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

in time, so I guess we need to be asking that sort of question tomorrow. The WEA – Workers’ Educational Association – have been running classes for years, so maybe we could ask them for membership lists for that particular period when the girls were killed, if all else fails.’

‘If she’s a student or a tutor her name will be on the list, and possibly also on the membership list of the gym. I’ve had to ask for a new list from the gym, much to the receptionist’s disgust. I’ve asked her for two separate lists, male and female, because I was coming across too many names that could be either. I didn’t want to miss an Ashley because I assumed it was a man, but there was a Hilary, a Lindsey – so I took the best way and asked for it to be broken down.’

‘So the gym membership list hasn’t been checked yet?’

‘No, only the attendance one, and we could have halved that job if we’d known she was a woman earlier. Although in all fairness, only one man was visited, the rest were women. It appears men prefer not to visit the gym in the rain.’

‘Okay.’ Flick stood. ‘I’m on it now. I feel as if we’re finally making headway, but I’ll be glad when tonight’s over with the bloody bonfires. You going to one, boss?’

‘No, I want to be at home when Frannie gets there. She’s got a big case today and is likely to be home late, exhausted and emotional. That comes before any bonfire.’

Flick gave a brief nod and left Erica to her thoughts and her sleeping computer.

Erica looked up the number of the WEA and spoke to a secretary, who went into meltdown at the mere request of a student list, so she asked to be put through to someone who could organise it without the need for a court order, but one could be arranged if it was necessary.

Within five minutes it had been sorted, and although he couldn’t promise a speedy response he said he would prioritise it. The issue, he said, was it was five-year-old information she was requesting, but he would start from a month either side of her dates and get the information she needed.

She thanked him, said she would cancel the court order, and put down the phone. She put a tick against the action on her to-do list. Result.

Beth stared around the room, and her father smiled at her.

‘Hi,’ he said. ‘Your mum’s gone to get us a coffee and a sandwich. She’ll only be a couple of minutes.’

‘What…?’

‘You’re in hospital, sweetheart. Welcome back to the world. You’ve been asleep for five days, but you’re on the mend now.’

‘Evan?’ Beth croaked.

‘He’s where he belongs, Beth. Erica saw to that. She was the one who alerted everybody to you needing help. She couldn’t raise you on the phone, so asked your colleagues to drive past and check on you. You’re safe now, love.’

He stood as Norma entered the room, bum first, trying to carry two coffees and two sandwiches, with two packets of crisps dangling from her mouth and her purse tucked underneath her arm.

‘She’s awake,’ he said, and Norma dropped the crisps.

And so bonfire afternoon melded into Bonfire Night. The council had organised four different fires around the city, but many households had taken advantage of the rain being non-existent and had built one of their own. It was a good way of getting rid of unwanted furniture, chopped-down trees, and anything else grateful neighbours handed over to be added to the pyre.

Erica was home by five, knowing that once all the lists started arriving in her inbox the next day, she would be working until she could work no further. The broadcast from the previous evening was repeated on Look North, and Erica watched it over the rim of a glass of fruit juice. She’d decided no alcohol was her best course of action, so scrambled egg on toast and orange juice had been her evening meal.

She walked to the window and stood mesmerised by fireworks lighting up the night sky, many colours, flashes and bangs that sounded like bombs. She might hate the whole concept, but the show was spectacular.

She couldn’t settle. She tried reading, decided to put in a load of laundry, changed the bedding, wiped down the interior of the fridge, placed a couple of pieces in the jigsaw they’d been doing for six months at least, but still her mind wouldn’t rest.

Frannie arrived home shortly after ten, kissed her and held her tightly. ‘Shitty day,’ she murmured into Erica’s hair, ‘very shitty day.’

‘The children are safe?’ Erica remained still, enjoying the feel of arms around her. ‘You stink of cigarette smoke.’

‘The whole bloody family smokes. I could have snatched one from them at one point, I was so stressed. It’s frickin’ hard being an ex-smoker. I’ll jump in the shower in a minute, I promise. I just need to hold you at the moment. Anyway, the children are safe, and with no trouble from the dad. The mum, however, flew into a screaming rage. Maybe she simply didn’t believe we would do it, perhaps she thought we were all talk, but she knows different now. I’ve spent a long time with her explaining what she has to do to get the children back, the work she has to put in to give them a good home environment and not the crap they have been living in, so let’s hope she took everything on board. I’ve made arrangements to return next week, and see how she’s doing, and organise her seeing the children, but supervised. Sometimes, Erica, I wish I had your job instead of mine. I’m sure chasing killers up hill and down dale isn’t as stressful as the stuff I’ve experienced today. I got your text about Beth, and I’m so chuffed. Come on, let’s sit down and collapse. We don’t need our jobs right at this minute, we need