Page 36 of Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake
‘Lovely. See you then.’
I plonk the coffee down in front of Joanna and she looks atthe undissolved globules floating on the top in distaste but says nothing. Andthankfully for her, Hudson appears in the kitchen at that moment, otherwise I’dhave been tempted to offer her a damp digestive...
I go upstairs to have a shower, leaving the two of them conversingearnestly.
When I come down, Joanna’s gone and Hudson’s sitting in thekitchen frowning at his laptop.
‘Have you got a minute?’ I ask, joining him at the table.
‘Of course, of course,’ he murmurs, although he’s stillstaring at the screen.
‘Bee’s really upset. And so is Jodie, actually. Bee’s been gettingthreatening letters.’
He frowns at me. ‘What do you mean, threatening?’
‘Oh, they’re just... horrible. But in asneaky way.’
‘Sneaky?’
He keeps glancing back at the screen, but I plough onregardless. ‘Yes, they’re not openly aggressive. But it’s obvious she’s got anenemy here, who wants to put the wind up her and Jodie.’ I shrug. ‘I’ve no ideawhy.’
‘Jodie?’
‘Yes, Jodie. Youknow. Bee’s daughter?’
He looks at me vaguely. ‘Right.’
‘So, anyway, I’ve said I’m going to help Bee get to thebottom of everything that’s happening.’
‘There are other things happening?’
I nod. ‘Jodie’s being scared witless by this horrible figurewith bleeding eyes staring in her window.’
He frowns at me for a second. Then he actually laughs.
‘It’s notfunny.’ My hackles are starting to rise athis ambivalent attitude. ‘She’s terrified, poor thing.’
‘No, of course it won’t be funny for Jenny. I understandthat.’
‘It’s Jodie.’
‘Sorry?’
‘Bee’s daughter is called Jodie.’
‘Right. Jodie. But you have to admit, there’s no shortage ofpeople wandering around in weird fancy dress for the summer solstice. It’sprobably just someone having a laugh, dressing up in a Hallowe’en costume andpeering through windows to scare people.’
‘But what about the letters? And there’s a man in a blackcar who just sits in the lane out there. He’s thereall the time.’
This gets his full attention. ‘A man in a black car?’
‘Yes, I’ve seen him a few times. He wears dark glasses, evenif it’s dull, and he just sits there as if he’s watching the house.’
‘Ourhouse?’
‘I don’t know. I think he might be spying on Bee and Jodie.They have a flat over the road.’
Hudson gets up and goes to the window, peering out. ‘I can’tsee a black car.’
