Ghostwriting Read Online Free PDF Page A

it’s a bit late for you show up, Detective Roberts,’ grumbled Christopher, holding up his prize. ‘This young lass here has already found it.’
    â€˜Then you must be Tani Cavanagh, the one who purchased the fob watch a few weeks back from an antique dealer on Oxford Street?’ The detective made it known that he had been doing his job.
    â€˜That’s right,’ Tani smiled, impressed.
    â€˜It appears the store owner was deceived into purchasing the item from a usually credible supplier, one Prestige Jewellers —’
    â€˜Which is where I took the watch to be cleaned,’ Carl pointed out.
    â€˜To be flogged off,’ Christopher insisted.
    â€˜Actually,’ the detective spoke up to set the story straight, ‘the watch was only in to be cleaned. Apparently a few items have gone missing from the jeweller in question, along with all their paperwork and computer records. Which is why it took so long for the store to identify missing items, and, indeed, to discover what became of your fob watch. It was only when the dealer on Oxford Street finally confessed to his oversight that we were able to piece together this much of the mystery. A new employee of Prestige Jewellers, who has been off on sick leave for a week, is now being sought for questioning.’
    â€˜Well, hallelujah!’ Carl cried out. ‘Now that I have been proven innocent, I do believe I have a life to be getting on with. Thank you, Detective.’ Carl shook the man’s hand and then tipped his head to Tani. ‘And thank you, Miss Cavanagh.’ Carl turned on his heel and headed for the door. ‘I am greatly obliged to you both.’
    â€˜Son!’
    His father’s use of the word startled Carl to a halt, and he did an about-face to find Christopherhad risen from his chair in appeal: ‘Please stay a moment.’
    His father’s request was so humble and out of character that Carl nodded to agree.
    â€˜That will be all for now, Detective.’ Christopher dismissed him. ‘And Miss Cavanagh, if you would be so kind as to wait in the next room, I would be greatly obliged.’
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    In the next room a small fire was being lit by one of the house staff, who offered to fetch Tani a cup of tea.
    â€˜I could get used to this,’ she decided, sinking into a comfortable seat in front of the fire. She was feeling decidedly grand at having solved her mystery, and it was now painfully clear why the return of the watch had been so important. Carl and his father might have remained out of sorts for life had the matter remained unresolved. And what had she gotten out of all this? She’d discovered a whole other side to herself, a hidden and mysterious talent that may have remained dormant all her life. And even if her gift never arose from the depths of her psyche again, at least her dreams would be her own.
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    â€˜Miss Cavanagh?’
    She was gently shaken from her deep and contented sleep to find both Carl and Christopher smiling down at her.
    â€˜Oh dear.’ Tani raised herself from her slouched position. The quiet of the huge room and the soft crackling of the fire must have put her to sleep. Then it dawned on her that she remembered nothing of what she’d dreamt and that made Tani smile.
    â€˜Sorry we kept you waiting so long.’ Christopher poured her a cup of tea. ‘It seems we are greatly in your debt, my dear, and have come to discuss the reward that Carl promised in his ad.’
    â€˜Really, that’s unnecessary. I’d be happy to recoup the money I paid for it … so I can put it back in my travel fund, where it should have stayed in the first place.’
    Carl was amused by her words. ‘Lucky for us that it didn’t.’
    â€˜That’s something,’ Christopher said to Tani. ‘Where were you saving to go?’
    Tani was stumped by the question. ‘I hadn’t decided … somewhere exotic.’ She