Page 37 of Taming Her

“Friend or foe.”

He sighed. “Just bloody do it.”

She tapped out a few sentences. “That okay?”

He looked. “Yes, send that.”

She did.

He took the phone off her, then returned it to the purse and placed it back in the high cupboard, above a shelf of tins.

Ding dong.

“Is that your door?” she asked.

“Yeah.” He glanced at the bubbling chili, turned it down, then headed out of the kitchen.

He pulled it open. “Ah, Mrs. Green, how nice to see you.”

“Hello, Officer, I’m sorry to bother you, but the chickens laid well this week and I have so many eggs, would you like some?”

“I would, thanks.” He took two green egg boxes from her. “Can’t beat freshly laid.”

“No, you really can’t.” She looked up at the sky. “Nice weather, isn’t it.”

Usually Griff would chat to his neighbor from across the lane for a few minutes, pass the time of day. She lived alone with two cats for company and he was mindful of her being a little lonely. “It is.” He nodded behind himself. “I’m just about to serve dinner, though, so I’ll drop these egg boxes back around tomorrow.”

“Oh, have you company? Sorry to bother you.”

He smiled. “No bother, goodbye, Mrs. Green.”

He shut the door and wandered back into the kitchen.

He froze in the doorway.

Ava was balanced on a stool pushed up against the kitchen work surface. She was at full stretch reaching for her purse.

Chapter 8

Just a little bit more.

The purse was a fraction out of reach. Who the hell had cupboards this high? It was hardly practical.

Ava went onto her tiptoes, her ribcage elongating.

Nearly there.

And then she could secret the phone away. Message Mel and let her know what really was going on. Tell her to send a cab.

“What the bloody hell are you doing, you little brat?”

She gasped and twisted to look over her shoulder.

Griff stood at the doorway, holding two egg boxes.

“Ah!” The stool wobbled, tipping to the right. “Shit!” She counterbalanced, shoving her hips to the left. It swayed that way, the legs scraped on the hard floor. But it moved too much, going off balance.

Her stomach lurched as she was aware of it tipping. As if in slow motion she was falling, gravity claiming her.

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