Sand Glass Read Online Free PDF Page A

I will have to scoot. Feel free to stay and help yourself…
just don’t smoke anything in here that you find… it’s not all quite
ripe yet.'
    Dr Rhodes
pursed her lips but didn’t say anything.
    ‘The Golf club
thing. I thought that wasn’t yet?’
    ‘It’s not. They
were just looking around. Guided tour. The art department got their
crayons out in full sets for a change.’ He left the room and was
heard bounding up the stairs. We all went back into the hall.
     
    Alex wearing a
tie was truly a weird and wonderful sight. It would be removed
almost as soon as he got to the work station, and then it sat in a
drawer until it was time to go home. As long as you looked right on
entering and leaving.
    ‘And we’re
supposed to be creative.’ Alex sighed and then grinned making a
pretend strangling motion with his left hand.
    We all parted
company on the side street. Alex drove away in a Land Rover that
mysteriously wasn’t blocked in. I marvelled at the complexity of
connections in all our lives as we set off for Janey’s new
place.
    I was just
beginning to think that today would be straight forward, when Dr
Rhodes slammed the brakes on. There was a car in front of us. For
some reason it had suddenly stopped, and was trying to do a
parallel park straddling the entire width of the available space on
the street.
    ‘Hold tight.’
Dr Rhodes smoothly slammed it into reverse gear. We were sliding
backwards like a roller skate. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with
the black car in front, but they quickly stopped the manoeuvre and
were catapulting towards us down the road.
    ‘I am
displeased.’ muttered Dr Rhodes. She braked again, swiftly reversed
round and sharply turned the car into the traffic on the main road.
The other cars were forced let her in. She floored it and overtook
five vehicles, driving down the wrong side of the road. The black
car was somewhere behind dipping in and out of the traffic.
    ‘Left here.’
said Jules.
    Violette cut
across in front of the nearside car and missed by a few inches.
There was a screech of brakes as we shot down the short road and
then out into another main street. She took a left and then pulled
into a garage.
    ‘Get down.’ She
ordered us. She quickly hopped out of the car and went into the
small shop that was attached. I saw her get her mobile out. The
black car cruised past slowly. I saw it reflected in the glass on
the petrol pumps. We kept our heads down. Five minutes later she
came back.
    ‘Mints.’ She
handed them to Jules. Then with a snort of icy annoyance, ‘This is
becoming most annoying!’
    ‘The car is too
recognisable.’ I said, ‘perhaps we better take public
transport?’
    ‘Yes. Perhaps.
But I have a better Idea.’
    ‘Which is?’
    ‘Perhaps we
should abandon this course of action for today.’ She tapped on the
steering wheel with the tips of her nails.
    ‘I will go and
see her on my own then.’ I said. ‘perhaps you and Jules need a
little time together.’
    ‘It is very
true.’ Dr Rhodes seemed to be making a calm assessment of the
facts; ‘yes, alright. I’ll drop you at the station. If you take the
nine thirty-two, you can make it to Wood Green. It’s a good twenty
minute walk from there, but that is the safest option. If you are
followed go into the shopping centre. I think there is one
there.’
    ‘Well there
will be shops!’ I joked.
    ‘Indeed.’ she
said.
     
    She let me out
in the street next to the station car park; ‘Good luck. Or
something you find appealing,’ she said.
    I pushed the
yellow door to. She slid down the electric window and leaned across
Jules. He had fallen asleep in the passenger seat.
    She smiled at
him with a different look in her eyes. Then looking back at me
said: ‘We will go to the park. I’ve got a rug and some flasks in
the back.’
    She gave me a
slip of paper. ‘Ring my mobile later, after you’ve talked to Janey.
I’ll bring Jules if she wants to have a word with him.’
    ‘Do you