Strange Blood (28 page)

‘His signature,' Megan said simply. ‘His surname is the German word for ‘star'. That was why his mother was convinced he was going to be famous. And in a twisted kind of way I suppose he's fulfilled her prediction.'

*   *   *

As Delva said goodbye Megan glanced at her watch. Patrick would be arriving soon to pick up his boots and CDs. She must make herself scarce. Or should she? The doubts that had been festering in her mind since she'd ordered him out of the house came flooding back.

She could never give him a baby and he would have wanted one eventually, so wasn't this the next best thing? Yes, it would be torture, seeing him with it, but perhaps she could bring herself to accept it in time. Maybe she would even grow fond of it when it came for holidays, as it surely would.

She stood there, staring at the front door, wondering what on earth she should do. However she tried to rationalise it, there was one fact she couldn't ignore. Patrick had lied to her. He had lied about what happened in Holland last Christmas. And because of that lie he had started his relationship with her under false pretences. Maybe something like that could be forgiven when there were other reasons to keep a relationship together; when there were children, like for Ceri and Neil. But there wasn't anything like that …

Megan slumped back onto the stairs, her head in her hands. Glancing up, she noticed the pile of post still lying on the mat. She picked it up. On the top was a yellow envelope. She tore it open. It was a card with a print of Monet's
Waterlilies
and the words ‘Thinking of You' on the front. Inside was written: ‘Hope you've recovered from yesterday's drama. Be nice to talk to you about something other than serial killers. All the best, Dave.'

She smiled. Reaching for the coat rack she pulled down her jacket. It was time she was on her way.

 

Also by Lindsay Jayne Ashford

Frozen

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

THOMAS DUNNE BOOKS
.

An imprint of St. Martin's Press.

STRANGE BLOOD
.
Copyright © 2005 by Lindsay Jayne Ashford. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information, address St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.

www.thomasdunnebooks.com

www.minotaurbooks.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ashford, Lindsay Jayne.

    Strange blood : a crime novel / Lindsay Jayne Ashford.—1st U.S. ed.

            p. cm.

    ISBN-13: 978-0-312-35580-7

    ISBN-10: 0-312-35580-7

    1. Forensic psychiatrists—Fiction. 2. Serial murderers—Fiction. I. Title.

PR6101.S545 S77 2007

823'.92—dc22

2007033910

First published in Wales by Honno

First U.S. Edition: December 2007

eISBN 9781466838765

First eBook edition: January 2013