A Story to Strangle For by E.V. Hunter

Author:E.V. Hunter [Hunter, E.V.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

12

In a grim frame of mind, Jack drove back to Lambourn without giving the road ahead much of his attention. He’d stumbled upon discoveries that had disturbed him greatly. It would be easy to jump to the most logical conclusion but despite what he now knew, he wasn’t ready to burn his bridges quite yet. There were two sides to every story and if he bandied about unsubstantiated allegations then his partnership with Cassie, one based on trust, would never recover.

The problem was, he didn’t have time to dither and so must trust his instincts. He would have to tell Alexi, and Vickery, and tell them soon. But he needed the time it would take him to drive to Hopgood Hall to try and make sense of a situation that he didn’t want to believe was possible.

Even though it made sense on so many levels.

He arrived in Lambourn and was no closer to deciding what to do about this latest development than he’d been when leaving Newbury. Cosmo greeted him at the top of the steps, a bit like an anxious father demanding to know where he’d been and what time he called this.

‘What’s happening, big guy?’ Jack asked, dropping a hand to stroke the cat’s head. ‘Where’s your mum?’

Cosmo responded by trotting ahead of him and meowing impatiently outside Drew’s kitchen door, tail twitching with irritation. Alexi’s intuitive cat was trying to tell him that something untoward had occurred and to express his annoyance because he’d been shut out of it.

‘What now?’ he muttered, assuming that Vaughan had gotten Alexi alone and was launching a toxic charm offensive, using this latest murder to work upon her dwindling resolve and tempt her back to London with an offer of an enhanced position at the Sentinel. The fact that the paper probably regretted letting her go, given the dissatisfaction still being voiced by readers, Vaughan would be effectively killing two birds with one stone. He’d have his star reporter back and could pretend to the paper’s owners that she’d seen the error of her ways and returned of her own volition. He would arrogantly assume as well that she’d return to his bed.

Not happenin’!

But instead of the newspaper man, he opened the door and found Alexi deep in conversation with another woman. A complete stranger.

‘Oh, Jack, there you are.’ Alexi looked up at him with a sunny smile that failed to completely conceal her anxiety.

‘Hey,’ he replied, strolling into the room. ‘What did I miss?’

‘Jack, this is Sarah Watt, Diana’s daughter,’ she added with a significant look. ‘Diana, my partner, Jack Maddox.’

Jack didn’t miss a beat, even though he was as surprised as Alexi appeared to be by the appearance of the prodigal daughter. He and Alexi knew that Diana had never been married and had made erroneous assumptions on that basis.

‘Good to meet you, Sarah,’ Jack said, extending his hand.

‘You too.’ She eyed Jack speculatively.

‘What brings you to Hopgood Hall?’ Jack asked, helping himself to coffee and joining Alexi on her side of the table.

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