Driftnet
Page 20
It met Gavin’s eye. She felt the momentary resistance, the point piercing the membrane. As he staggered backwards, she heard a scream, but whether it was his, or hers, she had no idea.
Free of his grip, she slumped forward, gasping in the smoke filled air. She looked up. Jonathan was shouting at her.
She struggled forward.
‘I’m coming!’ The words tore from her throat as she staggered towards the loch and the night sky and air filled with sweet oxygen.
****
Bill was out and running even before the car came to a complete halt. The cottage was engulfed in flames. He ran towards the fire engine, scanning the group of figures for her fair hair. Then he saw her.
‘Rhona! Thank God.’
She was holding a boy’s hand.
‘This is Jonathan,’ she said. ‘He wants to go home.’
Bill said a silent thank you to whoever was listening up there.
‘The hospital for both of you first.’
Rhona looked grey.
‘Gavin’s still in there.’
Bill looked at the inferno. He was glad.
‘He fooled me.’ Anguish filled her face.
‘He fooled us all,’ said Bill gently.
Chapter 42
‘You wanted to see me Sir.’
The Super didn’t look up but went on reading the buff-coloured report on his desk. Bill waited.
When he did look up, his face was furious.
‘I thought I told you to stop harassing Sir James Dalrymple.’
‘There are certain aspects to this case…’
The Super’s expression halted Bill in mid flow.
‘I understand Fenton’s killer confessed to Dr MacLeod and that he is now dead.’
‘No Sir.’
‘What?’
Bill took a certain pleasure in the effect the news was having on his superior officer.
‘We can’t be sure Gavin MacLean died in that fire.’
‘Does Doctor MacLeod know this?’
Bill shook his head. ‘The news is just in, Sir.’
‘But you’ve pulled in five men suspected of being involved in this paedophile ring?’
‘Suspected, yes.’
‘Sir James had nothing to do with this.’
‘I have reason to believe…’
‘You have nothing to go on Detective Inspector.’
‘But…’
‘Nothing but your bizarre obsession with implicating him.’
‘He did rent out his hunting lodge to paedophiles.’
‘We only have a rent boy’s word on that.’
‘Neil MacGregor saved Dr MacLeod’s life.’ Bill’s voice was thick with anger.
‘And for that we’re grateful.’ The Super became more concilitary. ‘The rent boy…’
‘He has a name, Sir.’
‘The rent boy admits that he was always blindfolded when he was taken to this place, doesn’t he?’
Bill knew where all this was heading.
‘The lodge was thoroughly searched. Forensic found nothing at all to support his story. Is that not the case, Wilson?’
Bill held his silence.
‘Sir James was out of the country when all this happened. I repeat, Detective Inspector. He has nothing to do with this case. I suggest you concentrate your efforts on finding Gavin MacLean.’
With a curt nod, he indicated that the interview was at an end.
Chapter 43
‘Sit down! You were told to rest and put your feet up.’
‘I’m not an invalid.’
Chrissy gave her one of her looks.
‘Okay. Okay,’ Rhona relented. ‘But you’ll have to turn the telly on for me.’
Chrissy dropped the remote in Rhona’s lap. ‘I’ll bring you a cup of tea,’ she said. ‘Then I’m off to the hospital.’
‘I hope you don’t boss Neil like this or he’ll stay in there for ever.’
Chrissy wasn’t listening.
‘Oh, someone phoned while you were napping,’ she said as she went to fetch her coat. ‘He said he would phone back.’
‘It wasn’t Sean?’
‘Not this time.’
‘Probably Jonathan,’ said Rhona.
Chrissy had her coat on. ‘I’ll see you later,’ she said.
‘Tell Neil I was asking for him,’ Rhona called after her.
The person called back fifteen minutes later.
Rhona was watching the news. They were interviewing Edward Stewart. The Conservative MP for Bearsden was being congratulated on helping the police track down five suspected members of a paedophile ring that had been operating in the Glasgow area. It had been a particularly difficult time for Mr Stewart, the interviewer explained, because the MP’s own son had been kidnapped from his hospital bed by one of the men involved and had been in danger of losing his life.
Rhona pressed the off switch just as Edward gave a special vote of thanks to Sir James Dalrymple for his support at this trying time.
‘Hello,’ she said into the phone.
‘Is that Dr Rhona MacLeod?’
‘It is.’
‘I’m sorry to bother you,’ the voice paused nervously. My name’s Liam. Liam Hope.’
‘Liam?’
‘And I think I might be… your son,’ he said.
‘Oh yes Liam,’ Rhona said. ‘Oh yes. You’re absolutely right. You are.’
****
Bill watched Rhona take in the news that Gavin might still be on the loose. Sitting in the armchair in her dressing gown, she still looked pale and vulnerable.
‘He’s still alive.’
She said the words as though she already knew.
‘I wondered,’ she looked up at him. ‘When he grabbed me in the hall. He came in by the back door. He must have got out that way.’
‘We’re running a check on all the hospitals. If he did escape, he’ll need medical attention. We’ll pick him up soon.’
She looked haunted.
‘We’ve got mountain rescue teams checking the surrounding hills, just in case he’s hiding out somewhere.’
She pulled her dressing gown tighter round her.
‘I wish Sean was here with you.’
‘Don’t worry about me. I’ve decided to go to see Sean in Paris.’
‘You’re flying?’
Rhona shook her head. ‘You know me. I like my feet firmly on the ground. A sleeper and a trip through the tunnel.’
Chapter 44
The train was slowing down.
Rhona had been sitting for so long, her legs were stiff when she stood up. She was very on edge.
The platform was crowded. He would be there, she knew that. Taking her time, she lifted the small case from the rack.
The carriage door opened with a sigh. The smell of French coffee from the railway restaurant reminded her how she would watch him move about the kitchen; a glimpse of thigh, an arm reaching up, his penis swinging soft and vulnerable. And he would whistle, that lovely melodeous soundtrack to their lives together.
He was standing at the barrier, watching for her. He smiled and waved. His face was so familiar that the horrors of the recent past melted, and all she knew was the smell of him, the taste of him, the warmth of his body, the gentle sweetness of their lovemaking. How could she have let herself get so close to losing this man.
He came forward and took her case from her, his fingers brushing over hers.
‘How are you?’ he said.
His eyes were so blue.
‘I’m fine,’ she said. And it was the truth.
He put down the case.
‘There are things I have to tell you.’
She didn’t want to hear it. She put a finger on his lips to stop him.
‘Just hold me.’
He put his arms around her and she buried her face in his chest, breathing him in.
‘We’ve both been stupid,’ she said. She looked up at him and liked what she saw in his eyes.
He
kissed her.
‘You taste like Ireland,’ he said.
As they walked to the Metro, he asked if she had seen her son and she said not yet, but she had spoken to him.
‘He wants to come to university in Scotland.’
They left the station arm in arm. And as they walked, Sean began to whistle a tune, a tune so sweet that the sound of it in the Paris street caused people to turn and smile.
####
About the Author
Lin Anderson has published seven novels featuring forensic expert Dr Rhona MacLeod, of which Driftnet is the first. The seventh, The Reborn is out in paperback in May 2011. Her short stories have appeared in a number of collections. Most recently Dead Close was chosen for the Best of British Crime 2011. Also a screenwriter, her film River Child won a BAFTA and the Celtic Film Festival best fiction award.
Other books in the series, available as print copies and ebooks
Torch
Deadly Code
Dark Flight
Easy Kill
Final Cut
The Reborn
Connect with Lin Online:
Author’s homepage: http//www.lin-anderson.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Lin_Anderson
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/Dunedin9