Hold Your Breath by Caroline Green Read Free Book Online Page A

his collar and he had a tiny beard with girlish soft lips. His brown eyes were fringed with long lashes and it was possible he had a little bit of
eyeliner on too. A leather satchel was slung across his shoulder.
    He stepped back a little further. Tara tried to think quickly if anything in her bag could be used as a weapon and slipped her hand inside.
    ‘Please,’ he said, ‘don’t be frightened of me. I only want to talk to you, that’s all.’
    ‘Why?’ snapped Tara, reaching into her bag. There was a deodorant spray in there. She could spray it in his eyes, perhaps. ‘How do you even know me?’
    The man ran a hand over his thick dark hair, which was greasy at the roots.
    ‘I saw you talking to Leo at the pool,’ he said, with a pleading sort of expression. ‘He won’t talk to me . . . but I thought you might.’
    Alarm leapt in her throat again. She remembered the figure she’d seen earlier in the rain. ‘Have you been following me?’
    ‘Yes,’ he said, and she gasped at his honesty. Then he added hurriedly, ‘I was trying to pluck up courage to talk to Leo again but then I saw you and noticed your bag and . . .
thought you might be able to help.’
    ‘Help with what?’ said Tara stiffly, pulling the bag across her front, like a shield.
    ‘I only wanted to ask if you’ve heard from her, that’s all!’ His shoulders sagged. ‘I’ve asked all her friends, but no one seems to be able to tell me
anything.’
    ‘What’s to tell?’ said Tara warily, but her hand was already moving away from the deodorant. There was nothing threatening about him now she’d got over the shock, not
really.
    He glanced around. ‘Look, I know you have no reason to trust me and you don’t know me, but can I get you a coffee or something? Just so we can talk?’
    Tara regarded him. For all she knew, he could be some kind of rapist or axe murderer. But she didn’t have enough money left to buy anything to eat. And she was curious to know why he was
worried about Melodie. Her curiosity – along with hunger and thirst – won over reticence and she nodded hesitantly.
    ‘All right then,’ she said. ‘But I haven’t got very long.’
    There was a café across the road called the Blue Cuckoo. The walls were hung with mirrors of all shapes and sizes and wooden painted birds hung on strings from the ceiling. Folk music
played quietly in the background and the air was rich with coffee. The man bought two large doughnuts without asking her and brought over a glass of juice, which Tara had requested. Her mouth
watered at the thought of the doughnut but she watched his every move as he handled her drink, in case he tried to slip something into it. She’d read about that too.
    His hands trembled as he lifted his own espresso. He didn’t look like a man who needed caffeine. He practically hummed with nervous energy. His eyes met with Tara’s.
    ‘I’m Will,’ he said, searching her face. ‘Mel’s boyfriend.’
    Tara took a bite of the doughnut to avoid having to answer. She chewed it and then swallowed before taking a sip of the orange juice. Her energy levels started to rise again.
    ‘Aren’t you a bit old for her?’ she said.
    Will looked affronted. ‘I’m only twenty,’ he said.
    ‘Yeah, and she’s fifteen,’ said Tara, wishing she didn’t sound so much like her mum.
    ‘Age is an artificial construct,’ said Will haughtily. ‘It means nothing when you’re in love. Why does everyone think this is such a big deal?’
    ‘Whatever,’ said Tara. ‘Look, what do you want?’
    He lowered his eyes and fiddled with the small cup in front of him with long slender fingers.
    ‘I just want to know that she’s okay, that’s all,’ he said. ‘I’ve tried calling her, but it doesn’t ring. I must have sent twenty emails but
there’s no reply.’ He sat back in his seat. ‘Something’s not right. I haven’t been able to sleep. And anyway, look what I found yesterday.’
    Will reached into his bag and