SMALL BONES an utterly addictive crime thriller full of twists (Detectives Harvey & Birch Mysteries Book 2) by KERRY BUCHANAN

Author:KERRY BUCHANAN [BUCHANAN, KERRY]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thriller and mystery
Published: 2021-06-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

Lonnie had wandered off to the archives in search of the call log for the year following the disappearances, 1993, muttering about bad filing. Asha had asked her to go through the paperwork from William Hearn Senior’s study but keep it under wraps. She was the only one they could trust, for now at least.

Asha leaned back in the sergeant’s chair and closed her eyes. “So, George Aiken was involved with both cases: our murdered boy and our missing woman.” She felt queasy, and not all of it was down to injury or exhaustion from her nocturnal excitement. The very thought of a crooked cop made her sick to her core.

“Do you think he was Michael Hearn’s bent peeler?”

She shook her head. “I hate this, Aaron. We’re looking at one of our own.” She held a hand up to silence him. “I know Aiken’s a misogynistic, racist, homophobic git, but a killer? I can’t wrap my head around that at all.”

“I can. And what about Kernaghan, his sidekick? I wish we had a description to go on, but I can’t imagine old Hearn’s going to be much use, even if he pulls through from this stroke.”

“Someone needs to go over to the hospital and ask. No phone calls, not for the moment. Can you follow up the leads Lonnie unearthed, and I’ll head over there now? I’ll check in on Sue while I’m there. They said she might be let out today, so I’ll run her home and make sure she gets there safely.”

“Because that worked out so well last time.”

* * *

The officer behind the worn melamine counter eyed her sideways when she checked out another pool car, but had sufficient survival instincts to keep quiet. He gave her the keys to a small Volkswagen hatchback, which she drove with exaggerated care through the busy streets to the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Corridors buzzed with activity as she made her way up in the lift to the floor where Sue had been. The chair outside her room had been moved across next to two others, and now an elderly couple occupied them. Sue’s name had been wiped from the whiteboard outside the room, and a glance inside showed a bare bed. She went over to the nurse’s station, and a Filipina nurse whose face she recognised looked up from her keyboard.

“You’re looking for Ms Hearn, yes?”

“Yes. She’s been discharged, I take it?”

“Yes, but she’s not gone home yet. She said she was going to see her dad first.”

Asha nodded her thanks. “I know where he is. Thank you.”

She saw the uniformed constable first, standing outside a room with a closed door. A wheeled trolley sat outside, covered with the debris of some procedure or other: bloodstained swabs and used needles. Her heart sank.

The constable caught her eye and straightened. “Can I help you?”

Asha showed her identification.

“She’s inside, taking a wee moment. Her da died just there, now.” The Donegal accent was harsh, but the words suggested a compassion the constable’s face hid well.

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