Nine Lives by Anita Waller (best english books to read .txt) 📗

a new life. Should have happened years ago, but now it has, this is the new me, so get used to it.’

‘Crikey,’ Erica muttered, closing down the computer and switching the phone to her mobile number. ‘This is becoming scary. The worm has turned. Thank God for that.’

Erica followed Beth home at a discreet distance. She saw Beth’s indicator light go on, and she pulled in about fifty yards from her home. She walked down the road and let herself in the front door.

Erica waited five minutes then rang her DS.

‘Beth?’

‘Yes. What’s wrong? Don’t say we’ve another one already.’

‘No, I’m checking everything’s okay with you. No intruders or anything.’

Beth laughed. ‘No, it’s all quiet. Let’s hope he’s got the message. You at home?’

‘I am,’ Erica lied. ‘Ring if you need me. Night, Beth.’

Frannie was already home when Erica arrived, and they prepared their evening meal together, enjoying a glass of wine while they chopped vegetables and cooked.

‘We had one of the neighbours ring today.’

‘One of our neighbours?’

‘No,’ Frannie said with a laugh. ‘Sorry, my head was in front of my mouth, I think. One of the neighbours of my problem family. She said there was an ambulance outside the house. I rang the ambulance service to find out why, and it seemed the mum had fallen down the stairs. Again. Anyway, I went to the hospital, checked her out. It might be genuine. She said she fell over a toy. She could as easily have been pushed. I was there for about two hours. They patched her up and discharged her, so I drove her home, checked out the kids were okay, and gave him the gipsy’s warning about any further injuries to either his wife or any of the kids, and he’d have injuries of his own to contend with.’

‘You supposed to say that?’

‘Nope. Not at all. You going to arrest me?’

‘Nope. I’ll help you with the injuries though. Beth’s going through a similar thing at the moment. She’s split from Evan, and he’s become threatening. I followed her home tonight, before I came here. I wanted to make sure she got in okay, and he wasn’t lurking in the bushes or anything. I rang her after a few minutes, pretended I was home, and she said she was good. She seems a lot happier, lighter with her comments, that sort of thing. Best thing she could do, get rid of him.’

Frannie sprinkled cheese on the top, and put the pasta dish in the oven to finish off. ‘Twenty minutes. Eating in front of the telly, or at the table in here?’

‘Is Vera on?’

‘Eight o’clock.’

‘In front of the telly then. I feel like being swept away by somebody else’s crime tonight. I can’t do anything with my own till tomorrow morning now.’

‘I saw Look North,’ Frannie said. ‘Nice chap. Said it like it is, told everybody about the third one, then stressed not to get into anybody’s car, always be with somebody else, that sort of thing. You any further on with it?’

Erica shook her head. ‘Not so you’d notice. The whole team are feeling frustrated by it. We’ve another six students to see at the uni tomorrow, although I may send Beth to lead that, let her take Flick Ardern. I want to do some door knocking and sabre rattling. People will think more seriously if it’s a DI asking the questions, I reckon, and tomorrow I want an answer to one particular question.’

‘Go you! Now you sound scary. Don’t forget I’m here if you want to talk about it.’

‘What I really want is for this bloody rain to stop, give us a chance to search properly instead of destroying everything with our own sliding footprints. It’s a killer on these banksides, and it’s so damn tiring battling against the wind and rain all the time. They get into the shelter of that refreshment truck and they collapse. Dear God,’ she said emphatically, ‘give us some sunshine.’

15

The sunshine came out around ten that morning; Erica felt an uplift of her spirits, which had been dropping lower and lower as she had requested CCTV to no avail. The sunshine and the CCTV appeared almost in the same second.

The elderly lady had greeted Erica and Sam with a smile once Erica had flashed her ID. ‘I do indeed have CCTV. I’m not sure if it will cover all the area in front of the theatre though. It’s not been the slightest bit of use for the five years I’ve had it, but my son insisted I get it. You’re welcome to look at it. Do you know how to use it?’

Erica smiled. ‘We’ll work it out. Can I have a quick word while I summon one of our experts to come and take a look?’

‘You certainly can. Would you both like a cup of tea?’

Erica and Sam said yes, and within minutes were sitting in a lounge that was spectacularly old-fashioned, and utterly comfortable.

Sam sank back into the armchair and heaved a huge sigh. ‘I really shouldn’t like this room, I’m too young to appreciate doilies and stuff, but it’s brilliant. It’s like my nan’s, you want to nod off as soon as you sit down. And look at that bookcase! It’s groaning with books. You think she’s looking for a grandson to adopt?’

‘Doubt it. Go and see if she needs help to carry in the drinks.’

Erica tried hard not to let her excitement show. The technician had found the relevant time that coincided with the theatregoers coming out of the theatre, and had taken it slowly when the girl in the red hooded coat came into view. The scene was in black and white, but Susie’s coat was recognisable as being of a shade. They watched as she held up her arm in a wave, and saw a small black Fiesta pull in to the kerb.

‘Okay, freeze it,’ Erica said. ‘Can we get that number plate enlarged?’

The numbers and letters became clear quickly, and Erica rang the main