Murder On the Christmas Express by Alexandra Benedict

Author:Alexandra Benedict
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2022-11-10T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-eight

Roz needed some air. All that vape smoke had made her feel dizzy. Watching him exhale had also reminded her too much of the man who’d attacked her. Last thing she needed now was another flashback.

Grabbing her coat and scarf from her cabin, she bundled herself up, then opened the train door. Roz knew it’d be cold outside, but when she pressed the button to open the outside door, the wind knocked her backwards, cold air slicing at her face. She stepped down into the snow, wishing she had brought her wellies. She was out of practice of living in the Highlands. It had been a very long time since she’d lived in Fort William, and short visits didn’t count.

‘Don’t tell me, you’ve decided to walk back,’ Craig joked. He stood in the doorway, looking down on her.

‘Aye, the company int up to much so I’m leaving.’ She’d meant that as a flirty joke in return, what the weans would call ‘bantz’, but, judging from the hurt on his face, it hadn’t landed. She continued, quickly. ‘I’m actually gonna check on my daughter, then phone an old colleague, ask her to do a search on the threats Meg received, as well as seeing if Grant’s got form for domestic violence.’ She had to shout to stop the wind making off with her words.

‘Good plan. And maybe send her over the names of everyone here, see if anything turns up.’

‘Including you?’ she joked.

‘Including me. I am, after all, very suspicious.’ He smiled, and a shiver passed through her. He shifted from foot to foot. He looked like he was going to say something, then changed his mind. ‘See you in the club car?’

She nodded. As the door closed, Craig waved awkwardly then walked away.

The wind circled her, threw snow in her face as she attempted to dial. She tried Ellie first, then Heather but still got no answer.

Laz, her friend and former colleague, was a sergeant, working on her inspector’s exams. Roz had helped her prepare.

‘All right, mate,’ Laz answered. ‘Missing us already, are we?’

‘Haven’t even thought of you lot once,’ Roz replied. It was amazing how quickly she slipped back into the station routine of banter and hectoring.

‘What you calling me for, then? Aren’t you on your fancy train?’ Roz could hear traffic noises wherever Laz was. Someone shouting at someone else. The call of London.

‘I am on my fancy train, and very fancy it is too. But something’s happened and I’d like you to do some digging for me.’

‘Oh, I see. You want a favour.’

‘Well, it is Christmas Eve.’

‘Which means I’m on a half-shift, so whatever you want had better be finished by one o’clock this afternoon. I’m taking the kids to see Elf at the digital cinema.’

‘Then you’d better get researching. Could you please look into any records for Grant McVey and Meg Forth, especially in regard to domestic violence, affray and assault for McVey, and online threats and stalkers in regard to Forth, particularly a man with the first name “Iain”, spelled with two “i”s.

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