Folly Read Online Free PDF Page A

shrugged.
    â€˜Thanks.’ O’Reilly took the envelope and slid out several photographs. He held them up so that she couldn’t see them and Lamb got up to look over his shoulder.
    â€˜There’s a woman out there,’ the third man tilted his head, indicating the door leading into the pub. ‘She saw the envelope and asked if I had photos of the victim. I didn’t say one way or the other but she just about lost her wool, throwing her arms about and saying she needs to see whoever’s in charge – and the victim. That’s what she said – she wants to see the victim.’
    O’Reilly frowned. ‘We’ll have to ask you to wait in another room, Ms Bailey-Jones. Please don’t leave. Send the other one in, Madden.’
    â€˜Who is it?’ Alex asked, unable to stop herself.
    Lamb muttered, ‘Doesn’t matter if she knows.’
    â€˜Right you are,’ the man, Madden, said. ‘She says she’s one of the managers here. Cathy Cummings.’

FOUR
    B y six, with Cathy Cummings in bed and sedated by Dr James Harrison, Alex was more than grateful to see the evening staff arrive, and she sent Will off to be with his wife.
    She had no idea what had transpired between Cathy and O’Reilly but the result had left the woman sobbing in her husband’s arms.
    Lamb and O’Reilly spent a couple more hours questioning Alex then left, letting her know they’d be back when they needed to talk again.
    Once she could, Alex left the bar, still wishing she could ask why Cathy had wanted to see the dead man. So far she hadn’t worked out any way to get more information, but she would.
    â€˜Are you staying with Lily tonight?’
    Alex jumped and turned sharply to see Tony Harrison, Bogie in his arms again, sitting on a wooden settle in the pub vestibule. She blinked, too tired and confused to say anything, but still glad to see a friendly face.
    Tony got up and smiled. He hadn’t changed a lot over the years. His dark blond hair was still curly and a bit too long because he wasn’t the type to fuss, but perhaps the lines beside his mouth were deeper. She realized how much she needed familiar faces and old friends around her today.
    â€˜No,’ she said. ‘I’m not staying with Mum. Why would I?’
    He looked at his toes. ‘No reason. I heard you had some unexpected drama when the police were here. I’d have come earlier to see if I could do anything but my day’s been busy.’
    A couple from Underhill, Frank and Gladys Lymer, stomped into the foyer, both flapping their arms across their bodies. ‘All right, then?’ Frank said to Alex. ‘Cold enough to freeze a … damn cold,’ he finished.
    Gladys, bundled in a gray, fake fur coat, rolled her eyes and hustled her husband into the pub.
    â€˜It’s nice of you to be concerned,’ Alex said to Tony, noticing for the first time that his own dog, a blonde border terrier called Katie, had squeezed herself under the settle and looked up at her boss with doleful brown eyes. Alex grinned. ‘Is Katie pouting? She’s not used to sharing you.’
    â€˜Just tired like the rest of us,’ he said. ‘And a bit wary, too. That’s natural. When are you going home? You don’t have your Rover.’
    â€˜No. I wasn’t thinking when …’ Funny, he must have checked the yard for her vehicle. ‘I’ll get a lift back from my mum.’
    â€˜That’s why I came in. I can go anytime you’re ready. No need to put your mother out.’
    She started to refuse but stopped herself. Why sound silly and ungrateful with someone she’d known since she was a kid? Besides, he must have heard about Cathy’s meltdown from someone, likely his dad, who would probably know something about the reason.
    And it felt good to feel someone had actually thought about how she was doing.
    â€˜Thank you. That’s so nice