Dangerous Games by Sally Spencer Read Free Book Online Page A

the mile from the bridge where he was found hanged, Woodend thought.
    â€˜Is that his usual waterin’ hole?’ he wondered.
    â€˜No, he usually goes – he usually
went
– to the Bull and Bush, which is just around the corner from here.’
    â€˜An’ was there any particular reason for him goin’ to the Tanners’ Arms instead?’
    â€˜Yes, as a matter of fact, there was. He was meeting an old school-mate of his, who he hadn’t seen for years.’
    â€˜Does he have a name, this old school-mate of his?’
    â€˜Mark Hough.’
    â€˜If he hadn’t seen him for years, why had he suddenly arranged to see him last night?’
    â€˜He didn’t say.’
    â€˜And didn’t you ask?’
    â€˜Yes, I did ask, but he was very cagey about the whole thing.’
    â€˜Then perhaps he had …’
    â€˜But he wasn’t cagey like he would have been if he’d had something he wanted to hide from me.’
    â€˜No?’
    â€˜No! It was more like he was holding back on a nice surprise, until the time was right.’
    â€˜Was he big on surprises?’ Woodend wondered.
    â€˜He … he
always
liked to surprise me.’ Mary Pugh started to cry again. ‘He … he was such a lovely man.’
    â€˜I think you’d better go now!’ Elaine Rogers said fiercely.
    â€˜Aye, I think you’re probably right,’ Woodend agreed.
    The sister, her footfalls beating out an angry tattoo on the floor, led the two police officers down the hallway. At first, Woodend thought it was only to make sure they really left the premises, but by the time they reached the front door it was clear that she had more to say – and that she didn’t want Mary Pugh to hear it.
    They stepped out into the garden, and Elaine Rogers closed the front door behind them.
    â€˜How dare you even
suggest
to her that Terry didn’t kill himself?’ she demanded angrily.
    â€˜What makes you so sure that he
did
kill himself, Mrs Rogers?’ Woodend countered.
    â€˜If nothing else, there was the look I saw on his face when he got that letter,’ Elaine Rogers said.
    â€˜What letter?’
    Elaine Rogers glanced over her shoulder, as if to check that her sister had not followed them into the hallway and was now crouched down and listening through the letterbox.
    â€˜This pregnancy’s been very rough on our Mary,’ she said. ‘She’s had morning sickness as bad as I’ve seen it. So last week, when Terry was working shift, I said I’d stay with her overnight, in case she needed anything. That’s how I happened to be here when Terry came home from work in the morning.’
    â€˜An’ that’s when he got the letter?’ Woodend guessed.
    â€˜And that’s when he got the letter,’ Elaine agreed. ‘I had to let him into the house, because I’d got his keys. He saw the letter lying on the mat, and picked it up. It didn’t worry him – not at first. I remember him saying something like, “Well, here’s a rum thing – a letter with a typewritten address.” But when he opened it, and read what it said, he went very pale. And the next minute, he’s rushing up the stairs to the bathroom. He closed the door behind him, but even from the hallway I could hear the sound of him being sick.’
    â€˜You didn’t see this letter yourself?’ Woodend asked.
    â€˜No, I don’t read other people’s correspondence. Besides, before he ran upstairs, he screwed it up, and jammed it into his pocket.’
    â€˜Was it a long letter?’
    â€˜No, it was a single sheet of paper. And I think it was typewritten, like the envelope.’
    â€˜What was in the letter?’ Woodend asked.
    â€˜How would I know?’
    â€˜He might have said.’
    â€˜He didn’t! Not then – and not later.’
    â€˜Well, then, you can’t know anythin’ at all