Devil Mail Read Online Free Page B

found it difficult to read Sharon, who was not a warm, friendly person, yet not cold, hard or mean either. She was born and raised in Royal Tunbridge Wells, a borough in Kent, lying some forty miles south-east of London, England. Over the course of her time with the agency, Angela had learned that if she did what was expected of her and did it well, she would be rewarded handsomely, but if she ever missed the mark, Sharon would waste no time in letting her know about it.
    “Morning Sharon,” Angela called as she entered the quiet office.   Sharon was sitting at her desk, the door of her office ajar. Her distracted response was muted.
                  “Good morning. You’re early. How was your weekend?”
                  “Very eventful. I went to a friend’s wedding on Saturday. The happy couple met online….” Angela’s reply was targeted and probing.
                  “Is that so? Online…. a precarious minefield if ever I’ve seen one.”  Sharon did not raise her head to acknowledge Angela. Her tone made it clear that she was working on something at her desk and was not going to be interested in pursuing the conversation for much longer. 
                  “How was yours?”
                  “So-so.”
                  “So you would never be interested in online dating then?” Angela pushed a little further.
                  Sharon’s slightly perplexed glance at Angela lasted for a mere second, before she returned to her work. “Well, since I’m married, I think it’s safe to put it about that online dating holds no interest for me whatsoever.”
                  “Of course,” Angela chuckled in embarrassment. As she walked to her office she was tempted to kick herself. What a stupid question. What was she thinking? What was Sharon thinking about her right now? How awkward! She was allowing this thing to consume her.
                  The time for her to set off to the courthouse came mercifully quickly.  By the time she left the office, it was sufficiently busy for her to slip out without feeling the need to let Sharon know that she was leaving.
    It was difficult for her to settle into her routine. As the trial wore on, she struggled to focus, her mind diligently devising numerous possible responses to Aiden Jacob’s invitation to call him. She knew she would not call him straight away. That seemed too ‘forward’ to her. 
    “Please read back , for the court, the last two statements of the witness.” The defense attorney’s request served as a harsh jolt, yanking Angela back into her present reality.  With flushed cheeks, she clumsily fingered her equipment, fully aware that all eyes in the courtroom were on her. With the request vaguely circulating her memory, a desperate, hushed, “Dear God, help me!” prayer seeped through her quivering lips.
    An answered prayer assisted her in locating the sought after questions and answers and regaining her poise, to some extent; yet the subsequent, ‘what on earth is wrong with you?’ looks she received from the judge, prosecutor and defense attorney left her feeling unsettled and inadequate. She, of all people, knew that the trial warranted her undivided attention. She had to pull herself together.
    The trial seemed to drag on for longer than it had on any other day previously. There were fewer recesses too.
    “We’ll adjourn for the day,” the judge stated at five thirty.  Those five beautiful words conveyed music to Angela’s ears. She decided not to return to the office, but called Sharon to give her an update of the day’s events.
    The traffic was thick on Angela’s drive home. She hadn’t noticed it ever being this busy. Usually, she would be listening to the radio or singing along to one of her CDs, but today, her typically controlled composure gave way to impatience and increasing agitation as driver after driver pulled in