A Soldier's Honour Box Set 2 (Sgt Major Crane crime thrillers Box Set) by Wendy Cartmell

Author:Wendy Cartmell [Cartmell, Wendy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Costa Press
Published: 2019-01-25T22:00:00+00:00

18

The door of Kerry Chandler’s apartment was a cheery red, incongruous within the context of the mainly concrete structure. As Crane looked along the landing, he saw the doors of the other dwellings were painted in equally bright colours. The apartments were on one side of the landing and on the other a bright blue railing had been constructed atop the concrete wall, whether for show or to stop inebriated residents falling to their deaths, Crane wasn’t sure. The whole block had a rugged industrial feel to it, a sort of urban chic, that it didn’t quite pull off, for on closer inspection the front doors were chipped and scuffed and the railings going rusty on the underside.

Billy knocked on the door of flat 6B. A muffled voice called, “Just a minute,” accompanied by mumbles and the clatter of dishes. When no-one had opened the door after a minute or so, Billy knocked again, louder and shouted “Mrs Chandler, Royal Military Police here, can we have a word?”

After much fumbling and turning of locks, the door was opened on a secure chain and a pale, freckled female face looked through the slit.

Crane and Billy held up their identification badges, which they wore around their necks.

“Mrs Kerry Chandler?” Crane enquired.

The woman nodded her head several times but didn’t speak.

“Sgt Major Crane and Sgt Williams from the Branch on Aldershot Garrison. Can we come in please?”

His question was considered, then after more nodding of her head, Kerry opened the door and let them in.

As Crane stepped inside with Billy, they were immediately in a small living area. He could see two doors on one side of the room, both of which were open. One revealed a small kitchen, whose work surfaces were covered with packages of food and dirty dishes and the other a small bathroom. That had a linen basket on view, which was overflowing with dirty clothes. Towels were strewn over the floor as if there had been a leak and they’d been used to soak up the water. The door on the opposite wall was also open, showing an unmade bed and just the corner of what looked like it could be a wooden cot.

“Sorry to disturb you, Mrs Chandler, we just wondered if we could talk to you for a few minutes.”

“Yes, um, yes, why don’t you sit down and please, call me Kerry.”

Crane looked uncertainly at the shabby lumpy settee, but decided to risk it as Billy sat beside him and Kerry sat down gingerly on the armchair opposite them.

“Kerry, do you know that a baby was left at the Garrison Church a few weeks ago?”

“Um, yes, I read about it in the paper.”

Kerry was perched right on the front of her chair and seemed to be squirming to get comfortable, but Crane couldn’t see that she’d sat on anything other than the chair seat.

“Well, we’re contacting all Army personnel who have a baby about that age, such as yourself.”

“Army personnel?” Kerry’s question came out as a squeak.

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