Free No Holds Barred by Lyndon Stacey Page A

around?’
    â€˜Who’s asking?’
    â€˜Daniel Whelan. I work for Jenny Summers.’
    â€˜I can see that. What do you want him for?’
    â€˜Just wanted to ask him something.’
    â€˜Did Boyd send you?’
    â€˜No. He doesn’t know I’m here.’
    â€˜What do you want to know?’
    Daniel hesitated, but it was clear that the woman had no intention of summoning her partner. He decided to take a chance. After all, if Fletcher had knocked heads with Taylor in the past, as Jenny had suggested, he was hardly likely to go telling tales to him now. ‘I want to know why Mal left Summer Haulage,’ he asked.
    The woman regarded him coldly. ‘That’s none of your business. Just go away and leave us alone.’
    She started to shut the door, but Daniel put out a hand to stop it.
    â€˜I’m not here to make trouble, I promise you,’ he said quickly.
    â€˜You just being here is making trouble.’
    â€˜How?’
    â€˜You obviously don’t know who you’re dealing with.’
    â€˜So tell me.’
    â€˜Please, go away.’ Her tone had changed to pleading now. ‘There’s nothing more to say; it’s over. We just want to be left in peace.’
    â€˜Sally?’ Footsteps approached, and in a moment a burly man of around Daniel’s own age appeared beside her. ‘Who are you?’
    Daniel started to explain, but the woman cut across him.
    â€˜He’s from your old place – asking questions.’
    Fletcher’s eyes narrowed and he put a protective arm round her shoulders.
    â€˜About what?’
    Sally stared boldly at Daniel, confident with her husband at her side. And well she might be, Daniel thought, noticing how an impressive set of biceps stretched the sleeves of the man’s T-shirt.
    He paused, debating his best approach, and Sally spoke for him.
    â€˜He was asking why you left.’
    Immediately, Mal Fletcher’s face darkened and he stabbed the air in front of Daniel’s face with an angry forefinger.
    â€˜That’s none of your fucking business!’
    â€˜Where are you working now?’
    â€˜That’s none of your business, either.’
    â€˜Did you leave because of Boyd?’
    â€˜Get off my property.’
    â€˜I know he’s up to something and I want to know what.’
    â€˜Leave us alone.’
    â€˜Wouldn’t you like to get your own back?’ Daniel persisted. ‘If you would just tell me what happened, I might be able to help you.’
    Fletcher was becoming increasingly agitated, and Sally hugged the baby close to her. ‘What? Are you deaf or just stupid? What part of leave us alone aren’t you getting?’
    Daniel sighed and pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans. He took out a slip of paper on which he’d written his mobile number. ‘OK. Look, here’s my number. If you change your mind, give me a call.’
    â€˜It won’t happen.’ Fletcher ignored the paper and, stepping back, pulled Sally after him and shut the door in Daniel’s face.
    Daniel stared at the uncompromising red paint and mentally kicked himself for mishandling the situation so badly. His visit to the former Summer Haulage employee had, in truth, been something of a long shot. He’d hoped for some kind of a reaction but he hadn’t been prepared for such a violent one.
    Returning to the car, he sat for a while, thinking. He’d drop his number in the post to them with a note stressing that he was on their side, and maybe when they’d had a chance to cool down, they’d think again.
    He wouldn’t hold his breath.
    The other address Jenny had given him was that of George and Marian Coombes, who’d lived at Forester’s Cottage before him.
    Now, as he drew up alongside the curb outside a modern square bungalow in Lower Ditton, he checked the details again. The property was situated in a cul-de-sac containing five