Linda came into the front room, and with a flourish took her knitted scarf off and shook fresh snow onto Ed’s lap. “Thanks for that!” he said in a mock grumpy voice. A few flakes of snow held in Linda’s black hair and as they started to melt they glistened like crystals in the firelight. Once again her ageless beauty took his breath away. He finally managed to look away from her and saw Josh kicking off his rubber boots in the hall while trying to hold on to the Golden Labrador puppy’s lead. It licked at the boy’s face at it ran and jumped around in excitement, making Josh laugh out loud. Ed smiled at the sight. Linda looked over his shoulder as she stroked his head and read the headlines.
“Is it over now?” she asked.
“Pretty much; just sentencing next week. They’ll all get life I reckon.”
“I hope so, I really do, even Esther’s husband. I feel so sorry for her but what they did, urgh, it still makes me shudder even now.”
“Do you know what? The thing I still can’t figure out is who moved Rosen and filled that god-awful hole in. The police never found the hole, or the scythe for that matter. I’m sure both bits of him are down there, underneath all of that dirt, and that’s where he belongs for sure, gone and forgotten, but… do you think they did that too? You know, Buster and Gracie?”
“I know you didn’t see what I saw, the way they got Rosen, but if you had, you would believe they could do it, so yes, that’s the answer I have in my mind and that’s enough for me.”
“Me too then, and I have no intention of digging him up, let him rot there. I’m just glad I don’t black out every time I hear a cricket now. But that was it wasn’t it? The girl from Vietnam, I think the last thing she heard was the sound of crickets, and poor little Gracie too. I think the last thing she saw or heard were crickets. I don’t know how but I am sure they got together to send me those flashbacks”. He rose from his chair, tossing the newspaper aside. “Anyway enough of this; let me help you get those muddy boots off then you can get yourself warm and relax, and I’ll make you a hot drink, a woman in your condition…”
“Yes, I know, a woman in my condition has to take it easy. Thank you Mr Saunders.”
“You are most welcome Mrs Saunders.”
AUTHOR BIO
Peter Grist is regarded as one of the world’s most knowledgeable figures in American automotive history. With four books on the subject published, it would be easy to assume Peter is a homebred American, he was actually born in London.
After spending a decade in the Armed Forces, Peter moved to Southampton to start his writing career, initially creating the Chrysler Club’s magazine Talkflite, then writing for high street motoring magazines which lead to writing books including the acclaimed biography of Virgil Exner, Visioneer. He continued to write while training as a Department of Transport driving instructor and then an advanced driving instructor.
Peter works for a Hampshire-based charity and lives in Southampton with his wife Catherine, and children.
ALSO BY PETER GRIST
Copyright
Flashback by Peter Grist
Copyright 2019 Peter Grist, All Rights Reserved
Portions of this book may be reproduced with permission from the author.
Please contact: petergrist59@gmail.com
Cover design by Patrick Ryder
Set in Minion Pro 11/13
Print and digital layout by Joss Korvus