Read Cherringham--Death on a Summer Night for Free Online Page B

Grey Goose, and recalled seeing workers there. One, probably … Ollie.
    He stood up.
    Jack had someone new to talk to. And a clear idea of the danger Dinah’s father represented to Bell.
    Other than that — nothing much useful from this angry father, huddled in this stifling, smoky room reeking of nicotine and loss.
    “Thanks, Mr Taylor.”
    “One thing for you, Brennan. Detective . If you find out anything — anything at all — you best tell me.”
    A threat to me? A warning? Jack thought.
    Whatever it was, Jack smiled back. “If I learn something, I’ll be sure you find it out as well.”
    The man nodded as if he had won a victory over Jack.
    And then he stood there as Jack walked across the sea of discarded newspapers to the door, to the dark gloomy hallway, out of this sad and angry flat.

9. Reunion at the Angel
    For a few minutes, sitting at a back table at the Angel — Cherringham’s posh pub — Sarah thought that the two people that she wanted to question had both decided to be “no-shows.”
    Jen Foote and Michelle Lang.
    The pair had been Dinah’s best pals at the time she disappeared.
    And now?
    Sarah knew that Jen worked at “Hair Do!”, the village’s lone beauty salon, unaware that her so carefully puffed-up hair revealed that the Cherringham salon was more than a little out of date.
    As for Michelle Lang, Sarah knew nothing.
    Amazingly, they had both agreed to meet and talk about those days. On a hunch, Sarah decided not to tell them that they would be talking together.
    She looked at her watch. Half past two, and Sarah felt that now the barmaid was giving her odd looks, sitting alone, middle of the afternoon, nursing a half pint of lager.
    Which is when the front door opened, and Jen walked in.
    Or blew in, more like it. Shaking her head — and her hair — as she barrelled over to the table.
    “Sorry! All set to leave and the boss wanted to talk about my schedule. I tell you, I should be running that place.”
    Sarah smiled. “Thank you. For coming to talk.”
    The woman pulled a chair back.
    “Fancy a drink? Or maybe a cup of tea?” Sarah asked.
    “Oh, sure. Half of Stella wouldn’t hurt.”
    Which is when the pub door opened again, and someone Sarah didn’t know walked in.
    Guessing it was Michelle.
    Which Jen Foote quickly confirmed.
    “You? What are you doing here?”
    The hairdresser’s barked query made Michelle stop in her tracks.
    As much as Jen seemed to be struggling to be as “glam” as her age would allow, Michelle looked to have long ago surrendered that battle.
    Wearing a drab grey T-shirt, un-tucked, hanging over frayed cargo pants and sandals.
    All dolled up for the Angel.
    Even from a distance, the woman’s eyes looked sunken, sad.
    “I—I didn’t know you were going to be here …” Michelle said quietly in the empty pub.
    Jen leaned close to Sarah.
    “Stole my boyfriend, she did — back in the day. Then married the loser.” Jen gave a sharp tilt of her head. “You can see just how well that worked out for her.”
    Sarah nodded, stood up.
    “I wanted you both here. To talk about Dinah, what you remember about those days.”
    “’Cos that nasty piece of work Tim Bell’s back, right?” Jen said.
    Sarah nodded. “Right.”
    The barmaid put their drinks on the bar, which Sarah retrieved and brought back to the table.
    And this uncomfortable reunion was back on track, the past about to come to life in the shadows of the pub.
    *
    “I—I think it was to get back at her ex-boyfriend, Ollie. Or maybe her dad. Both of them were so controlling,” Michelle said, sipping her beer.
    Jen nodded, a truce of some kind having settled in as they talked about the days leading to Dinah’s disappearance.
    “She was such — well — a goody two-shoes. And going out with Tim Bell? Everyone knew what he was all about — not Dinah’s type at all. So smart, talented …” Jen laughed. “Not sure why she hung around with the likes of us.”
    The hairdresser had