Cold as the Grave by James Oswald

Author:James Oswald [Oswald, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781472249913
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2019-02-06T17:00:00+00:00

The sharp taint of exhaust fumes from the departing taxi hung in the crisp night air as McLean unlocked the back door and flicked on the lights. When he turned to let Emma and Rahel in, it was to see the younger woman staring up at the dark house, her face a picture of disbelief.

‘Come on in. It’s too cold out here to stand about on the doorstep.’

Still staring as if she couldn’t quite believe what was happening, Rahel allowed herself to be steered indoors by Emma. When they stepped into the kitchen, the heat from the Aga was a welcome relief, and without thinking McLean set about filling the kettle and putting it on to boil. Only once he’d done that did he glance at the clock over the door, seeing it was closer to one now than midnight.

‘Is many people living here? They are all asleep?’ Rahel’s gaze darted from fridge to table to sink and back to McLean, never resting anywhere for long.

‘Just me and Emma,’ he said, then felt something move at his feet. ‘And the cat.’

Mrs McCutcheon’s cat, usually nowhere to be seen whenever a stranger arrived at the house, had sauntered in as if she had not a care in the world. She sniffed the air, then walked boldly up to Rahel and nudged her hand.

‘Oh, hello there, puss.’ Rahel crouched down and rubbed the cat behind her ears, getting a deep rumbling purr in response. McLean wasn’t sure whether to be jealous or relieved, settling for a bit of both.

‘Anyone want a cup of tea?’ he asked, hoping the answer would be no. He’d need to be at the station for six o’clock, which didn’t leave much time for sleep.

‘I’m too knackered for tea. Think I’ll head to bed.’ Emma walked over to the Aga and removed the kettle from the hob. ‘Rahel, I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping, OK?’

Rahel straightened up, looked around the kitchen one more time. ‘I can’t believe . . . How big is this house? It is like a palace, no?’

‘Don’t get too comfortable now,’ McLean said. ‘This is only temporary. Until we can work something out. I still need to ask you questions. A lot of questions. About how you got here, about Akka and the others. And we’ll get you to see the young girl we found, Nala. If we can identify her as Akka’s daughter, that opens up all manner of possibilities.’

‘Nala.’ Rahel’s eyes widened at the name, the young teen showing through the hardened exterior again. ‘I must see her. I have to protect her.’

‘She’s safe where she is. Trust me.’ McLean recalled the CCTV footage he’d seen, the look of fear on the little girl’s face when he’d arrived at the charity offices. Could he really be sure she was fine in some care home right now? He had to believe that she was.

‘Get some sleep, OK?’ he said. ‘We’ll talk tomorrow, and then you can see her.’

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