Takedown by Heather Atkinson (latest books to read txt) 📕

good life, raking in a ton of cash. You tried to kill me but you failed. Now what are you? A meal for the worms. That’s all you’re fit for. You couldn’t beat me in life and you’re certainly not going to beat me now. You’re just a rotting corpse with no power left.”

The thought of his body putrefying just a few feet beneath her made her shudder and she turned and carried on her way, refusing to look back, even though she once again had the strong feeling she was being watched but this wasn’t some earthly stalker, it was her paranoia, a symptom of the trauma Marlow had left her with.

Faith hurried out of the cemetery, got back in her car and slammed the door shut. At least, she hoped it was her imagination. If someone had just watched her meet with a detective inspector it could make life even more difficult.

“I think it’s the perfect place,” said Jason as he got out of his black BMW.

“It’s only three streets from the police station,” countered Kevin, climbing out of the passenger seat.

“That’s what’s so beautiful about it. No one would expect us to keep it so close to a bunch of coppers.”

“And what if they notice our family coming and going with packages? They’ll soon work out what’s going on.”

“No they won’t,” said Jason, pushing open the front door of their home. “They’re too stupid.”

“Who’s stupid dear?” said Rose.

They went abruptly silent.

“I thought you were at bingo?” said Kevin.

“Not for another hour. So, who’s too stupid?”

“The police,” said Jason.

“That’s enough,” Kevin told him.

Rose narrowed her blue eyes at them, making them shuffle uncomfortably. “Something’s going on, isn’t it?”

“No,” said Jason unconvincingly. “Nothing’s going on.”

“I think it is. I can always tell when my children are in trouble. I noticed it at the family dinner but I didn’t want to spoil the day, it’s very rare we’re all together now but I want to know.” In truth, she hadn’t pressed the issue because she knew Faith and Vance would have shut down the conversation immediately, however her younger children found it a lot harder to go against their mother.

“We’re not in trouble,” said Kevin, looking everywhere but at her.

“I’m your mother Kevin, I know when you’re lying and I want to help.”

“There’s nothing you can do Mum.”

“So I was right – you are in trouble.”

“Okay, something did happen but we’re handling it. Faith’s got everything worked out.”

“You don’t look too certain about that dear.” She turned her attention to Jason, who was much more likely to crumble. “Well?”

“What Kev said,” he mumbled, shuffling awkwardly. “Nothing to worry about. It’s all good.”

“It hurts when you lie to me Jason,” she said in her soft, gentle voice, crushing his will with her own, which was like steel.

“I don’t mean to,” he muttered, looking to his brother for help, scowling when he refused to look at him.

“In that case you’ll tell me the truth, or you can do your own laundry for the next few months and make your own meals.”

“Someone broke into the place where we store the drugs and nicked most of them,” he burst out. “Now we have to find whoever took it before we look weak and everyone in the town starts attacking us.”

“Jason,” exclaimed Kevin.

“Sorry but it’s mum and she wants to help.”

“For Christ’s sake.” Kevin’s eyes widened when Rose looked furious at his irreverence. “Sorry, it just slipped out.”

“So you did lie to me,” she said. “You do have trouble and a lot of it.”

“Yeah but it’s nothing we can’t handle, really Mum. We’re all working together on it. Where are you going?” he said when she walked into the hallway to pull on her coat and scarf.

“To bingo,” she said. “You need information and I’m going to get it for you.”

“From bingo? Whoever did this won’t go there.”

“I don’t need them to go there. Everyone has parents.”

“Eh?”

“I won’t be long boys,” she said before leaving, closing the door behind her.

Kevin turned on his brother. “You are really going to have to stop doing that.”

“Sorry but she knows my weaknesses – cooking and doing my own laundry.”

Kevin sighed and shook his head.

“Hello everyone,” smiled Rose, taking a seat at a table in the bingo hall next to her buxom friend Mary. Also at the table were Agatha, a tall, hard-faced woman and beside her sat Ginny who, with her small fragile frame and natural timidity was the polar opposite to the strident Agatha.

“Hello,” they replied in unison, eyes never leaving their bingo cards as they marked off numbers with their dabbers.

“Bingo,” bellowed Agatha, her loud, deep voice startling everyone out of the tension of the game.

“Jammy cow,” Mary muttered to Rose. “That’s twice she’s won today. If she wins a third game she won’t make it out of the building alive.”

Thirty jealous pairs of eyes watched the runner dash over to check Agatha’s card, tension filling the room as the young girl assessed her numbers. Agatha’s eyesight was notoriously poor. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d cried wolf.

“Congratulations Agatha,” said the girl, making the room sigh with disappointment. “Another win. You’re on a lucky streak today.”

She handed a triumphant Agatha a voucher to collect her prize and everyone took a break before the next game.

“So, how are you all?” Rose asked her friends.

“My knee’s giving me jip again,” said Mary. “It’s the cold weather. Every year I become a martyr to my joints.”

“Oh dear, that’s terrible,” said Rose mechanically. She’d heard the same statement from Mary every day of every winter for the last ten years.

“And how are you Rose?” said Ginny.

“Not so bad thank you.”

Rose spotted Carol Kirwan, whose son Alfie