by El Edwards
The girls sat with me for an hour but soon my mother appeared to take them home too. I gave them both a kiss and promised I’d be home the very next day.
I’d been home about ten days when there was a knock at the door. There’d been a steady stream of visitors for the first week I’d been home, but now entering my second week, peace and quiet reigned once more. It was how I preferred it. As much as it was lovely to see people and I appreciated their kindness, I was ready to get back to reality and I couldn’t do that if I had to spend hours every day holding court.
When I opened the door to find Beverly standing there holding a bunch of flowers, I couldn’t hide my delight.
“Beverly! I wasn’t expecting you. Can I get you a cuppa?”
“Tea please.” I noticed she sounded nervous. When she handed me the flowers she avoided my eye.
“Thanks.” I took them and put them in the sink, ready for later when I could find a vase, then made us both a drink.
I led her into the cosy front room and sat next to her on the sofa.
“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong or am I going to have to drag it out of you?”
Without warning, Beverly burst into tears. “Sorry, I don’t really know where to start.” She dabbed at her eyes.
Thinking back over what Shona had told me when she came to visit, I could make a pretty good guess. It had been weird to see her walking into my hospital room, hair flowing down her shoulders, full makeup and heels. It was only when I looked into her eyes that I could see the man she once was. In that moment, my heart had gone out to Norma and Ted.
I turned back to Beverly. “Is it Shaun?”
She nodded. “I just can’t believe I was so stupid. And look at you, you were nearly killed. It would have been all my fault.”
“He did care about you, in his own way.”
“You think so?”
I nodded. “Absolutely. Why else would he have brought your dog back?”
“Tell me again what Shona told you.”
“She said Shaun needed a drugs dog, the pigs weren’t really cutting it, and Tortoise seemed like the obvious choice. But when he saw how upset you were, he had to bring her back. He wanted you to be happy.”
“Didn’t work though did it,” Beverly said, her voice bitter.
“Of course it did! You got Tortoise back didn’t you? And we took the piggies home last week. Happy endings all round.”
She shrugged. “I suppose so.” She seemed to give it some thought. “You think he loved me in his own way?”
I nodded again, unable, after all he’d put me through, to bring myself to actually say it.
Beverly smiled at me. “Thanks Charlie.”
It wasn’t until three weeks after leaving hospital for the last time that I was finally allowed to read the local newspaper. The story of the hotel had been front page news for weeks, with no-one quite able to believe such a crime could have been going on, right under their noses. Three weeks after leaving hospital though, Rob called at my house on his way home from work. Under his arm he carried a file.
“What’s that?”
“It’s nothing. It’s not even here.” He tapped the side of his nose. “If you know what I mean.”
I grinned. “Is it juicy?”
“Totally.”
“Thanks Rob.” He handed me the file and I flicked through it, pausing every now and then to read a page.
“You have until tea-time tomorrow, then I need it back.”
Want to tell me the short version over coffee? I just put the pot on.”
“Go on then.”
We sat opposite each other at my kitchen table, sipping coffee. I listened as he told me about Shona’s decade long career as an undercover detective.”
“Declan’s a cop?” I couldn’t keep the shock out of my voice.
Rob shook his head. “Shona’s a cop, she turned her back on Declan a long time ago. She’s a very good one too by all accounts. Based somewhere near Newcastle. Your hotel was just one part of a much bigger operation, been going on for nearly two years.”
“Was your boss really pissed off when he found out I busted it?”
“On the contrary, he’s delighted! What really pissed him off was when the glory boys tried to shaft us and take all the credit. Thanks to you blundering in, the local boys got the bust. The DI was so happy, he looked like he might wet his pants.”
“And Shaun didn’t know Shona was in the job? How’s that even possible?”
Rob shrugged. “She said she hadn’t seen him since she moved away. Newcastle was a fresh start.”
I thought back to Shona’s visit. “She told me she’d never planned on coming back but when she found out Shaun was involved, she had to try and talk him out of it. She even apologised for being so aggressive, said it was an act for Shaun’s benefit. She never told me she was a cop though.”
“She probably didn’t want to blow her cover, just in case.” He winked at me. “Can’t be too careful.”
“Oi!” I went to punch his arm and he caught my hand in his.
I felt my insides squirm and didn’t trust myself to speak. Instead I just looked at him, willing him to understand. He rubbed his thumb across the back of my hand, such a small and inconsequential gesture. But in that gesture I knew, whatever happened next, everything would be okay.
CHARLIE
You’ve just finished reading Beverly. If you loved it, you’ll be delighted to learn that Charlie has a new client on the horizon … herself!
Because sometimes even the best investigator this side of the Severn Bridge has things that keep her awake at night.
With summer approaching, Charlie's daughters will soon be finishing school so when she finds a mystery address in the pocket of a coat she hasn't worn since her father's funeral, Charlie decides it's time for a road trip.
But who will be waiting for them when they arrive at their destination? How will Charlie’s love-struck daughter cope away from Gloddfa Bont? And where does Rob fit in?
Find out in Charlie. Coming to Kindle and paperback, June 2017. Click here to sign up for insider sneak peeks & early-bird discounts.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Irrepressible silver-lining-spotter. Coffee addict. Fun-loving Jesus geek. Doctor Who nerd. Lover of smiles, El (short for 'Eleanor' but it's too hard for most people to spell!) Edwards is a writer from South Wales in the UK.
She's written several fiction novels. She also writes words for other people.
When she's not writing herself into a corner, you’ll find her shamelessly watching Doctor Who while enjoying a flat white (it’s a bit like a latté but with less milk), taking her two dogs for a walk in the rain (there’s a reason why the grass is always so green in Wales!) or playing unpaid taxi driver for one of her three children. (Yes, it’s a cliche she desperately wish wasn’t true!)
El wants to live in a world where silver-lining spotting is taught to all ten year olds, growing up is outlawed and laughter is the magic pill that cures all.
Learn more about El - and grab yourself some free fiction - at MsElEdwards.com/free-fiction
BEVERLY
CHARLIE DIAMOND MYSTERY 2
Copyright © 2017 El Edwards
The right of El Edwards to be identified as the author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
First published in Great Britain in 2017 by YouierMedia.
All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission from the author.
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