The Book of Revenge Read Online Free PDF

pulled a plug from his arteries. He looked at Matt, long and hard, and then shook his head repeatedly, almost violently. ‘No.’
    Matt followed Jen to the door. A frightened James called after them. ‘Will he be back?’
    Matt kept walking. He didn’t know the answer. He certainly thought it was possible, but he didn’t want to share his thoughts. James was scared enough already. ‘Change your locks,’ he called over his shoulder.
    Outside, Matt inhaled deeply. ‘Bloody lucky to be alive.’
    Jen nodded her agreement, but her mind was on other matters. ‘How do you know him, Gov?’
    Matt paused. He wasn’t ready to face up to the past that linked them all together, not yet. Preferably not ever.
    ‘I mean, he talked to you like you were old mates, like you knew him well...’
    Matt thought about lying. Saying that James had given him parking tickets a few times. But he wasn’t a fan of lies. Besides, he knew he wasn’t clever enough to maintain them. And he knew Jen well enough to know that if she smelt deception she wouldn’t let it drop.
    ‘No, not mates, never mates. But we were at school together about a million years ago.’
    Jen absorbed the information. ‘But...’
    Matt unlocked his car door. The first stirrings of morning light were trying to find a path through the clouds. It was going to be another grey day. ‘There is no but Jen.’ This is a small town and I have lived here my entire life. James and I were at school together, that’s all.’
    He climbed into his car and started the engine. If only it were true, if only that really was all. The voice locked behind a door in his head was hammering so hard to be heard that the pain made him feel physically sick. He did what he had always done. Ignored the voice and carried on.
    He looked out of his car window; James was standing by the door staring out. A couple of uniform officers arrived to start the house to house and Jen was issuing instructions to them. Matt indicated to pull away as one of the police officers turned to glance in his direction. He was so shocked his foot hit the accelerator instead of the brake and he slammed into the back of Jen’s parked car.
    Jen and the two uniformed officers hurried towards him. He turned off the engine and climbed out of his car.
    ‘What the hell happened?’ Jen shrieked.
    Matt ignored her and stared at the female officer. ‘Hello…’ he said.
    ‘Made a bit of a mess,’ Liz said, pointing at Jen’s car.
    It was a red VW Beatle, all shiny and loved. A bit different to his battered old black Beemer; that was well past its glossy glory days.
    ‘You think?’ Jen’s nose was an inch away from the paintwork studying the damage.
    Matt looked at Liz and lowered his voice, ‘Community consultant?’
    Liz shrugged her shoulders, ‘A good a title as any, I told you I help people.’
    ‘You didn’t help me.’ He said, glancing at Jen’s car. ‘You should have told me you were a policewoman.’ He kept his voice lowered; he didn’t want Jen to overhear.
    ‘You should have told me you were married.’ she replied.
    He couldn’t argue that point, although he wanted to. He watched her as she walked away. He’d never had a thing for uniforms but she certainly looked good in hers.
    Jen stood up. ‘The damage is only cosmetic,’ she said, ‘we’ll sort insurance details out back at the station later.’
    ‘Sure,’ he replied, ‘sorry, Jen.’
    He climbed back into his car and drove away. He mentally replayed every word he had exchanged with Liz and knew that although she hadn’t been very forthcoming with personal information she hadn’t misled him. It was while he was remembering the previous night’s encounter at the car park that he remembered seeing the argument between Andrew and James. He did a U-turn in the road and headed into town.
    Matt walked into the shoe shop. There were no customers, the store had only just opened, and Gemma was dusting the racks and looked up and smiled at