‘Possibly.’
She didn’t elaborate. What would he think? That she was bragging? The possibility had always been there, right from when her team, her great team, had spotted what was amiss at Bunting’s house, that it was only a place of temporary refuge. Then, gradually, as each new piece of information had emerged, her suspicion had grown. It had culminated in Corinne’s strange debrief at New Scotland Yard, when they had finally met face-to-face. No words had been exchanged but that glance had said it all. Everything that followed was merely confirmation, particularly the previous day’s hurried phone call from Charmaine Biggs, finally responding to the messages Sophie’s team had been sending. She and her husband had reached Gibraltar after being out of contact for days while they sailed from the Canary Islands. At first, she’d been furious that her house had been searched in her absence, but her anger had soon subsided when she’d realised who had been behind the tragic deaths.
‘She might have been in the group that taught me to sail as a teenager,’ Charmaine had said. ‘I was going to tell you when we got back. That could be why there was something familiar about her when she threatened me. My God, to think this has all happened more than twenty years later. But why?’
There was no answer. Could there ever be an explanation for what lay in the dark recesses of some people’s minds? How long had Corinne been planning this operation? Had the seed been planted all those years ago when she’d first discussed the possibility of a special security unit with Yauvani Anand? It was quite something to set up a criminal operation in which she was both the senior investigator and the chief perpetrator. Of course, the fact that Corinne’s British bank accounts now held more than four million pounds would have helped settle any internal conflict she might have had. Did she also have accounts elsewhere? Time, along with a great deal of forensic accounting, would tell.
Sophie waited until Rae and Tommy had left. Barry was about to follow when she stopped him and gave him a hug. ‘Give my love to Gwen.’
He glanced at his watch and looked up at the lightening eastern sky.
‘Like ships in the night,’ he said. ‘We share the same house but this whole week we’ve hardly exchanged more than the occasional word. Is that the basis for a good relationship?’
She smiled. ‘Come on, Barry, remember what you said to me last week. You know you love your job. And Gwen does too. You’re two of a kind.’
Chapter 40: Café and Pub Crawl
Saturday afternoon, later in the month
Rose was in her favourite Weymouth café, tucking into a cream bun.
‘This place is great,’ she said. ‘George and I come in here sometimes at the end of a shift. It does the best ham, egg and chips in town.’
The children giggled as she tried to use her tongue to fish for a large dollop of cream that decorated her chin. Her teenage son, Nick, handed her a serviette.
‘Do it properly, Mum.’
Rose poked her tongue out at him and grinned. After struggling to bring up a rebellious young boy as a single parent, a corner had been turned in their relationship. Was it due to that hospital visit when he had become aware of the trauma suffered by migrants battling to reach safety? Whatever the reason, her previously self-centred offspring was beginning to show more awareness of other people and their struggles. And not a moment too soon, as far as she was concerned.
‘I’d better not eat anything else,’ she said. ‘Tony and I are going out for a curry tonight. I wouldn’t want to spoil my appetite. Are we still on, Tony?’
Her partner nodded. ‘Yep. Chicken Madras for me. Can’t be bettered.’
Rose rolled her eyes. ‘He’s just so boring. He has that every single time.’
‘You must all come round to ours soon,’ Roya said, ‘and I’ll cook you an Iranian meal. You’ll love it. Kebabs and lamb casserole with pomegranate. Arsi makes lovely ice cream.’
‘That would be lovely, Roya. I’ll make sure George is free as well.’
‘Where is George?’ Kamal asked.
‘He’s in Oxford, visiting his girlfriend, though whether he’s enjoying it is another matter. The rest of her family are there too.’
‘Didn’t you want to go?’ Arshi said.
‘What, and leave you to visit this café by yourselves? Not on your nelly.’ She squeezed Arshi’s hand.
* * *
There were eleven of them, all crammed around a large table in the Turf Tavern in Oxford. Sophie and Martin, Jade and George, Hannah and her boyfriend Russell, Rae and her partner Craig, Barry with Gwen, and even Tommy Carter, looking as bemused as ever. Martin had somehow managed to find a good group deal at one of the Oxford city centre hotels. It meant that, for once, a weekend in one of the most expensive tourist hotspots in the country was actually affordable.
They had started in the Kings Arms, on the corner of Holywell Street and Parks Road. The idea was to move from there to the Turf, then head to the White Horse on Broad Street before making their way down to the High to visit the Chequers. Jade had calculated that a rest would be needed at that point before an early evening meal at her parents’ favourite eatery, the Thai restaurant in Wheatsheaf Yard, followed by a visit to the theatre later in the evening. A late-night visit to the Eagle and Child, and maybe the Lamb and Flag, was also a possibility. As is usual on a pub crawl, things didn’t go according to plan.
‘I don’t know whether I can manage this.’ Sophie leaned back in her seat and groaned. She surveyed the table in front of her, now cluttered with empty glasses and plates. ‘That ham sandwich was lovely, and the second beer was just great. But I think I just want to go to sleep now.’
