COFFIN COVE a gripping murder mystery full of twists (Coffin Cove Mysteries Book 1) by JACKIE ELLIOTT (books for new readers .TXT) 📕

trilled, and without waiting for an answer, she went on. “So sorry to bother you, but the new girl can’t find your Accounts Receivable file? Do you know where you put it?”

New girl? Brenda wished she was the type of person to tell her where to go, but she wasn’t and she didn’t. She told Amy where to find the file, then clicked off her phone, pulled herself up from the sofa and signed the letter. She found a stamp and padded down to the lobby of her apartment in her slippers and dropped the letter in the mail.

She could have walked it round to the office. But she never wanted to go to Hades Fish Co. again.

For the rest of the evening Brenda sat at the window, watching darkness engulf the water and listening to the night sounds of the harbour. She tried not to obsess about the questions swirling around in her mind and to just enjoy the familiar night sounds and sights of Steveston, but she couldn’t settle. Should she phone Nikos? Had it really been an accident? And why hadn’t she heard from Harry? She couldn’t shake the feeling that had gnawed at her since she arrived home from hospital. Was it fear? Or loneliness?

Chapter Twenty-Five

Steven Hilstead smiled approvingly at the new girl.

“Good morning,” she chirped with a wide, lipsticked smile that showed perfect teeth. Apart from her consciously arranged auburn hair, the new girl looked exactly like the other one, Steve thought. Still a vast improvement on that frumpy old woman, in the same old sweatshirt and jeans, who just scowled at him.

No, he wouldn’t miss Brenda and her meddling.

Adrian was still fretting.

“She hasn’t signed the letter yet,” he said as soon as Steve appeared at his office door. “What if she sues?”

Steve shrugged and sat in one of the comfortable armchairs.

“What if she does?” he said calmly and then shouted, “Can I get a coffee in here, please?”

“Look, Brenda was a pain in the ass, but she knew how to work things round here,” Adrian practically shouted. “That new girl doesn’t know anything, and this morning I’ve had three calls from pissed-off customers because their order was screwed up.” He came out from behind his desk and stood over Steve. “What am I fucking paying you for?” he snarled, pointing his finger in a stabbing motion. “You’re my fucking operations manager, and in the last week I’ve had to deal with an accident in the plant and customers freaking out about their orders — what are you gonna do about it?” His voice had got louder.

Steve ignored Adrian and gestured to the new girl, who was standing at the door, holding a mug of coffee in her hand. The Instagram smile was gone, and her eyes were wide as she witnessed Adrian’s outburst.

“Put the coffee here, dear,” Steve said pleasantly, “and then, if you don’t mind, close the door behind you.”

She complied and left quickly, keeping her head down.

Steve breathed deeply and reached for his coffee. He took a sip, savoured the expensive blend which Adrian always purchased, and replaced his mug on the table in front of him, with exaggerated care.

He knew that silence rattled Adrian. He was like a yappy little dog, always needing attention.

It worked. Adrian flopped down into the other armchair and ran his hand through his hair.

“What am I going to do?” he said miserably. “My dad will be mad about Brenda when he finds out—”

“Fuck Brenda,” Steve interrupted, “and fuck your precious daddy.” He leaned forward and picked up his coffee again.

“What the—?” Adrian spluttered, his face going bright red.

“Listen to me,” Steve said quietly, and Adrian must have noticed his menacing tone, because he shut up and listened. “It’s time Nikos Palmer moved on from Hades Fish Co.” Steve said this conversationally, but inside he was tense. Time was running out.

“It’s time he signed over his interest in the company,” he continued. “Business has changed. We’ll be running things differently from now on.”

“What are you talking about?” Adrian held his hands up in confusion. “We’re already doing business differently — we have the bistro, we’re taking over quotas, my dad’s already pissed off, and the fishermen are calling him to complain, and some restaurants too. There’s no way he’ll sign the business over to me, and when he finds out about Brenda . . .” Adrian was babbling.

“I told you to listen,” Steve said, suppressing his frustration. Why can’t this privileged little shit just do what he’s told? “Forget the fucking fishermen, there’s no future in fishing, we’re in the export business now.”

Adrian stared at him. “What are you talking about? We’re a seafood company! What will we export if not seafood?”

“We’re already exporting other . . . products,” Steve said, looking at Adrian, waiting to gauge his reaction. This has to work. This has to work. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

“What other products?” Adrian said, his voice lower now, his face registering some understanding of what Steve was telling him.

“Let’s just say, if Brenda hadn’t had her little accident,” Steve leaned forward, “you and I would be totally fucked by now.”

“Why would I be fucked?” Adrian seemed to regain some of his arrogance. “This is the first I’ve heard about your . . . your side business!”

Steve settled back in his chair and steepled his fingers together. “Of course you’d be fucked, Adrian. It’s your business. You pay the bills, you sign the paperwork, you enjoy the benefits. How else do you think you could afford the bistro? Look at this office.” He spread his hands out. “You think anyone will believe you knew nothing?” He smiled. “You worry too much, Adrian.”

Adrian sat still and said nothing. Steve watched him, knowing that he must be processing all of this, assessing his options.

This has to work.

Finally, Adrian spoke. “How much