Playing with Fire by Peter Robinson Read Free Book Online Page B

to be a simple job. I ask you the questions and you give me honest answers. I’m not here to judge you. I don’t care what kind of girl you are. I don’t care if you just fancied a bit of rough and Mark—”
    Mandy reddened. “It wasn’t like that!”
    â€œThen tell me what it was like.”
    â€œWhat’s this all about? What has Mark done?”
    Annie didn’t want to give Mandy any reason for prevarication, and she knew that every piece of information altered the equation. “You answer my questions first,” she said, “then I’ll tell you why I’m asking them.”
    â€œThat’s not fair.”
    â€œIt’s the only deal you’ll get. Take it or leave it.”
    Mandy glared at her, then settled down to playing with her curls again. She let the silence stretch before answering. “Mark came to the pub a few times, at lunchtime, like I said. It was the holiday period, so I was working extra shifts. I liked him. He wasn’t a bit of rough.” She gave Annie a harsh glance. “Maybe he seemed like that on the surface, but underneath, he’s…well, he’s a nice bloke, and you don’t get to meet many of those.”
    So cynical so young, Annie thought, but Mandy had a point. Annie thought of Banks. He was a nice bloke, but she had split up with him. Maybe she should have hung on to him instead. He had another girlfriend now, she knew, even though he didn’t like to talk about her. Annie was surprised at the flash of jealousy she felt whenever she knew he was going away for the weekend. Was she younger than Annie? Prettier? Better in bed? Or just less difficult? Well, she had her reasons for doing what she did, she told herself, so let it be.
    â€œHe’d flirt a bit and we’d chat,” Mandy went on. “You know what it’s like.”
    â€œWhat about last night?”
    â€œHe came to the pub late. He seemed a bit upset.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œHe didn’t say. He just seemed depressed, like he had a lot on his mind.”
    â€œWhat time was this?”
    â€œAbout a quarter to eleven. Nearly closing time. He only had the one pint.”
    â€œThen what?”
    â€œI invited him back here for a coffee.”
    â€œSo he was here?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œWhy did you lie to me?”
    â€œBecause I didn’t want you to think I was a tramp or a slag or anything. It wasn’t like that at all. I only asked him up for a coffee because I felt sorry for him.”
    â€œWhat happened?” Annie asked.
    â€œWe talked, mostly.”
    â€œMostly?”
    Mandy looked down, examining her thumbnail. “Well, you know…One thing led to another. Look, I don’t have to spell it out, do I?”
    â€œWhat did you talk about?”
    â€œLife.”
    â€œThat’s a big subject. Can you narrow it down a bit for me?”
    â€œYou know, relationships, hopes for the future, that sort of thing. We’d never really talked like that before.” She frowned. “Nothing’s happened to him, has it? Please tell me he’s all right.”
    â€œHe’s fine,” said Annie. “Did he tell you about Tina?”
    â€œTina? Who’s that?”
    â€œNever mind,” said Annie. “What did he talk about?”
    â€œDoes he have a girlfriend? He never told me. The two-timing bastard.”
    â€œMandy, can you remember what he talked about?”
    It took Mandy a few moments to control her anger and answer. “The boat. Living on the boat. How he was only working on a building site, but he wanted to get into masonry and church-restoration work. He told me he had a sister on drugs, and he wanted to help her. That sort of thing. Like I said, relationships, dreams. Wait a minute! Was that Tina? His sister?”
    â€œI don’t know,” said Annie. “Did he say anything about someone called Tom?”
    â€œTom? No. Who’s