Shallow Water (Death On The Clyde Book 1) by Hunter J Walker

Author:Hunter J Walker [Walker, Hunter J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stonehill and Hunter Publishing
Published: 2016-02-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Saturday

Douglas left Susanne sleeping and dressed quietly, leaving the flat to arrive at the MIU well ahead of time. But no sooner had he sat at his desk than Nicola put her head out of her office.

‘Dougie, how very nice of you to actually arrive on time this fine Saturday morning,’ she said loudly. ‘Go and find Tanya, and I want to see you the pair of you in my office without delay.’

‘Yes, Ma’am,’ he acknowledged and reached for the phone to call Tanya’s mobile, but it went to voice mail. He left his desk to search all the usual places and he was just about to admit failure when she finally entered the office. He passed on Nicola’s instruction and she followed him to the office.

As soon as they were seated Nicola began: ‘I set up a conference call with Miranda Sutherland for this morning. With the time difference it will be afternoon in Dubai and she should be in the British Embassy. They have already verified her identity and shown her the email I sent.’

Douglas nodded. ‘Do we have a script for this interview?’

‘We can use the notes of her husband’s interview and see how her answers tally with his. Not that a separated couple usually have a good word to say about each other.’

Douglas went out to his desk where he printed off three copies of the interview with Samuel Sutherland. When he returned to the office, Nicola had cleared her desk of files by the simple expedience of dumping them on the floor. She placed the telephone in the centre of her desk. ‘Let’s see if I can remember how to do a conference call,’ she said and pressed one of the buttons. ‘Dougie, ring my number and we’ll see if your voice comes out of the speaker.’

After three attempts they knew how to set up the conference call and Nicola punched in the number for the British Embassy in Dubai.

*****

‘Hello,’ Nicola said, ‘are you Miranda Florence Sutherland, nee Sowersby?’

‘Yes.’

‘And you are married to, but separated from, Samuel Arthur Sutherland?’

‘Yes.’

‘And you have a daughter, Annabel Candace Sutherland?’

‘Yes.’

‘Are you aware of your daughter’s present whereabouts?’

There was a hesitation. ‘She has a flat in Glasgow and is studying at the University, as far as I knew until this afternoon when I read your email.’

‘Does your husband pay towards your daughter’s education?’

‘Not directly, the money comes out of my allowance.’

‘When did you last speak to your daughter?’

‘Oh God…two weeks ago. Monday, I think, and she send me a text later in the week.’

‘Did she say anything out of the ordinary on either occasion?’

A pause before the reply: ‘It was just chat, normal mother–daughter things.’

‘Are you aware of your daughter’s present location?’

‘No.’

‘We have reason to believe your daughter may have been abducted. Has anyone else been in contact about your daughter?’

‘Oh God!’ Miranda Sutherland exclaimed and a pause followed before she added: ‘No.’

‘Do you know of any reason why anyone would want to abduct your daughter?’

A pause. ‘No.’

‘How are Annabel’s relations with her father?’

‘Last I heard they were reasonable.

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