Death Ride by Nick Oldham

Author:Nick Oldham
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448306992
Publisher: Severn House
Published: 2022-11-16T00:00:00+00:00

NINE

The subject for discussion had moved back to Lenny Lennox and his son, Ernest.

‘How do people like him even have kids?’ Blackstone asked incredulously. ‘Creepy git, should’ve been castrated at birth. And how do they end up getting married?’

‘People end up with people,’ Henry said. ‘Doesn’t sound like the marriage lasted, though.’

‘Just long enough for a sprog.’

‘And look how he’s turned out: a chip off the old block.’

‘He’s been a lucky lad. One thing I’ll be looking at when this is over is why Ernest didn’t get prosecuted for those allegations,’ Blackstone stated.

‘Witness intimidation springs to mind,’ Henry suggested. ‘Maybe the victims were approached and were too scared?’

Blackstone nodded and took a sip of a whisky sour.

They were still in the bar of The Tawny Owl, now closed, sitting in the front bay window, chatting a lot of things through. Henry had thought it would be prudent for Blackstone to compile a to-do list of enquiries to be undertaken the next day if Charlotte hadn’t turned up – and if she wasn’t going to be the lead investigator (which seemed to be likely), to give the list of actions to whoever was in charge (the professional thing to do). She’d been compiling the list on her work iPad as the two of them spitballed ideas. It was getting to be a long one.

Having got a second wind, Henry was quite enjoying this process, and he thought that if he had been in a better state of health, he might have taken on the running of the job.

His phone rang: Melinda West.

‘Henry Christie,’ he answered. ‘Hello, Mrs West.’ He looked at Blackstone and thumbed the device on to speakerphone. ‘How are you?’

‘Not good. My mind is in a twirl. It’s so unreal, all this.’

‘That’s understandable. How is your husband?’

‘Drunk, in bed, blaming himself for being a rotten stepdad, which has more than a ring of truth to it.’

‘I hope you’ll both be OK.’

‘We will, I think … I was just wondering if you’d heard anything from the police, any update? I’ve rung them so many times it’s verging on harassment, but I can’t stop myself.’

‘Again, understandable, but you do need to let them get on with the job. They’ll keep you updated, I’m sure.’

She started to sob.

‘Look, Mrs West, they will keep trying. They’ve got quite a few addresses to check overnight, and tomorrow they will move on to other stuff.’

‘I know, I know.’

‘So try to get some sleep, yeah? I’m sure Charlotte will turn up unharmed; it’s usually the case.’

‘OK.’ She sniffed snottily. ‘Thanks for your efforts, too.’

‘You’re welcome.’

She hung up.

Henry looked at Blackstone who had been listening, but Henry noticed she was also messing about with Charlotte’s phone, which though working when Henry had found it, had since died. Blackstone was tapping it on the windowsill, trying to get it to come on. Henry saw a look of triumph on her face when she said, ‘Bingo – back to life, would you believe?’

Henry sat back. He had moved on to sipping a Jack Daniel’s with ice.

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