by Linda Coles
“She’s right here, nodding her head at the idea, listening in. She’s a detective, remember. She knows what’s going on, long before she’s been told much.” The two women laughed a little. It was true. Amanda did tend to know things long before anyone else even suspected.
“Right, let’s see if Mum can take the boys—again. Call you back in a minute.” Stephanie hung up, then stood staring at the phone in her hand for a moment longer, wondering if she was doing the right thing. Yes, she wanted to see him, but what if he needed the time to think? It had been his idea. Doubt started to swim around her head but before it had chance to settle, she pulled her shoulders back and found her mum’s number in her phone. The call connected almost immediately.
“Hello darling. What a lovely surprise!” Her tone was always warm and welcoming. Stephanie wouldn’t have minded a cuddle from her mother right about now.
“Hi, Mum. I wonder if I could impose on you again, to take the boys? Overnight.”
“Yes, of course you can! Your father and I always love having them. But is everything all right? It’s not usual for you to drop them at short notice and this makes twice of recent. Not that I’m complaining, mind, just asking.” Her mother should have been a detective too. Not much escaped her radar.
“Everything is fine, Mum, or it will be. I just need to do something that doesn’t involve the boys. All be back to normal soon.”
“Sounds ominous. But if you’re sure?”
“Thanks, Mum, I am. Can I drop them pretty quickly? I’ve got to be somewhere.”
“Ready when you are, darling. I’ll see you soon.”
“Thanks,” she said, and hung up. She quickly called Ruth back and gave her the news and they arranged to pick her up an hour and a half later, which would give them time to pack a few things. As she hung up, Stephanie once again stared at her phone, wondering if it really was such a bright idea.
“I guess we’ll soon see,” she said to herself, and headed off to tell the boys.
Chapter Eighty-Eight
“Well, this is lovely,” Aaron said. They were sitting on the rug in front of the fire they’d lit in the wood burner. The late afternoon had turned chilly and they’d lazed around chatting in front of the flames. A nearly empty bottle of red wine sat on the hearth close by, ready for the last of the top-ups when needed.
“I brought some cheese to go with the crackers. Would you like some to soak the wine up with? I know I would,” he said, laughing a little, “Perhaps I should have had some before I started drinking. I wouldn’t like to drive right now!”
“Me neither.” Frankie giggled from where she lay stretched out on the old comfy sofa, a hand-knitted blanket covering her feet. “And yes, I’ll have some, please. I might not make it to dinner at this rate. And, there’s another bottle to drink yet!” She watched him as he rose from his place on the floor and wobbled a little, trying to make his way to the kitchen door on slightly unsteady legs.
“Heavens!” he exclaimed, “I must be getting old. I can’t hold my drink anymore.” He put his arm out to grab the doorframe before he banged into it. Frankie felt the effects of the wine dulling her own senses—she’d drunk more than she should have under the circumstances. The lion’s head mounted on the opposite wall reminded her of why she was there, what the task was and the reason she’d fabricated her story to get into his life. But there was still time to do that yet, and despite trying hard not to, she was enjoying the company of this attractive man. Very attractive married man, she scolded herself through pursed lips.
“Here we are! Crackers and cheese await you, Madame,” he said, and mock-bowed at her feet, like a butler.
“Why, thank you, Jeeves. Splendid,” she mocked back, and sat up fully to take a couple. She put one straight into her mouth and crunched loudly, holding the second one ready.
“My, what big teeth you have!” Aaron stood there smiling at her appetite.
“All the better to eat you with,” she replied, trying her hardest not laugh and splutter crumbs. But it was no use; they both burst out laughing. The floor was showered with little golden bits of cracker.
“Oh dear! Now look what I’ve done,” she said, horrified at the mess she’d made in front of her, but Aaron was too busy holding himself from the fits of laughter that were wracking him. His hearty laugh was probably audible back down the quiet lane. They were having fun, and Frankie was conscious of the fact that things weren’t quite moving in the direction she’d originally planned. She’d thought they’d sit quietly and have a coffee or two and dinner; she hadn’t banked on having so much fun, with a man she barely knew and was planning to kill.
