Deadly Deceit by Mari Hannah Read Free Book Online Page B

down the streets. Police officers were taught to associate a saying with streets abutting a main road. For example: Fair Lady Hampstead stood for Fairholme Road, Ladykirk
Road and Hampstead Road. It made it easier to recall them if you needed to get there in a hurry.
    They dropped down on to Elswick Road, still heading west, then down again on to Armstrong Road where Maggie Reid was being cared for by her sister-in-law, Nadia Turner. They were shown into a
tidy living room with views across the river to Gateshead’s Metro Centre. A uniformed officer stood up as they walked in, explaining that Maggie’s parents were too traumatized to look
after themselves let alone their grieving daughter and so Nadia had volunteered to do so until alternative accommodation could be found.
    Nadia offered them tea, telling Daniels that no Family Liaison Officer had yet arrived.
    This news angered the DCI more than she could possibly show. ‘My apologies . . .’ She glanced at the PC. A silent message to sort the FLO. And then to Nadia. ‘We’ll take
care of that right away.’
    The officer and Nadia both made themselves scarce.
    Maggie Reid was sitting hunched over in a chair by the picture window, but the vista across the Tyne was completely lost on her. She was in a hell of a state, hardly registering their presence
as they sat down to talk to her, spaced out on sedatives the doctor had given her before they arrived. Her eyes were dull and lifeless and she was still dressed in the same clothes she’d gone
out in the previous night, blue streaks in her blonde hair matching her smudged eyeliner.
    ‘I’m very sorry for your loss, Maggie . . .’ Daniels said gently. ‘And for intruding on your grief at this difficult time. But I’m afraid I must ask you some
questions. Is that OK?’ Reid nodded without making eye contact. ‘When exactly did you make arrangements to go out last night?’
    ‘Ages ago . . . couple of weeks, maybe . . . Mark was good and stuff, but he liked plenty of notice to babysit.’ She looked up, trying to hold back the tears. ‘It’s his
birthday today. We were going to celebrate as a family, like we used to. I made him a chocolate cake yesterday, his favourite . . .’ Her voice trailed off.
    ‘Who else knew he was at your house?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    Daniels rephrased. ‘Who else knew Mark was looking after Jamie?’
    ‘Me mam. What difference does it make?’ Maggie looked puzzled. Her hands shook as she tore at a bunch of tissues Nadia had shoved on her lap before leaving the room.
    ‘Can you think of any reason why someone would want to harm Mark? Or you, for that matter?’ Daniels didn’t mention the child this time. Maggie didn’t respond and
hadn’t yet twigged what she was getting at. ‘Maggie? I need you to think very carefully. Any idea who might have a grudge against—?’
    ‘No! Despite our differences, Mark’s a lovely guy. Ask anyone, if you don’t believe me!’ The woman’s face paled further. She pawed at her throat, fighting back
vomit, almost choking on her words. ‘He wasn’t supposed to be there . . . him or the bairn! Mark usually has Jamie at his and me mam picks him up to give me a lie-in and that when I go
out clubbing. It’s usually late when I get back. She can’t keep him at her place overnight coz me dad’s got special needs and Jamie doesn’t sleep. It’s too much for
her to look after them both at the same time.’
    Daniels caught Gormley’s unease. He was standing a few feet away, stroking the stubble on his chin. He raised an eyebrow. This was certainly an interesting development. Responding to the
silence in the room, Maggie looked up, her gaze flitting back and forth between the two detectives. Her eyes grew big as the penny dropped.
    ‘You saying they were after
me
?’
    ‘We don’t know.’ Gormley’s tone was flat. ‘We were hoping you could tell—’
    ‘What did you mean, they weren’t supposed to be there?’ Daniels