The Cutter: a gripping crime thriller full of suspense and mystery (The DI Melanie Watton Series Book 3) by Charlotte Barnes

Author:Charlotte Barnes [Barnes, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books - crime, thriller and mystery
Published: 2021-03-14T22:00:00+00:00

29

The granddaughter – Ona Newent – was both younger and more attractive than Carter had imagined she might be, but he tried not to let the thought show. He’d extended a polite enough greeting after the desk sergeant had called to alert him to the visitor’s arrival. Melanie had already stepped out of the office – pig in tow – to see what she could find out from Waller. After dealing with Melanie earlier, though, the woman looked surprised to see a male officer greet her.

‘I’m afraid DI Watton has had to step out on associated business,’ he explained, and her obvious confusion eased. ‘I’ll be taking you in to see your grandfather. He’s been waiting in th–’

‘Is he okay?’ she cut across him.

‘He is. He’s even managed a chat with one of our officers who took a cup of tea into him.’ Carter smiled to seal the reassurance and it looked to work. He thought of this situation in different terms – if he were tracking down a missing daughter who’d taken herself for a walk, for instance – and it conjured his best sympathy voice. ‘Shall we go through?’

The woman smiled in agreement and Carter led the way to one of the more hospitable rooms the station boasted. Laurence was sitting and staring into space with what must, by now, be a lukewarm cup of tea cradled between his hands. Carter felt a twinge of sympathy, sadness even, but he tried to keep his face neutral as Ona approached her grandfather.

‘Hello, you,’ she said, sitting down next to him. She used a much softer tone than the one she’d afforded Carter, and he wondered whether she saved this voice for moments like this one. ‘You’ve given us the run-around today, old man, haven’t you?’ She nudged him lightly with her elbow then and he turned to look at her, as though only just noticing she were talking. His face lit up with recognition and Ona smiled. ‘There you are.’

‘Josie.’

Her smile drooped. ‘No, Granddad, that’s Mum you’re thinking of there.’ She turned to Carter. ‘Mum passed away about two years ago. That’s why he and I are…’ she trailed off. ‘Closer.’

Her grandfather tapped at her arm, pulling her attention back. ‘Can we go home now, love?’

Ona’s expression lifted. ‘I should think so. You’ve had enough adventure for one day.’

‘Actually, if you wouldn’t mind,’ Carter said, and both visitors turned to face him. ‘We’d love for your grandfather to look at a picture for us, if you both think that would be okay?’ He looked from one to the other; it felt strange not to include the older chap in the conversation – or not to at least try. ‘He mentioned something to our colleagues about having seen a man outside the pub. We were hoping he might look at a photo-sketch for us?’

Ona looked back at her grandfather who flashed her a wide smile. ‘Fancy being an eyewitness in a top-secret police investigation to catch a mob boss?’

The man clambered to his feet and rolled up the sleeves of his cardigan.

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