A Family Divided (Dividing Line #3) by Heather Atkinson Read Free Book Online Page A

Fine, as long as you’re back early. I have plans for you.”
    “ I will.”
    He gave her a long lingering kiss before starting the engine, adjusting himself as he experienced a tightness in the trouser department. “Let’s go home, Adela will be bringing the kids back soon.”

CHAPTER 4
     
    Dolores, manager of Martina ’s Bar and a good friend to Rachel, was positively ecstatic about Rachel’s offer to finance her on a trip to the casino. The club was starting to fill up quickly and Rachel was glad no one was letting the activities of The Slasher put them off a good night out. They were sat at the end of the bar chatting, Dolores keeping one eye on the staff. Since The Slasher had started operating Rachel had upped security, using protégés trained by Battler and Bruiser themselves working in three teams of two, all properly licensed and wearing smart black suits with radios and earpieces. Rachel didn’t deal in amateur gorillas.
    “ Too right I’ll do it. I’ve never been to The Crown but I have heard a lot about it,” enthused Dolores, her considerable bosom wobbling with excitement. She was a short neat woman in her early fifties with cropped blond hair. She always dressed smartly in tailored skirt suits, the top buttons of her blouse left open to expose the cleavage she was so proud of. She’d worked at the bar since it opened and had risen to Bar Manager, until Rachel decided to take a step back to spend more time with her kids and made her General Manager of not only this club but her other two as well and she was making an excellent job of it.
    “ All you have to do is keep a subtle eye out, see who comes in, what’s going on. I’ll give you two grand stake money, which you can keep plus any winnings.”
    “ I’ll come out with a bloody sight more than that.”
    “ I know you will Dee,” said Rachel fondly. “Thanks for this.”
    “ I should be the one saying thanks, its been a while since I’ve had a good flutter. Is it okay if I take Vince with me?” Vince was her long suffering husband who worshipped the ground his small but formidable wife walked on.
    “ Course you can. Does he play?”
    “ Yeah but he’s shite, I kick his arse every time. If anyone asks I can say he’s taking me out for our anniversary.”
    “ Is it your anniversary?”
    “ No but it’s a good cover. It’ll be thirty years in September, pearl. What am I supposed to buy a man like Vince that’s made of pearl? Daft it is.”
    “ Remind me, we’ll throw a party. That’s something to celebrate.”
    “ Not if you’d been married to the miserable sod all that time.” Despite her words, it was said with great affection. “Obviously I can’t do tomorrow night because I’ll be here but we can go Sunday night.”
    “ That’s fine. So how do the staff feel about working here with The Slasher on the loose?”
    “ They’re fine by it. They feel safe with the Maguire name above the door, like it’s a magic talisman that can keep away the bad people.”
    “ And what do you think?”
    “ In my experience, the Maguire name can attract the bad people too.”
    “ I can’t disagree with you there.” Rachel had always appreciated Dolores’s straightforward way of speaking, an increasingly rare trait these days. She wished Alex would be so open with her. “I might as well go over the books while I’m here, although I’m sure they’re in order. I’ll be in the office if you need me.”
    “ Okay,” said Dolores, returning to her post behind the bar. Despite her new loftier position, that was where she was happiest.
    It didn ’t take Rachel long to check the books. Just like all her other businesses it was running perfectly, everything in order and making a profit. She replaced the books in the safe then reclined back in her chair, wishing she could have a scotch but she was driving. Maybe she should look into The Crown Casino more closely? There was skulduggery afoot and she wanted to know what it was, she