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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

‘If you’re sure, that would be great.’ Jo linked her arm through Allison’s again. ‘Do you think in future we could chat on the phone? It’d be so much easier than tapping out messages.’

Allison hoped her hesitation wasn’t obvious. For her, messaging was preferable. They were quick, she could knock them out in seconds anywhere… on her daily commute, waiting in the queue in the supermarket, even while sitting on the loo. Calls, however, meant more time. Commitment. Jo suddenly appeared rather needy. A quiver of irritation swept over Allison. She felt cornered: if she said no, she’d be causing offence, no doubt about it; if she said yes, it would be hard to back out.

Carefully squeezing from between the rock and the hard place, she pressed the arm linked in hers in a gesture that was neither assent nor refusal. ‘We’d better walk faster if you’re going to make your train.’

‘I feel like we’ve known each other for years.’ Jo returned the pressure on her arm. ‘It looks as if these business meetings of mine are going to be a regular event so we should be able to meet up more often.’

A group of tourists heading towards them forced Jo to release Allison’s arm and step behind. The huge gaggle of visitors, their eyes on stalks, cameras held high to capture details they wouldn’t later recognise, took a few seconds to flow by. Not long, but enough that Allison felt able to ignore Jo’s last comment because she wasn’t sure she wanted to meet again at all… never mind on a regular basis.

There was no need to say anything. It would be easier to simply make an excuse the next time Jo contacted her. It was a coward’s way out; Allison had to hope the other woman would eventually get the hint.

18

Jo had been worried in case the conversation over lunch drifted to work and became too technical. She was inordinately relieved when the only problem Allison had was an easy one to advise on. Her colleague, Hazel, was obviously set on climbing the ranks and happy to climb over whoever got in the way. Jo, who understood and admired the focus and determination to get where you wanted to be, guessed they’d have a lot in common.