The Love Detective by Alexandra Potter Read Free Book Online Page B

friends,’ she protests.
    ‘That’s what everyone says,’ I counter, giving her a long look.
    She avoids my gaze and tosses her hair over her shoulder. ‘We bond on a spiritual level,’ she replies haughtily.
    ‘Oh come on,’ I tease, ‘I saw his six-pack!’
    ‘Really? I hadn’t noticed,’ she replies innocently.
    ‘You fibber!’ I laugh.
    ‘Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she says, all agitated. ‘And I’m not going to stand here all day, I’m going to breakfast. Coming?’ And without waiting for my answer, she turns on her heel and stalks up the beach.

Chapter 6
    Breakfast is a feast of fresh fruit, banana pancakes and masala omelettes, which are made of a mixture of delicate spices and the most delicious things I think I’ve ever tasted. Most of the other guests seem to be couples, though there are a group of guys from Manchester; I hear one of them talking loudly about a silent rave he’d been to on the beach, where everyone wore headphones.
    Which, considering the volume of his voice, is probably what the people at the neighbouring table wish they were wearing.
    But that’s most likely because it’s just so quiet here. Anything would seem loud against the backdrop of birdcalls and gentle ocean waves, I reflect, as I go for a walk with Amy along the beach afterwards. After the noise and fast pace of London, Goa is like a shifting down of gears to a much more relaxed pace of life. With the warm sand between our toes, we pass fishermen bringing in their nets, wide-smiled stallholders inviting us to ‘just look’ and beachfront cafés with names like ‘chill-out zone’ right on the water’s edge, where it would be impossible to do anything else but chill out.
    As usual, Amy snaps back like an elastic band to her normal chatty self, and the next couple of hours are spent catching up on the gossip from home and hearing about her trip.
    ‘It’s been incredible, Rubes,’ she enthuses. ‘I’ve seen so many things and met so many people! Like this great group of South Africans I met in my hostel in Bangkok . . . we had so much fun . . . you’d love Thailand . . . all the temples, and monks in orange robes, and this huge, giant Buddha that’s made entirely out of gold . . .’
    I look across at my sister as she gesticulates wildly, her face shining with enthusiasm, and feel a sudden beat of pride. My little sister’s all grown up. It feels like only yesterday that she was so homesick on a school trip, she clung to my hand and refused to get on the minibus. And now look at her! Travelling to far-flung places like Thailand and seeing all these amazing cultural sights.
    ‘And we went to this wicked full-moon party in Koh Phangan . . .’
    ‘A full-moon party?’ Of course, it’s my sister, there had to be a party in there somewhere.
    ‘Yeh, it was totally crazy,’ she laughs, then pauses. ‘Actually, on second thoughts, I’m not sure you’d love that bit.’
    ‘Hey, I like parties!’ I protest indignantly. Honestly, Amy thinks anyone over thirty should be in an old people’s home.
    ‘Not twenty-four-hour ones with rave music,’ she points out.
    I pull a face. ‘OK, perhaps not,’ I agree, ‘but I seem to remember you’re the one who can’t handle a party.’
    ‘Huh?’ She frowns.
    ‘Jamie Richardson’s sixteenth birthday party?’ I prompt.
    She lets out a loud groan. ‘Oh god, I’d forgotten all about that!’
    ‘I haven’t,’ I tease, laughing at her cringing. ‘And I’m not sure Detective Sergeant Harrison has either.’
    At the mention of his name she lets out a loud shriek.
    ‘I couldn’t believe it when he rang the house to tell us you’d been arrested,’ I continue.
    She clutches at her face. ‘Oh Rubes, it was awful!’
    ‘I know! I had to come get you,’ I remind her.
    ‘It wasn’t my fault!’ she protests, ‘I was only fifteen, I’d never drunk alcohol before, but someone gave me a glass of cider . . .’
    I raise my