Deadly Lies by Ann Girdharry (read me a book .TXT) 📕

Jack shook his head. ‘This is very awkward and it isn’t like it looks…’

Her husband’s floundering said it all. Realisation dawned and Alice picked up the plate of toast and hurled it at Jack, missing by miles.

‘You bastard!’ She rocketed up and in a few strides reached Jack and slapped him across the face. It made good contact and the sound bounced off the walls. Alice rounded on Natalie.

‘Get out! Get the hell out of my house.’

23

Grant was in DCS Fox’s office. He played Emily’s message through twice and Fox took off her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose.

‘Goddam it.’

‘He’s making a specific demand which we can respond to and I’ve instructed Alice to ask for proof of life when the next contact is made. Getting the call has pulled the mother back from the brink of despair.’

Ever since DCS Fox transferred to the Sussex force, she and Grant hadn’t seen eye to eye. Grant thought Fox felt threatened by him and for once, since the children were taken, Fox hadn’t mentioned his retirement nor his last birthday – two things which were usually on the top of her conversation list because the one thing she could always trump him with was his advancing age.

‘Lab reports have come back,’ he said. ‘Forensics went over the inside of the lock-up millimetre by millimetre and they didn’t find a thing. Alice has positively identified the hair tie as belonging to Lisa so it places the children there. The pyjama hasn’t given us anything so far. And we’ve got a recent tyre track at the lock-up exit – it could belong to the vehicle the perpetrator used to leave.’

‘What about saliva on Joan Hardman’s arm?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Damn. That would have been bloody marvellous. Anything from the Child Rescue Alert?’

Grant shook his head. ‘Not so far and I’ve called it off as the abductor requested. We’ve several reports of blonde children and none of them have yet been flagged as a positive sighting. On phone records and financial details – they’re still trickling in for our persons of interest. Then there’s the next-door neighbour’s bombshell announcement in the Glover lounge. I’ve no idea how that will pan out, although Delaney and Ruby are on top of it. We need to keep concentrated on the next call.’

‘I’ve got the armed response unit on standby for the exchange.’

‘Ms Silver thinks it’s someone who knows the family.’

‘Does she now. She’s always coming up with flashy ideas, isn’t she? And what do you think?’

‘It fits with the back door entry. There must be an insider connection.’

‘And you’re telling me you don’t have anyone on the radar? I know that look on your face, you’ve got your suspicions.’

‘I’m working on it. Jack keeps getting flagged up and his history with women might be important.’

‘Might! I’ve got Treadgold demanding progress and all you can give me is Jack Glover’s sex life!’

The tension was mounting. From experience, he knew Fox could be much worse than this. Grant braced himself for the whiplash.

‘What the hell are you playing at! I want results. I want this maniac behind bars. I want those children found.’

‘As I said our next move is asking for proof of life.’

‘I can see that, what do you take me for, an idiot? Don’t make me regret putting you on this case and don’t imagine Treadgold hasn’t dragged up the issue of your age because he has.’

Of course he bloody had.

‘The ACC feels a younger DCI would be sharper and have more energy. He’s pushing for you to be replaced.’

That was pure madness. Halfway through a critical case a substitution could mean the difference between life and death. Grant felt the heat rush to his face and he jumped to his feet. ‘Then he’s a goddam idiot.’

‘And he’s baying for your blood.’

‘I’m the one who can solve this case.’

Fox whipped off her glasses and leaned back in her chair. ‘For once we’re in agreement. Now get the hell out of here.’

The pressure was on and he didn’t envy her dealing with demands from the top. She’d kept the media and Treadgold off his back, and for that Grant was grateful.

Fox turned a glacial stare on Grant. ‘I hope I don’t have to remind you safe return of Emily and Lisa is the priority here not prosecution. If anything happens to those children, everyone is going to be holding you responsible.’

24

It was bad luck for Ruby she was the second to arrive in the incident room and DS Steve McGowan was the first. He was filling the tray with a pile of fresh doughnuts and they smelled sweet and sugary. McGowan helped himself without offering her one.

‘I hope we don’t have to listen to more of your psycho-bullshit,’ McGowan said.

Ruby reached and helped herself. She bit off a huge mouthful. ‘Like I said, I’m here to stay. Have you made progress?’

McGowan gave her a scathing look. ‘I report to the chief, not to you.’

‘Oh grow up, isn’t it time you learned how to share.’

He wagged his finger. ‘You’ll see it’s detective work which will find those children, not your fancy theories and mind-bending crap.’

‘What is it with you? Why are you so defensive?’

‘Are you kidding? You’re the one acting like madam-superior as if a few years studying makes you better than us lot.’

‘That’s crap. Why don’t you admit it? You feel threatened.’

McGowan almost choked on his doughnut and she wished he had done. Bits spluttered out.

Grant walked in. ‘No time to waste. Are we playing nicely?’

‘Always,’ McGowan said, and he gave Ruby a death-look which dared her to say otherwise.

She shrugged it off. What an idiot.

Diane and Tom came in together and Grant slung his jacket over the front chair. He looked like he hadn’t slept since the beginning of the investigation.

‘Right, forensics have found a tyre track in the mud at the lock-up. It doesn’t match the blue estate so we’re assuming it came from the second vehicle. It fits with