The Redemption (The Lancefield Mysteries Book 2) by Mariah Kingdom

Author:Mariah Kingdom [Kingdom, Mariah]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-11-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

‘Is it true?’ Drummond’s voice sounded solemn at the end of the line. ‘The girl’s dead?’

It was going to be a long conversation. Price regarded what remained of his bacon-sandwich breakfast with a pang of regret and reluctantly pushed the plate to the edge of his desk. ‘I saw for myself.’ He tucked the phone’s receiver into the crook of his neck and stretched out a hand for his coffee. ‘I’d been out for a drink with Kathryn and I was just about to head for home when the call came through. We grabbed a cab out from Penzance to Penwithen. Kathryn came with me.’ He hadn’t been sure how the evening would end. But he knew that standing in the churchyard of St Felicity’s, gazing down at Emma Needham’s lifeless body, hadn’t been one of his preferred outcomes. ‘David Lancefield found her. He was out walking the dog and it dragged him into the churchyard. He was pretty shaken up, but he didn’t waste any time in calling us out.’

‘Was it an accident?’

Price snuffled a cynical laugh into the receiver. ‘What do you think?’ He sipped on his coffee. ‘She’d been strangled with her scarf and her body had been arranged over the top of Lucy Lancefield’s grave.’

‘Fully clothed?’

‘It wasn’t that sort of crime.’ Price wasn’t sure yet just what sort of crime it was. ‘But I’d be interested to know what you make of it. Maybe I’m too close to the Lancefields to see clearly.’ He swivelled his chair gently to and fro. ‘Lucy was strangled with her scarf. It’s the same method.’

‘It could be a coincidence.’

‘Or you could wait until I’ve got the end of the story.’ Price struggled to keep the irritation out of his voice. ‘Yesterday, anonymous flowers were found on Lucy’s grave. There was a card attached to them with one word on it: “whore”. We put it down to the ongoing hate campaign against the family.’ He paused to give Drummond time to catch up. ‘When Emma’s body was found, there were fresh flowers on the grave beside her but this time the card…’ He hesitated, still disturbed by the memory. ‘There was a card with the word “slut” written on it. But it wasn’t attached to the flowers this time. It had been inserted into Emma’s mouth.’

‘Ennor… mate…’ Andy Drummond sounded suddenly remorseful. ‘I didn’t take this Lancefield business seriously enough, did I?’ He fell silent for a moment and then asked, ‘What can I do to help?’

‘We haven’t informed the family yet. We could do with a liaison point at your end.’

‘Consider it done. I’ll speak to Kate Jenkins. We’d better inform Barbara Gee as well, she’ll need to know.’ Drummond was silent for a moment, and then he asked ‘What about Jason Speed? Is he okay?’

‘That depends on what you mean by “okay”. He’s safe. Kathryn came with me to The Lancefield Arms, to inform him of the death.’ If he closed his eyes, Ennor could still see the

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