Catch the Fallen Sparrow by Priscilla Masters Read Free Book Online Page B

Shouldn’t be longer. The Press interest in a child murder means that we get priority at the lab. The outcry is always deafening.’
    Joanna put a few of the uniformed men on to cover the fish and chip shops which were just opening to serve lunch. Mike arrived as she was wondering about her own lunch, toying with the idea of some sandwiches and a yoghurt, but she could tell from the excitement in his eyes that something had surfaced and suddenly lunch didn’t seem quite so important. Behind him trailed the young, blond rookie she had noticed scribbling furiously throughout the briefing.
    â€˜Come in.’ She smiled. ‘PC Scott, isn’t it?’
    â€˜I hope I’m not wasting your time,’ he said awkwardly.
    â€˜Don’t worry,’ she reassured him. ‘Much better to waste a few minutes now than perhaps days while you decide whether to speak or not.’
    He felt heartened. ‘May I have another look at the ring?’
    She stared at him for a moment and he opened his notebook and tilted the page towards her to show her a drawing he had made. He noticed she studied it for a very long time without saying a word, frowned, held the notebook herself. She scrutinized the crude pencil drawing then looked up.
    â€˜It does look the same,’ she agreed. ‘What was it made of?’
    â€˜Solid gold,’ he said.
    She stood up. ‘There’s only one way to find out.’
    It was bagged up in the interview room and they went together. Joanna picked out the ring and handed it to him.
    â€˜Is this it?’ she asked.
    Phil Scott was learning from her methods. He too said nothing until he had studied the ring carefully and then he handed it back to her, ‘I thought it was the same one,’ he said. ‘It was stolen ... house break-in, about a year ago. It was on the list of things stolen and there was a photograph of it.’
    She looked at him. ‘Which house break-in?’ she said. ‘Where?’
    â€˜Rock house,’ he said. ‘The big house on the moorland road. The big grey place.’ He grinned. ‘I don’t think I’ll ever forget it. It was my first day in the force. About a year ago.’
    She was impressed. ‘And you remembered it all this time?’
    He nodded, clear blue eyes fixing on hers. ‘I’m a bit slow,’ he said, ‘often have to write everything down – otherwise I forget things.’ He grimaced. ‘Spend all my time making notes. That’s why I was fairly sure. Had to check – but I’d drawn a diagram in my notebook.’
    â€˜And whose house was it?’
    â€˜Ashford Leech,’ he said. ‘He’s the MP for Staffs Moorlands – or he was. He died a few months ago.’
    â€˜A car accident?’
    â€˜No. He was ill. He died in hospital.’
    Joanna stared at him. ‘And the ring was amongst the items stolen? You’re sure.’
    The young constable nodded. ‘Yes, ma’am.’
    â€˜Did we get the burglar?’
    He shook his head. ‘No. We thought it might be kids.’ He looked uneasy, shuffled uncomfortably on his feet. ‘There was something funny about it. Something not quite right.’
    â€˜Get me the file. Bring it to my office.’ She smiled. ‘Then you can go back on the moors.’
    She turned the lamp on over her desk, sat back and began reading the file. From the first page it was interesting. Not only because it was one of the many thousands of unsolved burglaries that filled their lists. But there were things here that were not quite right – anomalies. As she read the list of items taken she was puzzled. ‘No,’ she muttered. ‘No – not like this. Mike,’ she said, ‘what do you think of this? First of all they decided to break in on a Monday lunch-time when the cleaner was there and her old jalopy parked right out the front to announce the fact. Then they were supposed to