DETECTIVE JEFF RICKMAN BOOKS 1–3 three totally gripping crime mysteries box set by MARGARET MURPHY

Author:MARGARET MURPHY [MURPHY, MARGARET]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thriller and mystery box sets
Published: 2021-02-22T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty

It was morning playtime at the pre-school day care centre adjacent to Edge Hill Police Station, and Rickman stared down onto the small corner of playground visible from his office window. Children appeared and disappeared, like characters flashing in and out of frame on a CCTV monitor, momentarily present; vivid, real. Then gone. He thought of Megan Ward, wondering what she did when she was out of camera shot. It was hard to imagine her life, the shapelessness of her existence. Harder still to imagine why she wanted to live the way she did. To live alone because you had no choice was one thing. But to choose to live such a blunted emotional life . . .

They had made no further progress in tracing her family, but Rickman felt sure that family was the key: an abusive childhood, perhaps, or—

A sharp rap at the door made him turn. Foster and Hart came in. They both looked tired, but Hart had fared better from her sleepless night: Foster’s hair was slightly flattened, and Rickman wondered if the sergeant hadn’t found the time to tease and style the spikes he usually arranged with meticulous carelessness, or if he had foregone his usual preening, embarrassed to appear too vain in front of Hart.

‘Take a seat.’ He had cleared a couple of chairs in anticipation of their meeting. Foster dropped into his, slouching with his legs crossed at the ankles. Hart sat more decorously, with her feet tucked neatly under her chair. ‘We’ve recovered all of the money,’ Rickman said. ‘We’re going to use it to have a go at Doran.’

‘We?’ Foster’s eyebrows twitched. ‘It’s just tax dodging, isn’t it? Wouldn’t it be the Fraud Squad’s baby?’

‘We’ll be lending a hand. We need Megan to set up a meeting at midnight tonight. Church Street. There’ll be firearms officers stationed in the John Lewis and Littlewoods stores. There’ll be more armed officers in the van stationed near the junction, ready for the shout.’ The van was a regular feature, so it wouldn’t look out of place.

‘I still don’t see why we have to do their job for them,’ Foster said.

‘Because they need our help, Lee. Interdepartmental co-operation.’ He waited until Foster made a grudging acknowledgement, before adding, ‘And because they’ve agreed to share intelligence gathered from a house and office search. They’ll have access to his records, computer systems — the lot.’

‘Oh, well,’ Foster said, still sounding aggrieved. ‘It’s good to know there’s still some co-operation between departments.’

Rickman frowned. ‘Not at your best this morning, are you, Lee? Did someone steal your Weetabix?’

‘Run in with a traffic warden,’ Hart said, having the good sense to keep her face straight.

Foster muttered, ‘Scabby bastards,’ and Rickman rolled his eyes, though he felt some sympathy.

‘One final thing,’ he said. ‘Megan will not make the drop.’

‘Boss—’

‘It’s too risky.’ Rickman could see that Hart was ready to launch into an argument.

‘But—’

‘Go home,’ Rickman said, firmly. ‘Get some rest. Report back for the evening briefing.’

Hart left, looking troubled and frustrated.

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