Aaron, after managing to bring his laughter under control, refilled both their glasses and handed hers back, a little more serious than before. She immediately detected the shift in his mood.
“Are you okay, Aaron?”
“Yes. I’m having a good time, that’s all. I’ve not laughed so much in a long time. It’s been good hanging out with you,” he said, and he bent to his knees, gazing straight at her, their eyes making contact and holding. She knew she should look away, but it was too late. His lips connected with hers, and while initially she didn’t move, she felt herself cave in and returned the gentle pressure, enjoying the softness of him. This was not what was supposed to happen. But it was happening, and Frankie was letting it. She pulled him in closer, and he responded by increasing the pressure as they kissed, adding more passion.
Outwardly she seemed calm, but inside Frankie’s head, it was a different story. Two stories in fact, and they were fighting for her attention, each one calling for her to act on two quite different outcomes. Yes, it had been a while since she’d had a lover in her life, and she found Aaron extremely attractive, but the taskmaster in her head was pulling her in quite a different direction, the real reason she was there. Could she have both? Could she get what she wanted from this man on both counts, could she be so greedy? Or would her DNA all over him be what got her caught? There was no evidence of her being at either of the other victims’ apartments, of even knowing them, but there was plenty of DNA here already, and she’d have to clean up a lot better after this one to ensure the place held no clues. All this was hurtling through her mind as Aaron pushed her gently back onto the sofa, ready to take things to the next level.
Their lips parted for a moment and Frankie took the opportunity to speak. “Why don’t I slip upstairs for a moment, and I’ll call you back in here by the fire, when I’m all set? How does that sound?” she asked in a low, sexy voice. “I’m sure it will be worth your while,” she added, teasingly.
He smiled in agreement, knowing he was going to be getting her, what he’d suspected he’d get all along. Had hoped to get.
“Don’t be long, then,” he said, and stood to let her off the sofa. When she’d left, he added more wood to the fire and refilled their glasses once again, and waited anxiously in the kitchen for her to call him back through. It wasn’t long before he heard her returning footsteps, and he waited eagerly for her call.
“I’m ready,” she called huskily.
Chapter Eighty-Nine
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you’re very brave, Stephanie. For confronting him, and for coming all the way up here to claim your man, as it were.”
Amanda was talking and driving, Stephanie in the passenger seat, Ruth leaning forward between the seats in the rear, trying to listen to their conversation and add her thoughts where she could. Even in modern cars, the back always seemed far noisier.
“I’ve got the boys to think about, and that’s a big motivator for me doing this. Otherwise I’d probably be sat rocking backwards and forward in a corner somewhere, slowly going out of my mind drinking, wondering what to do. At least this way, the problem will have to be solved so we can all get on with our lives. Get back to some semblance of normality and hopefully the boys won’t even notice.”
Ruth added from the back seat, “And they love going to your mum’s, so that
’s a plus. And the other positive is Amanda and I get a night away in the Lake District,” she said, smiling.
“Well, if it was a night at the Lakes you wanted, there were simpler ways of getting it. You only needed to say,” Stephanie said, and grinned at her friend. “Let’s hope we’ve not had a wasted trip.”
“Well, we’ll be there in a few minutes, so I guess you’ll soon find out. I think we’ll drop you at the cottage, then we’ll wait a while in the car, say ten minutes? Just to make sure it doesn’t go horribly wrong and you come running back out.” Amanda was the planner, the thinker, the sensible one.
“Oh, great! What do you think is going to happen in there, exactly?”
“No, I only mean if he does want some time alone and he’s not happy you’ve shown up out of the blue.”
“Right.”
“That way, if you need a lift instantly, we’re there. If you don’t come out during that time, we’ll set off back towards the town, and you can just call my mobile. We can either come back and get you, or Ruth and I will have a night in Grasmere. Either way, let us know if you need a lift back or not.” Amanda grinned at her friend. “Hopefully you won’t, you’ll work it all out.”