‘Mum, show some backbone, for goodness sake,’ Jade said. ‘There’s time for you to have a snooze back at your hotel later, before we head out for the evening. I thought it would be Dad who’d cave in first, not you.’
Martin looked hard at his younger daughter. ‘And what made you think I’d cave in first? Why pick on me? What have I ever done to offend you? Please tell.’
Jade spluttered into her beer. ‘What? Dad, don’t make out you don’t know. You’ve teased me mercilessly for years, along with regularly reducing me to a useless heap of giggles with your constant tickling.’ She suddenly realised the mistake she’d made in mentioning tickling, as her father made a lunge towards her. ‘Help! George, do something!’
‘More than my life’s worth,’ George replied. ‘That’s my boss’s husband you’re asking me to lay into. Not a hope!’ He picked up his glass and moved to a safer position.
Jade finally managed to push her father away. ‘Why don’t you tickle Hannah for once, nuisance?’
Hannah laughed. ‘While I can still speak, I have something to tell you all. I’ve been offered a part in a TV drama series. I went for the audition last week and they contacted me yesterday. It’s only a minor part, mind, and I get killed in the third episode, but it’s a start.’
Chaos ensued as everyone stood to congratulate Hannah, fighting to give her a hug or a kiss.
‘You lot are just far too dramatic,’ she said, moving aside before Martin could slide his outstretched fingers into her armpit. Hannah glanced at her mother, ensconced in her corner seat, her eyes closing.
‘Please God, don’t let her sn—’
On cue, Sophie let out a loud snore.
THE END
THE SOPHIE ALLEN BOOKS
Book 1: DARK CRIMES
Book 2: DEADLY CRIMES
Book 3: SECRET CRIMES
Book 4: BURIED CRIMES
Book 5: TWISTED CRIMES
Book 6: EVIL CRIMES
Book 7: SHADOW CRIMES
Book 8: SILENT CRIMES
Book 9: RUTHLESS CRIMES
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I’d like to thank all of the staff at Joffe Books for their continued help and support. In particular, Anne Derges has done her usual great job of editing my rambling text. The enthusiasm of Emma Grundy Haigh, the Managing Editor, has been infectious. Also, to my fellow authors at Joffe for being so companionable, particularly Helen Durrant, Janice Frost, Charlie Gallagher, Joy Ellis and Anne Penketh.
FURTHER NEWS
If you have enjoyed this book, please consider reading the previous novels in the series. You may also wish to visit my website at www.michaelhambling.co.uk. You will find more detailed information about the characters and a selection of short stories, free to read. You can also email me via the contact page.
A SELECTION OF BOOKS YOU MAY ENJOY
Book1: DARK CRIMES
UK www.amazon.co.uk/CRIMES-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01B1W9CIG
US www.amazon.com/CRIMES-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01B1W9CIG
A young woman’s body is discovered on a deserted footpath in a Dorset seaside town late on a cold November night. She has been stabbed through the heart.
It seems like a simple crime for DCI Sophie Allen and her team to solve. But not when the victim’s mother is found strangled the next morning. The case grows more complex as DCI Sophie Allen discovers that the victims had secret histories, involving violence and intimidation. There’s an obvious suspect but Detective Allen isn't convinced. Could someone else be lurking in the shadows, someone savagely violent, looking for a warped revenge?
BOOK 2 DEADLY CRIMES
UK www.amazon.co.uk/DEADLY-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01DL5CGRK/
US www.amazon.com/DEADLY-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01DL5CGRK/
A young man’s mutilated body is found on top of the Agglestone, a well-known local landmark on Studland Heath
It seems that he was involved in a human trafficking and prostitution gang. But why is DCI Sophie Allen keeping something back from her team? Is it linked to the extraordinary discovery of her own father's body at the bottom of a disused mineshaft, more than forty years after he disappeared?
Book 3: BURIED CRIMES
UK www.amazon.co.uk/SECRET-CRIMES-gripping-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01F6FAR06
US www.amazon.com/SECRET-CRIMES-gripping-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01F6FAR06
Two women go away for the weekend, but only one comes back alive. Was it just the music they were into? And who was the man the victim met at the festival?
DCI Sophie Allen is back in charge after the emotional upheavals she suffered in 'Deadly Crimes,' but is she really in control? And Detective Constable Rae Gregson joins the team and immediately faces challenges that put her life in peril.
BOOK 4: BURIED CRIMES
UK www.amazon.co.uk/BURIED-CRIMES-gripping-detective-thriller-ebook/dp/B01I04EMTW/
US www.amazon.com/BURIED-CRIMES-gripping-detective-thriller-ebook/dp/B01I04EMTW/
A family move into their dream home in Dorchester: it seems perfect, particularly for their two children, but when Philip and Jill Freeman move a buddleia bush, what they find buried beneath its roots will haunt them forever.
