The Cold Light of Death by Hunter Scott

Author:Hunter, Scott [Hunter, Scott]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Suspense, Thriller
ISBN: 9798504321172
Publisher: Myrtle Villa Publishing
Published: 2021-05-02T14:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

George opened the buff file, spread its contents on his desk – a relatively thin selection of documents, given the nature of the crime. He began to read, muttering to himself as he built up a picture of the events of that sweltering July. An ‘open and shut’ case, as they used to call this clear-cut kind of crime. A second-hand store shopkeeper, bludgeoned to death at closing time for the till takings. No prints of any significance, no sign of a forced entry. That meant Duboff had probably recognised his killer and let him in.

Ah, here was something interesting. Emma Hardy had recorded a conversation with a possible associate of Duboff’s who had mentioned an address book – a book that was apparently so much a part of Duboff’s modus operandi that it never left his person. But no address book had been found at the murder site. Ergo, the killer had most likely taken it. Duboff had apparently been some kind of small-time money lender, so the book had probably served a dual purpose of contact details and accounts – and it had eventually turned up at Rik Walham’s bedsit.

The phone rang. George reached out automatically and picked it up. ‘DS McConnell.’

‘Hi, George. It’s Tess.’

George’s attention did a one-eighty. ‘Tess! Hi. How are you?’

‘Oh, you know. Getting there.’

‘You’re at your parents?’’

‘Yes. They’re making a terrible fuss. I wish they wouldn’t, but I can’t stop them.’

‘But you’re feeling better?’ George couldn’t get over Tess’ measure of recovery. It had been totally unexpected, an answer to his prayers, if he’d believed in that kind of thing. OK, so he had prayed, and something had happened. Maybe that was something he’d need to consider…

‘I’m still pretty woozy in the mornings, but I can feel myself getting stronger. The biggest problem I have is … there are gaps. I can’t remember much. I can remember working with the team, but no detail. My long-term is OK, but more recent stuff – well, there’s a lot missing.

‘Early days,’ George said. ‘It’ll all come, just give it time.’

‘Sure.’

Her sudden hesitancy put George on alert. ‘Apart from the gaps, how are you actually feeling? In yourself, I mean?’

‘I have dreams. Weird, frightening … I woke the house up last night. Apparently I was screaming the place down.’

‘It’s reaction. Your subconscious is processing stuff all the time. It’s bound to come out, somehow. They’ll pass, I’m sure.’

‘George – I need to know what happened. No one’s told me anything. Maybe if someone could talk me through the events, then … I don’t know. I think it might help.’

‘And you’d like me to be that somebody?’

‘Would you?’

‘Of course. You know I would. But only if your medics think it’s a good idea.’

‘I have an appointment on Friday. I’ll see what she thinks.’

‘OK, just say the word.’

‘How’s work? What are you up to these days?’

‘Well, like I said, since we were drafted into MCIRT, we’re covering mainly cold cases – when there’s nothing current to be going on with.

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