought trying to further your career would cause so much bloody trouble,” she said, wistfully. “And one night humouring an old man would see me in the frame for murder.”

“It’s not that bad Geri, don’t say things like that,” said Martha. “That’s why we’re here. We’re setting the record straight and you’ll cooperate with the police.”

“As long as they don’t realise it was her who stole one of their hats,” said Helen.

Geri threw a cushion at her sister.

“A minor indiscretion,” she said. “But worth it in the end.”

She swung her legs back over the arm of the chair. Resting her elbows on her knees, she drummed her fingers against her cheeks.

“Do you think Roberta will play ball?” she asked the others.

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