Why Aren't They Screaming? by Joan Smith

Author:Joan Smith
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 1988-09-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 6

Loretta heaved open the door of the phone box and peered inside, wrinkling up her nose as the smell of stale urine assailed her. She was glad she hadn’t come on this errand the night before; the kiosk was in a lonely spot on the main road past the air base. Propping open the door with one foot so she could breathe fresh air, she looked to see what coins she needed. The box was an old-fashioned one – although she had several twenty-pence pieces and one fifty in her purse, the only slot that hadn’t been blocked up was for tens. Loretta had four of these, and hoped Bailey would be in his office. Or should she wait a little longer? She looked at her watch: nine fifteen. Surely he’d be there by now, she thought impatiently. He was in charge of a murder inquiry, after all. She decided to risk it.

‘Hello, can I speak to Chief Inspector Bailey?’

She waited a moment while the switchboard operator tried an extension. A man’s voice answered.

‘Sergeant Gorringe.’

‘Is Chief Inspector Bailey there? It’s about the murder. The Wolstonecroft murder,’ she added, suddenly realizing Bailey might be dealing with more than one.

‘Mr Bailey’s in London today, miss. Can I help you?’

‘Oh.’ Loretta was crestfallen. During a restless night she had cheered herself up by imagining the expression on Bailey’s face as he listened to the tape recording which was at present sitting safely in her shoulder-bag. Now she had been robbed – if only temporarily – of her triumph. She wondered whether to explain the whole business to the sergeant, and decided against it.

‘No. Can I leave a message? That Dr Lawson would like to speak to him.’

‘OK, miss. Does he know where to contact him?’

‘Who?’

‘Dr Lawson.’

‘I’m Dr Lawson.’

‘Oh, you’re –’ The sergeant’s voice was cut off by the pips. Loretta’s hand hovered over the coin slot, then drew back. Why waste her last couple of coins on this ridiculous conversation? She pressed down the rest, listened for the change in tone, and dialled a London number. After a couple of rings she heard a click.

‘Hi, this is John Tracey’s answering machine. I’m not here at the moment, so why not leave a message and I’ll call you back as soon as –’ The rest was cut off by the signal for more money. Exasperated, Loretta put the phone down. Then, having second thoughts, she picked it up again and dialled 100 for the operator. A man’s voice answered and she asked to make a transferred charge call to the Sunday Herald. When she got through, Tracey’s extension rang and rang without reply. Loretta was about to put the phone down when someone picked it up. To her relief, she heard Tracey’s voice.

‘Thank God! You can’t imagine the trouble I’m having with phones this morning –’

‘Well, you’re lucky to get me at all this time in the morning. I’m only in early ‘cause I’ve got to go through a pile of documents before I see someone for lunch.

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