Creeping Ivy by Natasha Cooper Read Free Book Online Page A

and we’ll find out what it is. Don’t you worry.’
    ‘But how? How will you find out whose blood it is? Let alone how it got there?’
    ‘We’ve officers out now, working to identify the boy and his mother. When they’ve been tracked down, we’ll check whether the blood is his. In the meantime, Ms Weblock, could you give me the name of Charlotte’s doctor? We’d like to have a word with him or her.’
    Antonia dictated the name and address of the local surgery.
    ‘But they won’t have any samples of her blood there. It’s not that kind of place. And anyway, I don’t think she’s ever had any blood taken; not since those tests just after she was born.’
    ‘We wouldn’t expect blood samples, Ms Weblock. It’s just routine in a case like this. We always have a word with the doctor.’
    In case the child has been taken in with unexplained injuries in the past, said Trish to herself. She could see from Antonia’s grey face that there was no need to say it aloud.
    ‘Will you tell me when you know?’ she asked, staring at the floor. With what looked like enormous effort, she raised her head and met Blake’s eyes. ‘When you know if it is the boy’s blood?’
    ‘Of course. Now, I’ll be off to have a word with Mr Hithe. And …’
    ‘But what are you going to do about Nicky?’ All the attempts Antonia had been making to sound calm had failed. Her voice was shrill and urgent. ‘You can’t go now. I mean, if there’s any possibility that she’s been … hurting Charlotte, you must talk to her.’
    ‘We will, Ms Weblock. Don’t worry. I’ve just had a word with my colleagues at the station, and they said she’s already left, intending to walk back here. I’m going to leave Constable Derring here to wait for her while I talk to Mr Hithe. Is that convenient?’
    ‘Oh, I see. All right. Yes, if you like. Whatever you think’s best.’
    ‘Good. Thank you. I’d like her to start telephoning your friends and relations to check that none of them have seen Charlotte. You said you could give me a list.’
    ‘Oh, yes.’ Antonia put a hand to her forehead. She seemed to be having difficulty thinking. ‘It’s so hard to know … I mean, who … how many …’
    ‘Look, why don’t you just give them your address book?’ said Trish. Then they can work their way through it, checking all the possible addresses.’
    ‘Good idea, Ms Maguire. Thank you,’ said Blake.
    ‘All right. Will you wait? It’s upstairs.’ When he nodded, Antonia left the room.
    ‘How hopeful are you?’ asked Trish very quietly.
    ‘It’s hard to say,’ admitted Blake. ‘But it doesn’t look good.’
    Antonia came back and handed him a big address book bound in the softest black leather.
    ‘Thank you, Ms Weblock. Now, where would you like Constable Derring to wait? You won’t want her disturbing you by telephoning in here.’
    Antonia looked round the drawing room, a puzzled expression in her eyes, as though she did not understand the question.
    ‘I don’t know,’ she said after a moment and then shook herself. ‘Why not in the kitchen? Then you can have a cup of tea, Constable, couldn’t you? I’ll take you down and show you where everything is. Trish, you’ll wait, won’t you?’
    ‘OK.’
    Even from the drawing room Trish could hear the click of the cameras outside as DCI Blake let himself out of the house and the shouted questions. After a minute or so Antonia was back, still looking ill.
    ‘Oh Trish, what am I going to do?’
    ‘Try to hang on. They’ll find out what’s happened.’
    ‘But they think she’s dead, don’t they? The constable wouldn’t say anything just now, but that’s why they went upstairs, wasn’t it? To look for signs that she’s dead. It must be.’
    ‘I don’t know, Antonia.’
    ‘Oh, for God’s sake, don’t lie. You must have seen it in their faces when they came downstairs again, just like I did. And like I can see it in yours now. They’ve always thought she was dead