BooksBarbecue
Back Deadly Revenge Save as PDF
Chapters (60)
  1. CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR LEIGH RUSSELL
  2. Glossary of acronyms
  3. Prologue
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. Acknowledgements

‘Oh yes, of course. Please, take a seat. How can I help you, although I have to tell you I’ve already been questioned at length and have nothing further to add to what I’ve already said.’

‘I appreciate you have patients waiting and won’t take up much of your time,’ Geraldine said as she sat down. ‘What we need to know is: did you recently prescribe any drugs containing cetirizine to David or Anne Armstrong?’

The doctor frowned. ‘Cetirizine can be purchased over the counter for allergy relief,’ he replied. ‘It’s not necessary to have a prescription.’

He turned and consulted his computer. After a moment he turned back to Geraldine, frowning.

‘Thirteen years ago, David Armstrong was admitted to hospital suffering a severe reaction to a drug containing cetirizine. It’s unusual to experience such a severe reaction, but by no means unheard of. He had somehow contrived to take an overdose, as a result of which he was no longer able to tolerate it in any significant quantity.’

Geraldine drew in a deep breath. ‘And his wife would have been aware of that?’

‘Well, he was admitted to hospital,’ the doctor replied gravely. ‘Of course, you may not be at liberty to share the implications of this with me, but if there’s anything else I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to ask.’

Thanking him, and with his assurance that he would not mention the subject of their discussion to anyone, Geraldine left. She was aware of the receptionist glaring balefully at her as she passed the desk, but she was too busy on her phone to react.

48

48

Having called in at the police station to report her findings, Geraldine went home. While the hunt for Ella continued, Geraldine and Ian were focusing on looking into everyone who might have had any dealings with the two murder victims. Despite living and working side by side, Geraldine and Ian had not spent much time together since Ian had moved back in with her four days earlier. At the police station they focused on their individual allotted tasks, and when they were not at work they inevitably found themselves drawn into discussing the case. Geraldine didn’t mind, but when Ian complained they were ‘living and breathing work twenty-four seven’, she wondered whether he was beginning to regret having moved in with her.

Over a late breakfast, as they discussed their plans for the day, she wondered how the conversation might have gone if they had not been investigating a double murder, and whether Ian was thinking the same.

‘What do you suppose we might be doing today if we weren’t both working?’ she asked.

Ian’s puzzled frown made it clear that he had not been considering the same question.

‘We are working. We’re always bloody working.’

‘I know, but if we weren’t on a case right now, what would you be wanting to do?’