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Back The Widow Save as PDF
Chapters (92)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. PART I
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. PART II
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. MORE FROM VALERIE KEOGH
  90. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  91. The Murder List
  92. About Boldwood Books

‘Your word! How on earth could I ever trust you? Are you even who you say you are? Peter told me I should be careful, that you could be an axe murderer…’

Jo laughed. Really, this was proving to be more fun than she’d expected. ‘Peter – the man you murdered for his money – that Peter?’ She was glad Allison had the sense to say nothing. ‘I tell you what’s going to happen now,’ Jo said. ‘I’m going to move in until the estate is settled, and the house is sold. Then, I’ll take my share and leave you in peace. You’ll never see me again.’

50

Allison could have told her tormentor the truth, that the house was never going to be hers, there was never going to be a million, never mind three. She could have told her all this, but she needed time to process everything. The video footage Jo had was clear, placing Allison somewhere she shouldn’t have been. She couldn’t take the risk; prison wasn’t where she’d planned to spend her future.

‘It could take months before Peter’s estate is settled and I’m able to sell.’

‘That’s okay.’ Jo snuggled down on the cushion behind her. ‘I think I’ll be quite comfortable living here.’

‘What about what’s-his-name… your husband? Your job?’

‘Lie and lie.’

Allison struggled to keep a rein on her temper. She needed to keep calm, find a crack in this woman’s carapace. She’d already lost so much this morning… all her dreams of a glorious future… but she was free to try again; this woman was trying to take that freedom away. She wasn’t sure what she could do but she had to do something. Jo was sitting back, looking perfectly at home. Allison was missing something. If it had all been a scam from the beginning, if Jo had lured her into this relationship, to what end?

She’d gained her knowledge of Allison from reading her Facebook posts, trawling her Instagram. All the recent shots of designer bags, expensive meals, weekend spa breaks. Had she given the impression she’d come into money? Had she made herself vulnerable to be scammed?

Feeling foolish, she pressed her lips together, gathering what strength she could muster. ‘Why have you done this?’ When Jo’s eyebrow rose, she shook her head angrily. ‘I don’t mean this…’ She indicated the mobile phone with a jerk of her head. ‘I mean contacting me, trying to be friends.’ She yelped in shock when Jo grabbed her mobile and jumped to her feet.

‘That’s a story for another day. I need a house key. I’ll go and pick up my stuff. No point in wasting money renting an apartment at London’s crazy prices when you have all this space wasting.’