The Beach Hut Next Door by Veronica Henry

Author:Veronica Henry [Henry, Veronica]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub, mobi
Tags: General, Fiction
ISBN: 9781409146728
Google: 2hcJAwAAQBAJ
Amazon: B00IXTQ9OQ
Publisher: Orion
Published: 2014-07-02T23:00:00+00:00

Pip slept the sweetest and longest sleep he had slept for a long time. Maybe it was the sea air, or the late-night swim, or the unaccustomed alcohol, but he was still comatose at ten o’clock, even though the sun was sneaking in through the cracks in the curtains, as if to remind him that he was missing a beautiful day.

It was someone opening the door that woke him. Swiftly followed by an angry voice.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ It was a female voice, high and indignant. ‘Who are you?’

Pip sat up, still fuddled by sleep, to find a freckled, bespectacled face surrounded by a cloud of fine curls glaring at him.

‘Seriously. What’s going on?’ The angry girl – woman? Pip couldn’t put an age on her – whipped a phone out of her jeans pocket and waved it at him. ‘I’m going to call the police.’

‘I’m awfully sorry. I’m here with Edie.’

He pointed to the top bunk, presuming Edie would give him back-up.

But she wasn’t there. The bunk where she should have been was empty.

‘Who the bloody hell is Edie?’ The girl stepped forward, one hand on her hip.

Pip felt very vulnerable. He was naked, for a start, he realized with horror. He couldn’t hop out of bed to explain himself. He pulled the blanket up around him.

‘We came down last night. She said the hut belonged to friends of hers and they wouldn’t mind—’

‘This hut belongs to my family. We don’t just let randomers in, willy-nilly.’

‘Honestly! I mean, I wouldn’t just break in. I’m not that sort of person.’ Pip looked pained. ‘Look – would you mind awfully if I got dressed so we can sort this out?’

‘I should call the police.’

‘Please don’t. I mean, do if you have to. I understand. You must feel … violated.’

‘No. Just pissed off.’

She scowled. She might be small but she was fierce. Pip pointed to his pile of clothes at the foot of the bed. She gave a heavy sigh with a roll of her eyes and tossed them over to him.

‘It’s OK,’ she said. ‘I won’t look.’

She turned her back to him and crossed her arms. He tried to get dressed under the blankets as quickly as he could, then emerged, sheepish.

‘I’m all decent.’

She turned back around.

‘So. Where is this mystery girl?’

‘Perhaps she’s gone to the shops? She’ll be back in a minute to explain.’

But even as he said it, he didn’t believe it.

And then a horrible thought occurred to him.

‘My wallet!’

His wallet. Oh hell – where was his wallet? It had a couple of hundred pounds in it, and his credit cards, his identification – everything. His heart started hammering and he felt sick as he looked wildly around.

He turned to the girl, hoping to appeal to her.

‘Look, it’s obvious. I’ve been stitched up. I’ve been lured here and … whoever she was has made off with all my cash. Oh shit – and she’ll have got my address. She’s probably back in London now, pinching the rest of my stuff—’

The girl was looking at him stonily, eyebrows raised.

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