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

being bloody undercover,’ he grumbled, as he slid back behind the steering wheel. ‘Even the burger bloke knows we’re police.’

Flick spent most of her evening at home collating all the pictures she had taken at The Coffee Pot. She was surprised to see that there were thirty-four pictures, spread over five sheets of paper. She left a small block under each one for any names to be added that Georgia might be able to provide, then Flick emailed it to her police address. She would print them out before the briefing, and distribute them around.

She read through the plan for the following day that Erica had started before bringing her in on the finer details, and knew it was a good plan. That it relied on rain was a minor problem. If the weather didn’t follow the forecast, it would one day before much longer; that was a given in South Yorkshire. She moved to close down her computer, then stopped herself. She’d had a couple of additional thoughts about the following day and had included them in her own copy. She decided to send it to Erica, along with her rogues gallery of café visitors.

Clicking send, Flick finally closed down the laptop and headed for bed.

35

Erica walked into the kitchen as Frannie was leaving. They exchanged a brief kiss, and Frannie zipped her coat.

‘You got a late start?’

‘I’ve taken a late start.’ Erica smiled. ‘I didn’t get in till midnight, and it’s another late one tonight probably.’

‘Oh? I might go with the others for a meal then, if you’re not going to be here.’

‘It’s this case,’ Erica said in a half-hearted fashion, swinging her arm around as if to include the whole world in the statement. ‘I’ll be bloody glad when it’s over.’

‘So will I,’ Frannie said as she went out into the hallway. ‘Don’t work too hard, and I’ll see you tonight at some ungodly hour. Love you.’

Erica heard the front door close, and she poured herself a coffee, sank down at the table and dropped her head onto her arms. She was tired, she was scared they had it wrong and their plans for the surveillance wouldn’t lead to anything, and she needed this case to be done with.

‘Alexa, play Radio Two,’ she called, and the little round box responded. She listened to the eight o’clock news, and a Billy Joel track filled the room. ‘I am an innocent woman,’ she sang along, changing his words slightly, then sipped at her coffee. She would work from home until the two o’clock briefing, going over everything one more time to make sure there would be no slip-ups if the killer did take advantage of the promised rain. The longer-range forecast said hardly any precipitation over the next two weeks, so if nothing happened tonight it gave them breathing space if she followed her routine, but experience told her murderers rarely followed rules.

Showered and dressed in jeans and a thick jumper, Erica settled herself in the lounge with her laptop. She opened Flick’s email first, and smiled. She knew it would be some carefully thought addition to the evening’s stakeout, and she read through the highlighted parts Flick had included, nodding as she agreed with them.

She clicked on the file labelled ‘Coffee Pot visitors’, and carefully scrolled through all the pictures. She recognised two; Jenna in her wheelchair with Danny helping her manoeuvre around the tables. The rest she didn’t know. It did occur to her that the owner and Georgia Knight knew everyone, and everyone who was a regular would know them… would customers accept a lift from either one of them? Too damn right they would.

She picked up her phone and Flick answered immediately.

‘Hi, boss. Thought you’d still be in bed.’

‘I feel as if I should be. I’ve opened your email and the amendments are good. I’m looking at your pictures. I know two of them. The girl in the wheelchair and the feller with her are two people we’ve already interviewed. They were with Susie Roebuck and Clare Vincent at the theatre that night. They’re uni students. Did you have concerns, as I do, that Georgia and the owner of the café know everybody? Customers would accept a lift from them.’

Flick laughed. ‘You’re a mind reader, boss. I’m checking both of them as we speak. When I’ve got some information I’ll contact you.’

‘Oh, God. Sorry,’ Erica said, ruffling her hair. ‘I should have known you’d be on it. Maybe I should go back to bed,’ she ended with a laugh.

‘I’m heading to The Coffee Pot to talk to Georgia officially, get her to go through these pictures and see who she can identify. Her boss is a proper tartar, times them to the minute on a break, so she’s going to be really chuffed when I turn up and say I need Georgia until I’m done. Quite looking forward to throwing my weight around. Hate bullies.’

‘Go you,’ Erica responded, and they disconnected.

Immediately the phone pealed out. Beth.

‘Hi! You okay?’

‘I’m scared.’ There was a tremor in Beth’s voice.

‘Why?’ Erica tried to make her voice calm.

‘I can go home. I’m packed, about to ring a taxi, and I’m scared of going home.’

‘I’m on my way. I’ll be there in ten minutes, walk down to the Huntsman entrance and wait for me. You got all your medications?’

‘I have. I’m literally sat in my chair shaking, looking for some courage. They’ve stripped my bed, and I suddenly realised there’s only me.’

‘No, we have a spare room as you know. Stay as long as you want. See you in ten.’

She grabbed her coat, put on her boots, and opened the door. The rain was torrential; she looked up to the heavens and said, ‘Thank you, God.’

Beth seemed shrunken. The bandage around her head had been replaced by a large piece of gauze, and her fingers were still strapped together, although healing, she had said. Erica fastened her friend’s seat belt, and they drove home with the windscreen wipers on at