Lost Souls by Jenny O'Brien (android e book reader txt) 📕

drink, finished it in one. ‘Okay, anything else?’ she asked, scrunching up the can and aiming it at the nearest bin.

‘Their CCTV didn’t throw up anything so I’ve started pulling the footage from the surrounding train stations. Maybe he took her somewhere?’

‘Maybe he did.’ Gaby dropped her hip onto the edge of the table, only to stand at the sight of Jason walking through the door with a large tray clasped between his hands.

‘Ah, Jason, and with our lunch too. Take a seat. Here.’ She walked over to the desk he’d chosen and dropped a drink in front of him. ‘Never say that I don’t care.’

‘You’re all heart, Gaby.’

‘And don’t you forget it. So, what have you got for us?’ She picked out a tuna and cucumber and took a huge bite.

‘Not as much as you want,’ he said, holding up his hand as if to ward off one of her snappy comments. Instead of opening the can straight away, he lifted it up and rested it against his forehead. ‘It’s far too early for the DNA results to be back from the blood found at both houses and on the clothes – you are keeping me busy – but I can confirm some matches. We already know that Elodie Fry is blood group AB and that this matches the stain found in Janice Stevens’s bathroom.’ He lifted his head. ‘I can now confirm that this also matches the blood type found on the clothes Jax dropped off.’

‘You know I can never remember how blood groups work. Remind me again how many of the population are AB?’

‘Only about four per cent or thereabouts.’

‘Okay, not what I want to hear but good work, thank you. What else?’

‘There was also some hair, long blonde strands on the clothing, which will add additional proof one way or the other.’ He opened the can and swallowed it down in one without pausing for breath. ‘The clothes match the list supplied by the mother.’

Gaby aimed a look in Jax’s direction, managing a small nod before returning her attention back to Jason, who was continuing to speak.

‘With regards to the other case, Mrs Matthews. Again there’ll be a hold-up with the DNA but the blood found in the hall is Group O, and therefore not as helpful as it’s shared by half of the population, but it does match the records we have for her at the hospital.’

‘Thank you. I’ll fill Owen in …’ She stopped, her attention on the corridor and the sight of Owen and Marie hurrying towards them. ‘We can tell them now.’ She jumped down and, walking towards them, held out the last of the cans. ‘We didn’t think you’d mind us starting without you. There’s a lot to catch up on.’

‘You’re telling me. Thanks for the drink,’ he said, flipping open the tab. ‘Just what the doctor ordered. What have we missed?’ He ambled across to his desk but instead of sitting, leant against the edge, his feet stretched out in front of him.

‘Not a great deal. Mainly we think that Stevens may have disguised Ellie as a boy, which is good news in itself as it may mean that she’s not dead.’

‘Because there’d be no point in changing her appearance if he was going to do away with her straightaway,’ Owen added, his face expressionless. ‘There is that.’

‘What about the Matthews case? We need some good news here,’ she said, propping against the desk. ‘And up to now the only positive is that she never had a hip replacement.’

‘There is a bit of a breakthrough, thanks to Diane and Marie, not that it makes much sense. It looks like there’s some stuff missing from her house, small items that could be easily transportable but probably not enough for it to be worth anyone’s time and effort – as a motive for murder it’s a paltry one. I did get the impression that Matthews wasn’t liked. Her father had that old-fashioned sweetshop sited between what used to be Marie et Cie and the Take A Break Café in Gloddaeth Street. He was a real gent. It didn’t last two minutes without him behind the till. It’s the same story with items missing over at St Gildas, where Miss Jane taught up to her retirement. Anyway, we’ll make as good a list as we can and do the usual rounds to see if anyone knows anything about the missing goods but it’s likely that the stuff is probably out of Wales by now.’

‘I can type up the list and ping it across if you like?’ Marie offered with a smile.

Gaby nodded, pleased that she seemed back to her old self. ‘Malachy, what about you? How are you getting on with the timeline?’ Gaby said, feeling restless and unable to settle. Instead of continuing to swing her legs back and forward, she hopped down and started passing around the sandwiches.

‘Nearly done, ma’am. Just typing it up. There is one thing that stands out though.’

‘Oh?’

‘Yes. Ms Fry mainly cleans for people in and around the Colwyn Bay area but this does include the staff toilets and public areas of the Welsh Hills Memorial Centre and—’

A phone rang, cutting him off. Everyone turned to stare across at Diane as she picked up her mobile and started to speak. It didn’t take her long to turn back to the team.

‘We have a lead, ma’am. They’ve spotted Janice Stevens’s car over in Caernarfon.’

Gaby met Owen’s gaze, a torrent of memories flooding her mind, as his hand hovered between a cheese on brown and a ham on white. It hadn’t even occurred to her that Ronan would think to take her to the farmhouse. But it was ideal: isolated and remote. He could … Her thoughts lurched to a sudden halt, her brows drawn into a fierce line as she struggled to regain control.

‘Here, take these.’ She picked out a handful of sandwiches from out under Owen’s nose and wrapped them in a serviette. ‘No point in you