Free Strange Blood by Lindsay Jayne Ashford

her death would just compound it.’
    â€˜Yes, I see what you mean.’ Delva raised the mug to her lips and drank mechanically, her eyes fixed on the tablecloth. ‘The way he went on about her when I was interviewing him, it was as if she was some sort of saint. It made me feel quite envious, actually. I was thinking what a fantastic relationship they must have had and wondering how come I never get to meet guys like that.’
    â€˜Hmm.’ Megan drained her cup. A short time ago she would have empathised wholeheartedly with that sentiment. But now was not the time to tell Delva about Patrick. She pushed her cup and saucer aside. ‘It doesn’t sit very easily with all this Sunday school teacher stuff, does it?’ she said.
    â€˜No.’ Delva leaned back in her chair. ‘Supposing he doesn’t know,’ she said, thinking aloud, ‘If the police track down the lover and find out he’s got a cast-iron alibi, would they still tell him, do you think?’
    â€˜They’d have to.’ Megan shrugged.
    â€˜Then it’ll be my fault.’ Delva’s voice was almost a whisper.
    â€˜Your fault? Why on earth do you say that?’
    â€˜Because if I hadn’t agreed to meet that stupid woman none of it would have come out.’
    â€˜You know that’s not true!’ Megan shook her head. ‘I was listening to her, Delva, she’s lowlife! If you’d said no she’d have gone to someone else. The police would have got to hear about it sooner or later.’
    Delva sighed, pressing her lips into a thin line. ‘And it’s better for him to be told by some sympathetic policewoman than to see it splashed across the front of one of the tabloids,’ Megan went on. ‘In fact you’ve probably done Richard Ledbury a big favour handling it the way you did.’ Megan sat back and folded her arms. ‘Listen, if you want I’ll phone Steve Foy. I’ll tell him you phoned me first because you weren’t sure what to make of her.’
    â€˜No, it’s okay, I’ll do it,’ Delva said. ‘There’s something I want to ask him anyway.’
    Megan looked at her.
    â€˜I want to know where Richard’s staying so I can send some flowers.’
    Megan started to say something but thought better of it. ‘Delva,’ she said instead, ‘Let me know what Steve says – about the woman, I mean.’
    â€˜Oh, right, yes.’ Delva was in another world. She stood up and reached for her coat. ‘I’ll phone you later then, okay?’
    Megan watched her walk off across the precinct. ‘Don’t get involved, Delva.’ She whispered the words like a prayer.
    *   *   *
    The net curtains left a gap at the bottom of the window. Easy to watch the passers by. There was a foot. A shapely leg in sheer black tights. Or stockings? Shifting the net inch by inch revealed more. Travelling upwards from the legs, a tight-fitting skirt. Too tight. A bulge where the stomach squeezed over the waistband. A T-shirt that showed the ridges where the bra dug into the skin. Her breasts wobbled as she walked, hair blowing over her face. That familiar feeling. Blood rushing, buzzing in the ears. She was the one.

Chapter 5
    â€˜Auntie Megan!’ Emily flew along the hallway like a miniature tornado.
    â€˜Hello monkey!’ Megan limped into the house with Emily clinging to her right leg. ‘Where’s your baby brother?’
    â€˜He’s asleep!’ Ceri’s head appeared round the kitchen door. She was a slightly shorter, paler-skinned version of Megan. Her dark hair was cut in a sleek bob which revealed silver hoop earrings. The nose stud she had once worn was long-abandoned.
    â€˜Oh, I thought he might be – good job I didn’t ring the bell, then.’ Megan replaced Ceri’s door key in her bag. Her sister had told her to use it any time she called round but she only