Mark of the Devil by Tana Collins

Mark of the Devil by Tana Collins

Author:Tana Collins [Collins, Tana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloodhound Books


As Carruthers walked away from Barry Cuthbert he checked his mobile. Three missed calls, all from Fletcher. He left the hospital, sat in the car and called her back.

‘What’s up?’ he asked. He needed to get back to the station. He was going to be late for the police artist. He listened to her breathless voice. He knew what she was about to tell him was going to be important.

‘Jim, I’m back at the hotel with Mr and Mrs Paju. You’re not going to believe this. The dead girl’s not Marika Paju.’

Carruthers felt the world tilt. Whatever he had expected Fletcher to say, that wasn’t it. He was so sure they’d get a positive ID. He smoothed the creases on his forehead.

‘How’s that possible, Jim?’ said Fletcher. ‘The Estonian police were so sure.’

Not just the Estonian police, thought Carruthers. What about the anonymous phone caller also giving the name of Marika Paju? His mind was racing. ‘I have no idea,’ he said. ‘There’s no doubt?’

‘None whatsoever. Their daughter is eighteen, not mid-twenties. And she doesn’t have a tattoo. At least not that they know of.’

‘OK, when you’re done, get yourselves back to the station. Wait, try to get a photograph of their daughter before they leave, will you? It might prove useful.’

‘Already got it, Jim. It’s not the same woman.’

Then who the hell was she? thought Carruthers. Instead, he said, ‘I’m heading back to the station myself. I’ll set up a brief for later.’ Carruthers wondered how on earth that mix-up could have happened.

‘Oh, I thought you should know. Jodie’s back.’

Carruthers’ heart sank. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms. He didn’t have time to respond as Fletcher started speaking again.

‘How did you get on with Cuthbert?’ she asked.

‘Says he doesn’t know who beat him up. He’s lied about the time the party finished, about Sturrock being there and about the arrival of the late-night guests. Makes me wonder what else he’s lying about. Mind you, he was still pretty groggy when I interviewed him.’ He paused. ‘OK, Andie, keep me posted. I’ll be back at the station soon.’ He finished the call and drove out of the hospital car park.

As soon as he arrived back, Carruthers went straight to the canteen. Being mid-afternoon there were no sandwiches left so he got himself a coffee and KitKat. Trying to ignore his hunger pangs, he headed back to his desk.

There was a note on his desk. Dougie Harris’s scrawly handwriting. ‘Police artist delayed til 3.’ Carruthers looked at his watch. He had twenty minutes. There was more on the back of the note. ‘Inspector Mikael Tamm from the Tallinn Police rung. Can you give him a call back.’

He sat at his desk staring at the note whilst he ate his KitKat. Between mouthfuls he picked up the phone and dialled the number of the Tallinn Police Station. He needed to find out how it was the Estonian police had mistakenly told them that Marika Paju was twenty-six when in fact she was a teenager of eighteen.



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