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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

‘But Portia, an old friend of mine, has already offered to help with a few things.’

Who the fuck was Portia? Jo had been lackadaisical about following Allison for several months, which was why she’d missed Peter’s appearance on the scene. It seemed she’d missed Portia’s too. But old friend… an exaggeration, surely. There was certainly no female friend on the scene, up to… Jo tried to think when she’d grown bored with her constant surveillance… maybe seven or eight months before. No longer. Old friend, my ass. ‘Oh that’s great. You need someone.’

The coffee was cold; she drank it back in two long gulps and got to her feet, startling the woman sitting opposite. ‘It’s time I headed,’ Jo said. ‘I’m staying in London for a few days, visiting friends, so I’ll pop back. Now that I know where you live, I won’t be a stranger.’ She almost laughed as she saw a variety of expressions fight for supremacy on Allison’s face, a look of horror quickly overlaid with an effort at grateful thanks.

‘That’s so kind, thank you,’ she said, getting to her feet. ‘But really, you don’t need to.’

‘Don’t be silly.’ Jo stepped closer and put her arms around Allison, drawing her into a hug. ‘I’m going to stay in London for as long as you need me.’

As the body she was hugging became rigid, Jo smiled into Allison’s hair.

37

Allison wanted to open her mouth and sink her teeth into Jo’s neck. Right in, bite down, feel warm blood gush. She’d swallow the blood and keep her jaw clamped until the gush became a trickle, until the damn bloody woman slumped in her arms and slid to the floor.

Deep breath. Don’t let the monster out. ‘Thank you so much for coming; it was very kind of you.’ The words almost choked her. What she wanted to say was, Go away and don’t come back. What she wanted to ask was, How did you get my address?

She could block Jo on every social media account. Ignore her when she came to the house. She’d get the hint… wouldn’t she? Allison wasn’t normally the reticent type; she could have simply told Jo she didn’t want to see her again, but she had the distinct feeling her words would fall on purposefully deaf ears.

‘I’ll call around tomorrow. I can’t promise what time, though.’

‘I’m going to be in and out. Perhaps ring first to make sure I’m here.’

Jo smiled. ‘No, that’s all right, if you’re not here I’ll wait or call back.’