Letting out the Worms: Guilty or not? If not then the alternative is terrifying (Kitty Thomas Book 1 by Sue Nicholls (primary phonics .txt) 📕

Now, he was waiting in a parking bay at the rear of the property, impressed that the care and eye for detail at the front continued here, where it mattered less.

A dark blue sports car nosed down the side of the building and parked a few spaces from his own. Its door swung open and a black stilettoed shoe emerged, followed by the stockinged leg and slender body of a forty something brunette. Her glossy hair swung over her shoulders, and her cherry-coloured lips already formed a welcoming smile.

‘Mr Rutherford? Janice Loveday.’

Max accepted her cool hand with a look that hid his disdain as the woman’s sharp, artificial nails dug into this palm. While she stalked beside him, her heels scratching the tarmac, Janice explained what he had already worked out, that the building was divided into four exclusive flats. ‘Two with two bedrooms and two with one. Designed for the successful businessman or woman.’ Janice recited and glanced sideways at him saying, ‘I’m thinking of buying one myself. Not sure if that’s a selling point.’

Max met her eyes and summoned up a flirtatious tone. ‘Definitely a selling point.’ He pulled out a business card and passed it to her. ‘Perhaps we could meet for lunch next week to discuss that.’

She gave him a wicked look and slipped the card into her bra. Max grinned and ogled her cleavage as invited.

Inside, the show flat was everything he had hoped: Leather sofas, small, modern kitchen, most of the emphasis on a large luxurious bedroom and en-suite bathroom with jacuzzi.

When he left her, Max was confident that Janice understood his interest in both the apartment, and herself.

The following Tuesday, he hung around outside the agency until most of the staff had left for lunch. When all but one had departed, he pulled open the door to meet the gaze of a young guy at a desk.

‘May I help you, Sir?’ The lad rose to greet Max His eagerness to grab a potential sale while his colleagues were out of the office, was clear from his expression. At the same time, Janice bowled in from a back room.

‘Don’t worry, Justin; Mr Rutherford and I are old friends.’ She beckoned Max into the rear office and offered him a seat, saying, ‘I won’t be a moment,’ and disappearing through another door to ‘powder her nose.’

In Max’s experience, he now had a good ten minutes, and after making sure Justin was occupied, he strolled across the room to a series of hooks, hung with bunches of keys that had been labelled with the names of the properties they belonged to. Max glanced again at Justin and slipped the keys for Dukesbury Mansion into his pocket.

It took a couple of days to secure his own copies of the keys. Then, on their first date, in a wine bar, he bought glass after glass of red wine, watching Janice’s face grow progressively more puce - not an attractive look. When nature called, Janice left her handbag beside her chair and staggered to the ladies. Max checked he was not being observed and buried the keys deep inside the commodious object, hiding them under makeup bags, purse, tissues and other inexplicable items.

After that one date, Janice concocted an ‘appointment’ and took Max to her semi-detached house, where she treated him to athletic and desperate sex. Very satisfying for them both. Afterwards, as she searched in her bag for lipstick, she let out an ‘Oh,’ of frustration.

‘Everything OK,’ Max asked, sitting on the bed to tie his shoelaces.

‘I’ve got them.’ Janice dangled the keys at him. ‘I’ve been yelling at everyone for losing them. They’re the keys to Dukesbury Mansion.’

Max laughed. ‘You won’t be popular.’

She gave him a guilty look, ‘I might slip them back on the hook and keep quiet.’ She dropped the keys back into her bag, saying, ‘We should go. I didn’t lie. You are a client and we have had a very enjoyable meeting.’

‘Indeed.’ Max stood up and pulled her to him for a long kiss.

‘So,’ she gave him a crooked smile, ‘To make this ‘meeting’ entirely successful you could tell me you’d like to go ahead with the purchase.’

‘True, but I have to talk to my accountant, and, if I were to buy, I would want to make an offer.’ He wagged his finger at her. ‘Don’t think you can seduce me into paying the full asking price.’

‘Dammit.’ Janice gave a mock look of anger and stamped her foot.

Max grinned. ‘Leave it with me. I’ll give you a shout in a week or two.’

He never called.

~~~

As far as Millie was aware, Max was a property developer. His plan was to take her to Dukesbury Mansion, passing it off as his own work. In the meantime, he prepared the ground. Turning up at the end of lunch service - he did not want to spend money on another expensive meal - he ordered a G and T and invited her to join him. Soon, she was fluttering her eyelashes at him like a tart.

He had to admit she was engaging. In different circumstances, she might have tempted him. But no - this woman was bad news: selfish and irresponsible. He drained his gin, stood up and strolled round to Millie behind the bar. She straightened up and put down her drink, her eyes on his face as he approached. A repulsive smell of cooking rose from her hair as he murmured into her ear, ‘You and I could be exceptionally good together. Two businesspeople. Independent. No strings. I could make you very happy.’

Before she had constructed a reply, he treated her upper arm to the lightest stroke and left.

Some days later, after parking in a dark corner of the supermarket car park, away from any CCTV cameras, he collected Millie from her restaurant