No Mercy Read Online Free PDF Page A

who didn’t get away in time? She would never be able to forgive herself.
    She stopped, retraced her steps, pushed open the heavy glass door and went inside.

2
     
    The walls of the office were painted a utilitarian shade of magnolia. There was a wooden floor, two desks, a few chairs, a bank of filing cabinets and a potted palm standing in a pale blue pot. It was cool inside, the fan already whirring in preparation for another scorching day. The chill air made Maddie’s bare arms come out in goosebumps.
    There was no sign of the manager, Bob Cannon, but his secretary was standing by the photocopier as a stream of A4 sheets rolled out into the tray. Delia Shields looked to be in her early fifties and had a thin face, cropped brown hair and a pair of shrewd grey eyes. She was the type of woman who if not perhaps embracing middle age did nothing to try and disguise it. Her clothes were smart but not stylish, and she wore little make-up. Maddie didn’t know her well. She had introduced herself when she’d first started working at the cemetery, but since then they hadn’t had any contact.
    Delia moved away from the machine and came over to the desk. ‘Good morning. Lovely day, isn’t it?’
    ‘Lovely,’ Maddie echoed.
    ‘What can I do for you?’
    Maddie noticed her gaze slide sideways towards the machine and knew that her presence was if not exactly unwelcome, certainly an interruption. She hesitated, in two minds again as to whether to say anything. Ever since Greta’s murder – when the whole family had been under the intrusive glare of the media – she had developed an aversion to making a fuss or drawing attention to herself. Still, now that she was here, it would be stupid and possibly irresponsible to leave without reporting the incident.
    ‘Look, it could be nothing, but…’ Maddie, not wanting to look a fool, embroidered the truth a little. ‘Well, there’s a bloke hanging around by the old path that used to lead down to the chapel. I thought you might want to check it out.’
    ‘Oh,’ said Delia, her brows arching. ‘Was he…? Did he…?’
    ‘No, no, he didn’t do anything. He was just kind of lurking in the bushes. I wouldn’t have mentioned it, only he seemed to be acting a bit suspiciously.’ Maddie gave a light shrug of her shoulders. ‘I’m not sure. It might all be completely innocent, but…’
    ‘Better safe than sorry. Absolutely. You were right to let me know.’ Delia looked over Maddie’s shoulder and made a beckoning gesture with her right hand. Maddie turned her head and saw Rick Mallory striding towards the office. He came through the door with his usual swagger and that familiar grin on his face.
    ‘Morning, ladies. And how are we today?’
    Maddie saw Delia Shields frown at the trail of grass that his boots left on the floor. However, seeing as she was the one who’d invited him in, she could hardly complain about the mess he was making.
    ‘Rick, do me a favour and take a look round D Section, will you? I think there might be a man hanging about. This young lady, er…’
    ‘Maddie,’ Maddie reminded her.
    ‘Yes, of course. Maddie. She was tending one of the graves and there was someone hiding in the bushes.’
    Rick gave a nod. ‘Sure. No problem.’ He glanced at Maddie. ‘You okay? You get a look at the geezer?’
    ‘I’m fine. Sorry, no, I didn’t see him clearly.’ She wasn’t about to admit, especially to him, that she hadn’t set eyes on the bloke at all. The last thing she wanted was to come across as some hysterical female who jumped at the sight of her own shadow. ‘I got the impression he was trying to hide. It was over by the old path, near the Rivers grave.’
    Delia gave a start, flinching at the name, and her forehead furrowed into a frown. ‘
Lucy
Rivers?’
    ‘That’s the one.’
    ‘Oh, I didn’t realise that anyone was taking care of it these days.’ Delia paused for a second, visibly flustered, but then rapidly recovered her