When Night Closes in by Iris Gower Read Free Book Online Page A

soap on the television. It was something she had enjoyed from the security of her relationship with Jon. Now the thought of a night alone had lost its appeal.
    â€˜That’s settled. We’ll pick you up at half seven. OK?’
    Lowri was saved from replying by the sound of the buzzer signalling the appearance of a client. She looked up and felt a frisson of surprise to see Sarah Brandon standing in the doorway leading through from reception.
    She moved into the room, tall, well-groomed, with a look that would freeze the sea. She stared at Lowri without interest and then turned her attention to Sally, who was still sitting on the desk admiring her legs.
    â€˜I want to know something.’ She dispensed with any niceties. ‘You dealt with the lease for the property in Plunch Lane, didn’t you?’
    â€˜Well, not personally,’ Sally said. ‘Our Mr Watson holds the lease to all the properties along the coast there.’
    â€˜But you knew my husband? You went out with him? There is no way Jon would stay in this dead-and-alive hole unless he had found a woman and you are just his type, blonde, leggy and a little common.’
    â€˜Excuse me!’ Sally slid from the desk. ‘I don’t know who you think you are talking to but I don’t have to take that from anyone.’
    Lowri rose to her feet. ‘Mrs Brandon,’ she said, ‘please, Sally did not even meet Jon – Mr Brandon.’
    Sarah ignored her. ‘Tell me you didn’t sleep with him then?’ Her eyes never left Sally’s face. ‘I smelt your perfume on the pillows and shower gel of the sort I would never use was in the bathroom.’
    â€˜What makes you think it was me?’ Sally said. ‘I don’t believe in going out with someone old enough to be my father.’
    â€˜Liar!’ Sarah spoke harshly. ‘He had money, he flattered you, gave you a good time. Don’t try to get out of it, I found your name and address and phone number in his suit pocket at home. He knew you before he even came here. You are Sally White, aren’t you?’
    â€˜Well, yes.’ Sally looked trapped. ‘But I really don’t know why he should have my name and address, I didn’t know him from Adam!’
    She was lying, even Lowri could see it. But why, what did Sally have to do with Jon? Sally threw an agonized glance in Lowri’s direction.
    â€˜Look,’ Lowri spoke more forcefully, ‘we sometimes give out our private number so that clients can contact us. Now if you have a complaint about the property we have leased you, why don’t you make an appointment and come back when one of the solicitors is free?’
    Lowri felt she was invisible. Sarah Brandon ignored her and looked Sally up and down with insulting deliberation.
    â€˜He likes his bits of stuff to have little or no brain, those are the types he can fool easily. Jon likes to play the field, he believes that variety is the spice of life and he boasts about his conquests to me afterwards.’ She turned away in disgust. ‘Women can be such fools!’
    The door clicked shut behind her. Lowri looked at Sally. ‘Wow!’ She took a deep breath. ‘Why did Jon have your name and address, Sally,
were
you involved with him?’
    â€˜No!’ Sally sat at her desk and rubbed her face with her hands. ‘No of course I wasn’t. I didn’t even meet him, you know that.’
    Lowri felt tired. It seemed that Jon led a complicated life. Well, perhaps one of those complications had finally caught up with him in the shape of a jealous husband. Perhaps that was why he ran off so suddenly.
    â€˜Let’s forget him,’ Sally said angrily. ‘All he’s brought us is trouble. It would have been better if he had never set foot in this place.’ She sounded near to tears and Lowri had shed enough tears of her own without trying to deal with those of anyone else.
    She opened her