Follow the Leader by Mel Sherratt Read Free Book Online Page A

in a car seat. Rhian’s heart melted at the sight of a pink hat and matching coat. Recently, she’d begun to feel a maternal tug towards babies, which shocked her completely. She’d always thought she’d never have children so it was a strange feeling – although she wondered if she would cope with a small being relying on her twenty-four-seven.
    As the lights changed to green and they both drove off in opposite directions, Rhian imagined what it would be like to pull into the drive at home and pick up a baby rather than a bag of ready-made food from the back seat. But then again, an afternoon lounging in a luxurious bath with a glass of something chilled before Joe was due back was pretty tempting too.
    She turned into a small estate of newly built houses off Victoria Road. A minute later, she was in Smallwood Avenue and parking her car in the drive of number four only to find that Joe was home before her. Frowning, she wondered what had brought him back so early.
    Rhian had been living with Joe for the past two years. Joe owned the property, a four-bedroom house in a row of almost identical ones. It was tidy, although lacking charisma, but Rhia n lo ved living there. It still gave her a buzz to let herself in, walk the length of the long hall. Off it was a living room equivalent to the size of the downstairs of her parents’ home, and after that was the kitchen with its conservatory that opened out onto a garden with a hot tub that she made the most of whenever the weather was fit.
    ‘Only me, babe,’ she said as she opened the front door and pulled her key from the lock. She hung up her coat and went through into the kitchen.
    Joe was sitting forward in a chair, watching Sky News. All hunched up, looking intense – it didn’t do anything for him. Rhian’s friends often teased her, knowing she was only after a sugar daddy, always asking what it was like to wake up next to someone sixteen years older. But she did enjoy the status of dating an older guy, and the perks that came with being with this one. Was it worth it just for the money he gave to her? Hell, yes. But even though everyone assumed he was rolling in money because of his ex-wife, Rhian knew differently. Joe had money of his own stashed away too. He’d told her he’d never go short, having come away from a bad marriage with a good pay-out. It was one of the reasons she was still with him. That, and his broody look and sex appeal. Even at forty-two, he was certainly eye candy.
    ‘You’re home earlier than planned.’ She went to sit in his lap but he pushed her aside, intent on watching the screen. ‘What’ s up?’
    ‘Job finished early,’ he said. ‘There was a bloke murdered yesterday.’
    ‘What – you mean here in Stoke?’ Rhian gasped.
    ‘Yes, haven’t you heard? It’s been all over the news.’
    ‘No, I must have missed the bulletins.’ Rhian omitted to tell him she hadn’t heard a thing because she’d been gossiping with friends. She turned to focus on the screen a little better, watching a clip of a white tent over the side of a canal bank. She leaned a bit closer. ‘Ooh, that’s Etruria, isn’t it?’
    ‘Yeah, poor bastard was attacked while he walked the dog. I know him, too. We went to school together.’
    Rhian turned back to him sharply. ‘Please don’t tell me the dog is dead too.’
    Joe shook his head. ‘No, it made its own way home.’
    ‘Oh, the poor thing.’
    ‘We’re talking about a bloke who’s been murdered.’ Joe’s pitch was one of exasperation. ‘Out for a walk with his dog, stabbed and left for dead. I can’t believe it’s Mickey.’
    ‘When did you last see him?’
    ‘We didn’t keep in touch after school, but –’
    ‘Well, you hardly know him then.’
    ‘Doesn’t make it any better.’
    ‘I suppose.’ Rhian paused. ‘Anyway, what do you fancy to eat for lunch? I got a piece of gammon at half-price – needs to be eaten today, really. Or a couple of ready-meals.’
    ‘I’m not