The Violet Carlyle Mysteries Boxset 2 by Beth Byers

Author:Beth Byers [Byers, Beth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-09-08T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7

Violet ran as fast as she could go. She knew she shouldn’t have left her family. She had been childish, but she’d done it and now this is where she was. She was racing through the wood by herself, trying to reach Jack before he disappeared. She gasped as she ran, hoping that her conversation with Mr. Freckleton hadn’t wasted too much time. If Jack was gone, who would she turn to? The local police just felt wrong when she knew that a brilliant Scotland Yard man was around, one who knew her and cared for her.

She wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Jack’s arms and shove this problem on him. She ran past Freckleton, who shouted her name when he saw her come pelting out of the wood. She passed several locals, including the Mr. Baker and Agnes King.

Violet was holding her side at that point, and her weakened lungs from her illness were struggling to let her continue. She almost collapsed in relief as she hurried up the street towards the pub, where she could still see their bicycles outside.

She pushed through the door, moving past the spotty lad who blushed at her appearance. She tried to call Jack’s name, but she couldn’t get words out. She heaved, her hands on her knees as Victor said something no doubt biting. Violet gasped, barely hearing her friends as she tried to speak. “Ja…Jac…”

Trying to get a word out was the wrong choice, and she broke into a racking cough that had her moaning when she finished. She took a slow breath in, realizing that Kate was slowly rubbing her back.

“Jack…” Violet huffed. “Jack…”

“I’m right here.” He was a mere step away, watching Kate’s movements carefully.

“Body,” she coughed, wiping away the tears that had started streaming somewhere in her journey.

“Did you say body?” he demanded, voice sharp.

She nodded frantically as she coughed into a handkerchief.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, grabbing the lapels of his jacket. “On the path….behind the graveyard.” She pressed a hand against her chest where her lungs were burning and watched him jump into motion. He didn’t need anything more from her than her statement. She couldn’t help but consider the bookseller who’d mocked her choices in fiction. Any other man who knew her less well would have cross-examined her when they wouldn’t have questioned a man further.

The boy who’d helped Violet earlier was sent for the local bobbies while Victor cursed their poor luck. Jack, on the other hand, called for a notebook from the waiter and prepared to step into his professional role.

“Stop being such a beast,” Jack told Victor, “and take care of your sister.”

Victor nodded, coughing into his own handkerchief while Kate wrapped Violet up in a hug, rubbing her back.

“Denny, with me. Bloody hell, Victor, get the ladies home and go to bed before one of us is forced to make you the next victim.”

Victor choked on a laugh and blushed, nodding. “Vi…”

She looked up at him, her eyes welling with tears and then threw herself into his arms.

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