Dead of Winter by Elizabeth Corley Read Free Book Online Page B

secretary.
    ‘Can you hold for the chief constable, please?’ she asked with a snap of authority that indicated she didn’t require a reply.
    Acting
, he thought.
    ‘Fenwick?’
    ‘Good morning, sir.’
    Fenwick just fitted his earpiece in time as the traffic in front of him eased forward.
    ‘Where abouts are you?’
    ‘On my way to see you for our nine o’clock.’
    ‘Turn around.’
    ‘I beg your pardon?’
    ‘I need you in Guildford, at St Anne’s, as soon as you can get there. A girl’s missing and you’re assigned as senior advisor.’
    ‘That’s not our patch and what’s a senior advisor, for heaven’s sake … sir?’
    ‘Just that. This is a very sensitive case and I’m seconding you for as long as they want.’
    ‘Who’ll run MCS? We have a huge caseload and five vacancies …’
    ‘Richard Quinlan will step into your shoes while you’re gone.’
    ‘Quinlan; and he’s said yes?’
    ‘He will do when I tell him.’
    Fenwick’s old boss was counting the months to retirement since being moved aside to make room for Alison Whitby at Harlden. Although he was a decent leader he wasn’t a detective.
    ‘Why are we involved?’
    ‘The missing girl is Isabelle Mattias.’
    ‘I still don’t understand, sir.’
    There was a pause, and then Harper-Brown said in his most dismissive tone.
    ‘Do you live in another world, Andrew? Jane Mattias, née Simpson, is the daughter of Robert Simpson, the film director. And Robert Simpson …’
    ‘Is one of our best-loved exports to Hollywood. I still don’t see the connection.’
    ‘Have you turned around yet?’
    ‘Not quite.’ Fenwick had just moved up into fourth gear for the first time in half an hour and was accelerating to forty to take advantage of a stretch of gritted dual carriageway.
    ‘Then do so and call me back. If I have to waste time giving you a tutorial on Britain’s leading families I’d like to know that at least you’re heading in the right direction.’
    Fenwick mouthed obscenities as he negotiated the next roundabout and retraced his route north-west. He was joining the end of the tailback from the roadworks that ran in the opposite direction as he pressed Harper-Brown’s preset number.
    ‘It’s me,’ he said unceremoniously, drumming his fingers as Dawn put him through.
    ‘Where were we?’
    ‘You were about to explain to me why my life’s going to be turned upside down because some spoilt teenage brat has gone absent without leave from school.’
    ‘Now, now!’ He could hear the amusement in H-B’s voice. ‘You’d better be in an improved mood before you reach St Anne’s. While it might be a matter of truancy the local team don’t think so. Isabelle hasn’t been seen since Monday night; which means she could have been missing almost thirty-six hours. They are very concerned for her safety.’
    ‘So, tell me again, please; why are we being dragged in?’
    ‘The Home Office have asked for help. They want to be seen to be doing absolutely everything they can to find the girl. Of course Surrey tried to persuade them that external input was inadvisable but they failed. So when I received the call I was in no position to disagree.’
    ‘And you decided to send me why, sir?’
    ‘Good question, Fenwick. Heaven knows there are better police officers than you. However, you have been commended more than once and are therefore “known”. And you still live in Harlden, which is conveniently closer to Guildford than Lewes. It makes sense. It’s an inconvenience we’ll both have to put up with.
    ‘Look, I haven’t got all day. This is what you need to know. First, about the school: St Anne’s has one of the best reputations in the country.’
    ‘That I am aware of. The daughter of the deputy leader of the opposition goes there, so do countless offspring of diplomats posted abroad.’
    ‘Exactly; it has an excellent academic record plus the best arts department in the south-east. It’s an all-girls school. Not