Cry From The Grave A Thrilling Psychological Crime Mystery (Harry Briscombe Book 1)

by Carolyn Mahony

  Murray stared at her in shocked disbelief. ‘And this is the man who you’ve been quoted as saying would never have hurt your baby?’

  ‘But it was only me that he used to get angry with, and usually only when he was drunk.’

  ‘Miss Walker ... you were how old? Twenty? How could you possibly have been able to judge what a man like that was capable of? Where exactly was your boyfriend when Sophie disappeared?’

  ‘On his way to work.’

  ‘But he wasn’t in work, was he? And it says in the paperwork that he never actually got to see his client.’

  ‘No. But that was because I called him to tell him about Sophie.’

  ‘And how much later was it that he called you back, after you left your message?’

  ‘I don’t remember exactly. About half an hour.’

  ‘And how long after that before he arrived back home?’

  ‘I don’t know. About another hour I suppose.’

  ‘So, in fact he could have been anywhere when you called him? And he would have had plenty of time to…’

  ‘No!’ Hannah jumped up from her chair, looking confused. ‘He wouldn’t have done that … he wouldn’t.’

  But she was looking less sure of herself all of a sudden. He’d been jealous of Sophie.

  ‘Well, I hope you’re right, but we’ll certainly be re-interviewing him. Is there anything else you’ve not told me? I’d suggest that now would be a good time to get everything out in the open.’

  His manner was curt and Hannah couldn’t blame him for being angry. She shook her head.

  ‘Right, well in that case…’ he rose from his seat.

  ‘I know you’re busy,’ Hannah said quickly, swallowing hard but determined to forestall him before he terminated the interview, ‘but before I go … I was wondering if you’d managed to speak to my old neighbour yet, Mrs Morrison?’

  ‘Ah yes, Mrs Morrison.’

  He re-opened her file and pulled out a piece of paper. ‘My sergeant did manage to track her down and pay her a visit.’

  ‘And?’

  Murray shook his head. ‘Not what you want to hear, although you were right about one thing. Her daughter wasn’t pregnant when you saw her. But there was a plausible reason for that. She was adopting a baby and they didn’t want everyone knowing. Said it was their business and nobody else’s. Only close family and friends knew the truth.’

  Hannah’s face dropped. ‘Did you check their story out with the adoption people?’

  The look he threw her was impatient. ‘Naturally. And it all stacks up. It had taken them a long time apparently for the process to go through, but they got their baby – a little girl – around the same time as you had yours. Joan Morrison wasn’t your abductor, Miss Walker.

  Disappointment flooded through her.

  ‘Will you be confirming that by taking DNA from their little girl? Just to make sure?’

  ‘No.’ Murray’s response was curt. ‘Why would we? There’s no reason at all to suspect the Morrisons of anything.’

  Hannah clamped her lips together. She hadn’t realised how much hope she’d been pinning on the possibility of Joan Morrison being the person who’d taken Sophie. She picked up her bag, damping down her disappointment.

  ‘Thank you for your time, Inspector.’ Her eyes settled one more time on the envelope on his desk. ‘You’ll let me know when…?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  Harry saw her out then walked back into Murray’s office. He was sitting at his desk staring at the envelope in his hand.

  ‘What do you make of this then, Harry?’

  Harry shook his head. ‘The publicity could have dragged the real abductor out of the woodwork I suppose, but it’s unlikely. I’ll send it off for testing though. You never know.’

  ‘Whilst we’re on the subject of testing, Adam Campbell’s coming down this morning to have his DNA taken. What’s happening about the wife?’

  ‘I’m going over to take hers tomorrow morning.’

  ‘Good. The sooner we get that lot bagged the better.’

  Harry hesitated. This was probably where he should be saying that it was inappropriate for him to do it – but he didn’t.

  ‘I’m seeing her at twelve o’clock,’ he added, glad of something positive to report.

  ‘Well, make an appointment to see Ben Short again as well. Let’s turn the screws a bit.’

  His eyes fixed on the scarf draped over the chair opposite him. ‘Is that Hannah Walker’s scarf she’s left behind?’

