Free Hide and Seek by P.S. Brown Page A

potential affair between Steve and Michelle. What if they were working together? Neither of them had been brought into Celo’s twisted game so far.
    Peter wondered if he was right about the affair between Steve and Michelle. When they were younger, all the boys knew that Colin fancied Michelle, and they were sure Laura and Cheryl knew how Michelle felt about Colin but the two sexes didn’t share their knowledge. Colin always sought attention from Michelle in that silly, childish way boys have of flirting with girls when they have no idea how to flirt. He would goad her and pick on her continuously to drive her crazy enough to give him attention. In response Michelle would look at the other girls, feign upset at Colin’s comments, say that she hated him unconvincingly and then usually hit him in the arm. Despite one awkward kiss between them - brought about by peer pressure - they didn’t get together when they were younger. Peter had heard from Gavin, a number of years ago, that Colin and Michelle had finally started dating when they were in their mid-twenties and had married six years ago, a few months before Peter had married Janine. For a second, a part of him hoped – almost believed - that this game would only involve Colin and Cheryl. Maybe Steve and Michelle had some motive for killing them both. Peter could form some semblance of a motive towards Colin based on whether he was right about the affair and the father of the unborn child, but he struggled with why Cheryl would be involved.
    It was obvious to Peter from last night’s party that Steve and Colin were good friends. Although Peter did remember that Colin had gotten irritable on a number of occasions when Steve cracked a derogatory joke about him, but Peter just took that as friendly banter. Michelle and Cheryl were good friends as well. Peter had observed nothing untoward with them, and in fact they had talked and laughed together most of the night; so much so that Peter remembered looking over to Laura who obviously felt out of touch with her two former girlfriends. Peter couldn’t recall any ill word or argument taking place between them. But that doesn’t mean anything he thought, there could quite easily be other things brooding under the surface, which he didn’t know about.
    Peter felt like he was clutching at straws and his initial hope started to fade. Why would Celo mention the Excellent Eight so much if this game was only going to involve the death of Colin and Cheryl? And surely Michelle wouldn’t be involved in anything like this when expecting a child? The only thing he did know was that he couldn’t bring himself to find a disclaimer for Steve yet and he was currently at the top of his list of suspects.
    Peter continued down the road, past the small fields either side which separated Low Grange North from Low Grange South. His face felt like it was on fire, and his lungs burned with his heavy panting. The rain had been getting steadily heavier over the last ten minutes but it offered no comfort to cool his burning face. His clothes were wet through and stuck to his body, making his movement more uncomfortable. He pulled out the mobile phone and checked the time; he had just fifteen minutes to save Cheryl.

 
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 17
     
    15:45pm
     
     
     
    Peter ran past a man on his driveway washing his car, even though the rain was falling. Such a typical thing to do on a Sunday afternoon, he thought. He wished he was doing the same right now.
    He used to go out and wash the car on a Sunday afternoon whilst Janine prepared the dinner. They would usually have Janine’s mother Ann over on a Sunday and they’d stand in the kitchen gossiping. Janine would cook, as Ann played with George. He used to leave them to it and go out and wash the car as it gave him some peace and quiet and allowed him to think about the week that had passed and the one to come. He’d then go in for, what was by far, the best meal of the week. Usually at