BLOOD STAINED an unputdownable crime thriller with a breathtaking twist (Detective Claudia Nunn Book by Rebecca Bradley (whitelam books .txt) 📗

she’s reading about and she doesn’t need to know anything else. Surely none of you are going home and telling all?’

Hayley shook her head. ‘Not that I have anyone to tell all to. But when I visit my mum she asks me what’s happening and I tell her it’s lots of paperwork. It’s not a lie.’

‘Same here,’ said Paul. ‘I tell the missus that the investigation team is huge and I’m a minnow in a large pond. There’s not much for me to tell her. She leaves me be. I think she’s proud that I’m on this case though.’

Dom was puzzled. ‘Proud, how?’

‘Well, it’s high profile, isn’t it? She thinks we’ll be getting the glory when we catch him because she has all the faith that we will. It doesn’t even cross her mind that we couldn’t catch him.’

‘It crosses yours?’ Hayley slugged back the last of her gin.

‘Of course. We’re three bodies down. He’s way in front of us. He’s forensically aware. He’s also taunting us by being in contact, he has to be pretty confident in his own ability to do that. Of course it’s crossed my mind that we might not catch him. We don’t solve every case we land.’

‘I know, but . . .’

‘But, what?’

‘It’s the Sheffield Strangler.’

‘And that makes it different how?’

‘Because we have to catch him. We can’t leave him out there for members of the public to keep getting murdered.’

Paul slammed his empty glass down on the table. ‘You think we’d be leaving him out there? Like, out of choice? That’s so not what I’m saying and you know it. I’m saying we might not be able to solve his crimes. He might be too advanced for us, that’s all.’

Dominic rose from his seat. ‘I think I get it. But let’s hope you’re wrong, eh? Who wants another drink? I think we deserve it this evening.’ He wanted to diffuse the situation.

‘You’re buying again?’ asked Hayley.

‘Anything to stop you two bickering.’

Paul laughed. ‘We should fight more often if Dom puts his hand in his pocket.’

Hayley looked at him, all serious. ‘I wasn’t fighting with you.’

‘I know that.’ Paul put an arm around her. ‘Come on, this is a shit case and it’s getting to all of us. Let’s drink up while Dom is paying and make the most of it.’

Hayley smiled. ‘Well, there are obvious benefits.’

Dominic came back from the bar with a tray loaded with another round of drinks and slotted back in the other side of Hayley.

‘What about you, Dom?’ asked Rhys.

‘What’s that?’

‘Well, you’re married to a woman in the force. Can you go home and talk about the job? It must be so much easier for you. You don’t have to worry about scaring her—’ he winked at Krish who threw a beer mat at him — ‘because she’s a toughened old cop anyway.’

‘Less of the old,’ said Dominic. ‘But no, I don’t go home and talk to Ruth about it. Much the same as you guys. I think this job deserves to be left at the office. Yes she’s interested in it and asks for details because she’s only getting the same information the public are. I give her a little more to keep the peace, but I don’t unload on her. I don’t think it’s fair.’ The reality was he didn’t want to talk about it with her. His skin crawled when she asked him about the case. He wanted to climb into bed at home and get some rest. These were the only people he wanted to talk to about the Strangler. ‘She has her own workload to worry about. She’s in a tough area of work being undercover and she needs to focus when she’s doing that and I have no intention of distracting her by telling her what my day involved.’

There were nods all around. They all knew and liked Ruth and could understand Dominic’s argument for keeping her in the dark.

The conversation continued between them. Rhys, Paul and Krish got into a deep and meaningful about the football.

Hayley turned to Dominic. ‘I couldn’t think of anything more boring. How come you’re not getting all wet about this?’

‘I’m not much of a fan to be honest. I hate to admit it in front of the lads, but for some reason it never appealed to me.’

‘How did I not know this about you after working with you all these years?’

Dominic smiled as he sipped at his drink.

‘How long has it been anyway?’ she asked.

‘What’s that?’

‘How long have we worked together?’

‘You know you’re asking a bloke, don’t you? We’re not known for remembering dates and suchlike.’

Hayley knocked back her drink.

‘You thirsty tonight?’

‘Like you I’m feeling the strain of the job, I think.’

Dominic went quiet at the mention of the case again.

‘So, how long?’ Hayley asked again.

‘What?’

‘Us?’ She slapped his arm.

‘Oh.’ He tried to think back. ‘Five years? Yes, it will be. You were already on the unit when I joined as a DS and that was a little over five years ago.’ He grinned. ‘See, I can remember stuff.’

‘I’m impressed.’ She returned his smile. ‘I’m going to get another round.’ She lifted her glass to show him it was empty. ‘Are you staying for another?’

‘I should get off. We have another early start tomorrow.’ He tipped the remains of his drink down his throat.

Hayley looked at him and waited.

‘But as you’re buying I suppose I could have one more.’

Chapter 39

Claudia

 

Twenty-three hours since Ruth’s attack

 

There was a knock on the interview-room door. Claudia, Dominic and Kane all looked at one another then at the door as though they’d get the answer to their unspoken question without getting up to answer it.

Eventually Claudia spoke and suspended