Death at Rainbow Cottage by Jo Allen (novel24 TXT) 📕

‘Okay. That’s fine. Thanks Phil. Very helpful. Enjoy your evening.’ Jude rang off. ‘For God’s sake. That’s not looking good, is it?

Ashleigh had her phone out, her fingers tapping out a number as they spoke. ‘Chris is working late. I’ll get him on to that.’

‘Friday last week. I wonder how many people Gracie gave lifts to between then and Tuesday? I wonder what the chances are of there being fingerprints still on the car? CCTV is the best bet, and quicker, too, if he’s right about it. We should be able to get that pretty soon.’

‘Yes. Chris…good. No, don’t stay too late. But can you sort a couple of things for me before you go? Can you get a CSI to take fingerprints off Gracie Pepper’s car? Passenger side, inside and out. And have a look at CCTV from the hospital car park for last Friday around four… As soon as possible. Like, yesterday... I want to know if she was with anyone and if we know who it was. Yes, brilliant. Thanks.’ She ended the call as Jude started the engine and finished the short drive up to his mother’s house at Wasby. ‘Jude. Imagine…just imagine if it was Giles Butler.’

Chapter 19

When the doorbell rang, Linda Satterthwaite was in the middle of reeling off a list of tasks and the people who would do them and Mikey was looking, Becca thought, unjustifiably distracted given it was his birthday party they were planning.

‘Forty-eight hours to go. We should have everything ready by tomorrow night.’ Linda tapped her pad with a pen. ‘Mikey, go and get the door, would you? But don’t go sliding off upstairs afterwards. I’m not having you complaining something isn’t right when you can’t be bothered to give us your input.’

The moment he’d left the room she leaned forward. ‘Have you got the cake sorted?’

Linda must be the one Jude got his organised mind from, because David and Mikey were both scatty, always leaving things to the last minute and trusting in the goodwill of others to get them out of trouble. ‘Yes, don't worry. It’s in my kitchen. All we need to do is get it to the hall and add the candles. I’ll sneak it in when I’m bringing the rest of the food.’

‘You’re a born conspirator. Though I expect we could carry it in in full view and he wouldn't notice it.’

At least such a casual attitude made planning surprises for Mikey easy. Becca smiled. She’d tried to surprise Jude a few times when they’d been together and never succeeded, though he was good at pretending she had. In fact, when she thought about it, the only time she’d ever caught him out was the day she’d told him it was over.

‘Look what the cat’s dragged in.’ Mikey bounced back into the living room, grinning as if at the idea of some entertainment, and dropped back into his seat.

‘Show a bit of respect,’ Jude admonished him from the doorway, ‘for Ashleigh, if not for me.’ And then he was in the room and looking round with the expression that snapped into stillness on the instant to hide what he really thought, and Becca understood why she’d thought of him. The sound of the Mercedes outside had triggered her memories. That was all.

‘Shouldn’t you be catching criminals?’ Mikey’s chirpiness was undampened. ‘Haven’t you heard? There’s a homicidal maniac on the loose.’

‘Someone else is dealing with that tonight. I have a life.’

Becca made herself as small as she could in the corner of the sofa. He was learning. It was too late, of course, and it was ironic that he was making free time to spend with a woman he must see every day at work. Maybe he cared about Ashleigh more than he ever had done for Becca herself.

‘Jude,’ Linda said, her genuine warmth covering Becca’s more obvious confusion. ‘What a lovely surprise. And you must be—’

‘This is Ashleigh.’ Jude stood back and let his new woman — slightly abashed, Becca thought — precede him into the room. ‘Ashleigh, this is my mum, Linda. We were on our way to Askham for a bite to eat and we’re a bit ahead, so we thought it was time to introduce you.’

A chilled silence descended on them. ‘Hi Becca,’ Jude said, to break it.

She nodded towards him, and shuffled up on the sofa, the only space available.

‘Mikey,’ Linda directed, ‘you can sit on the floor and give Ashleigh your seat. Tea, Ashleigh? Coffee?’

‘It’s okay.’ Jude sat in the middle of the sofa and indicated the space next to him for Ashleigh, and then the three of them shifted about until Becca had put a clear two inches between herself and Jude and he and Ashleigh were crushed together in the other half of it. ‘We’re quite comfortable. And don’t worry about tea. We won’t stay.’

Becca had met Ashleigh before, in a more formal situation. Trying not to be too obvious, she cast a sideways look at the new light of Jude’s life. In fairness to him, you could see the attraction. As an objective observer, it was hard not to be impressed by the sheer lusciousness of the woman, with her bright blonde hair and the inviting curve of her hips, waist and bosom, even though Becca was a little more critical of the startling scarlet of the lipstick and the heavy and expensive scent. ‘Nice to see you again,’ she said, across Jude.

‘You too.’

‘We’ve obviously interrupted the party planning meeting,’ Jude nodded at the notepad the Linda had automatically picked up when she sat down.

‘Of course you’ll bring Ashleigh.’ Linda smiled again.

‘Of course.’

‘You’d bloody better turn up this time.’ From his seat in the corner Mikey, in full Goth mode, both looked and sounded aggrieved.

‘I’ll do my best.’

‘You