Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 160356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 802(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 802(@200wpm)___ 641(@250wpm)___ 535(@300wpm)
“Ms. Moore?”
I look up to find the two officers who came to my apartment standing outside the elevator. Jones and Hyde. “Hi,” I say, as they both look at the box in my arms. “I just lost my job.”
“Oh,” Hyde says, “I’m sorry to hear that,”
“Don’t be, it was time for me to move on. How can I help you?”
“We wondered if we might show you something?” Jones asks, approaching. I can feel Thomas and Anthony behind me, interested.
“I’d ask you to come into my office but it’s not mine anymore.”
“Take it,” Thomas says, moving aside and sweeping his arm out.
“No, it’s fine, I can talk to them at h—”
“Just take the office, Camryn,” Thomas says, almost sternly, motioning back into the room.
“Okay.” I reverse my steps, frowning at Thomas as I pass. He looks stressed. “Come in,” I say to the officers, and they join me.
As does Anthony. “Since you’re on our premises,” he says, helping himself to a chair and getting comfortable.
I scowl at the prick. “This is Thomas Fryer, my boss. And his son, Anthony.”
“What’s this all about, then?” Anthony looks at me with too much interest, no doubt hoping he’s about to get some dirt.
“Anthony,” Thomas says in warning. “Let’s give them some privacy.”
He holds his hand up, silently silencing his father, and Thomas throws me a look full of apology.
“Shall we?” Hyde asks, eying Anthony.
“Sure.”
Jones approaches me with an iPad and taps at the screen a few times before showing it to me. I withdraw when I see myself on the screen walking through the dark street in the snow. “The footage is very clear,” she says.
“I can see,” I murmur.
“Thanks to the snow. You mentioned you didn’t get a look or even a glimpse of the man in question.”
“He was wearing black. And a hood.”
“Man in question?” Thomas asks. “What’s happened, Camryn?”
Jones glances at me, and I shake my head mildly. “I was attacked.”
His eyes fall to my cheek, and I shrink a little. “You told me—”
“I know what I told you, Thomas.”
Jones hums, tapping at the screen again and pulling my attention back there. “This is a few minutes before.”
“That’s outside this building.”
“Not so random after all,” she says, changing the screen again. “This is a close-up.”
“Are you kidding?” I blurt out, getting closer to the screen.
“Do you know him?” Hyde asks.
“Yes, I know him.” I look at Thomas. “It’s Phillip West.”
He balks and joins us, having a peek himself. “Jesus,” he breathes. “Camryn fired him.”
“For?” Jones asks.
“He filed a false accusation against another staff member,” Thomas says, shaking his head, his eyes still on the screen.
“His wife,” I add. “He was trying to get her fired. From what I understand, he’s met someone else and wants Meredith out of his life in all capacities.” I falter, more words waiting to spill out, but I’m not sure I should share, given Meredith told me in confidence. And do I need to? No. “He claimed she got aggressive with him one evening in the office when everyone stayed behind to have drinks. We had evidence that proved it was actually the other way round.”
“Right.” Hyde looks at Thomas. “I’m going to need a name and an address.”
“You’re going to arrest a man a few days before Christmas?” Anthony asks, sounding truly flabbergasted. “Based on a few shots from CCTV that put him on a different street a few minutes before Camryn was jumped?”
“The evidence is sufficient,” Hyde retorts, clipped, going back to Thomas. “Name and address.”
Thomas seems lost in a daze, staring forward.
“Sir?”
He snaps out of it, casting a sorry gaze my way. “I’m sorry, Camryn.”
“I fired him, Thomas,” I say tiredly.
“Yes, but I should have fired him first, save you doing it, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.”
“Sir, I’m going to need that address.”
“Yes, right, sure. Follow me.” Thomas turns and leaves, and the officers follow.
“We’ll be in touch. You’ll be required to come down to the station to do a formal statement.”
I nod, a little struck, having to perch on the edge of my desk, my legs wobbly, as Anthony follows them out. I remain where I am for a while, my mind racing, until I see the officers boarding the elevator with their name and address. Phillip West?
My mobile rings, knocking me out of my daze, and I answer on a murmured, “Hello.” unable to muster the strength or effort to sound okay, although I’m quite sure I don’t want to tell Dec about Phillip West.
“What’s up?” he asks, sounding anxious.
Luckily, I have another bombshell to share, although I’m still wondering if it’s new news to Dec. “You didn’t get TF Shipping,” I say.
He’s silent for a few moments. “I hoped to give you the heads-up before your boss. I just found out myself.”
“They let me go.”
He sighs. “Fuck. Camryn, I’m sorry.”