Leaving George by Diane M Dickson

Author:Diane M Dickson [Dickson, Diane M]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: The Book Folks mystery suspense thriller publisher
Published: 2015-01-27T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

“Dolly, I’m sorry to disturb you but I’ve lost my key.”

“Oh good heavens, Pauline! What’s happened?” Dolly stretched out her arms in automatic response to the figure standing in front of her. Then she hesitated; the other woman looked so damaged that she didn’t know where it would be possible to touch without causing harm.

“I’m fine.” Pauline tried to smile as the lie left her lips. “It’s just that I’ve lost my key and I really need to get into the house. I’m sorry… I’ll pay for the locks to be replaced.”

“Locks? What are you talking about? What’s happened? Come in for Pete’s sake! Come in. Can you manage? Have you been in an accident? Oh no, you haven’t been mugged? You’ve been mugged! Oh you poor thing. Come on in, I’ll call an ambulance.”

“No, no please. I’m fine.”

“Fine? You certainly are not fine! Have you seen yourself? Your poor face! No, you need an ambulance, and the Police. I’ll get the police. Come in… will you just come in?”

Pauline gingerly climbed the three old stone steps. Holding onto the door for support she made her way into the narrow hallway of the farmhouse.

Dolly took her arm and led her towards the open door in the cream painted wall. “Now, first of all, where are you hurt? Are you sure you don’t want me to call an ambulance?”

“No, no, I’m sorry to disturb your evening, really I am. I just want to get into the house and have a bath actually…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t go off on your own. Let me at least get you a cup of tea and help you to clean up those wounds.”

“Wounds.” Pauline raised a hand and touched her swollen lips. The aches and soreness that she felt had become so much a part of every movement that she had given no thought to her appearance. “Is it bad? Does it look bad?”

“Well, I’m sorry, but yes. Whoever did this… Did someone do this? You haven’t told me; what happened to you? Was it an accident or were you mugged?”

An escape was presented to her. In just those few words, several possibilities opened up and she searched for an answer that would be so much better than the truth. Then like a grey blanket exhaustion and defeat descended and she was just too tired and battered to begin to form the lies.

“No, I haven’t been mugged. Oh Dolly, there’s a man, dead. I killed him.” As the words became reality her shattered spirit finally unwound into tears of fear and horror. Dolly flopped onto the settee beside her and wrapped her in a gentle hug as she sobbed. Great wracking gulps convulsed her trembling body. The other woman crooned soft, disbelieving murmurs.

“Now, now come on, come on. Don’t be silly, calm down. Hush, hush.”

As she regained control Pauline pushed back and took hold of both of Dolly’s hands in hers. She drew in a deep, steadying breath. “I have Dolly! I couldn’t help it.

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