Scrawny man ran his fingers through his scruffy beard before giving up and turning out one of the pockets of his jeans.
‘It’s a lovely night. Moon’s out. Not too cold and we will keep this as our little secret.’ He patted the man’s shoulder a couple of times before grinning.
Scrawny man stared as if waiting to be excused.
‘Go on. Hop it.’ Before scrawny man scarpered off, he grabbed a little packet from his hand and watched as scrawny hurried deep into the woodland.
He pinched the cigarette and dropped it in his pocket, along with what he’d taken from scrawny man. Taking a lungful of fresh air, he headed back. The air had never tasted so good. Everything tasted good, felt good and smelled good. Life was amazing, and now he had a little something to make it even more amazing.
The swell in his pants returned. Power was everything. The game, the fun, his hands around her neck. He was ready to start planning his next move.
Chapter Nine
Cass wiped the last of her eyeliner away from her puffy eyes. The waterproof stuff was the best – it had lasted through her tears back home and the sweat that had dripped down her forehead all night as she’d served the crowd, all for a measly thirty-five pounds cash in hand. She’d been stupid to volunteer to help Samuel and Elvis, especially as it had been Kerry’s wedding, the girl who hadn’t given her a second glance at high school. Maybe now, Kerry would appreciate a real friend, not her plastic friends, Francesca and Lilly. Maybe now that Holly had gone, there would be room for a replacement number four. The Awesome Foursome – what a stupid name.
She pinched the excess skin underneath her chin and held it tight, observing her face shape without it. Why did some women only attract more beautiful women to be friends? Cass would be a great friend, not like the others. She’d heard Francesca drunkenly saying that Kerry’s new husband Ed was far too hot for Kerry – that wasn’t loyal friendship. She’d also heard one of them say that Kerry had made the hugest mistake in marrying Ed, that he was a player. And Lilly had been saying to Brendan that Kerry’s wedding hadn’t been as genuine as theirs and that Cleevesford Manor was a bit of a grubby hole. Cass knew she shouldn’t have heard Brendan and Charlie rating Kerry’s backside ten out of ten but that’s when she’d spotted her Elvis and Samuel sniggering along. So much bitching amongst so called friends. She clenched her fists. Having it out with Elvis in the morning would be her priority.
Cass hadn’t heard Holly saying anything but she had spotted her ditching a drink in the corner of the room when she thought no one was looking. She’d seen the glance passing back and forth between Elvis and Holly and then Samuel. Did they know something she didn’t? Elvis had been missing a couple of times but he was always playing up, cheating. Well not quite cheating, he’d call them friends. Was it cheating if he had women friends she wasn’t friends with? She’d have done everything to make sure Holly wouldn’t take him from her. He wasn’t much but he was all she had.
She peered around the bathroom door and spotted Elvis lying flat out on their bed, one leg hanging over the edge as he filled the room with his growling snores. Falling asleep so easily hadn’t surprised her one bit, not since she’d slipped an extra-large measure of vodka into his drink when they’d arrived home. They’d been in less than half an hour and it looked like he’d been asleep all night. As they sat in the living room winding down, he declared that he needed to go to bed. She feared he wouldn’t reach their bed as he staggered towards it and that’s where he’d been since.
She plodded over the creaky floorboards of their old rented house and kissed him on the forehead, just missing his silly Elvis quiff. He was no Elvis; he may have had the voice but his arms were like strings of spaghetti and he didn’t have the moves, not in the same way. Some people were mildly impressed by him but most people laughed at him. He just couldn’t see it. For a couple of years now, he was convinced he’d be a star and one day would make it to Vegas. I’ll check outBritain’s Got Talent, he’d say, and he did. He didn’t pass the audition stage to get on the television. He wasn’t bad enough or good enough to provide the level of entertainment the public had become used to seeing. He was Mr Mediocre.
Reaching over, she gave him a nudge. He snorted again. There was no waking him, which was good. As she ground her teeth, she gave up fighting the itch to find out the truth. She reached into his pocket and began searching for his phone. Pulling it out, she noticed he had a new message. As she pressed to open it, the screen flashed a password box.
CASS.
CASSANDRA.
He’d never used a password before. She threw the phone back into his pocket along with the unused party popper, old receipts and the small pile of cash he thought made him look like a big shot. If he’d definitely been cheating on her with Holly, she was going to find out somehow. Now that she was dead, the truth would come out and she wouldn’t have to do the digging.
Cass grabbed her own phone and clicked the Facebook app. Her feed was full of comments about Holly’s death. Already Holly’s wall had been filled with ‘RIPs’, and comments along the lines of, ‘How could anyone do this to such a wonderful person?’
Elvis’s snoring changed tune to a deep guttural sound, making Cass flinch. Was Holly as wonderful as people made out? Cass believed no one could be that perfect. She would make it her mission to find out, but to do that she needed to be in the fold. Holly didn’t matter any more. What mattered is that she could start again with Kerry. And she had her chance to do exactly that now Holly was gone.
Clicking on messenger, her finger hovered over Kerry’s name.
Just do it, Cass!
And she did. As easy as that.
Chapter Ten
As they pulled into the modern estate in Worcester, Gina enjoyed the tune of the early morning birds filling the air with their wake-up call. The Lyppards was one of many small housing developments in Warndon Villages. As one road snaked into an island and straight onto another road, Gina’s satnav told her that the close she was looking for was next on the right.
‘Well. It’s been a long night but Briggs has promised us breakfast when we get back to the station and I am starving,’ Gina said as Wyre stared into the darkness as they pulled in.
‘Me too. I think I’ll drop my standards and tuck in for once.’
Gina rarely saw Paula Wyre eat anything that was brought into the office. If the offerings weren’t compatible with her gym workouts, she abstained.
‘I was out with friends last night and we were going to have a late dinner after the band, but I got the call and headed back before eating anything so I’m starving. I can always work it off at the gym later.’
‘Sorry you were called back. With Jacob’s delay at the airport, we were a bit short-staffed.’
Wyre shrugged as Gina slowed down. ‘What happened to that woman is terrible and I’m glad I’m here. I’m dreading seeing her mother though.’
‘And me. I don’t know how I’d cope if it were Hannah.’
