BooksBarbecue
Back Under a Dark Cloud Save as PDF
Chapters (77)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Prologue
  4. Part 1
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. Part 2
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. Part 3
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. Acknowledgements
  74. Next in Series
  75. Canelo Crime
  76. About the Author
  77. Also by Louisa Scarr

He laughs. ‘Football thing. That’s how I know these guys, from five-a-side.’

‘You have time for a life? I’m jealous.’

‘Not always. But when I can. It’s a laugh. Better than sitting at home alone every night.’

Freya says nothing. I’m sure it is, she thinks ruefully. She knows that only too well.

Adam leans across Freya. ‘You didn’t tell us about the lovely Freya,’ he says. ‘Shame on you.’

‘Freya’s a colleague,’ Josh retorts. ‘Nothing like that. Not yet, at least,’ he adds, with a wink to Freya.

‘Another copper, eh? All the better then,’ Adam replies.

‘You’re married!’

‘Details, details,’ Adam laughs.

Freya sits back, enjoying her wine and listening to the guys taking the piss out of each other. Being in the force, she’s used to large groups of rowdy guys and relaxes in their undemanding company. Josh seems to enjoy himself with them, laughing loudly at a joke, and every now and again glancing her way. He meets her eye and smiles. At one point he mouths you okay? and she nods. A gentlemanly gesture, and Freya finds herself warming to him.

But it’s getting late. She finishes her wine and stands up. She waves a hand over the gathering.

‘Nice to meet you all,’ she shouts over the din.

Josh stands. ‘I’ll walk you back.’

‘I was going to get a taxi.’

‘Then I’ll walk you to it.’

They fight their way through the bodies in the pub, out into the cool spring air. After the heat inside it’s a relief, and Freya takes a few deep breaths.

They start to walk down the road. Freya feels tongue-tied, not sure what to say. It’s been nine months since Jonathan died, and she hasn’t thought for a second about anyone else. But tonight? Tonight has been nice.

They stop at the taxi rank, and Freya holds her arm out for the one approaching.

‘Well…’ Freya begins.

‘See you tomorrow, Freya,’ Josh says. And he leans forward, placing a kiss on her cheek.

‘See you tomorrow, Sarge,’ she replies.

He laughs and holds up a hand as he walks away.

The taxi pulls up next to her, and she opens the door. But for a moment she allows herself to look behind her, at Josh’s departing back. Mina was right, she thinks. He does have a nice arse.

14

Thursday

Freya must have fallen asleep, because the alarm jolts her awake.

She’d arrived home from the pub tired, slightly groggy from the few glasses of wine, heading for bed without delay.

All day she’d felt knackered. Eyes itching, downing caffeine to keep herself alert. But once she was in bed, she couldn’t have been more awake. Her body felt twitchy and tense. Wound up to the max.