Deep Water by Mark Ayre (best big ereader TXT) 📕

Abbie as she processed this. It turned in the older woman’s mind and came into focus.

“You think Aurora told Ollie about Jacob, said that's why they weren't spending as much time together. This made Ollie angry, so he left Aurora to walk home alone, and she was murdered. So Ollie's grieving but can't blame himself, so projects. Thinks about why he abandoned Aurora and blames Jacob."

"That's right," said Abbie.

Alice closed her eyes. Shook her head in disgust. "It's possible. Very possible. He's always been an emotional boy. Never knew his dad. I don't think Angel raised him right, but who was I to complain? I went to prison and left my six and thirteen years olds without a parent. I can imagine he'd hate Jacob for what happened."

She was still seething, her mind still ticking over. She said, "Ollie should never have abandoned my daughter."

"You're right," said Abbie. "But I don't think we can focus on that right now."

"No," agreed Alice. "We can't."

"I heard Angel and Ollie talking about getting revenge on Louis," said Abbie. "But Angel promised they'd punish Jacob. I think Angel thinks she can kill two birds with one stone: appease her son and avenge her sister. I think it was coincidence with Ariana, but when it comes to Angel, Jacob will be the target."

Alice swigged some of her drink. Nodded. "Come on."

They returned to the living room. Alice led the way, drinking as she went. Placing her tumbler on the coffee table, she stood behind the armchair, her hands on the leather, looking down on everyone except Abbie, who stood by the door.

"First, the guns," she said before anyone else could talk. "When I called Pedro, he was not keen to end our business arrangement. He's always been a smooth talker, but his threats were so thinly veiled it was like trying to hide an elephant beneath a tea towel."

"Great simile," said Abbie.

"Thank you. Pedro was determined to get the guns, so I told him I'd already run dry; that was why I considered this the perfect time to quit. I hoped the absence of guns would remove his incentive to cross the ocean and carry out his threats. Louis may have scuppered that."

"Alice, I'm so sorry—"

"Shut up. It doesn't matter. I'll call Pedro first thing, explain there was a misunderstanding. If I have to, I'll offer him some appeasement cash. He's too dangerous to leave dissatisfied. Tomorrow night, I'll arrange for the guns to be destroyed and discarded in the ocean. Then what I told him will be true."

Alice moved around the chair, took her drink, brought it back to where she had been standing.

"That's the guns," she said. "Now Angel. Alex, is it true your little sister and Jacob were romantically involved? If that's the right term for a teenage relationship."

"What?" said Tony, aghast.

Alex bowed her head but said, "Yes. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. She made me promise and—"

"I would have never expected you to breach your sister's trust while she was alive," Alice said. "Once she had died, and with me gearing up to take revenge against Louis, thinking he was responsible, I like to think you would have given me all the facts. Doesn't matter now. Louis, has your son told you who he believes to be responsible for Aurora's murder?"

"Yes," said Louis. "Your grandson."

"What?" repeated Tony. Alice turned to him.

"Ollie was supposed to walk Aurora home on the night she died, but they argued about Jacob, so Ollie left her to walk home alone. It's possible that, if they had stayed together, both would have died. But Jacob is understandably angry. Abbie, did Jacob threaten my grandson?"

"Hey," said Louis, standing, but Alice cut in again.

"I won't target your son; I just need to understand the situation.”

Louis was taking deep breaths; unhappy, but he looked at Abbie, nodded.

"He's angry," said Abbie. "He talks of retribution, but I don't think he'll do anything."

"He won't," said Alice. "Louis, speak with your son; ensure he leaves Ollie alone. I'll deal with my daughters. They're angry, bitter, heartbroken. They're acting out because they believe I’ve let them down, but I'm still their mother, and I'll make them listen. Tomorrow morning, I'll have them agree to a ceasefire until we can gather and talk in the evening."

"Tomorrow evening?" said Louis.

"Yes. I assume you know it's your new girlfriend's birthday and that I'm hosting a joint party for us? It stands to reason, given you're an item and in love, you’d be Alex's plus one. Alex?"

Alex was on the spot. She flushed. "Well, of course, I'd love him to be, but I thought—"

"Then that's settled. Tony, have you asked Abbie to be your plus one yet?"

"I think so," said Tony.

"Well, make sure because I don't have a plus one, and if you don't snap Abbie up, I will. It'll be like the Bodyguard. I'll be Whitney; Abbie can be my Kevin Costner. What do you say, Abbie?"

"Gives me chills. The good kind."

"Excellent, so you'll all be there. Those who aren't already at the house can arrive from sunset, whenever that is tomorrow.”

"Twelve minutes past five," said Abbie at once. Everyone looked her way.

"How do you know that?" said Alice.

Tomorrow was day two of her latest mission. Years of experience told her crunch time for the people she aimed to save happened after sundown on day two in the vast majority of cases. As a result, Abbie always knew what time that was due to take place.

She shrugged. "I'm a font of useless information."

"So it would seem," said Alice. "We'll say arrive from five-fifteen, then. We'll drink, we'll talk, we'll laugh... and we'll put an end to all this bad blood, once and for all."

Twenty-Two

The bridge between day one and day two was when Abbie most needed sleep. Already deprived of a good night's rest because of her warning dream waking her at midnight, Abbie spent day one winning people's trust, trying to uncover potential danger, and often fighting to the death, all of which led