Page 62 of Snow Going Back

‘You self-important,stupidlittlebitch,’ Aubrey hissed.

Kate kept her expression carefully neutral, pointedly aware of how unpredictable and dangerous Aubrey could be. They were almost at the house now, and Sam suddenly walked out and down the drive towards them with a frown.

‘Think what you like of me, Aubrey,’ she said calmly. ‘It makes no difference. To meorthe outcome of this case.’

She heard Sam’s boots crunch in the snow as he strode the last few feet behind her.

‘I thought I told you to stay the hell away?’ He glared at Aubrey darkly.

Aubrey moved her hateful gaze between the two of them, eventually resting it on Kate. Her mouth widened into a cold, sly smile.

‘Thanks for showing your cards. We’ve already gone through our options with ourownlawyers and will now act accordingly.’

‘Good luck with that,’ Kate responded, unfazed. It had been inevitable.

‘I mean it, Aubrey–get out of here,’ Sam ordered.

She ignored him, her gaze still burning a hole into Kate. ‘Expect to be served before Christmas. Time is money, after all. And it ismymoney we’re talking about.’

Spinning her wheels on the snow, Aubrey drove away.

Sam watched her leave with a dark look, then took the bags from Kate’s arms and turned back towards the house.

Kate fell into step beside him. ‘Thanks.’ She glanced back over her shoulder. ‘I’m glad you happened to see us. That woman really puts me on edge.’

‘Well, someone prepared to burn your face off will do that to you,’ he replied. ‘But, actually, I was waiting for you.’

‘Oh? How come?’ she asked.

‘You left your phone,’ he replied.

Kate’s hands flew to her pockets, finding them empty. ‘Oh! I didn’t even notice.’

‘It rang a couple of times. First one was your mom, so I left it,’ he told her.

‘Wise,’ Kate muttered.

‘Second one was a local number, so I picked up in case it was urgent. It was odd.’ He frowned. ‘Some old lady who told me Isounded suspicious and said she’d only give me the message in code.’

Kate laughed, realising it was Edward’s secretary. ‘What did she say?’

They walked into the house. ‘I wrote it down on the pad in the kitchen.’

Kate walked through, taking off her gloves and other layers as she read the note.

E.M. 26th14:00

She frowned. That couldn’t be right.Boxing Day?She picked up her phone and dialled the last incoming number, waiting for the old lady to pick up.

‘Hi, it’s Kate Hunter,’ she said. ‘I just…’

‘Who?’ the woman asked.

Kate closed her eyes. ‘Kate Hunter. The lawyer who?—’

‘Yes,yes, I know who you are. What do you want?’ she asked, cutting Kate off irritably.

Kate looked up to the heavens. ‘I just got your message. Am I reading it correctly – is it thetwenty-sixthof December?’

---