  Out in the reception Hannah was just about to exit the building.

  ‘Miss Walker?’

  ‘Yes?’ She turned to see Sergeant Briscombe holding out her scarf.

  ‘You left this behind, I think?’

  ‘Oh, thank you.’

  She didn’t notice the intent stare of the man walking past her as she retraced her steps and retrieved her scarf.

  He was waiting for her outside the station.

  ‘Miss Walker?’

  She looked at him in surprise. There was something familiar about him but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

  ‘Adam Campbell,’ he said. ‘We … met in my garden the other night?’

  His expression held a glint of amusement, as if he recognised the incongruity of the situation, but Hannah’s clear green eyes remained solemn.

  ‘Oh, right. Hello.’

  She recognised him now despite the fact it had been dark when they’d met. He was a good-looking man, average height, strong, rugged – very much the country type in his Barbour jacket. His casual appearance was in complete contrast to Ben’s city-slick perfection. In the dark, he’d appeared intimidating. In daylight, he looked – reassuring.

  ‘I’ve just been giving a DNA sample to eliminate myself from the enquiry. That’s how they phrase it anyway.’

  He smiled at her full on and the effect was startling, as if someone had winded her. She looked quickly away, knowing even as she did so that she carried every inch of that image in her mind. The generous mouth curved upwards in a smile, the golden-brown eyes – the dark brown hair pushed carelessly off his brow rather than meticulously combed like Ben’s would have been. It was disconcerting to feel a connection with a complete stranger like that.

  ‘I’m glad we’ve bumped into each other,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry, I was rude the other night. You didn’t need that with everything else you’ve got going on at the moment.’

  Hannah shrugged. ‘I shouldn’t have been there.’

  ‘Would you ... that is, I was just going to head over to Mario’s for a coffee if you’d like to join me?’

  She hesitated, casting a quick glance at her watch. ‘DCI Murray would probably have something to say about that,’ she said wryly, ‘but actually, that only makes me want to say yes even more, the way I’m feeling right now. A coffee would be good. Thanks.’

  Probably not be the best of ideas, but she felt he was a link – even if it was a tenuous one – to Sophie, and what was going on at the moment. She needed to explore that.

  ‘Do you know where Mario’s is?’

  ‘Yes. I’ve got my car. I’ll meet you there.’

  In the coffee shop they ordered and sat down.

  ‘I really am sorry about the other night,’ Adam said.

  ‘Don’t be.’ She pulled her scarf off and shook her hair free. ‘It’s not every day you find a strange woman in your garden in questionable circumstances.’

  ‘No. But it must be difficult enough for you and your husband at the moment without having some lunatic rant at you.’

  ‘I don’t have a husband.’ She looked up, making space for her coffee as the waiter put it down on the table. Then realising that may have sounded a bit bald, added. ‘My boyfriend and I split up after Sophie was taken. She’d been the only thing keeping us together.’

  ‘I’m sorry. That must have made things doubly hard for you.’

  ‘If you really want to know, it
was a relief. We should never have got together in the first place.’

  Her eyes held his - challenging him to think the worst of her. But how could he when he could so easily relate to that?

  ‘Relationships can be difficult,’ was all he said.

  ‘Yes. How’s your wife?’

  ‘Fine thanks, a bit up and down. It doesn’t sound much, but she suffers from quite severe mood swings and they can knock her back. That’s why I was so abrupt with you. I’m sorry.’

  ‘She’s lucky to have your support.’

  Hannah could have kicked herself for the wistful note she suspected had crept into her voice. She studied him covertly as he picked up his cup. His face struck her as an honest one. It complimented the broad shoulders and capable hands, and something deeply female within her responded to that package. She drew in a breath, acknowledging the irony of the situation. The first man to catch her interest in years and not only was he married, but he was involved in the case – could even be involved in Sophie’s disappearance. It just went to prove there was something fundamentally wrong with her sense of judgement.

  He took another swig from his coffee and looked at his watch. ‘I’ll need to make a move in a minute. My work colleagues will be wondering what’s happened to me.’

  ‘Me too. What do you do?’

