Covet Read Free Page B

was Les Vanderwall, formerly Vancouver Island’s most formidable detective inspector, and he didn’t take orders from anyone. Stress had aggravated his condition until he was now touch-and-go for surgery in the next few weeks.
    ‘I should get going,’ Makedde announced, and glanced anxiously at the sign behind her.
    V ICTORIA I NTERNATIONAL A IRPORT . D EPARTURES T HIS W AY .
    The ‘International’ part of the airport’s name was really a bit misleading. Rather than a huge, bustling airport full of international jetsetters bound for all corners of the world, the airport was international only because it had some departures to Seattle, a mere forty-minute flight away. Looking at that sign, Mak felt it was almost impossibly hard to leave the tranquil safe-haven of Vancouver Island, the home of her youth. She would be flying straight into the centre of a media circus. She would have to relive her ordeal in court. She would have to testify while he sat there in the dock, only metres away. He would be right there in the same room as her.
    E D B ROWN T HIS W AY .
    If only Andy had aimed that bullet a little more to the left, it would have been over already. But of course such thoughts were pointless andfrustrating, and led her straight into another area it was best not to dwell on—the whole muddled situation with Detective Andy Flynn.
    Just get on the plane, Mak.
    ‘I should really get to the gate lounge.’ This time she meant it. ‘I’ll see you in a week or so. Dad, please take it easy and do everything the doctor says, okay?’ Les nodded bleakly. At his side, Ann, too, gave Mak a nod, as if to say that she would personally see to it that he got better. ‘This will be over in no time.’
    ‘Have a safe trip.’
    ‘I will. I’ll be fine.’ She gave the two of them one more hearty embrace. ‘Say bye to Theresa for me,’ she said. Her sister had not come to the airport, which was par for the course. ‘I hope Connor’s birthday is a blast.’
    Ann’s son, Connor, had a big eighteenth coming up. It was good that Ann would be there to help organise it. The relationship was still fragile, since Ann and Connor’s father had split a couple of years before. Mak wondered what Connor thought about her dad, now that he was on the scene. Was it awkward?
    Ann nodded. ‘We’ll see you soon.’
    Finally Mak broke away, making exaggerated kisses and doing an impersonation of the Queen’s wave, her hand held like a twisting spoon. ‘Ta ta!’ she said, doing her best to ease the tension. ‘I love you.’ She rounded the corner to walk through security.
    ‘You’ll be fine. It’ll be a stroll in the park,’ she mumbled to herself, staring at the ground as she walked.
    ‘What was that, ma’am?’
    It was a bulbous-nosed airport security guard, looking at her with bright eyes that wandered momentarily down her body and back up again. He probably hadn’t even realised he’d done it, or that she’d seen him do it.
    ‘Oh nothing,’ she said politely. ‘Just muttering to myself.’
    Mak chucked her carry-on bag onto the conveyor and watched it disappear into the X-ray machine. She tried to walk past the guard and through the electronic scanner.
    ‘Hey, how tall are you?’ Now the guard was standing on tiptoe, far too close for comfort, clearly pleased with himself for being the fifty-thousandth person to ask about her unusual height. She noticed with distaste that he smelled of pickles and poor hygiene.
    ‘Six feet and a little,’ she said. ‘And you must be what? Five-seven?’
    He nodded. ‘You guessed it, honey. And I lurve big women.’ He swayed towards her a fraction. Ah, yes, canned pickles. Charming.
    ‘You know, the National Center for Statistics say that the height of the average man is five feet nine inches.’ She looked him over. ‘Hmmm, below average…’ She left him with that thought and strode through the metal detector, taking her carry-on as it rolled out the other side of the X-ray