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

stood silent and empty, save for the odd vagrant who camped there and the gulls that lined up on the rusting rails of the pier, as if paying homage to the days when they were sure of easy meals of fish guts.

“Thank you,” Jade said, “but I haven’t put that project out to tender yet.”

The man chuckled. “Word of your regeneration of Coffin Cove has reached far and wide,” he said. “I’ve been looking at the potential of the town, and that waterfront site . . . well, let’s say it could be a goldmine. For everyone.”

Jade was secretly pleased. This was what she wanted: for people to see beyond the decaying infrastructure of Coffin Cove and instead picture what the town could be. She needed people with vision. Maybe this man was one of them.

Still, she kept her cool. “Thank you,” she said. “I’ll be happy to look it over.”

“Please do. I’ll be in town for a while. But I won’t take up your time, you look busy.” He gestured to her desk.

“Well, thanks again,” Jade said awkwardly, as the man had made no move to leave.

“I hope you don’t mind me asking,” he blurted, “but . . . Thompson? Are you any relation to Summer Thompson?”

“Yes,” Jade said, feeling uncomfortable. Who was this man? “She’s my mother.”

“Thought so,” he said. “You look like her.”

“You know my mother, Mr . . . ?” Jade was getting a little suspicious now. Was this man a friend of Dennis Havers’, fishing for information, perhaps?

“Oh, a long time ago,” the man said, ignoring the obvious hint for his name. “Back when I was proud of my tattoos,” he laughed.

Don’t be silly and paranoid, Jade told herself, as the man excused himself and left the office.

She sat back down at her desk and opened the envelope. She slid out a sheaf of papers and recognized the legal format. She scanned them, looking for a name, but the cover letter was signed by a lawyer’s firm she knew from her days working in Vancouver. They referred to their client as “Knights Development Ltd”.

She’d never heard of them.

Sighing, she pushed the papers back in the envelope. That development was a long time in the future, and right this minute, she had work to do.

On second thoughts, she stood up.

It was such a lovely morning, maybe she’d run out now for coffee and enjoy the morning air. She deserved a few minutes out of the office.

“You want some coffee?”

For the second time that morning, Jade wished the door was closed.

“No, thank you, Nadine.” Jade forced herself to smile. “How are you this morning?”

Before Jade could tell her office manager to close the door, Nadine Dagg interpreted the polite words as an invitation to sit down and actually tell Jade exactly how she was.

Jade was forced to listen to Nadine’s never-ending list of complaints about her office colleagues. Nadine was one of Dennis Havers’ most valuable employees — at least in her own opinion. Jade wasn’t oblivious to the rumour that Nadine had been far more than an employee to Dennis.

Jade looked at her, not listening to her voice, and wondered what on earth Dennis was thinking, if the rumour was true. Sandra Havers may have been older than Nadine, but she had kept herself in shape and was a stylish, well-groomed woman.

Nadine Dagg was nearing her mid-fifties, Jade guessed. This morning, she was squeezed into a tight black leather skirt and a red shirt that strained over her chest and midriff. She wore her faded blonde hair long, with one streak of purple, and was heavily made-up, with pencilled-in eyebrows and bright lipstick.

Jade imagined that Nadine would fit in perfectly on the back of a Harley, clinging onto a pot-bellied, bearded biker. In the city office, she looked as if she should be paying a fine for loitering outside the Fat Chicken all night, rather than managing the office.

Nadine was oblivious to the inappropriateness of her dress. In fact, it was obvious that she thought she looked sexy. Many a male employee had smiled politely at Nadine and then been subjected to a full-frontal “seductive” move. Nadine reminded Jade of a coiled snake, waiting to strike and consume her prey.

Jade disliked Nadine but had to admit she was passably efficient at her job.

“Oh honey, you look so tired and stressed, what’s wrong?”

Jade bit her lip. She hated being called “honey” or “dear”, but she let it go, just hoping to get rid of Nadine as soon as possible.

“Absolutely nothing, Nadine, I’m fine. What’s on the agenda for today?” Jade was brisk. Nadine’s syrupy tone, she knew, was designed to elicit some small morsel of information that she could file away and use to her benefit, or even just for her entertainment. Jade had long since discovered Nadine’s love of gossip.

The accounts department had already lost a couple of junior clerks who’d made the mistake of confiding in Nadine, only to find they were the subject of wildly false rumours that spread throughout the city offices. As with a dangerous swaying snake, it was best to show no fear and no signs of weakness.

If Nadine was offended at Jade’s abrupt tone, she didn’t show it. She moved smoothly into business mode and the next few minutes were at least productive.

Then Nadine got up to go.

“Nadine, did you see a man in a sports jacket leave the building this morning?” It occurred to Jade that Nadine, who never missed a thing, might know the man. She told Nadine about the unscheduled meeting.

Nadine pursed her bright red lips. “No, I don’t know who that could be,” she said. “I’ll ask around. What company did he work for?”

“Oh, I have it here.”

Jade pulled the envelope out of her drawer.

“Here it is. Knights Developments Limited. Are they local?” She looked at Nadine,