McLean 03 - The Hangman's Song by James Oswald

Author:James Oswald [Oswald, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781405913195
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Published: 2014-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

31

He was driving home when the call came through. No hands-free in his little Alfa, so normally McLean would ignore his phone on a short trip, pick up the message when he got wherever he was going. Maybe it was the slow-moving traffic, maybe just chance, but something made him pull the phone out of his jacket pocket this time, glance at the screen. Jenny Nairn.

To a chorus of irate horns, he indicated and swerved over to the kerb, hit the hazard lights whilst accepting the call and clamping the phone to his ear. There was only one reason why the young carer would phone him at work.

‘Thank fuck for that. Where’ve you been for the last three hours?’

‘Umm. Jenny?’ McLean frowned, even though there was no one there to see him.

‘Too bloody right, Jenny. I’ve been trying your phone for ages. Check your messages why don’t you.’

McLean looked at his phone, but in call mode he couldn’t see if there were messages waiting or not. He didn’t remember there being any, and, anyway, the thing had been in his pocket all day. He’d have heard if it rang.

‘I’m sorry, OK? I’m here now. What’s the problem?’

‘It’s Emma. She walked out again. Ran, more like.’ Jenny sounded winded, breathing heavily as if she were running.

‘I thought you were with her.’ McLean stared in the rear-view mirror as the traffic snarled up behind him even worse than it had been before.

‘I am with her. Now. Can barely keep up.’ More heavy breathing and the sound of cars in the background.

‘Did you not try to stop her?’ He knew it was a stupid question even as he asked it.

‘Yes, and if she’s broken my nose you’re paying for the plastic surgery. She’s a lot stronger than she looks, you know.’

Now he listened carefully, there was something of a more nasal quality about Jenny’s voice.

‘Look, where are you. I’ll come and get you. OK?’

‘Just past IKEA at Loanhead, walking towards Bilston.’ Jenny wheezed and coughed. ‘More like jogging. Jesus, she’s going like a train.’

McLean flicked his indicator, saw the narrowest of gaps in his mirror and pulled out into the traffic, only then remembering that the hazard lights were on. He floored the throttle and shot forward to another chorus of horns. With the phone still clamped to his ear, he couldn’t change gear, so he red-lined the engine, spinning the back wheels around as he did a U-turn. ‘I’m on my way. Just don’t lose her.’

He hung up before Jenny could come up with a witty rejoinder, chucked the phone onto the passenger seat and grabbed second gear. Loanhead. Bilston. He knew exactly where Emma was going.

Needham House was no longer the fine mansion it had once been. Truth be told, it had been falling down from neglect for over a generation. Too expensive for the two career policemen who had been its last owners to keep up, but too much family history for either of them to sell. Old man Needham

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