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

said. ‘I’m simply not strong enough. These bodies up the top end of the river had to be carried some way, and I know I’d give up after a few steps. Could a woman do it?’

Erica laughed. ‘I’m married to a woman who takes two wheelie bins out at the same time, ours and our neighbours. Some women are strong, maybe you need to go to the gym.’

There was some laughter and everything settled. ‘There is one other thing. I feel the rain has a lot of bearing on these deaths. I suspect because the rain has been so bad, these three women willingly got into the car, even if it was purely for shelter. Last night the rain eased, and this morning we weren’t all tipped out of our beds to attend another death. The rain’s coming back sometime Sunday afternoon, and it’s going to be as bad as we’ve had it for all these weeks. Let’s hope we’re not called out early Monday morning. There’s no pattern to the victims. Imogen didn’t know Susie and Clare. We can’t warn anybody. I’m not bringing Becky and Katie back, in case I’m wrong, but the link to these girls is different to the L Christian name back in twenty-fourteen. I think the link this time is more random, I think it’s the River Porter.’

Beth smiled. This was so good, and this was how a boss should be. Erica had her team in the palm of her hand, and the DS concurred with everything Erica had said.

Beth allowed her thoughts to wander, trying to think how they could possibly have over five miles of river under constant surveillance, and knew they’d need an army platoon to do that. It simply wasn’t going to happen. And if Erica’s theory about the rain was right, how the hell could they cover Sunday night?

‘There’s one other thing,’ Erica said, ‘something I need checking. Flick, I’ll leave this in your capable hands as you don’t have enough muscles for heavy lifting. This is computer stuff. I want you to go back to twenty-fourteen and look at the following dates for the weather. I’m giving you dates for the day before the bodies were found, because the murders all seem to happen in the evening, and be found the next day. The dates in question are…’ she glanced up to check Flick was ready. ‘Twenty-seventh of April, seventeenth of May, ninth of July, and twenty-sixth of July. Take your time, make sure the information is accurate for Sheffield, and come and see me as soon as you have the report. It will do tomorrow morning. Thanks, Flick. Okay, that’s all my thoughts from my riverbank walk and my McDonald’s lunch, does anyone have anything they want to add?’

‘Did you have a Big Mac?’

She couldn’t see who had spoken, so glanced over in the general direction of the voice. ‘No, I like the toys so I had a cheeseburger Happy Meal. With banana milkshake. Now go home, enjoy your trick or treating, and let’s have you in early tomorrow morning, please.’

Beth got them both coffees then followed Erica into her office.

‘A thinking day, then?’ she said, as she handed her boss the hot drink.

‘I needed it. I met a nice young officer who didn’t know me, and I walked a fair way downstream. I imagine in the summer it’s a beautiful spot, but the water is still really powerful, quite scary. Court go okay?’

Beth had spent three hours at Crown Court giving evidence in a drug case, and she hadn’t appreciated having to leave a current investigation of such magnitude to go and make sure somebody who was clearly guilty was sent down.

‘It went well. They couldn’t argue with our evidence, we’d got him bang to rights, it was something I could have done with not doing at the moment.’

‘Everything okay at home?’

‘Fine. No phone calls, no knocking on the door, and I made a start on sorting out the DVDs and CDs. He’s only having what’s his, not the whole lot. I went to bed around ten, and slept through till the alarm woke me. It’s like… finding peace. Let’s hope it lasts.’

‘Nine nine nine is the number if you ever need it. And don’t hesitate if you do. Sort him once and for all.’

‘I know. But to get back to your thoughts today, we’ve got definite proof she got into that car?’

‘We have, but that’s all we’ve got. She must have recognised the driver, because I don’t see how she could have known the car. I don’t think the killer would bring it out on the roads other than when he needs to abduct. It doesn’t have genuine number plates, and that’s soon picked up these days.’

‘You’re still saying he,’ Beth said. ‘This is bloody annoying not knowing what we’re dealing with.’

‘Easier to say he. You bought some sweets for tonight?’

‘Had an Asda delivery at the weekend, more sweets in it than vegetables, I can tell you. I emptied the bags, looked at the stuff on my sides in the kitchen and thought, that’s a healthy shop, Beth. I remembered the sweets but forgot the milk.’

Erica laughed. ‘I can’t wait to see Frannie’s face tonight when I carry in the load that’s currently sitting in the car boot. I don’t understand these miserable sods who say they don’t like it, I love to see the kids all dressed up.’

‘Do you dress up?’

‘I do. Frannie hides behind the door. I’ve got a Professor McGonagall outfit, so I wear that. We put some lights and stuff in the windows last night so the kids will know we’re not grumpy old tarts, and for a couple of hours tonight I’ll have a fab time and try to stop thinking about this case.’

‘Good luck with that. I was sitting in that courtroom today, and all I could think about was what was happening back at work. Does everything feel frustrating to you? Who the hell is doing this? And