Little Kiosk By The Sea Read Online Free PDF Page B

ask there.
    Moving into the sitting room, with its large patio doors opening onto the terrace, it struck her how at home she was beginning to feel in the house. Something she hadn’t expected to feel in such a short time. But here were no memories lurking in every room to pull her up, to remind her how different her life had been just a few short months ago. Coming back was looking increasingly like it had been the right decision. She was living life on her own terms. For the first time in months she realised she was … not happy exactly, more like content.
    The coffee morning was already in full swing in the charity shop when Rachel arrived. She pushed her way carefully through the crowd to the small cafe area and put her cake on the table. As she’d feared, placed next to a plate of expertly decorated cupcakes and a professional-looking carrot cake with a frosted topping, her chocolate cake did indeed look amateurish.
    ‘Hi, thanks for this’ Susannah said, immediately cutting it into slices. ‘People always go for chocolate – especially the ones that look so obviously homemade. Are you okay to stay and help for a while? Could do with a hand feeding the hordes.’
    ‘Sure,’ Rachel said. Half an hour later, as things started to quieten down, she was pleased to see only a single slice of chocolate cake left. Couldn’t have been that bad then. Pouring herself a cup of coffee, she stood back and looked around.
    She already recognised one or two faces. The lady from the library, the girl from the post office, even the traffic warden had popped in for a quick coffee. Two elderly ladies were talking quietly together as they browsed the book section. Parts of their conversation drifted over to Rachel.
    ‘Sad she had to die in the nursing home. Can’t help wondering what’s going on with her estate now though.’
    ‘Didn’t have any relatives, did she?’
    ‘A twin brother. Not that he visited much, even when she was ill. They fell out years ago. Think he died recently too.’
    ‘Maybe she left all her money to charity.’
    ‘Wouldn’t be surprised. She always was a close one. Wouldn’t mind her house. If it comes on the market, might go and take a look. Got wonderful views. Bet it’ll be expensive though, nothing ever comes cheap in Swannaton. Oh look what I’ve found, an Erica James. Have to buy it. Love her books.’ And the two women moved away.
    Rachel’s hand shook as she replaced her coffee cup on the table. Was the woman they were talking about the one person she’d dreaded bumping into ever since she’d arrived here? Guiltily Rachel hoped it was. It would mean there was no chance of them meeting unexpectedly. It couldn’t just be coincidence. How many women living in Swannaton had a recently deceased twin brother?
    The final link in town to her past would have been severed. With no-one left to drag them out of her cupboard and dangle them in front of her, her skeletons could finally be laid to rest.

CHAPTER FIVE
    ELLIE
    The day Ellie Lewis was made redundant from her job as features editor with a famous women’s magazine, turned out to be the day her relationship with Rod Vicars also fell apart. Ellie berated herself for weeks for not seeing either event coming.
    She’d known, of course, about the redundancies sweeping through the industry, but had stupidly assumed her job was safe. Even consoled her friend Sally with the words, ‘Think of it as a new opportunity’ when she’d received the dreaded summons. Now she had her own unwanted new opportunity to deal with.
    Andy, the editor, had been apologetic as he’d given her the news, saying he’d tried to save her job but ‘upstairs’ had refused. ‘Given you a generous package though,’ he’d added. As if that made all the difference. She needed to work.
    Clearing her desk and packing up her personal stuff in the box thoughtfully provided alongside her redundancy notice took five minutes in the strangely quiet office with everybody