Snarl by Celina Grace Read Free Book Online Page B

someone like me end up here? She remembered chaotic mornings in her mother’s filthy kitchen; the shouting, the hunt for a clean bowl, the rancid smell of the milk that hadn’t been put away in the fridge overnight. Too many children, too much stuff everywhere. Trying to get herself ready for school, trying to find a shirt that wasn’t too dirty. Kate shuddered and looked about her again, at the cleanliness and luxury, taking comfort in the beautiful view through the sparkling windows.
    A hand appeared from behind her , bearing a plate loaded with food.
    “Dig in,” said Andrew. “If you manage to get through that lot, I’ll be amazed.”
    “I’ll give it my best shot,” said Kate, smiling up at him. “Wouldn’t want you slaving over a hot stove for nothing.”
    Andrew sank into a chair opposite her with his own full plate in front of him. He picked up the sports section of The Times, flapped it open and settled back in his chair with a loud sigh of contentment. Kate began attacking her breakfast with appreciative noises.
    Andrew looked up after a moment. “I like seeing you at my breakfast table,” he commented.
    “I like being here. Particularly when I get a full English breakfast cooked for me.”
    Andrew smiled. “Perhaps we ought to make it a more permanent arrangement,” he said, flipping the page of the newspaper.
    Kate froze, laden fork halfway to her mouth. A piece of bacon fell back onto her plate . “Sorry?” she asked, after a second that felt more like a minute.
    “Make it a more permanent arrangement,” repeated Andrew. He was still perusing the newspaper and his tone was casual. “What do you think?”
    Kate put her fork back down on her plate. “Well—” she began carefully, but was interrupted when her mobile rang, loud and insistently. She could feel it vibrating in her dressing gown pocket.
    She fished it out. The shock of Andrew’s words was nothing compared to the shock of seeing Anderton’s name glowing on the screen of her telephone. She fumbled to answer it.
    “Hello, sir.”
    She could tell something had happened even before he spoke. There was something heavy in the dead air humming between the satellite signals that brought his voice to hers.
    “Kate. Sorry to interrupt whatever it is you’re doing. I know you’re not supposed to be working.”
    “It’s fine,” Kate said quickly. She could feel her pulse quicken. “What is it?”
    “The usual. Worse than usual. I need you here right away. “
    “No problem—“
    “I’m sending Mark over to get you. He can fill you in on the way.”
    “No problem,” said Kate again. She felt a little winded. Worse than usual…what the hell did that mean? Then she remembered Anderton didn’t know she wasn’t at her own home. She explained.
    “Stanton’s place? Yes of course – Mark said something— ” Anderton sounded… well, she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Pissed off? Amused? It was the merest trace of something, gone in an instant as he went straight back into professional mode. “I’ll tell Mark to take a detour then. Does he know where your paramour lives?”
    “Yes he does.” I’ve been seeing him for almost a year, you know . “I’ll be ready.”
    “Right. See you soon.”
    “Do we have an ID on the victim yet?” asked Kate quickly, before he could ring off.
    Anderton was silent for a moment. “We’ve ID’d one of them,” he said, eventually.
    “ One of them?” repeated Kate and Andrew looked up from his paper at her tone.
    “This is a multiple murder, Kate. Didn’t I say?” No, you didn’t . “It’s one of the co-directors of the MedGen Facility.”
    “Alex Hargreaves?” asked Kate, shocked.
    “No, Jack Dorsey.” Dead air hummed down the line again for a second. “That’s all we’ve got at the moment. See you soon.”
    The broken line bleeped in Kate’s ear.  She put the phone back in her pocket. Andrew was looking at her from across the table, his mouth crimped.
    “Was