Finders Keepers Edie Baylis (phonics readers .TXT) 📖

down reluctantly. ‘I didn’t expect you to get out so soon and in all truth, I didn’t want you to. I knew you’d charge in and fuck everything up.’ His eyes focused on the equally blue ones of his brother, now staring at him with even more discontent. ‘Whatever your beef is with what you think I should or shouldn’t do or have done with Dulcie Adams, screwing things up here I will not sanction. If you’re sensible about this we could work it to our advantage.’

Begrudgingly, Saul sat down himself, his unbridled anger still bubbling dangerously. ‘I’m listening.’

Jonah kept his voice moderate, yet confident. It was the only way he could do this. It wasn’t his first choice, but it was the lesser of two evils. Anything else would start a war within the family and cause even more grief. At least this way he could remain in control of his brother. ‘I suggest we take joint control. Nothing happens over anything without joint agreement. You have your strengths and I have mine. We pool them and work together. Come out on top on every side.’

Saul remained silent. Joint control? That was supposed to be ok, was it? He could see Jonah had dug his heels in on this. He could force the man out, but in reality where would that leave him? He’d been out of the loop too long to blindly pick up from scratch. Whether he liked it or not, he needed Jonah’s knowledge, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t achieve what he wanted if he was careful. And very clever...

He sucked in his bottom lip, his mind scooting over different scenarios. ‘Ok, but I want full shout of the extortion – that’s my forte,’ Saul said, his voice clear there was no room for manoeuvre. ‘You take care of the club side. The rest is joint.’

Jonah sat silently. That was exactly what he’d wanted. Turning his whisky tumbler around on the desk, he pretended to mull it over. ‘Ok, but that includes Dulcie Adams. Any decisions on that are joint. I’ll bring you up to speed where we are with that next.’

Saul got to his feet to refill his glass. Turning his back, he grabbed the Scotch and slowly unscrewed the lid. Thanks to Keith, he knew exactly where they were with Dulcie Adams, but he’d let Jonah think what he liked. He’d play the game, but knew how he would deal with at least part of that already and Jonah would have no choice but to put up with it.

Turning back around, Saul lifted his drink. ‘Well, here’s to us and the family firm,’ he said, smiling as Jonah clinked his glass. ‘Now, what’s this I hear about you getting married?’

HEATH TURNED THE CORNER into Frogmore Road and gritted his teeth. Teagan hadn’t replied to one single text and he’d been texting her for days. Neither had she returned any of his calls.

He hadn’t particularly wanted to drive all the way back up to Maidenhead to call on Teagan out of the blue, but what choice did he have? He had to get the lowdown on what was going on and this was the only way.

Pulling up outside Footlights, he glanced around. Although he doubted whether those men – the ones who must have knocked off Helen Shepherd, would be lurking around the scene of their crime, he didn’t want to walk straight into trouble.

Getting out of the car, glad to see there were no police cordons surrounding the house, he looked up at the imposing old property, its general lack of repair not having improved. Walking up the crumbly stone steps to the front door, he tentatively rang the bell.

Getting no response, Heath pressed the doorbell again – this time for longer. He glanced up at the tightly shut curtains surrounding the bay window of the front sitting room. There didn’t look to be any activity in there, but maybe Teagan was watching him right now from one of the upstairs windows?

What should he do? Impatiently moving from foot to foot and becoming rather annoyed, Heath pressed the bell again.

‘There’s no one there.’

Swinging around, Heath spotted a middle-aged woman at the bottom of the steps near the pavement. ‘Sorry? Are you talking to me?’

The woman pointed to one of the houses on the opposite side of the road behind her. ‘I live over there. Are you the press?’

‘Press? No. I’m a friend.’ Heath said. ‘I’m looking for Teagan - she’s the carer of the lady who lives here.’

‘Oh, they’ve gone,’ the woman said smugly, proud to be privy to the information. ‘They went after that dreadful incident last week.’

‘Yes, I heard about that,’ Heath muttered. Gone? Where had they gone? ‘I just wanted to see how she was. Do you know where they are?’

The woman smoothed down her hair. ‘I don’t, but the police have been here all week. They only packed up and left last thing yesterday.’

Heath nodded impatiently, but stopped himself from asking if watching her neighbours was her only source of entertainment. ‘Do you happen to know when they’re coming back?’ Being as you seem to know everything else...

‘I don’t know the woman, even though she’s lived here for years, we never saw much of her. Very eccentric by all accounts.’ The woman’s lips pursed. ‘I wonder if she murdered her daughter? Maybe she’s locked up? Do you th...’

‘Thanks for your help,’ Heath interrupted and turned his back, cutting the woman off mid-flow. Classic busy-body - no use whatsoever.

‘Although...’ the woman continued, ‘I don’t suppose she’d have left with the girl and that man if the police suspected she’d done it.’

Heath froze. Man? He turned back around. ‘A man, you say?’

The woman nodded. ‘Oh yes. The night it happened both the old lady and the girl left with a man. I think it was her son. I’ve seen him before.’

Heath walked down the steps. ‘Do you happen to know where this son lives?’ he asked, trying not to