“Well, I guess we’ll soon see, like you say. Can it be that easy? Can I get over his lies? And more importantly, can we deal with his other needs? Because going forward, he’s going to want to continue with it. He obviously gets something from it, and I don’t want him going behind my back.”
“You’ll work that out over time, I’m sure. That’s not something you’ll figure out today.” Ruth was now the extra voice of reason. “That’s a biggy to work on.”
“I agree,” chimed Amanda as she turned left into the unsealed lane. The cottage was visible in the distance, Aaron’s car parked in the drive out front.
“Now I’m here I’m not so sure!” Stephanie suddenly felt panicked. “Pull over!”
Amanda did as she was told, and left the engine idling as they all sat there in silence. Stephanie stared straight ahead at the cottage, a frightened expression on her face.
“I’m not sure I can do it,” she said, so quietly she was barely audible. “What if it backfires, and he’s angry I’ve shown up. He wanted the time apart. It was his suggestion.”
“You said yourself you thought he was doing it for you and the boys, take the tension out of the house. He’s the one at fault here, remember, not you.” Ruth spoke calmly but firmly. “He’ll be glad to see you, that he’s not upset you too much, that you’ve come all this way to sort it out with him. I’d be surprised if he was angry.”
Stephanie glanced over at Amanda, who was gently nodding her head in agreement.
“I’m with her too, Stephanie. It will all work out just fine. You’ll go in, stay and talk, and we won’t see you again until we get back to London. You’ve just got to get over that threshold first and say hi.”
The three women sat back in silence as Stephanie mulled it over again, plucking up the courage to go ahead and make amends with the man she loved. Thoughts of her two young sons eating pancakes for breakfast with their daddy filled her head and sealed her resolve. With renewed determination, she turned to Amanda and said, “Then let’s get this show on the road, driver.” Amanda and Ruth both cheered as they pulled away on the track.
“Would you let me out just before the house? The bit of fresh air will do me good, maybe fill my lungs with some extra strength.”
“Okay, and we’ll wait there too, so if you need us, just walk back to the car. We won’t leave for ten minutes.”
They travelled slowly over the rough lane, tyres crunching in loose gravel, a light dust billowing up from the rear of the car as it passed over the dry track. Amanda pulled to a standstill and Stephanie opened her door to get out. The night air was chilling, and she pulled her cardigan closer round herself. The temperature in the north was a few degrees cooler than she was used to. The cottage looked warm and welcoming; the curtains were still open, and there was an orange glow from the wood fire. She looked back at the car and saw Amanda and Ruth watching as she approached the cottage. It was pitch black outside, just the weakening light from the car’s headlights showing her the way and the dim light coming from the cottage up ahead showing her destination. It was incredibly quiet. Underfoot, her boots crunched lightly over loose stones as she passed over them, her heart picking up pace with each step. Why was she so nervous? At worst, they would have a screaming row about her turning up, but at best, he’d take her in his arms and nuzzle into her neck, just the way she liked him to. Aaron was her husband and the father of their two boys, and she loved him deeply—no matter what.
“You can do this, Stephanie. Pull your big-girl pants up,” she muttered, and took the last few determined steps forward to the front door.
Chapter Ninety
Aaron stood in the kitchen, listening, wondering whether he was doing the right thing. Was about to do the right thing. Or the very wrong thing. Frankie had made no bones about it: she had gently chased him, flirting with him, leading him on, and he’d invited her to the cottage—overnight. Hadn’t he learned his lesson? Hadn’t Steph only just found out about his affair, his fetish? Hadn’t he come away supposedly to think things through, try and repair some of the damage and go back home with a plan to make things right? Yet here he was, stood in the kitchen of the cottage he’d used so many times for his other interests, with a woman undoubtedly looking hellishly sexy on the other side of the wall, waiting for him to pleasure her. And her him.
