Tick Tock (Storage Ghosts) by Gillian Larkin Read Free Book Online

was right. She had to stop Eddie, she had to expose
what he’d been doing. She realised that if the truth came out she could clear her
dad’s name, everyone would know that he wasn’t a drunk driver.
    She
looked back at Tom and said, “You’re right, but how? We need evidence.”
    Lynne
spoke, her voice trembled. “That red book of Eddie’s, he seems to write
everything down in it. You said that Clare has newspaper clippings? Perhaps the
names in those clippings will match up to the names he has in his book. Oh!
Tom! I can’t believe he did that to us.”
    Tom
pulled his wife close. He gave Grace a grim look. “That red book could be
evidence, it’s the only thing we’ve got to go on. You’ve got to get it, Grace.
Then you can give it to the police.”
    Grace
wasn’t sure. Even if she could get the book would the police even listen to
her? Would they dismiss her like they did with Clare?
    “How
can I get my hands on that book? He never lets it out of his sight,” Grace
pointed out.
    There
was a thundering on the shop door.
    “Frankie?”
Grace ran over to the door and flung it open.
    Eddie
Tominski smiled his oily smile. “Hello there, Grace, won’t you let me in?”
    Grace
heard a shriek from Lynne behind her. Then she heard Tom cry out, “Let him in,
Grace, this is your chance!”
    Grace
opened the door wider and Eddie stepped through. Grace almost collapsed when
she saw what Eddie was carrying. It was a cellophane wrapped basket, with a bow
on the front.
    There
was another shriek from Lynne followed by, “Tom! The basket! He’s going to kill
Grace! Stop him.”
    Grace
swallowed the ball of fear that had jumped into her throat. “What do you want,
Eddie?”
    Eddie
gave a jovial laugh. Grace shivered, she remembered that laugh from the vision,
just after he’d pushed Lynne down the cellar stairs.
    Eddie
said, “I’ve had a visit from your dear brother and that giant friend of his.
It’s your lucky day, Grace, the giant has paid off your loan. You don’t owe me
anything. Isn’t that wonderful?”
    Eddie
looked right into Grace’s eyes. She felt like he was trying to suck her soul
out. She blinked, “Where are Frankie and Big Bob now?”
    Eddie
shrugged. He held out the basket and said, “I’ve brought you this gift, to say
sorry for the times that I might have been a bit ... heavy handed with you.” He
coughed. “I haven’t had a cup of tea for hours, would you be kind enough to
make me a quick cuppa? Then I’ll be on my way.”
    Tom
appeared at Grace’s side and said, “Get the book. Grace, you’ve got to find a
way to get it.”
    Grace
took the basket and went through to the kitchen, her head was buzzing. How was
she to get the book? And how was she to avoid being killed by Eddie? Oh! Where
was Frankie?
    Eddie
followed her, her back prickled as she felt him staring at her.
    She
placed the basket on the kitchen table and then filled the kettle with water.
    In
a calm voice Eddie said, “There’s some special tea in this basket, luxury tea
to die for. Why don’t you use that?”
    Grace
shot back, “I don’t feel like tea, I’ve got some instant coffee in the
cupboard.”
    There
was a rustle of cellophane. Eddie appeared at her side, so close that she could
feel his breath on her cheek. He said, “I’ve got coffee too, use this.”
    Grace
swallowed and muttered, “Thanks.”
    Eddie
sat down at the table and watched her. “It’s a shame we didn’t get the chance
to work together, I’m sure we would have got on well.”
    Over
my dead body, Grace thought. Then she shivered, thoughts like that were not
helping.
    She
made two coffees and turned back to Eddie, he was gazing around the kitchen, a
smug smile on his face.
    Quick
as a flash Grace threw the coffee on him. She yelled, “Oh no! Eddie! I’m so
sorry! Are you alright? Your jacket! Let me take it, I’ll wipe it down.”
    She
made such a fuss that Eddie didn’t know what was going on. Grace whipped his
jacket off and ran