Finders Keepers Edie Baylis (phonics readers .TXT) 📖

elaborate further. There was no need. Jonah was well aware what clean-up operations consisted of. They’d both had their fair share of being part of the clean-ups during their early days in the firm. They’d got their hands dirty along with everyone else and the contacts they’d used back then were the same ones they used to this day.

Getting no response, not even a flicker, Nero pushed the glass of whisky nearer. ‘Drink that,’ he said. ‘I know I need one!’

Jonah surprised Nero by unexpectedly looking up. ‘Gwen? And the girl?’

Nero lowered the glass from his mouth. ‘They’re upstairs. It’s all quiet.’ He watched Jonah nod imperceptibly, his face immediately closing. ‘You know he did the right thing, don’t you?’

Jonah slowly raised his eyes and fixed them on Nero. ‘Yes, I know.’ It didn’t make him feel any better though. Saul had to die. His own life, Nero’s and Gwen’s sight had been saved by Robert Adams’ actions. There had been no choice, but it went against the grain. Saul was his brother. Was...

They were family. Now Saul was dead.

His head was mashed. Was he grateful to Robert Adams or resentful? Jonah didn’t know and that was the crux of it.

He should have dealt with it. He should not have allowed Saul to incapacitate him. What did that say? Saul had floored him and he’d been able to do nothing apart from impotently watch the proceedings unfold. He should have been stronger than that.

But if he hadn’t been incapacitated, what would he have done? Stand by whilst his unhinged brother pulled out Gwen’s eyes, killed Nero, most likely him too and then disappeared off upstairs to Robert and the girl? Or would he have done exactly what Robert Adams did? It was a bitter realisation and one he couldn’t ignore.

And what about Gwen? Jonah swallowed dryly. He hadn’t properly processed that yet. He wanted Saul’s words to be lies, but knew in his heart they weren’t. He clenched his jaw. She’d slept with his father?

He wanted to hear her side of things. He wanted to know what had possessed her? But he couldn’t do that now. He couldn’t face hearing her voice. Hearing the words. Wondering what was truth and what was lies.

Raking his fingers through his unkempt hair, Jonah jumped up from his chair.

‘Where are you going?’ Nero asked, concern written over his face. Jonah was in no fit state to go wandering around. He looked almost as manic as Saul.

‘I need a shower,’ Jonah muttered as he walked stiffly to the door. Opening it, he turned back to Nero. ‘Thanks for sorting out the mess. I appreciate it.’

Nero nodded and watched with much trepidation as Jonah disappeared along the hallway.

HEARING HIS MOBILE BUZZING, Heath irritably glanced at the screen:

Incoming call:

Dad

Gritting his teeth, he stabbed on the reject call button. His father had called twice yesterday – no doubt wanting to know why he’d failed to show up at work. He’d have to call him at some point, but not now. This was far more important.

‘I still can’t believe it!’ Heath said, shaking his head in pretend fascination over the ‘remarkable’ coincidences.

Dulcie smiled to herself despite her deep-seated sadness. At the crack of dawn this morning she’d found herself unable to contain the urge to rush down the hall and stick her head around Robert’s bedroom door, only to be crushed once again with the sight of his empty bed, dashing the small sliver of hope that she’d been wrong in her conclusion. But she wasn’t - Robert had gone. He’d taken the diamonds and gone. With Teagan.

But every cloud had a silver lining and life worked in mysterious ways. It had brought her a replacement. Not quite the same, but whichever way she looked at it, she’d still got a piece of Michael. Even a small diluted piece, such as Heath – or Darren Harding as she now knew he preferred to be called, was better than nothing.

‘Are you alright?’ Heath watched the emotions pass over Dulcie’s face, hoping she hadn’t changed her opinion about him since last night.

Dulcie looked up and smiled. ‘Yes, dear. I’m fine.’ There was no point crying over spilt milk. Robert had made his choice and so she’d made hers. ‘What were you saying?’

Heath smiled. It would be hard work being ultra-nice to this creepy old cow, but he had a good feeling that his altruism would be handsomely repaid. ‘I was just saying that fate must have drawn me to you via Teagan. Your strong connection to my grandfather must have made things move in certain directions without either of us being aware.’ There, that sounded deep and meaningful.

He poured Dulcie a cup of tea, having already made sure he noted exactly how she liked it. ‘You had more of an instinct for it than I did. You saw the resemblance, whereas I’d never have guessed!’ he lied.

Dulcie nodded appreciatively, seeing the amount of milk in her tea was perfect.

‘By the way, thank you for letting me stay last night,’ Heath continued.

‘I should be thanking you. After everything that happened yesterday, I didn’t want to be on my own.’ Dulcie looked at Heath fondly.

Heath fiddled with his cup. He hated tea and would much prefer a tot of that nice-looking whisky on the sideboard, but if this charade got him in the old girl’s good books and enabled him to turn this around, then it was worth it. But this next bit was a long shot. He had to make his intentions look genuine. ‘I’ve been thinking about that and I’ve come up with a solution I’d like you to consider.’

Dulcie frowned. ‘What are you talking about? A solution? To what?’

Heath reached for Dulcie’s hand. He’d grabbed it so much over the last twenty-four hours the feeling of the skeleton-like object wasn’t half as off-putting as it had been. ‘I don’t want you being here on your own now Robert had abandoned you... especially with the Powells hanging around. How