  ‘I’m a partner at the Pet Haven Veterinary Surgery. Do you know it?’

  ‘Yes, I do as it happens. I take my cat there. But I usually see Jeanette?’

  He nodded. ‘She’s been there for donkeys’ years – she’s great. What about you? What do you do?’

  ‘Primary school teacher.’ Then she remembered and pulled a face. ‘At least I was. I’ve been suspended until all this is over. It would appear that the Board of Governors doesn’t approve of a possible child-murderer teaching their children.’

  Adam frowned. ‘That’s harsh.’

  ‘Yes, but there’s not much I can do about it, so I’m helping a friend out in her shop at the moment. She’s an interior designer – could come in handy if I need to retrain.’

  A ghost of a smile curved her lips and Adam found himself smiling back. ‘I hope it doesn’t come to that. It would be their loss I’m sure.’

  She took a sip of her coffee. ‘Have the police come up with anything new that you know of?’

  He sighed. ‘I’m beginning to think we’d be the last people to know if they did. They’ve said they should have more information by the middle of the week, which by my reckoning is tomorrow, but I’m not holding my breath. It’s impossible getting on with your everyday life when you’ve got something like this hanging over you. You must find that even more than us.’

  Hannah shrugged. ‘You get used to it, but this recent stuff’s not been easy, I must admit.’

  Her gaze dropped to her cup – an unspoken termination of that conversation, and Adam found himself drawn to her as he studied the picture she presented. He didn’t know what had prompted the suggestion of Mario’s. It had been difficult enough finding the time to come down to the police station in the first place – he certainly didn’t have time to sit around drinking coffee. But there was something about her. She’d looked rather lost sitting there in her thick winter coat, with a few wispy strands of blond hair poking out from beneath the scarf she wore. She looked as if she could do with a good laugh to blow away the clouds that hung across her face, but that wasn’t likely to happen any time soon. Although she was nothing like Natasha, she reminded him of his wife in her more vulnerable moments. He had an urge to cup her face in his hands and smooth the lines of worry gently away with his thumbs. It was a totally inappropriate train of thought, and it threw him.

  He stood up abruptly, pulling out his wallet. ‘‘Well hopefully they’ll get their skates on and you’ll be back in your job before you know it. Sorry to dash off but I’ve got an op list to prepare for. Thanks for coming. It’s been good to talk. I was feeling quite fed up to tell you the truth.’

  He put some money down on the table. ‘I’ll keep my fingers crossed that things get resolved for you. Please let me pay for the coffee?’

  She shook her head pushing the money awkwardly back at him. Their hands clashed and they both snatched their fingers back.

  ‘Really it’s not necessary...’

  Their eyes locked and he noted her heightened colour with something suspiciously akin to pleasure.

  ‘I insist,’ he muttered. ‘Good luck with everything.’

  ***

  Natasha was in the kitchen when he got home that evening and Kate was sitting at the kitchen table frowning with concentration over one of her workbooks. He ruffled her hair.

  ‘What are you up to, mischief?’

  ‘I’m doing my homework,’ she responded proudly, holding up her book.

  ‘I’ve cooked us dinner,’ Natasha called out gaily, turning around. ‘Roast pork, your favourite.’

  He walked through to where she was vigorously mashing the potatoes.

  ‘Uh, that’s great, but have you forgotten we’re going to Andy and Lisa’s tonight?’

  ‘Are we?’ She frowned. The over-bright glitter in her eye that had worried him yesterday was still there.

  ‘Yes. They’re introducing us to their new neighbours?’

  ‘Oh, God. I forgot.’ She dropped the masher into the pan and buried her face in her hands. ‘Stupid of me. Stupid. Stupid.’

  ‘Hey, don’t upset yourself,’ Adam said. ‘It’s easily done with all that’s going on at the moment. Kate can have the pork tonight and we can have it cold tomorrow. Come on, Katie, clear your stuff away and mummy and I will sit and chat to you while you have your supper.’

  He turned back to Natasha, giving her a moment before asking. ‘Anything more from the police?’

