Discarded M. Hunter (the snowy day read aloud TXT) 📖

expression. That poor girl. It isn’t her fault that her mother saw an opportunity to use her for ill means, and yet her family home – and life as she knows it – will probably never be the same again. Even if Tina avoids jail time and manages to retain custody of Jo-Jo, I’d be surprised if Trey and his own daughter will stand by them.

‘Oh, I see. That poor girl.’

‘Tina’s shown genuine remorse by all accounts, but it’s the world we live in now. This obsession with celebrities, and the money offered for scandal, has the world out of shape.’

Given his own desire to have my signature on his book, his statement seems at odds with his own actions, but before I can challenge him on it, something over my shoulder has caught his attention, and as I turn it is all I can do to avert my gaze. Standing in the doorway of the kitchen is Jack, towel wrapped tightly around his waist, drinking from my mug of tea. His hair is wet from the shower and the light catches on his perfectly formed abs. He doesn’t look ashamed to have stepped out at the most inconvenient time.

He moves through to the living room with a casual nod towards Rick, and a cheerful ‘Morning.’

‘It isn’t what you think,’ I quickly say, turning back to face Rick. ‘Jack drove me back from Hayling Island and it was late so I said he could crash on the sofa. That’s all. I swear, we didn’t—’

‘It’s okay, Emma, you don’t need to apologise. I told you yesterday that I don’t want to get in the way if there’s something going on between you and Jack. I get it; you’ve known him longer and I’m okay with it.’

‘There’s nothing going on between me and Jack, I swear. We’re just friends.’

Rick looks away for the briefest moment, clearing his vision and fixing me with a stare. ‘I just want to know I’m not wasting my time pursuing something with you. I like you, Emma. You’re funny, smart, and more beautiful than you realise. I appreciate you might not be looking for a relationship, but I’d like the opportunity to get to know you better, and for you to know more about me. For context, I don’t bring flowers and call by to every house on my beat, and quite frankly your neighbours are probably growing jealous of all the attention you’re receiving.’ His broad grin is back, and I can’t help smiling back at him.

I’m not used to men falling at my feet, and am still using the flowers to hide my utter embarrassment. The truth is, I could see myself falling for a guy like Rick: he’s kind, takes care of his family, and has a job that serves others. If Jack wasn’t on the scene, I wouldn’t think twice about seeing how things could develop with Rick, but life is never that easy, is it? I don’t want to string Rick along if I’m always going to be wondering if I should have waited for Jack, but at the same time, Jack has told me not to wait, and to move on, so isn’t that what I should do? What would Rachel tell me to do if she was here? I shudder as I picture exactly what she’d tell me to do.

‘I think you’re a nice guy, Rick, and I would like to get to know you better too,’ I say, the words sticking in my throat. ‘As I said, there’s nothing between me and Jack – we’re just friends.’

‘So,’ he begins, stretching the vowel out, ‘dinner tonight? Dorchester has some cracking restaurants. Italian, Indian, Thai? Whatever you fancy. I could pick you up after my shift, drive you to Mum’s if that’s still okay, and then on to dinner. I promise I’ll have you home before midnight. What do you say?’

I hear Jack’s words in my head: If you like this Rick, then I think you should go for it.

‘Dinner sounds lovely, and yes, I’m happy to say hello to your mum and sign any other books that she wants.’

Rick looks like the cat that got the cream. ‘Perfect. I’ll meet you here at seven then, if that’s okay? Gives me time to shower at the station before I come over.’

‘Okay,’ I say, and close the door as he moves away.

I let out a deep breath and return to the kitchen, hoping Jack didn’t catch the end of our conversation, but unable to keep the spring out of my step.

I’ve barely started the kettle again when my phone is ringing on the table. As soon as I see Maddie’s name on the screen, my pulse quickens at what this could mean. Answering the call, the trepidation clings to every sentence as I desperately try to sound casual.

‘Hi, Maddie, how are you?’

‘I just got to the office, Emma, and there’s another A4 brown envelope here with your name on it. I’m certain it’s the same handwriting on the front. Should I open it?’

The breath catches in my throat. ‘No, just leave it as is. We’re on our way.’

Chapter Thirty-Six Now

Blackfriars, London

As soon as I told Jack about the new envelope, he said we should leave straightaway, and we only stopped to grab a sandwich for breakfast at a petrol station when Jack needed to fill up. If we are to have any chance of catching the person sending these pictures to me, we need the evidence preserved. It’s bad enough that a postman and Maddie will have handled the envelope, but by leaving it sealed, it may be possible for the flap of the envelope to be examined for DNA, assuming the sender licked it closed. At least if the envelope remains sealed, any fingerprints or DNA attached to the photograph itself should be preserved.

Jack hasn’t mentioned Rick’s appearance at my door, and I suppose if he meant what he said last night, then maybe he feels nothing