Rough Cut: Rosie Gilmour 6 Read Online Free

‘I’m bloody freezing.’
    Julie flicked a light switch when they stepped inside her hallway, then strode on ahead to the living room, switching on lamps and a gas fire. It immediately began to glowover imitation coals and the room came to life, as welcoming as a warm hug on a miserable night like this.
    ‘There. That’s better. All cosy now. The central heating came on two hours ago.’ She put the attaché case down and turned to Julie, standing in the doorway. ‘Come on. Let’s get a bloody drink. G and T alright?’
    ‘Thanks. It’s nice and warm in here,’ Nikki said, following her into the kitchen: marble worktops and top-of-the range units. ‘Your house is really great, Jules. I think that every time I come here. Must have cost you a packet.’ She smiled.
    ‘Yeah. Would have done, but as you know, most of it was blagged.’
    She took out a bottle of gin from the cupboard and two heavy crystal glasses, then a block of ice cubes from the freezer. Nikki watched as the ice cracked when Julie poured two good glugs of gin into the glasses, and the bubbles hissed and danced as she added the tonic.
    She handed Nikki a glass. ‘Sorry, we’re right out of limes, pet,’ Julie said. ‘That bloody butler’s getting fired in the morning.’
    They both burst out laughing and clinked glasses.
    ‘To us,’ Julie said. Then she looked at Nikki wistfully and nodded. ‘To friends forever.’
    ‘Friends forever,’ Nikki said, biting her lip to hold back the tears, suddenly remembering the first time they’d got drunk together, fifteen year olds before the school disco. Itseemed a lifetime ago, and look at them now. She swallowed hard and smiled.
    ‘God, I needed that,’ Nikki said, taking another gulp, enjoying the alcohol warming her all the way down her gut. ‘I wish I could be as calm as you. I keep seeing that guy lying dead on the carpet.’
    Julie handed her a cigarette and they both took their drinks into the living room and plonked themselves onto the sofa. Next to the comforting hiss of the fire and the warmth of the room, they could have been two old mates relaxing after a hard day’s work. If only, Nikki thought. Life would never be the same after tonight.
    ‘So,’ Nikki said. ‘This is lovely, Julie. But . . . but we can’t really just pretend that shit an hour ago didn’t happen. There’s a guy lying dead on the floor of the Albany.’
    ‘I know there is. And he’ll still be dead in the morning. We’ll think of something.’
    ‘What’s going to happen once they discover him?’
    ‘What do you mean? Is it going to lead back to us?’
    ‘It won’t. Unless that arsehole Georgie at the agency spills her guts. Like I said, the guy would have booked his escort under a different name than the name he gave at the hotel. Most punters do that. At least, let’s hope so. I mean there’s no evidence that a girl was in the room with him. It looks like one of these sexual things guys sometimes do themselves, when they’re having a hand shandy. It’s dangerous, but apparently that’s part of the thrill. Whatever floats your boat, Isuppose.’ Julie shrugged, then looked at Nikki. ‘I hope you didn’t drop anything out of your bag, or anything like that.’
    ‘No,’ Nikki said, ‘I don’t think so.’ She tried to remember her movements in the room, in case she’d left anything behind. Don’t even go there, she told herself.
    The alcohol was helping to calm her down and they sat staring at the flames for a long moment.
    ‘Anyway, I’m sure you’ll not be doing too many jobs like that in a hurry.’
    ‘I don’t think I’ll be doing any more at all, Julie. I’m just no good at it.’
    ‘Nonsense. Look how much you made last weekend. The old guy loved you. Left you an extra thirty quid for nothing. Some guys . . . they phone for an escort for the evening and nine times out of ten it’s sex they want, and even if it is, most of them are just ordinary guys, but some are just lonely and