Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold

Author:Robert Gold [Gold, Robert]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Published: 2022-03-03T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 39

From the corner of my eye, I see Dani glance back over her shoulder as I lead her through the yard and back out into the alley.

‘Happy now?’ she says, when we step out on to Farsley’s main street.

I retrieve the envelope from my pocket and hold it up to her. I see the recognition in her eyes, before they narrow.

‘You lie with unnerving ease, you impersonate a police officer, and now you remove evidence from a crime scene,’ she says.

‘Three good skills,’ I reply, smiling.

‘It’s not funny, Ben.’

‘Let’s get into the car,’ I reply, taking out my keys before starting to run down the hill towards the pub car park. ‘We’ll be back on the motorway long before Inspector Kavanagh arrives.’

I click open the locks and Dani pulls open the door to the passenger side. She says nothing until we’re almost back on the ring road.

‘What happens when he calls Barnsdale?’

‘Could have been anybody,’ I reply. ‘And why would you impersonate yourself? Makes no sense.’

‘Somebody impersonated me right down to the blonde curls?’

‘That might be tricky, I’ll give you that.’

‘And who would even know Barnsdale and I are working on the case?’

‘Well, what the hell was Barnsdale doing back down in London anyway? F-all, that’s what.’

‘Slow down,’ says Dani, as I hit sixty. ‘We don’t want to get pulled over. And remember the cameras.’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ I reply.

‘I get the feeling you don’t take any of this seriously!’

‘I’ve learnt not to worry about the little things in life. I’m going to find out the truth and I don’t care what I have to do to get to it. Barnsdale can arrest me if she likes, but good luck with the press shitstorm that will unleash. I’m going to find out what happened to my mum, and Abigail Langdon’s killer is going to help me.’

‘I’ll let you sell that to Barnsdale. You shouldn’t underestimate her.’

We drive to the motorway in silence but, as we pass a convoy of military equipment heading south, I turn to Dani and ask if she can reach my jacket. She twists and pulls it from the back seat.

‘It’s in the zip pocket,’ I say.

‘You sure you want to do this now?’ she asks, resting the envelope on her lap.

I glance across at the letter. ‘I’d recognise my mum’s handwriting anywhere,’ I say, seeing the envelope addressed to Demi Porter.

‘Why don’t we read this when we stop? This is evidence.’

‘No, let’s do it now,’ I say, switching lanes to pass a white transit van. ‘I want to know what my mum said. If you don’t want to do it, I will.’

Dani slowly picks up the envelope and carefully pulls out the letter from inside. I recognise the writing paper – cream, with our address printed on the top. My mum liked to send personal, handwritten notes whenever she could. As Dani unfolds the letter I can see it’s just one sheet, single-sided.

‘You want me to read it out?’

‘Yes, please,’ I reply.

‘Dear Abigail,’ Dani begins. ‘I want to start by thanking you for writing back to me.

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