Read Bitter Fruits: DI Erica Martin Book 1 (Erica Martin Thriller) for Free Online

‘But I just give my towels to the cleaners. They wash them every day.’
    ‘Ah, yes. Well, that would be the difference between Joyce and Nightingale,’ I said sagely. ‘We don’t have cleaners –’
    ‘No cleaners?’ Emily interrupted, horrified.
    ‘No cleaners,’ I repeated. ‘Just a cupboard under the sink with a duster in it and an old aerosol of Mr Sheen.’
    She laughed again. It was a pretty laugh, I thought. I spied a coffee shop set back down a small alley as we passed. ‘Would you like to get a drink?’ I asked on the spur of the moment, gesturing towards it.
    Emily peered down the alleyway suspiciously.
    ‘It looks a good place. Good coffee.’
    ‘Okay,’ she said making up her mind. We sat upstairs, opposite each other, in a bay window. It wasone of those places that have sprung up everywhere these days. Wooden floors, chalked-up blackboards, artisan bread – whatever that means – but the smell of ground coffee has always pleased me. Even if it never tastes as good as it smells.
    Emily ordered a skinny latte. I had a double espresso. She didn’t even offer to pay – girls like her don’t. I didn’t mind, though.
    ‘So how are you finding it?’ I asked, not sure where to put my legs under the tiny table. If I bent them, the table would lift an inch off the ground. I stretched them out instead, crossing my ankles to the side of Emily’s chair. The sweat which sheened my body had now cooled and dried, and I could taste salt on my lips.
    ‘It’s really good. Joyce has some nice people. A few weirdos.’ She smiled shyly.
    ‘How’s the course?’
    ‘The course? Oh, you know. Boring.’ She played with an end of her hair, twirling it around her finger. She looked out of the window. ‘I joined the hockey team. Try-outs for the uni squad are on Wednesday.’
    I nodded, not knowing what to say to that. I liked running and occasionally watched the snooker, but that was about as far as my sporting ambitions went. Emily breathed in rapidly as if remembering where she was.
    ‘And you? How’s Nightingale apart from the weird roommate?’
    ‘Yeah, good. Just finding my way around.’ The sun had made its way in through the window and now hit me in the face, leaving me squinting somewhat as I looked at her. ‘The food’s awful but the bar’s okay. Have you been? To the Nightingale bar?’
    ‘There’s a crawl on Friday. Some of us are going. I think it’s in drag.’
    I must have looked puzzled, as she laughed.
    ‘You know, guys as girls, girls as guys. Stupid, really, but fun, I guess.’
    I sighed.
    ‘What’s up?’
    ‘Oh, it’s just. Well, I find all that a bit …’
    ‘A bit what?’
    ‘Childish I suppose.’
    Emily straightened in her chair. ‘But we are children, aren’t we? Isn’t that what university is?’ She laughed slightly nervously. ‘A big playground?’
    ‘Yes,’ I agreed. ‘But I suppose I was hoping it would be more experimenting with new things. Trying things out. Not getting hammered and wearing a woman’s dress around town.’ I coughed awkwardly – this wasn’t going the way I wanted. ‘Don’t worry, I know it’s good fun and everything.’ I smiled at her. ‘You’ll have a great time on Friday.’
    Emily relaxed somewhat. ‘You’re right, it’s stupid. But you know, everyone’s doing it.’
    I nodded. ‘Yeah, well, enjoy yourself. Be careful too.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Oh, you know. Make sure you’ve got someone to walk you home at the end of the night. I’m just looking out for you. Don’t want you stranded in the middle of town by yourself.’
    She smiled at that. I could see that she liked to be protected.
    ‘I will.’ She swallowed the dregs of her latte. ‘Be careful, that is.’
    She stood up to leave, and I followed her down the stairs and back out into the street.



6
     
Monday 22 May, 10.06 a.m.
     
    Annabel watched the police and bodies dressed in white go into Emily’s building. She waited for a while, as the