The Far Side of the Sun by Kate Furnivall Read Free Book Online Page A

standing in the dark on the balcony of their bedroom. Mosquitoes whined around her ears and somewhere in the distance the deep bass rumble of the ocean could be heard as it crooned to itself and sculpted the island into shape. Ella had never been a keen swimmer and now felt her limbs too weak to contemplate such a thing. She tried to remember when she had last eaten something, but couldn’t.

Reggie materialised at her elbow, as though he’d been just waiting for the sound of her voice.

‘Reggie, I’ve been hearing whispers. Is it true that the Duke is moving large sums of money around?’

‘I say, Ella, old thing. That’s frightfully indiscreet of you. Not like your usual self at all.’

Ella turned away and rested her elbow on the balcony ledge. The silence between them was filled by the cicadas and the dull refrain of the tree frogs.

‘But then,’ Reggie said in the kind of conciliatory voice he was good at, ‘you haven’t been quite your usual self recently.’ He paused. ‘Have you?’

‘These murders are upsetting.’

‘Of course.’

That was all. Neither could find anything more to say, so after a wait that only emphasised the vacant air between them, Reggie removed himself from the balcony and went inside.

‘Help me, Reggie,’ she whispered. ‘Please, please, help me.’ Her head dropped on to her hands and she shivered.
     
    It was just after eight o’clock in the morning when Ella drove past Dan’s house the first time. Cars were parked in drives, shutters stood open, there was an atmosphere of purpose and activity in the street that was foreign to her. The houses weren’t dozing peacefully in the afternoon sun, as they had been before. She felt a stranger. Unwelcome. When she drove past the house in her Rover for the third time, she caught sight of Dan at the upstairs window. He was wearing a shirt and tie, and must have just stepped out of a shower because his hair looked wet and sleek. Neither waved.

A thin streak of pain travelled up from Ella’s chest to her throat and she looked down at her cream chiffon blouse expecting to see blood on it. There was none, of course.

Of course.

She turned the car back towards East Bay Street and headed in the direction of Hector’s office for her appointment with him, the image of Dan with his wet hair branded on her mind.

Don’t you know that when I am not with you, I die?
     
    ‘Hector, how kind of you to see me.’

‘My dear Ella, I can think of no better way to start my day.’ Hector Latcham kissed her cheek, guided her to a comfortable chair and summoned coffee for his guest. ‘Now how can I help you?’

‘I need to find out a bit about Portman Cay.’

‘Portman Cay?’ Hector repeated, frowning as he tried to place the name.

‘I believe you did the legal work on it when it was sold recently. For Harold Christie.’

‘Ah yes, I did indeed.’ He tapped his forehead with a self-deprecating laugh. ‘So many transactions in there that sometimes they get put in the wrong files.’ He sipped his coffee and regarded her thoughtfully over the rim of the delicate porcelain cup. ‘But what’s your interest in it, Ella? Not your usual preoccupation.’ He offered her a cigarette from an ebony box and lit one for her with a flourish.

‘To be honest, Hector, my curiosity has been roused by a rumour I’ve heard about Portman Cay.’

He crossed his legs, and it occurred to Ella how fit he looked for a man of his age, somewhere around fortyish. It reminded her of Dan.

‘As you’re a lawyer, Hector, I know I can trust you. I’ve been hearing about big money deals. What’s going on out there?’

‘Don’t worry your head about it, my dear.’

‘I asked Reggie.’

‘Did you indeed? What did Reggie say?’

‘He told me I’d best keep my nose out of it too.’

‘Good advice.’

Ella drew on her cigarette tetchily. ‘I’m not so sure. Portman Cay seems to tie in somehow with the deaths of Morrell and Sir