Tony Hill u Carol Jordan 08 - Cross and Burn by Val McDermid

Author:Val McDermid [McDermid, Val]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

33

The call had roused Paula from the glorious depths of sleep. They’d gone to bed before midnight, but Elinor had wanted to revisit her conversation with Bev’s sister Rachel. ‘But after I IM’d with Torin’s dad and he gave us his blessing, I’m still not sure I was right to encourage her to come up,’ she’d said for what Paula reckoned was the eighth or ninth time.

‘Torin’s in limbo,’ Paula said. For only the third time, she thought. ‘He needs the stability he’ll get from his family. He hardly knows us, love.’

‘According to Torin, he hardly knows his aunt either. Be honest with me, Paula. Do you think Bev’s coming home alive?’

Paula sat up and punched her pillow into shape. ‘I honestly don’t know. I think someone took her, but I have no way of knowing if she’s being kept prisoner or… We’re in the dark here. I can’t help thinking that Auntie Rachel arriving like the cavalry is going to feel like a worst-case scenario to Torin. In his shoes, I’d start giving up hope.’

‘Maybe that’s the best thing for him.’ Elinor snuggled into Paula’s side. ‘Facing up to what’s most likely to be the reality. And having his aunt here might help him with that.’

Paula yawned and patted Elinor’s hand. ‘It won’t hurt for them to get to know each other better, that’s for sure. If Bev doesn’t come home, he’s going to end up living with her. Or his gran. At least until his dad gets a home posting.’

Elinor gave a noncommittal grunt and kissed Paula’s shoulder. ‘Let’s see what tomorrow brings.’

That was the last thing Paula was aware of until her phone began ringing. She looked at the time as she answered. Twenty-seven minutes past six. ‘DS McIntyre,’ she moaned.

‘DCI Fielding here. West Yorkshire have got a body. The ID says it’s Beverley McAndrew, your misper. I’ve got a squad car coming, I’ll pick you up in twenty minutes. Be ready.’

‘OK,’ Paula said. But she was talking to no one. Still half asleep, she sat up and ran a hand through her dark blonde hair. She wanted to believe the phone call was a bad dream, but she knew it wasn’t. Bev was dead.

Elinor turned over and murmured sleepily, ‘Did your phone just ring?’

‘It was Fielding. She’s picking me up in twenty.’ This wasn’t the time to tell Elinor. It wasn’t fair to expect her to go through breakfast with Torin hugging that terrible knowledge to herself. And it wasn’t right to tell Torin anything until his mother’s ID was confirmed.

‘What’s happened?’ Elinor was alert now. She knew the ways of her lover’s job too well.

‘I think it’s a break in the Nadia Wilkowa case.’ Which was sort of true. Paula stood up, then bent to kiss Elinor. ‘See you later.’

She barely made it out the front door in time, but she’d managed to be waiting for Fielding. To her surprise, her boss had handed her a cardboard cup of coffee when she climbed into the car.

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