TICK TOCK RUN (Romantic Mystery Suspense) by H Elliston Read Free Book Online

threats.
    Lee nodded while pointing at the big fat zero numbers on the screen.  “His timer ran out.  He’s dead.”
    I tried to think of an alternative conclusion.  “The email and Daryl’s death aren’t necessarily linked.  It could be a coincidence.”
    “If I hadn’t read your note I’d never have checked Daryl’s emails, because on Saturday night I assumed you’d made it up, were drunk, or after a story,” Lee said.  “But, I did check.  And I realise now that he wanted me to find this message.  That’s why he texted me that phrase before he died.” 
    “Okay.  So someone wants to scare me.  Well done.  They’ve succeeded.  But, you can’t be sure this is linked to—”
    Lee drew a frustrated breath.  “I’m sure.  I’m sorry, Chelsea.  There’s no way of breaking this delicately.  I think someone’s out to kill you.”
    No.  The whole thing seemed crazy and a big part of me refused to believe it.  I looked sideways at him.  “You have it wrong.  I didn’t even know your brother.  Someone’s trying to scare me, yes, but kill me?”
    Lee set his hand on my shoulder and unnerved me with his serious glare.  “Yes.  Kill you.”
    My heart banged faster. 
    “Daryl was first.  You’re number two.  It’s all here in the emails.”
    “I need a minute,” I said, my mind moving in circles.  I’d expected my week off work to be for helping Laura organise her wedding, not for going on the run.
    Lee spun my seat until we came face to face. 
    I saw enough to notice his pained expression.  I’d seen sufficient faces of customers leaving the dental surgery to recognise pain; extraction, fillings.  But this look struck me as different.  It was deep, an inner pain. 
    Only one question stood between knowing and not knowing how seriously to take the threat.
    My cheeks must have been glowing scarlet by now.  “Phillip told me Daryl’s death was an accident, but that you’re not convinced.  Did your brother jump, slip or what?” 
    “The coroner ruled it as an accident.”
    “But you don’t believe that, do you?  You wouldn’t be here if you did.”  I took his silence as a bad sign and my heart twitched in my chest.  “Why don’t you believe the ruling?” 
    His lips didn’t part.
    “I need to know.”  My voice sounded cracked at the guilt of hoping his brother had committed suicide or slipped.  If so, the email meant nothing.  I tugged his sleeve.  “What I need to know is, is this email an empty threat?  You brought me here.  Don’t hold back on me now.” 
    Leaning in closer, wanting to untangle Lee’s locked-in thoughts, my gaze studied his face.  He stonewalled me during an agonizing silence, which suggested he gave his answer serious thought. 
    Lee steepled his fingers, then stared point blank into my eyes.  “He seemed worried about something, yes.  But not depressed.  When something troubled him he usually went for a drive, not hike up a goddamn hill.  Evidence may suggest an accident, but I knew my brother.”
    “So, you think—”
    “Not think.”  Lee pointed at the computer screen.  “Daryl was number one.  I’m now convinced that whoever sent him this email, lured him and pushed him to his death.”
    For a second, I struggled to breathe.  Shit.  I’m number two.  This is for real. 
    Lee spoke again, but I didn’t listen.  The shock wouldn’t let me concentrate. 
    I wanted to get up and run out of the café, but the words ’pushed him’ seemed to nail me to the chair. 
    “Chelsea,” he said loudly, snapping me back to reality.
    My gaze attached to his, silently requesting another explanation.  Somewhere below awareness, I knew I’d expected chilling news.  But not to this extent.  “Tell me this is a wind up so I can go back to my friend, play the doting bridesmaid, and forget the whole thing.”  In my head, I began conjuring up alternative meanings.
    “I’m sorry.  I’d love to tell you that email