THE MURDERER’S SON
By JOY ELLIS
UK www.amazon.co.uk/MURDERERS-gripping-crime-thriller-twists-ebook/dp/B01LWY0PUJ
US www.amazon.com/MURDERERS-gripping-crime-thriller-twists-ebook/dp/B01LWY0PUJ
What if your mother was a serial killer?
A BLOODY KILLER SEEMS TO HAVE RETURNED TO THE LINCOLNSHIRE FENS
A gripping crime thriller by the best-selling author of the Nikki Galena series.
Twenty years ago: a farmer and his wife are cut to pieces by a ruthless serial killer. Now: a woman is viciously stabbed to death in the upmarket kitchen of her beautiful house on the edge of the marshes.
Then a man called Daniel Kinder walks into Saltern police station and confesses to the murder.
But DI Rowan Jackman and DS Marie Evans of the Fenland police soon discover that there is a lot more to Daniel than meets the eye. He has no memory of the first five years of his life and is obsessed with who his real mother is.
With no evidence to hold him, Jackman and Evans are forced to let him go, and in a matter of days the lonely Lincolnshire Fens become the stage for more killings and Daniel has disappeared.
In a breathtaking finale, the truth about Daniel’s mother comes to light and DI Jackman and DS Evans race against time to stop more lives being destroyed.
Full of twists and turns, this is a crime thriller that will keep you turning the pages until the shocking ending.
MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL
BY FAITH MARTIN
UK www.amazon.co.uk/MURDER-OXFORD-gripping-mystery-twists-ebook/dp/B0763RXLRV
US www.amazon.com/MURDER-OXFORD-gripping-mystery-twists-ebook/dp/B0763RXLRV
DISCOVER THE MILLION-SELLING SERIES NOW.
MEET DI HILLARY GREENE, A POLICE WOMAN FIGHTING TO SAVE HER CAREER.
Not only has she lost her husband, but his actions have put her under investigation for corruption.
Then a bashed and broken body is found floating in the Oxford Canal. It looks like the victim fell off a boat, but Hillary is not so sure. Her investigation exposes a dark background to the death.
Can Hillary clear her name and get to the bottom of a fiendish conspiracy on the water?
This is a crime mystery full of well-observed characters, which will have you gripped from beginning to end.
MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL is the first in a series of page-turning crime thrillers set in Oxfordshire.
HE IS WATCHING YOU
BY CHARLIE GALLAGHER
UK www.amazon.co.uk/WATCHING-absolutely-gripping-thriller-massive-ebook/dp/B07KKK5N7W
US www.amazon.com/WATCHING-absolutely-gripping-thriller-massive-ebook/dp/B07KKK5N7W
DISCOVER AN ABSOLUTELY GRIPPING RACE-AGAINST-TIME THRILLER FROM BEST-SELLING AUTHOR CHARLIE GALLAGHER.
A young woman’s body is left in a metal container in a remote location. The killer is careful to position her under a camera that links to his smartphone. He likes to look back at his work.
HE IS WATCHING HER. BUT SHE ISN’T DEAD.
So he will return to finish the job.
Detective Maddie Ives is new to the area. She is handed a missing person report: a young woman with a drink problem who’s been reported missing fifteen times. It looks like a waste of time. But DS Ives has a bad feeling about the woman’s disappearance.
DI Harry Blaker is called to a hit and run of an elderly man left to die on a quiet country road. There is no motive and it looks like a tragic accident. But he’s been working Major Crime long enough to know that something isn’t quite right. The two officers find their investigations intertwine and they will need to work together.
BUT THEY MUST WORK FAST. TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE WOMAN IN THE CONTAINER.
RUTHLESS CRIMES GLOSSARY
A and E: accident and emergency unit in a hospital.
Bug: slang for an infectious disease.
Home Office: a ministerial department in the UK government, responsible for immigration, security and law and order.
Jurisprudence: the theoretical study of law.
Outward-Bound Centres: residential centres in rural areas where teenagers can experience outdoor life, hiking, boating and ecology.
&n
bsp; PPS: Parliamentary Private Secretary. An MP who functions as the eyes and ears of a government minister. Often seen as the first stepping stone to a future ministerial career.
Pub crawl: a British tradition. Visiting a sequence of pubs, with a drink (usually a beer) in each.
Skiving off: unofficial absenteeism.
Semi: short for semi-detached house, one that is joined to another by a shared wall.
Special Branch: an arm of the UK police service that deals with terrorism.
Terrace: a form of housing in which a row of attached dwellings share side walls. Called townhouses in the States.
UK Police Ranks (in descending order of seniority)
Chief Constable (or Commissioner in London’s Metropolitan Police force)
Deputy CC (Deputy Commissioner in London)
Assistant CC (Assistant Commissioner in London)
RUTHLESS CRIMES a totally captivating crime mystery (Detective Sophie Allen Book 9) Page 25