The Coffin in the Wall: A DI Emma Christie Crime Thriller Book 1 by M J Lee

Author:M J Lee [Lee, M J]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
Publisher: Durrow Publishing
Published: 2024-03-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter FORTY-THREE

Gavin Newton was back in the same wine bar as last night, surrounded by the other journalists. They’d been joined by two new reporters – both from the red-top nationals in London.

His latest byline in the Chester Daily had created a stir and he was the new centre of attention. The picture of the crime scene had particularly interested them. The reporter from the Mail had been extremely pushy in asking Gavin for details about the case.

‘Who discovered the body?’

‘Were the eyes really removed?’

‘What’s the copper in charge like?’

‘You wrote about a satanic angle to the story; that’s just bollocks, right?’

‘You’ve got a source in the coroner’s office, haven’t you?’

Gavin had avoided all the questions with a quiet smile and a shrug of the shoulders. His refusal to divulge any information only seemed to encourage the reporter from the Mail to ask even more questions.

The meeting with his source had been brief that afternoon. Gavin had managed to get them to wait for their money with a promise of a big payday as long as the tips kept coming. He knew he was only postponing the time when he had to cough up, but a week was a long time in journalism, anything could happen.

Gavin could only hope that it did.

‘We havin’ another?’

The London accent of the reporter from the Mail cut through the buzz in the wine bar.

‘Why not? The night is still young.’

‘A man after my own heart. Drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die. Or we get sacked, one way or the other.’

The reporter held up the empty bottle in one hand, his index finger outstretched, indicating to the waitress that he wanted one more. She smiled and reached for a corkscrew.

He leant into Gavin and whispered, ‘Now, while we wait for the next bottle of Chateau Fleet Street, how about you help Uncle Quentin with this case. There’s a monkey in it for you.’

Gavin shook his head. ‘What’s a monkey?’

The reporter smiled. ‘You haven’t been doing this long, have you? A monkey is five hundred quid. One of the most important units of currency in journalism. What about it? Anything for Uncle Quentin? I’d love to know who discovered the body.’

Gavin thought long and hard. Five hundred quid was a lot of money. It would go towards paying his source and leave a bit over for a few more bottles of wine.

‘The body was found by a young kid.’

‘Brilliant, but I already guessed that from your article. What’s his name and address?’

Gavin held out his hand. ‘Money first.’

‘You learn quick, Gavin.’

He turned his back away from the other journalists and took out an envelope from inside his jacket, selecting ten fifty-pound notes from a large wad. Gavin gazed greedily at the remainder of the money.

The reporter went to hand over the money and then snatched it back. ‘Name and address.’

‘The body was discovered by a young boy called Daniel Sangster. He lives with his mother who’s a single-parent nurse and works for the NHS. The address is Flat 4, 23 Salmon Street, Blacon.

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