Chapters (58)
- Cover
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Forty-one
- Forty-two
- Forty-three
- Forty-four
- Forty-five
- Forty-six
- Forty-seven
- Forty-eight
- Forty-nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-one
- Acknowledgements
- An Eastbourne Murder Mystery
- Canelo Crime
- About the Author
- Also by Sheila Bugler
‘Perhaps,’ Dee agreed. ‘But apart from the eyes, there’s really no reason to think she could be Kitty. I’m sorry, Emer, but I really think you need to let this go. There’s another pub a bit further along, why don’t we go there and have a drink?’
But Emer was peering through the pub window and didn’t answer.
‘She’s not there,’ she said. ‘Where could she have gone? The only way out of the pub is through the front. If she’d come out this way, we’d have seen her.’
‘She’s probably just nipped to the loo,’ Dee said. Then, realising Emer wasn’t ready to let this go, ‘Okay, come on. Let’s go back in there, both of us, and ask her who she is and if she recognises you.’
She pulled open the door of the pub for the second time that afternoon and went back inside. The first thing she noticed was that there was a different person working behind the bar, and there was no sign of the woman who’d been here a few minutes earlier.
‘I’ll get us a drink,’ she said, but she was speaking to herself. Emer was still standing outside, just visible through the tinted glass window.
A man was serving behind the bar now. Tall and thin, he bore more than a passing resemblance to Jarvis Cocker.
‘I’m looking for the woman who was serving a few minutes ago,’ Dee said, when she approached the bar.
‘She’s gone home. Her shift’s finished for the day. Can I get you something to drink? If not, I’ve got other customers to serve.’
Not actually true, Dee observed. Apart from two solitary men with drinks already in front of them, she was the only person standing at the bar.
‘Any chance you could tell me her name?’ she persisted. ‘She’s the image of someone I used to know.’
The man leaned forward, pushing his face close to hers.
‘She’s a private person. And she doesn’t like strangers sticking their noses into her business. So why don’t you do us all a favour and sling your hook before I call the police and get you arrested for trespassing?’
‘It’s not trespassing if I’m in a public place.’
‘It is if I tell you to leave and you refuse.’
Fair point. Recognising he wasn’t going to back down, Dee left before he could follow through with his threat.
‘She doesn’t want to speak to me,’ Dee told Emer when she went back outside. ‘There’s not much we can do about that, I’m afraid.’
‘So we just walk away and forget all about her?’ Emer said.