Free The Night Hunter by Caro Ramsay Page A

is something that she needs to do and something that Parnell cannot find out about. And if it makes her happy, that’s enough for me.
    I pluck Charlie’s baseball hat from his head and place it backwards on my own. Mary pulls him back on the swing and I stand in front to make him feel secure. He knows that I will catch him. We chat about everyday stuff. The weather. What it’s like to be an astronaut, and the big topic of the day – do you get Coco Pops in space? I let Mary deal with that one. Alex Parnell is behind that curtain watching every move we make – I ignore the temptation to turn round and wave at him.

MONDAY, 4 JUNE
    ‘H i, I didn’t want to bother you yesterday, you seemed busy,’ Mary says, standing on the doorstep of the flat. ‘You went for a very long run.’
    ‘I had a lot to think about. Come in.’
    She hesitates. ‘I just wanted to return this book I borrowed.’
    ‘You didn’t borrow a book.’
    Her eyes flit sideways down to the patio. The message is clear: Parnell is out and about, having a quick smoke and a coffee. I lean forward, pulling my hair from my eyes so I can see him. I wave. He waves back. He could be in Marbella sauntering around enjoying the sunshine in his shorts and T-shirt, but he’s at business. It’s half seven on a Monday morning and the mobile is already glued to his ear, a look of intense concentration fixed on his face.
    ‘Ta,’ I say, playing along, and take the book from her.
Catch-22
, anniversary edition. ‘Have you read it?’
    ‘Bits of it, but it’s not worth the hassle from Alex, he doesn’t like me reading. I think he’s a bit threatened by anybody with an education.’
    ‘Why?’
    ‘Why?’ She mimics me slightly. ‘Oh, Elvie, you are a tonic.’
    ‘I mean, why are you giving me this?’
    She turns to look behind her, checking on Parnell, then taps the book with her forefinger. ‘I was given it by … a friend to see if Rachel wanted to do it at book group but I think it’s a bit beyond them. Thought you might like it.’ Her eyes wander past me up the stairs. ‘Can I talk to you a minute about the arrangements for the week?’ she asks rather formally.
    ‘Come on up.’
    She gestures to Alex. I do not see his response but I presume that his watch has been flashed at her.
Don’t be long.
There is already heat in the air and she is wearing a new long-sleeved shirt, the shade of blue matching the bruise on her wrist.
    Once in the flat she collapses on the sofa and swings her feet up in a way she’s not allowed to in her own house. ‘Sorry you had to witness that on Saturday.’
    ‘He was giving you a hard time.’ I place the book on top of a pile on the coffee table before going into the bedroom to get my running shoes.
    ‘He has a lot on at work and he gets so stressed about it all.’ Her voice drifts through the hall to me.
    ‘Why does he take it out on you?’
    She never answers that question.
    ‘So, are you going to this thing tonight?’ I notice that she still has not told me where she really was that afternoon.
    ‘I have to.’
    ‘Well, I’ve to go to Glasgow today to sign a formal statement.’ I tap the copy of
Catch-22
. ‘I’ll take that and read it tonight in the flat; Charlie can watch Sponge Bob.’
    ‘That’ll work,’ she nods, then looks at me. ‘Elvie? Do they think last night had something to do with you? That poor woman?’
    ‘How can it? Nobody knew that I was going to drive past that place at that moment in time, did they?’
    She shrugs. ‘I don’t like the idea of anything happening to you.’ She rubs her arms with the palms of her hands, easing the itching of new bruising. ‘How’s your mum?’
    ‘Mum doesn’t want to talk about any of it until she does want to talk about it, then she blows her top. Or she gets drunk.’
    ‘Everyone has their way of coping, I suppose. It would be so much easier if they knew that your sister was safe. Somewhere.’ She looks out the window, echoing Eric’s