Too Soon a Death: A Scottish mystery where cosy crime meets tartan noir: Borders Mysteries Book 2 Read Free Page B
Author: Janet O'Kane
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considered, not for the first time, taking down the hall mirror. Everything was swollen, even her face. And still nearly two months to go.
The cat lay in the airing cupboard as usual, which would have been unbearable had the plumber not removed the hot-water tank when he recently installed the cottage’s new heating system. Zoe unlocked the French windows out of the kitchen—another timely home improvement—and went out onto the patio, opening up the garden umbrella and lowering herself carefully onto the sun-lounger. Mac followed her outside and went to sit in his current favourite place, under an old holly tree.
She alternately sipped from a glass of iced water and held it against her face. A house martin swooped past on its way to the nest under the cottage’s eaves which she had insisted must stay until the autumn, against the advice of the stonemason who’d been forced to work around it. In the distance, a chainsaw started up with a noise like a motorbike.
As if sensing she’d relaxed, the baby began to kick. Zoe smiled and patted her swollen abdomen. ‘Don’t give me a hard time. I’m not going to get many chances to put my feet up once you’re here so I’m making the most of it now.’
The side gate creaked open, causing Mac to leap up and bark briefly until he recognised the figure dressed in a pink top and cut-off jeans picking her way through building debris towards them. He raced to greet her, tail wagging.
‘I thought maybe you’d forgotten our date when there was no sign of your car,’ Kate Mackenzie said, sitting down opposite Zoe in a chair not covered by the umbrella’s shade. ‘Then I saw you back here. What a pity your hedge had to come out. A fence with a few rose bushes behind it gives you no privacy.’
‘It keeps Mac in, which is the most important thing. I’ll get more trees planted once all the work’s finished.’ Zoe looked straight at her friend as she spoke, even though the sun made her squint. Kate’s skill at lip-reading was remarkable, and many people chatted to her at length without realising she was deaf, but even she struggled with faces partly turned away from her. ‘A man with a digger’s coming soon to spread those piles of earth from when the new drains were put in, although the lawn can’t be laid until autumn. Do you want a cold drink?’
Zoe swung a leg off her sun-lounger but Kate gestured to her to stay put. ‘I’ll get it. Remember, I know only too well the hassle of climbing out of a low seat once your bump’s that big.’
Leaning back, Zoe said. ‘Bring a jug, will you? With ice?’
Kate laughed. ‘Being pregnant has definitely mellowed you. Not long ago there’s no way you’d sit there asking someone—even me—to do that.’
‘I know. I’m getting so lazy.’
‘Zoe, no one could ever accuse you of being lazy. You’re just more laid back. Which is a good thing, believe me.’
Kate disappeared into the house before Zoe could argue, coming back out a few minutes later. Ice cubes clattered against the side of the blue jug she carried, then splashed noisily as she poured water into her own glass and topped up Zoe’s.
‘Do you want to move your seat into the shade?’ Zoe asked.
‘No thanks, I love the heat. We’ll probably never see another summer like this in my lifetime, so I’m making the most of it.’ Kate ran her fingers through her cropped hair, which had recently changed from brick-red to white-blonde. ‘I know we’re not supposed to allow ourselves to tan these days, but peely-wally is only ever flattering on models, not normal people.’
‘You’re looking great,’ Zoe said, aware Kate’s recent weight-loss and bloom were more likely thanks to happiness than a suntan and the new swimming regime she’d adopted to help tackle a recently-diagnosed degenerative spine condition. Zoe lived in fear her friend’s rekindled relationship with Erskine Mather might be snuffed out at any time, given his uncertain marital
The cat lay in the airing cupboard as usual, which would have been unbearable had the plumber not removed the hot-water tank when he recently installed the cottage’s new heating system. Zoe unlocked the French windows out of the kitchen—another timely home improvement—and went out onto the patio, opening up the garden umbrella and lowering herself carefully onto the sun-lounger. Mac followed her outside and went to sit in his current favourite place, under an old holly tree.
She alternately sipped from a glass of iced water and held it against her face. A house martin swooped past on its way to the nest under the cottage’s eaves which she had insisted must stay until the autumn, against the advice of the stonemason who’d been forced to work around it. In the distance, a chainsaw started up with a noise like a motorbike.
As if sensing she’d relaxed, the baby began to kick. Zoe smiled and patted her swollen abdomen. ‘Don’t give me a hard time. I’m not going to get many chances to put my feet up once you’re here so I’m making the most of it now.’
The side gate creaked open, causing Mac to leap up and bark briefly until he recognised the figure dressed in a pink top and cut-off jeans picking her way through building debris towards them. He raced to greet her, tail wagging.
‘I thought maybe you’d forgotten our date when there was no sign of your car,’ Kate Mackenzie said, sitting down opposite Zoe in a chair not covered by the umbrella’s shade. ‘Then I saw you back here. What a pity your hedge had to come out. A fence with a few rose bushes behind it gives you no privacy.’
‘It keeps Mac in, which is the most important thing. I’ll get more trees planted once all the work’s finished.’ Zoe looked straight at her friend as she spoke, even though the sun made her squint. Kate’s skill at lip-reading was remarkable, and many people chatted to her at length without realising she was deaf, but even she struggled with faces partly turned away from her. ‘A man with a digger’s coming soon to spread those piles of earth from when the new drains were put in, although the lawn can’t be laid until autumn. Do you want a cold drink?’
Zoe swung a leg off her sun-lounger but Kate gestured to her to stay put. ‘I’ll get it. Remember, I know only too well the hassle of climbing out of a low seat once your bump’s that big.’
Leaning back, Zoe said. ‘Bring a jug, will you? With ice?’
Kate laughed. ‘Being pregnant has definitely mellowed you. Not long ago there’s no way you’d sit there asking someone—even me—to do that.’
‘I know. I’m getting so lazy.’
‘Zoe, no one could ever accuse you of being lazy. You’re just more laid back. Which is a good thing, believe me.’
Kate disappeared into the house before Zoe could argue, coming back out a few minutes later. Ice cubes clattered against the side of the blue jug she carried, then splashed noisily as she poured water into her own glass and topped up Zoe’s.
‘Do you want to move your seat into the shade?’ Zoe asked.
‘No thanks, I love the heat. We’ll probably never see another summer like this in my lifetime, so I’m making the most of it.’ Kate ran her fingers through her cropped hair, which had recently changed from brick-red to white-blonde. ‘I know we’re not supposed to allow ourselves to tan these days, but peely-wally is only ever flattering on models, not normal people.’
‘You’re looking great,’ Zoe said, aware Kate’s recent weight-loss and bloom were more likely thanks to happiness than a suntan and the new swimming regime she’d adopted to help tackle a recently-diagnosed degenerative spine condition. Zoe lived in fear her friend’s rekindled relationship with Erskine Mather might be snuffed out at any time, given his uncertain marital