  As he’d hoped, the question diverted her. ‘No. As if they’d tell us anything anyway. How did you get on with the DNA thing?’

  ‘It was fine. I explained about you not feeling great at the moment. They said they’d send someone round to the house for yours tomorrow.’

  He didn’t mention about going for a coffee with Hannah Walker – not that he had anything to hide.

  ‘What’s DNA?’ Katie’s voice was curious as she packed her books away and climbed back onto her chair.

  ‘It’s too grown up for little girls to understand,’ Natasha said dismissively. ‘Here you are, I’ve given you some extra crackling as daddy and I are eating out.’

  As Katie munched her way through her dinner Natasha’s mood lifted again. What with that and the spaced out look in her eyes, it made Adam feel uneasy. Her mood imbalances seemed much more pronounced these days; it reminded him of the last time that had happened when she’d been doing the drugs. Was she taking them again? Hiding it from him? His heart sank at the thought.

  She was smiling animatedly around the table, her manner forced as she started up a non-stop dialogue of chatter about the other ‘inmates’ on the hospital ward she’d occupied a couple of years back. ‘They were completely loony,’ she laughed. ‘Did I tell you that? I remember thinking I’d never get out of there.’

  She broke off, looking suddenly anxious from one to the other. ‘You did want me to come home, both of you, didn’t you? You don’t prefer it when I’m not here?’

  ‘Of course we don’t,’ Adam said quickly. ‘We much prefer being a proper family, don’t we, Kate?’

  Katie nodded, but her face was thoughtful as she picked a carrot up in her fingers and took a nibble from it.

  ‘How many times have I told you not to do that?’ Natasha shouted, banging her fist on the table.

  Katie dropped the carrot as if it burned her, her eyes shooting apprehensively to her mother, and then for reassurance, to her father. Her lower lip started to wobble.

  ‘Sorry…’ she said in a small voice.

  ‘It doesn’t matter, sweetheart, it’s not the end of the world,’ Adam said easily. ‘It’s just not very good manners. Use your knife and fork like we’ve shown y
ou.’

  ‘Oh, that’s right ... stick up for her, like you always do. You think I don’t know the two of you would be much happier without me?’

  Tears filled Natasha’s eyes and Katie’s look darted worriedly from one to the other.

  ‘And you can stop looking at me like that,’ Natasha shrieked. ‘As if I’m some sort of freak.’

  The little girl’s eyes widened even more. She sat as stiff as a board in her chair, her own eyes beginning to well up.

  ‘Tash...’ Adam said carefully.

  Damn, damn, damn ... Natasha thought hysterically. Why did she always have to ruin everything? She took a deep breath, holding her hands tightly in her lap, willing her facial muscles to relax. ‘I’m sorry darling – I didn’t mean to shout like that. How about I read you a story later when you go to bed? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?’

  ‘Daddy’s reading me Secret Tales,’ Katie said sullenly. ‘I like him reading to me.’

  Natasha’s expression tightened.

  ‘Perhaps Mummy can do it tonight,’ Adam intervened quickly. ‘Mummy and I are going out for dinner to Uncle Andy’s later and I’ve got some work I need to do first. It’ll be nice for both of you.’

  For a moment, it looked as though Kate was going to argue, her little face set in a mutinous line that was becoming all too familiar, but then perhaps sensing her mother’s unhappiness she relented.

  ‘All right. Will you do the funny voices like Daddy does?’

  ‘I’ll try,’ Natasha said stiffly. ‘Hurry up and finish your dinner, then go and get undressed. Call me when you’re ready.’

  In the kitchen, as she stacked the dishwasher, Natasha fought back the tears. She shouldn’t have shouted at her like that, it wasn’t Katie’s fault that she was feeling like crap, just like it wasn’t her fault that Natasha had never really wanted children. She’d been gutted when she’d broken up from school and realised she was having Zach’s baby – it had come as such a shock. And if she hadn’t been going through all the stuff with her mother’s illness she’d have had an abortion, no doubt about it. But her mother had been so pleased at the thought of seeing her grandchild before she died and with Adam there believing the baby was his, it just seemed right to go ahead and have it.