A day comes and goes.

Another day arrives.

The phone doesn’t ring.

And another day.

What’s happening?

She reaches for the phone, then snatches her hand back.

They’ll call when they’re ready…

But they don’t.

The following morning, she watches the clock: eight am…

Eight-thirty…

Nine o’clock…

Nine-fifteen…

She picks up the phone again, dials out. “Hello, Hofferman and Partners? Is Mr Devlin there, please? It’s Mitch Kimberley.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Kimberley, Mr Devlin is not available….” The voice chokes, breaking into uncontrolled sobs. “He’s been murdered. Gunned down. His little girl is in hospital too.”

Mitch, heart hammering, “Theo. Let me talk to Theo Aldred.”

The sound muffles…

over

Aldred is not

in her throat. “When

returns, but through it, indistinctly, Mitch hears, “No, I’ve a wife

receptionist’s voice repeats, “Mr Aldred is not

down the

for air, then she dashes for the door. White-faced, she sprints to the elevator, bangs on the call button then walks frantic circles until

lobby, she spins, looking

A newspaper… local…

The headline…

reads, she

Romani Case outrage…

Prominent lawyer gunned down…

gunman or gunmen as yet unidentified in an incident in the grounds of the school attended by his nine-year-old daughter. The daughter herself is also reported as injured but

her. Her stomach rises. Pushing a fist to her mouth, she sets off at a

and heaving over the bowl, she loses her breakfast. Trembling, she flushes, then gags and vomits again. At length, scarlet-faced and sweating, Mitch leans over a basin, splashes cold water over her face, rinses the foul

She’s on her own…

*****

James

“I’m wrapping up for the day. Going for a drink with Michael and Charlotte. Want to join

his desk. Whatever he was reading, it drops with a finality that suggests he’s glad of an excuse to see the back of it. “Excellent idea. Mind if I bring Elizabeth along? She’s meeting me here

her. I’d like Charlotte to have

I’ll get Ross to bring the car around.

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255