Murder Vows (Storage Ghost Murders Book 4) by Gillian Larkin Read Free Book Online Page A

change her. I don’t like seeing you in this state,
Sylvia, you put everyone else before yourself. Take a day off, go to the spa.”
    Sylvia
laughed. “I can’t take a day off, there’s so much to organise. You know what
it’s like. Anyway, I like to be busy. And you can’t expect Jessie to help, not
after ...”
    Sylvia
was interrupted by the waitress. Grace heard Sylvia laugh again as the waitress
announced the delivery of a full English breakfast.
    “Really,
Gordon! When was the last time you had something like this?”
    There
was a pause and the waitress moved away. Gordon said, “I felt like I needed a
full meal. I didn’t have time for breakfast this morning. It does look too much
though. Help yourself to something.”
    Grace
heard the concern in Sylvia’s voice as she spoke softly, “Gordon, what’s wrong?
It’s not like you to miss breakfast. And don’t think I haven’t noticed you’re
not sleeping well. What’s on your mind?”
    There
was a sigh and the sound of a plate being pushed to one side. Gordon said, “I’m
trying to hold it together, for Jessie’s sake. But this is a difficult time. I
keep thinking about ...”
    Once
again the waitress interrupted Grace’s secret eavesdropping operation. It
wasn’t the one that took Grace’s order, it was another girl that now beamed
down at her.
    “Grace!
I thought it was you! How are you?”
    Grace
gave the purple-haired waitress a blank look.
    The
waitress laughed and said, “It’s me, Chloe! I’ve dyed my hair since we last
met, it used to be green. I went out with your Frankie for a while.”
    Grace
forced a smile. One of Frankie’s ex-girlfriends, this could be awkward.
    It
was awkward. Chloe went on. “When I heard that someone had ordered a corned
beef, sausage and fried egg sandwich, with ketchup, I thought there’s only one
person I know that would order that! Frankie Abrahams! But it’s you! Is the
sandwich for Frankie?”
    Grace
could only nod. Chloe was very loud. All conversations in the cafe had stopped.
Or it might be that Chloe was booming over the top of everyone’s voices.
    Chloe
looked wistfully over to the antique shop. “Me and Frankie had a great time
together, a good connection. We were on the same level, you know. I miss him.
He said he’d phone me but I think our love was too strong for him.”
    Grace
now remembered Chloe. Frankie had complained of a headache every time he
returned from a date with her. Grace now knew why.
    Chloe
stared brightly at Grace and asked, “Is he single? I think it’s time we gave
our love another go. I’ll tone down my love vibes. Look, I’ll write my new
number down, he’s probably been trying me on my old number.”
    “Probably,”
Grace mumbled. She wished Chloe would hurry up and leave. She could hear Gordon
talking about something. And what was that Sylvia just said? Did she mention
Archie’s name?
    Chloe
took for ever to write her number down. Then the original waitress returned
with Grace’s takeout sandwich and tea, she put them on the table. The two
waitresses glared at each other, the original one tutted and walked away.
    Chloe
muttered, “Miserable cow. Grace, I’ve put my number down. I am seeing someone
but he won’t mind if I share my love with Frankie too.”
    Grace’s
stomach heaved. She was finding it harder to maintain a polite smile.
    “Excuse
me, please.”
    It
was Sylvia. She smiled politely at Chloe and said, “I love that hair colour, it
suits you. Would you mind if we squeezed past? Thank you.”
    Chloe
moved and Grace watched in despair as Sylvia left, followed by Gordon.
    Now
what? She could still get Gordon’s telephone number.
    Grace
stood up, grabbed the sandwich, pushed some money into Chloe’s hand and raced
out of the shop.
    She
skidded to a halt as someone hollered her name.
    She
looked over at the person hollering. It was a furious-looking Frankie standing
in the doorway of the shop.
     

Chapter 13
     
    Grace
looked towards the cafe car