Never Coming Home Read Online Free PDF

been married to for six years. And is that why you’re willing to accept the word of a man you don’t know, because you do know Jeff? She had to take this slowly, one step at a time. No hopes. Not yet.
    Her mother was watching her, her face screwed into lines of tension. ‘I don’t want you to – Be careful, darling.’
    ‘I intend to.’ Kaz conjured up a weak grin. ‘You were the one who told me to listen to the man!’
    ‘I didn’t know then what he was going to say.’ Suzanne reached for the brandy.
    Kaz got to her feet. ‘I’m going to ring Uncle Phil.’
    ‘A bit of a mystery man, your Mr Devlin.’ Phil sniffed appreciatively at the plateful of his sister’s signature dish, beef bourguignon, on the table before him. ‘I haven’t been able to get much on him, and what I have got I don’t like.’ He stuck in his fork. ‘I’ve got a couple more leads I’d like to follow up.’
    ‘But what about Jeff, and the crash?’ Kaz had contained her impatience for two restless days and sleepless nights, while her uncle did what he did. This afternoon she’d been ready to spit the nails into the rustic pergola her team were constructing for a woman in Islington.
    ‘First things first.’ Phil chewed appreciatively. ‘Can’t beat a nice piece of beef.’ He grinned at Suzanne.
    Kaz set her teeth. It had been her mother’s idea to have this conversation over dinner in her flat in Notting Hill. ‘You know your uncle functions better on a full belly.’
    ‘First thing you do   –’ Phil took a sip of wine – ‘when you get a story like this – you look at the source. Ask yourself, is it reliable? Quite frankly, love, this bloke Devlin doesn’t bear close scrutiny. He started the security outfit three years ago. Doing well, mind, from what I can gather. Takes on the more exotic jobs. Walks close to the line on occasion. Before that – nothing.’
    Kaz raised her head with a jerk. ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘What I said – nothing.   ’ Phil pulled a face. ‘Well, not nothing exactly. All the right stuff is there, but it’s too clean. Too perfect.’ Phil shook his head. ‘I called in a couple of favours. Didn’t bring me much. The man’s past ticks all the right boxes, but there’s no proper history. He simply didn’t exist. Not as Devlin, anyhow. Which makes me think that there is something very nasty indeed in Mr Devlin’s past.’
    ‘Criminal?’ Suzanne’s brows rose, as she offered him more potatoes.
    ‘Not necessarily.’ Phil helped himself generously. Kaz breathed heavily, then bit her tongue as her mother shot her a cautioning glance.
    ‘What then?’ Kaz leaned forward, when it was clear that Phil wasn’t going to say any more without prompting. ‘He was some sort of spook? A spy?’ She splayed her hand on the table. ‘Look – Devlin has a murky past. Seeing the man, that does not surprise me.’ You don’t get that poised, dangerous edge from a lifetime working in an office. ‘But what about what he said ?’
    ‘Can’t separate the two.’ Phil finished his meal with relish and pushed away his plate. ‘Very nice, Suze, as always.’
    Kaz wondered if it was physically possible for a human to steam from the ears. She might be about to find out. When had her Jack-the-lad Uncle Phil turned into such an – old woman!
    ‘You going to finish that?’ Her uncle pointed at her barely touched plate. Kaz pushed it towards him. ‘Don’t want good food going to waste.’ Phil began to shovel. Kaz sipped her wine, waiting. Phil could hardly miss the impatience in the silence. He looked up, shaking his head ‘I don’t like saying it, Kaz love, but you’re on a hiding to nothing if you set your hopes on anything that man told you.’
    ‘Why would Devlin make up a story like that?’
    ‘Some sort of confidence trick?’ Suzanne suggested softly.
    ‘But what? And why?’ Kaz turned to her mother.
    ‘Maybe he just gets off on manipulating people – hope, grief.’
    ‘You