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Back Brutal Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. BRUTAL
  3. Dedication page
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. Prologue
  6. PART ONE
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. PART TWO
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. PART THREE
  50. 42
  51. 43
  52. 44
  53. 45
  54. Epilogue
  55. BRUTAL
  56. By Mandasue Heller

‘You’re welcome,’ he said, edging past her when he picked up the scent of the mango shampoo Maureen had used. ‘Night.’

‘Night,’ she replied, watching as he headed into his room and closed the door.

7

Up and outside early the next morning, Frank knew he was going to struggle to get the car out when he saw how deep the snow was. Even out here in the wilds, where the weather conditions were always much harsher than in the city, it was unusual for it to snow before December – and even more unusual for it to stick. But he’d promised Irena he would drive her to the station, so he took a spade out of the shed and set about trying to clear a path.

After digging for twenty minutes to no avail, he paused to wipe the sweat off his brow and noticed Irena standing at the living room window. Nodding when she held up a steaming cup, he stamped the ice off his boots and went inside.

‘It’s rock solid,’ he told her when she came out into the hall. ‘But I’ll take another crack at it in a bit, when I’ve got the feeling back in my hands and feet.’

‘Take off coat and go sit by fire,’ she ordered, holding on to the cup when he reached for it. ‘I do not want for you to get sick.’

Reminded of the lie he’d told Yvonne when she’d called round the previous morning, Frank frowned as he shrugged his coat off and hung it up. He was still annoyed with her for reporting him to Jo, but at least he wouldn’t have to see her today, because there was no way she’d risk driving, or try to walk over in this weather.

Shivering when he went into the living room and the heat from the fire seeped into his bones, he sank down on his chair and held out his hands to thaw them. Smiling when Irena placed the cup on the table beside him, he said, ‘Thanks, love.’

‘You have nice smile,’ she said, taking a seat on the sofa. ‘It shows in your eyes, which means you have good heart.’

‘Ah, that reminds me . . .’ Frank said, pushing himself back up to his feet and walking round to his desk.

‘What is this?’ Irena asked, watching as he took a foil strip of tablets out of the drawer and popped one into his mouth.

‘I had a heart attack a couple of years ago,’ he explained after washing it down with a swig of tea. ‘And I have to remember to take one every morning to keep my blood pressure in check.’

‘Ah . . . this is like my brother. His is for head, not heart, but he need medication every day to stop him be sick.’

‘You worry about him, don’t you?’ Frank said, catching the wistful look in her eyes.