Cross My Heart and Hope to Die Read Online Free Page B

him to the post office first, to collect the pensions before they went.’
    â€˜That’s possible,’ said Hilary.
    â€˜More’n likely, I’d say.’ He brightened. ‘The main thing is that they didn’t take their pension books with them. The next docket’s dated the 30th, this coming Thursday, right? That must mean they’re intending to come back this week to collect their money. So what are we worrying about?’
    â€˜It’s our job to be concerned when anyone goes missing,’ said Quantrill. ‘’Specially when they’re as old as your parents. Look, if they’ve been fetched by one or other of your family, that’s fine by us. We don’t want to interfere, we just want to be sure they’re all right.’
    â€˜â€™Course they’re all right!’ said Andrew confidently. ‘Sure to be. Somebody in the family’ll be looking after’em.’
    â€˜Not according to your sister Sonya,’ said Hilary.
    â€˜Oh, you don’t want to take any notice of her . She never visits, so she wouldn’t know who does. M’sister Cathy’s the likeliest, she was always Mum’s favourite.’
    Hilary reached behind the looking-glass again and produced a discoloured Christmas card, on the back of which a shaky hand had written a number of names and addresses.
    â€˜This is how I found you and Sonya,’ she said, ‘but I can’t make contact with any of the others.’
    Frowning, Andrew studied the card. ‘Oh well, this is an old list … Cathy’s been divorced and remarried since then, I know that. Mum did tell me her new name, but I’ve forgotten. No idea where she’s living now, or any of the others come to that. Mum’s prob’ly got a more up-to-date list somewhere.’
    â€˜This is the only one I’ve been able to find. There don’t seem to be any family letters about, either. Are you absolutely sure you can’t remember Cathy’s new name?’
    â€˜Sorry,’ he apologized handsomely. ‘In one ear and straight out the other. I like to be independent, I’ve never bothered with keeping in touch except to see Mum once or twice a year. But don’t you worry, somebody’ll be looking after the old folks.’
    He paused and gave a wry grin. ‘Well, it stands to reason. They couldn’t have gone off on their own, and let’s face it – who else but family would want to have’em?’
    Andrew Krzecszczuk drove off in the direction of Yarmouth and the helicopter that would return him to his North Sea gas rig. Quantrill, whose breathing hadn’t been improved by the atmosphere in the Crackjaws’house, decided that he’d just as soon take the remains of his bronchitis home. But on their way back through Byland he agreed to wait in the car while Hilary had another word with the sub-postmistress.
    The village shop and post office, a substantial late-eighteenthcentury building in local grey brick with a roof of dark blue pantiles, stood in a prominent position beside the green. Byland was a growing village, favoured by commuters who worked in either Breckham Market or Yarchester, and the shop looked well maintained and relatively prosperous.
    The business had evidently expanded over the years and now occupied much of the ground floor of the house. The original private front door remained, together with two downstairs windows and all the upper windows, but the shop itself had a modern commercial facade. On one side of the building was an iron gate leading to a garden, and on the other big double gates stood open to reveal an ageing Vauxhall estate car in a yard surrounded by outbuildings.
    Hilary had discovered on her previous visit that the post office was situated at the back of the shop, where a room in the original house had been opened up to accommodate it. Customers stepping through the doorway found themselves in a small waiting