Margaret Haffner - A Killing Frost

A KILLING FROST

Margaret Haffner

COPYRIGHT

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

HarperFiction

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1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain in 1994 by Collins Crime Club

Copyright © Margaret Haffner 1994

Margaret Haffner asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks

HarperCollins Publishers has made every reasonable effort to ensure that any picture content and written content in this ebook has been included or removed in accordance with the contractual and technological constraints in operation at the time of publication

Source ISBN: 9780002324991

Ebook Edition © MARCH 2017 ISBN: 9780008252717

Version: 2017-03-28

For Simon, Carl, and especially Doug

for their patience and support

Desperate to escape Kingsport and its horrifying memories, Catherine Edison arranges a sabbatical in southern Ontario. Atawan seems to be a friendly village, and she and her daughter settle quite happily into a big old house there. But why was the rent so cheap? And why does everyone shun the pleasant auto mechanic who fixes her car?

Anxious to keep a low profile, Catherine tries to ignore the disturbing undercurrents of Atawan, but gradually she and her daughter get dragged into the whirlpool of intrigue. For beneath its calm surface, Atawan seethes with hatred and deceit, and has done ever since the brutal murder of a local woman and the acquittal of the man they believe to be guilty.

When Catherine and her daughter befriend the wrong people, she finds herself asking questions that somebody doesn’t want answered. Little by little the circle of inquiry tightens until Catherine herself is at the very centre, and to find the truth, she must put her own life on the line …

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Keep Reading

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About the Publisher

Tracy Tomachuk heaved a sigh of relief as she shut the door behind Michael and Darryl. ‘Thank you, Edna.’ She whispered a prayer of thanks to Darryl’s mother. Out of the blue, the woman had offered to take Michael for the night. The two nine-year-olds would be up till all hours playing Lego and Nintendo, but it was Edna’s problem, not hers.

As she turned away from the door, Tracy’s eye caught her reflection in the mirror over the hall table and she paused. Yet another wave of annoyance washed over her as she brushed ineffectually at the brown coffee stain on the pocket of her blue dress. Look what Ed had made her do – and it was her favourite dress. The saleswoman had said the colour complemented her eyes.

She scowled at her reflection. Tonight, the most noticeable aspect of her eyes was the matched set of bags under them. God she felt old! When she’d hit forty at her last birthday, it was as if her warranty had run out. Her back ached, her joints creaked and overnight grey hairs sprouted like mushrooms. At least they didn’t show too much in her blonde hair.

She flopped down on the chesterfield in the living-room. Maybe she shouldn’t have been quite so stubborn with Ed – eligible men were as rare in her life as ten-carat diamonds. Still, he wanted to run her life, and that temper of his … Men.

She picked up the remote control, switched on the television and scanned through the channels. Junk. As usual. She snapped it off again and jumped up to circle the living-room restlessly. Men. She’d been having her problems with them lately, that was for sure. First her boss, then Ernie pestering her, and now Ed. Of their own accord her eyes strayed to the buffet. Don’t be silly, she told herself. The papers are safe. Now all you have to do is decide what to do with them.

Stretching out on the chesterfield, she turned the television on again. She didn’t want to think about anything. A vacuous sitcom was all she could handle right now.

Tracy woke with a start. The television still blabbed in the corner, but she knew that wasn’t what had awakened her. Shivering, she wrapped her arms about herself and staggered up from the couch in confusion. When the doorbell rang again, it took her a few moments to figure out what it was. ‘What the hell … ?’ She stumbled forward, checking her watch. Who would be calling at midnight?

Opening the door, she stared in annoyance at her visitor. ‘I didn’t expect to see you again,’ she said rudely.

‘May I come in?’

‘Do you know what time it is?’ she demanded.

‘I need to talk to you.’

Hand on hip, she stood blocking the entrance. The chill November wind whipped around the hem of her dress, transmitting a wave of goose bumps up her legs.

‘Just five minutes, that’s all. I promise.’

Reluctantly, Tracy stepped aside. ‘Five minutes. Say your piece and then go.’

Once inside, her visitor seemed to fill the small foyer. ‘Have you thought about what I said?’

‘I haven’t changed my mind, if that’s what you’re wondering.’

‘But you must.’

A hand was laid on her arm but Tracy shook it off. ‘Keep your hands off me!’ she shouted. She knew she was overreacting, but she felt disoriented from being suddenly awakened. Taking a deep breath, she moderated her tone. ‘I told you my decision. It’s final.’ She reached for the door handle. ‘You might as well go home and get some sleep.’

‘Not so fast …’ Strong fingers grasped her wrist and pulled her hand from the doorknob.

‘Let me go!’ As the grip tightened, a finger of fear traced her spine. ‘You’re hurting me. You have no right …’ Indignation and apprehension sent her voice shrieking upwards. The grin that her words elicited chilled her. ‘Come on, this isn’t funny. Be serious,’ she coaxed, straining to break free.