Free Hider/Seeker

about moorings and marinas.’
    â€˜Anything else?’
    â€˜Don’t ask me anymore because I’m too confused.’
    They were suddenly interrupted by the sound of a key being inserted into the front door lock and being twisted.
    â€˜Christ, I forgot Mum was coming over.’
    â€˜She’s got the key?’
    â€˜I need her support right now.’
    â€˜It’s only me,’ shouted her mother from the hall.
    Harry and Bethany emerged from the bedroom, stunning her mother into total silence. Her ice blue eyes squinted as she tried to make out whether it was really Harry with her daughter; then a frown developed and her pale face reddened under her white coiffured hair.
    â€˜Harry came over to see if I needed anything,’ explained Bethany, tucking her blouse into the top of her trousers. ‘Wasn’t that good of him?’
    Her mother’s mouth was wide open but no sound was coming out.
    â€˜He was just leaving,’ added Bethany.
    They were now standing just a foot away from her mother.
    â€˜For goodness sake, he shouldn’t be here,’ said her mother finally. ‘What have the two of you been up to?’
    â€˜Nothing,’ said Bethany.
    â€˜Your husband’s body barely cold.’
    â€˜Mother, stop it.’
    Harry moved towards Bethany’s mother to explain. But she pulled away from him.
    â€˜I only came over to see how she was coping,’ he said.
    â€˜Of course you did, Harry. I’d forgotten how considerate you had always been towards my daughter,’ she said, standing with a straight back, her head held high. ‘Bethany needs to be left to grieve – alone.’
    â€˜Please stop it, Mother. You’re embarrassing me.’
    â€˜Am I? And I suppose you cannot see anything wrong in having him over on the same day you see your husband’s corpse?’ She turned and glowered at Harry. ‘I have to say, you don’t waste much time, do you? The inspector seemed very interested in everything I told him about you. I made certain not to have left anything out.’
    â€˜Oh, Mother, you haven’t?’ said Bethany. ‘I don’t think you know what you have done.’
    â€˜Told the truth, my dear. The man’s a scoundrel and everyone should know it,’ she said moving towards Harry. ‘Best you leave now.’
    â€˜Elizabeth I can see you’re upset, but be careful what you tell people about me,’ replied Harry, buttoning up his coat to leave.
    â€˜Are you threatening me?’
    â€˜He’s not doing any such thing,’ said Bethany. ‘But you are creating trouble for Harry and possibly for me.’
    â€˜You’re not to see him, ever again,’ she replied, before marching to the front door and opening it for Harry to leave. ‘Now get out.’
    He left and she slammed the door behind him.

Eight
    As he stepped out of Bethany’s apartment block he spotted Tucker waiting for him. He was dressed in the same overcoat from the night at the Italian restaurant and was finishing a cigar. Next to him was a Jaguar with the engine running. This was the sort of encounter that made Harry jittery as he had no idea why Tucker wanted to see him.
    When he got closer, a man sitting in the back seat of the Jaguar turned on the interior light. He was in his mid-sixties with perfectly groomed snow white hair. Harry had no doubts that the older man was Angela Linehan’s husband from her brief description of him during their first meeting.
    Angela Linehan had been right about Tucker. He would do anything for her, like keeping his mouth shut. Tucker knew better than to recognise Harry in any way. His boss was watching through a half opened window and any familiar gesture would have given their little secret away. As Harry approached Tucker, the big man with the flappy ears lowered the cigar in his hand and said, ‘Mr Linehan would like a word.’
    â€˜Who?’ asked