The Night Raven by Sarah Painter

Author:Sarah Painter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Siskin Press Ltd

* * *

Lydia had received a message from Emma simply saying ‘yes’ when she had texted to ask if she was safely home and then nothing. Lydia couldn’t stop seeing her friend’s expression, the confusion which had been replaced with poorly concealed fear. Now, Emma wasn’t answering her phone. Lydia had left a message on the land line answering machine, a voicemail on Emma’s mobile and sent three light-hearted texts with jaunty emojis. Nothing.

* * *

Needing both the distraction of getting out of the flat and some food, Lydia headed to the nearest Tesco Metro, giving the Pearlie grocery shop a wide-berth. She was thoughtfully squeezing an avocado when her mobile rang. It was Fleet and his voice was as deadpan as usual. ‘We need to talk.’

‘Fire away,’ Lydia said putting down the fruit.

‘Best if we do this in person,’ Fleet said. ‘I’m in the area right now.’

That wasn’t a good sign. Lydia stuffed down her sense of foreboding and finished her grocery shopping. She put lasagne, ready-washed salad, apples, milk, a bottle of bourbon and a gigantic bag of salt and vinegar crisps into her basket and headed to the check-out.

The supermarket was only two streets away from the cafe so Lydia was surprised to find Fleet parked outside and leaning against his car, waiting. He must have been ‘right outside’ not just ‘in the area.’

‘Another house call, DCI Fleet? I’m honoured.’ Lydia was trying very hard not to notice how good he looked. He was wearing a sharply cut three-piece suit, in a dark blue-ish grey with a slate-coloured shirt and burgundy tie. Combined with his height and wide shoulders, it made him look more like a fashion spread for GQ than a copper. Lydia licked her lips and tried not to wonder just how much muscle definition one would find underneath all that excellent tailoring.

He tilted his head. The smile that suggested so much more than professional courtesy was back and Lydia wondered if it was just for her. He didn’t give the impression of being a habitual flirt, but Lydia didn’t trust her instincts when it came to men. ‘Call me Ignatius.’

‘Why? Is this another social visit?’

He held out a large hand, palm face down and moved it to indicate ‘so so’. He straightened up and nodded at the cafe. ‘Shall we?’

Lydia unlocked the front door and tried to lead Fleet straight upstairs. Instead of following, he stood stock-still in the middle of the cafe. ‘You’ve been busy.’

‘Not me,’ Lydia said, shifting her shopping from one hand to the other to give her arm a rest. Fleet dived forward, hand outstretched. ‘Sorry. Let me.’

‘That’s okay,’ Lydia said, taking a step back and almost losing her balance.

Fleet immediately went still. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to frighten you.’

Lydia, for no reason she could account for, suddenly felt like crying. ‘You didn’t,’ she managed to say after a moment.

The gleam that she’d caught on him before was back. It licked around his outline and Lydia had to concentrate hard to ignore it.

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