A Wreath for my Sister Read Free Page A

something. Something about ...’ He frowned. ‘She’d recently been divorced. As I remember, her husband worked in Saudi Arabia ... I didn’t really know her. The general feeling was that she’d gone off with some bloke.’
    â€˜And left her baby son behind?’
    Tom shrugged his shoulders, then grinned at her. ‘Come and have another dance with me,’ he urged. By the time they sat down again Matthew and Jane had disappeared.
    Her body was completely covered now – a vague bump in the dim snowscape. No one would guess the lump had lately been a woman in a wine-coloured dress.
    It was late when they left the dinner dance. The snow was falling in soft flakes on her hair. Tom watched her climb into the driving seat. ‘Thanks,’ he said. ‘It’s a luxury not to have to worry how much I drink.’
    â€˜My pleasure.’
    He eyed her long legs as she depressed the clutch and started the car. ‘It was bad luck, Levin being there.’
    She nodded. ‘I wouldn’t have gone, Tom, if I’d known there was any risk of bumping into him – especially with Jane.’
    â€˜But you said you couldn’t avoid him for ever.’
    She gave a rueful smile. ‘I only really work with him on murder cases. And thank God there aren’t many of those.’
    They were quiet as she moved the car up the road.
    Tom broke the silence. ‘I suppose you wish you could learn to dislike him.’
    She looked at him briefly. ‘Dislike Matthew?’ she said, then stopped and pondered. ‘No. I don’t think so. I really don’t. I just wish I could learn to stop loving him – at least quite so much.’
    She gave him a quick glance, then touched his hand. ‘But then you know all about loving the wrong person.’
    The car slithered uneasily over the freshly fallen snow, gliding precariously round the corners.
    She turned to Tom. ‘I hope we get back all right.’
    â€˜Just drive ...’ he said, grinning.
    It was late and few cars were still on the road, but as they rounded the corner in the centre of the town a white Mercedes shot past them.
    Joanna gave an involuntary ‘Bloody hell.’
    Tom watched her with an amused look.
    â€˜Not going to report him, Jo? High-speed chase?’ He was gently mocking.
    She gave a wry exclamation. ‘Something will catch up with him. Driving like that in these weather conditions he’ll be lucky if it’s just the police.’
    â€˜And you didn’t even get his number,’ he teased.
    She took her eyes off the road for a second to look at him. ‘Oh, yes I did,’ she said. ‘RED 36.’
    The dazzle of a flashing blue light distracted her and it took a minute or two until it had overtaken her for her to realize she was being stopped.
    A tall policeman wandered around to her window.
    She pressed the button to lower it. ‘Parry?’ she said, puzzled.
    â€˜Evening, ma’am.’ His tone was wooden. It was as though he didn’t recognize her.
    â€˜Parry?’ she said again.
    â€˜Have you had anything to drink tonight, ma’am?’
    She sighed. ‘What do you take me for?’
    He repeated the question, in the same, zombie tone. ‘Have you had anything to drink tonight, ma’am?’ Then he produced a breathalyzer kit and she knew she had been set up.
    â€˜Would you mind blowing into this bag, ma’am?’
    â€˜Yes, I bloody well would,’ she said, then glowered at him. ‘Who put you up to this, Parry?’
    He avoided her eyes. ‘The bag, ma’am.’
    She tapped the steering wheel, unable to look at Tom, but she could sense his amusement.
    She grabbed the bag from Parry, gave a quick puff into it and handed it back. ‘Satisfied?’
    He looked at the digital display.
    â€˜ Satisfied! ’
    â€˜Right, madam,’ he said.
    She put the car into gear, narrowed her eyes. ‘Who put