She called again, bringing him back from his thoughts, to the moment at hand. He moved out from the kitchen and opened the door back into the lounge, the warmth from the wood fire brushing his face after the coolness of the other room. Walking into the room fully, he couldn’t help the jolt he felt in his groin, taking in the scene before him. There, stretched out on her back on the soft old sofa, was Frankie, looking every inch the sexy siren she was, wearing nothing but an alluring smile.
“Holy hell.” His mouth felt dry.
“Don’t just stand there. Come on over,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes gently, the tip of her tongue dancing on her upper lip.
Damn, she looked as sexy as hell. All previous hesitation and thoughts of doing the right or wrong thing left him abruptly. He slipped his feet out of his shoes, unbuckling his belt at the same time, not taking his eyes off hers as he did so, then with swift nimble fingers, he pulled open the buttons on his shirt and threw it to the floor.
“You’ve still got too much clothing on. Why don’t you take it all off and join me,” she purred. It wasn’t really a question, more a demand, and since he liked receiving demands from a woman at times like this, he savoured it as he fully undressed. He waited for further instruction, the warmth of the fire dancing on his naked skin.
“Now, slowly, come here and kiss me.” Frankie had picked up his vibe, what he liked by way of direction or not, whether he was the dominant type, and was thrilled to find he was going to obey her. It was going to make what she was about to do next a whole lot easier. He followed her command and stood at her shoulders looking down at her.
“Do you like what you see, Aaron?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Would you like to touch?”
“Yes, I would.”
“Then lie on top of me.” He didn’t need asking twice, and he gently positioned himself on top of her, taking care not to squash her slim frame underneath his firm male body. She spread her legs slightly so the sofa could take some of his weight.
“That’s nice, isn’t it,” she purred, and ran her fingernails up and down his back lightly, waiting for the right moment.
“Kiss my neck,” she ordered, and Aaron quickly obliged, leaving soft kisses dotted up and down her neck. Frankie let out low moans of enjoyment.
That’s what his ears heard, what his brain registered, but that wasn’t what was really happening. Frankie was making all the right distracting sounds, but they weren’t for real.
She was acting her part out, the sexy siren, the sexy killer. Her left hand rubbed his back gently, but her right hand was preoccupied with the syringe she’d placed down the back of the sofa cushion, in just the right place.
Flipping the cap off the top of it, and with Aaron completely distracted, she raised her right arm up in the air ready to bring the whole thing down with a slam into his shoulder. But the moment had other ideas.
Chapter Ninety-One
The two women watched on as Stephanie finally reached the cottage and hesitated outside the door. Suddenly Amanda’s phone filled the car with sound. As a detective, she knew better than to dismiss a call; she had learned the lesson the hard way some years back.
“Damn. Sorry, Ruth, I’d better answer it.” She pressed ‘accept.’ “Amanda Lacey speaking.” There was silence at the other end of the line. “Hello? Lacey here. Who’s calling?” She heard a faint gasp, possibly a woman’s, and waited a moment longer before trying again. “It’s okay to talk. I can hear you’re there.”
A woman’s faint voice filled her ears. “I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “Maybe I have this all wrong.”
“Why don’t you tell me anyway? Perhaps I can help you,” Amanda said gently. It wasn’t the first time she’d received such calls, had someone on the other end unsure of what to say or do.
“It’s Georgia here.”
“Hi, Georgia. What can I help you with? Have you thought of something?”
“I think I might know who you’re looking for, who was with Sebastian that night, when he was murdered. I’ve been thinking about all the pieces fitting into place but I don’t want to drop the person in it if it’s nothing.”
“I understand, Georgia. Are they a friend of yours?”
“She was. Is. I mean, we were friends a long while back and lost touch. Then she suddenly came back into my life about a week ago. And she has a scarf, like the one with the poppy on. She’s a vet too, with short hair. Oh my god!” Georgia started to break down on the other end of the phone and Amanda did her best to console her and keep her talking.