The Auction Trilogy

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

The first hang-up phone call came on Christmas morning, after Pippa opened her presents, but before I'd gotten the pikelets onto the table.

"Hello?" Adam said. "I can't hear you, hello?"

But the other end of the telephone never answered.

The second hang-up phone call came later that afternoon. I answered it this time. The moment the caller heard my voice, the line went dead.

The third time came later in the evening, just after Pippa went to bed. Adam answered it.

"Listen, you b***h," he hissed into the silent phone. "You gave up your Christmas with her. Now stop calling here. And stop calling me."

We bid each other good night and went into our separate rooms to catch up on the sleep we'd lost the night before.

I was at the Mitre-10 as soon as it opened on Friday morning