Page 306 - Demo

306John put a cup of tea in front of him and he immediately sipped it and wiped his mouth.%u201cYes. I think I must have done,%u201d he said, looking up at her and turning to Jasmine. %u201cAre you ready to go?%u201d%u201cYes. Drink your tea first. You appear quite distressed.%u201dHe nodded and sipped more of the tea. Jasmine reached out and took his hand in hers and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He looked at John the undertaker. %u201cThank you for looking after Edith.%u201dJohn nodded.%u201cOkay. I%u2019m ready to go now. I%u2019m fit to drive so don%u2019t worry.%u201d Ken said to Jasmine.Outside as the got into the car and Ken was about to start the engine. He turned and said, %u201cSomething happened in the basement.%u201d%u201cTell me,%u201d Jasmine said.Ken told her everything.%u201cI was at the bottom of the stairs most of the time. I saw nothing like you say. I think your grief and sadness overwhelmed you and you hallucinated it all. Your wife is dead. No-one gets away from that and relives.%u201dHe started the car and drove to Wantage. They arrived in a square which was buzzing with activity. There were fire engines, police cars and ambulances. Her shop and flat were destroyed. The firemen had extinguished the blaze and were putting their hoses away.%u201cOh my god. It%u2019s gone. My lovely home and my wonderful shop.%u201d Jasmine said. She jumped out and ran to the destroyed shop. Ken found somewhere to park the car and ran to her.%u201cThey say a man, as yet unidentified, broke in and spread petrol. After he lit it and went to leave, he tripped and in his panic trying to The Devil Drops By