Nine Lives, Anita Waller [best interesting books to read .txt] 📗

join for free for the first month, but then you either leave or pay for the pleasure. I thought I’d go and mingle, but can you hurry up and catch her because I don’t actually want to get fit by using treadmills and suchlike. Does my police life insurance cover me for a heart attack while on duty?’

Beth’s face was badly bruised. The bandage around her head had been reduced in size, and her eyes sparkled as Erica came into the room.

‘I understand I owe everything to you,’ Beth said. ‘You sent in the cavalry.’

‘You would have done it for me,’ Erica said awkwardly.

‘I wouldn’t have needed to do it for you. Frannie isn’t a psychopathic maniac, unlike the partner I chose. So stop being all shy and retiring, that’s not like you. Thank you for what you did, Erica. He took me completely by surprise. I expected a ghost or a skeleton, but as soon as I released the lock on the door he started on me. I think he was drunk, but that’s no excuse.’

‘He was extremely drunk. We had officers out on the streets immediately, looking for him. They found him sat on the floor in a bus shelter, absolutely legless. It was drugs and alcohol. He was locked up by the time they’d wheeled you into surgery. Your mum and dad not here?’

‘No. I’m being moved to a different ward today. It’s not HDU, it’s something one step down from that, but it means they can’t be with me all the time. It’s a relief really. I’ve told them to check out of that hotel and go home. Dad’s been travelling backwards and forwards checking on things and feeding the budgie, and I can see they’re both exhausted. They’ve said they’re coming back tomorrow, so today I’ll concentrate on my recovery. I want out of here, and I think possibly three more days, if I’m a good girl, will see me back at home.’

‘Alone?’ Erica asked, concerned that maybe Beth might need help.

‘Alone. I’ve got a phone if I need help, and if you’ve charged Evan with attempted murder, as I expect you have, he’s not going to get anywhere near me for a long time, is he?’

‘If you want to come to us for a week or so, till you’ve got your sea legs back, so to speak, you’re more than welcome.’

‘No, I’ll be fine, honestly. I can go to sleep when I want if I’m on my own, and they’ve warned me to expect that for a bit. The head injury was pretty bad apparently.’

Erica looked at Beth through tear-filled eyes. ‘I thought you were dead.’ She handed Beth the large white envelope she was clutching. ‘And everybody who’s signed this thought you wouldn’t recover, but they’re bloody glad you have.’

Flick parked in the gym car park and walked around checking number plates and black cars. Nothing matched the information they had obtained from the CCTV footage. She walked around to the front door, and pushed it open.

The girl on reception didn’t have a name badge; Flick took that as a good sign that maybe she didn’t normally work on reception and might not worry too much about client confidentiality.

‘Hi, I’m thinking about taking up your offer of a free month to decide if it’s the right gym for me.’

‘That’s fine. Fill in this form, and I’ll process it for you.’ She pushed across a basic type of form and Flick took it, moving to sit beside a small square table. She filled in her details, putting accountant in the box marked employment. She used her own name and address, reckoning they might check up on that.

She finished, headed back to the still-unnamed girl, and gave it to her. ‘What do I do now?’

‘I’ll log these details into the computer and then I’ll show you the facilities.’

Flick waited patiently, walking around the room and inspecting the certificates hanging on the wall. At the end of the reception desk were two large doors that she presumed led into the gym, but opposite the desk were further double doors that said The Coffee Pot in curly gold letters.

A coffee shop… she put that to the back of her mind as she was summoned by the receptionist.

‘Are you here for a workout today?’ She looked Flick up and down as if to say you’re not wearing the correct gear.

‘No,’ Flick said. ‘I don’t have the right stuff, I thought I’d check I could join first, then go shopping. I’ll be back tomorrow.’

‘Okay, no problem. When you come tomorrow, you need to sign in. It’s for health and safety purposes. This is the book, and it’s always on the reception desk.’

Flick nodded her understanding.

‘If you’d like to follow me.’

Flick went through the double doors leading into the gym, and looked around her. It was busy with both men and women working on the assorted pieces of equipment, and she decided there and then that unless they needed to infiltrate, she would never step foot inside these premises again. It had a massive resemblance to hard work.

‘You can, of course, use any of the pieces of equipment, and if you want to book a personal trainer please check what time your preference is available. Anybody will talk you through the various sections of the gym, but I’m sure you must already know this, you look as though you’ve been working out before.’

Flick almost choked. ‘Yes,’ she lied, ‘but I need a change of venue. I think you get stale by going to the same place all the time.’

‘Oh, definitely,’ the still-unnamed receptionist said.

They walked around for a further ten minutes, Flick having some pieces of equipment explained to her that sounded more like items of mediaeval torture. She was relieved when they headed for the exit doors, and she found herself back in the reception area.

‘And that,’ Flick said, pointing to The Coffee Pot, ‘is presumably where most people have a drink after their session. Can I get one