Dancers in the Wind: a gripping psychological thriller by Anne Coates

Author:Anne Coates [Coates, Anne]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Urbane Publications
Published: 2016-10-12T23:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-FIVE

“Han-nah, hel-lo. Stuart Grain-ger here. How are you?”

Hannah crossed her fingers hoping his call would mean another commission for The News. “Hello Stuart. I’m fine,”

“Good. Are you busy right now?”

“Not particularly.” Hannah held her breath.

“Great! I’ve got something for you – if you can do it for us.”

“Yes.” Hannah tried not to sound too desperate. She was totally unprepared for Stuart’s next question.

“Remember that prostitute you interviewed for us?”

“Yes.” Her voice almost betrayed her.

“Well apparently she’s gone missing, disappeared and the police fear she may end up a murder victim like the other four killed at King’s Cross.”

“Discovered at…”

“I’m sorry?”

“I thought their bodies were discovered there, but they’d been killed elsewhere?”

“Yes, whatever.” Stuart sounded a little irritated. “The point is, the newspaper wants to do a bit of a follow up on her. You know, have you seen this woman etc… reward offered and we’d like you to use bits from your interview with more of your impressions about her and we want you to speak to the cop again.”

Hannah’s hands were damp with perspiration. She could feel the pulse in her neck echoing in her ears, louder and louder. She was caught in a spider’s web and every move she made to extricate herself only meant she was more entangled.

“Han-nah?”

“Sorry Stuart, I was just thinking…”

“Think out loud… the news desk pays double feature rates, you know.”

She didn’t know and swallowed hard. Scruples didn’t pay the mortgage. “Great, when do you want it by?”

“As soon as. Apparently the inspector is a little difficult to get hold of, but this is urgent. Rory on the news desk will fax you over a brief and you should contact him direct if you have any problems, though I’m sure you won’t.”

Stuart sounded more confident than he felt. They had been unable to secure an interview with Tom Jordan and hoped that Hannah could prevail upon him since she’d interviewed him before. And a little bird had told him that she’d seen Hannah having lunch with him in Jo Allen’s. It was a long shot but if she pulled it off, his credibility on the paper would definitely go up.

“Okay Stuart, what’s his number?”

“Extension 228. And good luck.”

“Thanks. I think I’ll need it.”

Hannah was thoughtful as she replaced the handset. She was suddenly aware of Caroline standing in the study doorway staring at her. Hannah smiled. “And where did you sneak off to?”

Caroline looked hurt. “I didn’t sneak off. I was just doing what I was told.”

In reply to Hannah’s raised eyebrow she said, “I went to that place over the road.”

Bemused Hannah sat down at her desk. “I’m sorry?”

“I went,” said the girl, smiling at her, “to photocopy me notebooks.”

“Oh good,” said Hannah.

“And I took two copies.”

“That was very diligent of you.”

“Well,” Caroline looked sheepish, “the bloke in there was chatting me up. He’s a bit of alright, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he’s very attractive,” Hannah replied absently. Then the two women looked at each other and burst out laughing, easing some of the tension between them.

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