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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

Portia was swinging the knife, looking a little bored. ‘I have your house key but I’m sure you’re sensible enough to have an alarm, so I need the code. And don’t try to trick me. Stuart doesn’t like it when I’m upset.’

Allison would make them pay, but she’d have to wait for the opportunity. That knife looked sharp. ‘Seems my hands are tied. It’s 1990.’

Portia frowned. ‘That’s not your date of birth.’

‘That’s right.’ It was Allison’s turn to smile. A forced uplift of the corners of her mouth. There was no need to tell Portia why the number was important to her, why it was lodged in her brain more completely than the year of her birth.

‘Okay, I’ll go and get you some clothes. When I return, if you behave, I’ll let you have something to eat.’

And without another word, she backed out of the room. The sound of the key being turned in the lock was loud in the silence of Allison’s prison.

She’d told Portia the truth about the alarm code. What she hadn’t told her, because she hadn’t been asked, was that Jo was living there.

Allison went to the en suite and slurped water into her dry mouth.

If Jo heard someone in the house, she’d assume it was Allison returning at last. She’d be surprised to see a stranger. So would Portia. Maybe they’d come to blows, kill one another off. That would be the ideal outcome for Allison.

She remembered what Portia had said about Stuart not liking it if she was upset. How would he feel if she was dead? Would he take it out on Allison? But this time, he’d be on his own, and she wouldn’t be drugged.

This time she’d be ready for him.

58

Running out of money, Jo thought about selling Allison’s designer bags and shoes. They’d fetch a fair amount. Deciding to give her another day to return, Jo emptied the plastic bags she’d found in the spare bedroom. There were some decent suits. She hung them on the back of the wardrobe door and photographed them to put on eBay. They were good brands… not designer, unfortunately, but good enough to sell. She wanted a fast sale, put a reasonable price, gave the option of buying immediately at this price rather than getting into a bidding war, wasn’t surprised to get a reply within a few hours.

That evening she was fifty pounds better off. Money for beer, for food to stock the emptying cupboards. Enough to get a takeaway that night.