HELL'S HALF ACRE a gripping murder mystery full of twists (Coffin Cove Mysteries Book 2) by JACKIE ELLIOTT (classic literature books .txt) 📗

naked wife. “Are you getting dressed? You’ll be late for work. I can’t get your car to start. I’ll get Doug South to look at it. Take mine. I’m using the van today.”

“Come here and look,” Nadine demanded, ignoring her husband’s words altogether. “What do you think?” She stood, posed with her hands on her hips, her head on one side, thrusting her chest towards him.

“Expensive, that’s what I think.”

Undeterred, Nadine gyrated her hips, and she sashayed towards him. “Come on, I bet you want a feel, don’t you?”

“For fuck’s sake, Nadine.”

To Nadine’s annoyance, Lee appeared unimpressed.

“Pathetic,” she hissed.

“Get dressed. You’ll be late.”

Lee disappeared into the bathroom, and seconds later, Nadine heard the shower running.

She spent a few moments more examining herself in the mirror and then dressed for work. Short skirt, tight blouse — also expensive and paid for by Lee, even though he seemed determined to ignore her efforts. Dennis had been appreciative, but he wasn’t at the office to admire her anymore. She sighed.

She told herself her husband’s rejection didn’t bother her. She had unfettered access to his bank account (she didn’t make much from her city clerk position) and she desired nothing more from Lee. Just his money. The problem was, the cash was running out. The electrical business was barely able to sustain itself, let alone provide the quality of life she deserved. Now Katie was home, and all Lee could do was run around after her. All the hours he was spending at that dusty old museum and he wasn’t even getting paid. It didn’t matter what she did, Lee acted as if she didn’t exist.

Nadine felt her anger rise.

What did Lee expect? Of course she’d gone looking for attention elsewhere. Well, it was time. She was going to make a decision, once and for all. It had been OK, carrying on with Dennis at the office. It had been fun. Made her feel warm inside, the way it had been when she was young, even before Lee. Before she’d settled for second best. But it wasn’t enough now. Dennis wouldn’t mess her about anymore. After all these years, she thought, I deserve better.

* * *

Lee stared at himself in the mirror without smiling as he picked up his razor blade.

Just one swipe, he thought. It would all be over. He visualized lying down on the tiled floor and just letting the life seep out of him.

He shook his head to get rid of the thought.

He couldn’t do that to Katie. His little girl needed him, and he would be there for her, no matter what. The only love left in his life, he reckoned, was for and from that girl.

The only reason he stayed with Nadine was . . . well, where else would he go? And Nadine would make sure she took every penny to start over with a new man. He knew that. His wife, shaking her flabby stomach and oversized breasts, disgusted him. He knew that her new hobby, belly dancing, was just an excuse to spend evenings rubbing herself up against as many men as possible. She probably had her next partner lined up already.

He had stopped being jealous years ago.

“Just the occasional expensive grope is all I get from her,” Lee muttered as he shaved.

Ouch, shit!

He had nicked himself. As he watched the blood drip from his chin, he gripped the washbasin with both hands, as if to stop himself falling.

He felt a dark weight on his shoulders, and the ground seemed to shift underneath him, as though to signify an upheaval to come.

He steadied himself, dabbed a tissue on his cut and finished his shave.

Get a grip, Lee.

It had all been different in the beginning. Nadine was charming and fun. He knew she liked money, and back then, before they were married, he’d had lots of cash. Business was good in those days. Lee had competed with many suitors. Nadine was pretty — round face with dimples, baby-blue eyes and a hint of mischief in her eyes. He wasn’t the first love of Nadine’s life. Well, money was her first love, he knew that now, but he wasn’t the first man either. He didn’t care. Nadine was a prize.

Even during the first euphoria of love — or was it lust? — he’d felt a few nagging worries. Nadine was overly concerned with image. He’d bought a brand-new pickup truck, even though he’d just started the business and couldn’t really justify the extra outflow of cash. Nadine expected expensive gifts and nights out — even over to the mainland. When she said “yes” to his marriage proposal, it had cost him a small fortune to get the perfect ring. But all this made Nadine happy, and that was all he cared about.

At first they had rented a small basement suite, but Nadine wanted something bigger. Lee had no money to buy a house, even though real estate was cheap in Coffin Cove. But with some help from his friends in the construction industry, he could build his own house. And he had one option: the overgrown piece of property belonging to his brother, Wayne.

Wayne had been wild. Coffin Cove wasn’t big enough for him, he used to say. When he and Lee were little, they were close. They went fishing and hunting together. But when they were teenagers, Wayne drifted away. He preferred to spend his time at the old gravel pit and hung out with a biker gang. At first, the bikers were harmless. Just a bunch of guys who loved their bikes and riding together. Lee spent time at the gravel pit occasionally, but he soon felt uneasy around Wayne’s new friends.

Wayne had also befriended Art Whilley. “The Whilley boy”, as most people called him, was seriously weird. His old man used to mend nets and splice rope for