The Hiding Place by Helen Phifer

Author:Helen Phifer [Phifer, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2021-06-01T05:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Four

Detective Constable Amy Smith was filing her nails, the heating blasting hot air around the small Ford Focus whilst she waited near the entrance to Cedarwood Grove for Brett Mosely to put in an appearance. She’d been relieved not to have to go to the kid’s post-mortem – as tough and experienced as she was she still hated having to deal with murdered kids. Thankfully, it didn’t happen very often in this part of Cumbria. She’d sent Des to get coffee and something to eat. She really fancied a nice, big, gooey slice of cake but knowing Des he’d come back with two goat’s cheese salads and a bag of veggie crisps. He had a newish girlfriend he was trying to impress with his vast culinary knowledge and healthy eating, which was fine. God knows she was always trying to make better choices when it came down to her food, but there were certain limits and if he turned up with anything that contained goat’s cheese or tofu she didn’t think she’d be responsible for her actions. As if to confirm it, her stomach let out a huge growl. She saw a flash of silver in the rear-view mirror as he parked the car and waited for Des to bring her food to her. They were in separate cars so they could go for toilet breaks and coffee breaks but still be keeping watch. As the passenger window slid down, she saw a large paper coffee cup come through it along with a brown paper bag.

She stared him in the eyes and asked, ‘What’s in the cup and the bag?’

‘Jesus, Amy, how about thank you so much Des for going and getting lunch, I really appreciate it.’

‘No thanks until I know what it contains and it better not be a soya decaff latte.’

He shook his head. ‘It’s a large fully caffeinated latte with cow’s milk, and the bag contains a tuna mayo baguette with cheese and no salad. Good enough, your majesty?’

She grinned at him. ‘Much better than I thought, thank you. What did you get?’

She expected him to tell her some disgusting concoction, when he said, ‘Same as you.’

‘What? No way. I don’t believe it. Are you having a cheat day, Des?’

‘She left me for the guy who owns the new gym that’s just opened on Salter Road, so what’s the point?’

It wasn’t often that Amy was lost for words but she felt sorry for Des; he looked crushed.

‘Gertha is a fool then.’

‘Birgitta, not Gertha and not really. She’s a lot younger than me and we work such crap hours. I just really liked her.’

What unfolded next happened so fast that neither of them saw it coming. They didn’t see the man striding towards them, his face a mask of contorted pain and anger. Des, who was leaning in the passenger window talking to Amy, felt an arm like a vice clamp around his neck as he was dragged backwards.

Amy screeched, ‘Oh shit’, and managed to knock her coffee all over herself and the driver’s seat as she clambered out.

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