Due Process by Jane Finch Read Free Book Online

fact actually rammed them from the rear.  There’s a large gash in the back of the boat, so no cause for doubt about the story. Blue paint in the dent so river police are keeping a look out. She managed to get back to her car and came here.  Daughter has now gone to Tony’s Purcell’s sister in Scotland.  Amanda is in a safe house for the time being.”
                  “Daughter’s in Scotland?”
                  “Yes, she was taken up yesterday.  Mrs. Purcell doesn’t seem to have any family members living so we went with the sister-in-law.”
                  Just then the telephone rang and D.C.Blake picked up the handset.and listened intently.
                  “What? Put her through.  Hello?  Yes, this is D.C.Blake, I’m in charge of the investigation.”  He paused. “You’re kidding?”
                  He looked at the others and pointed to the phone and raised his eyebrows heavenward.
                  “I’m sorry to have to ask this, but how do I know you are who you say you are?”
                  Silence as he listened. He grabbed a pen and notebook and began to write.
                  “Can I have your number there? We’re going to have to talk further with you, but thank you for getting in touch.”
                  He put the phone down and saw the other officers looking at him quizzically.
                  “Well, that’s one mystery solved,” he said, “that was Sarah Greenwood.  The secretary.  She says she received an unexpected inheritance and just took off.  She’s in the Cayman Islands.  Says she tried to contact Tony Purcell.  Sent him an email but never got a response so thought he didn’t care, and just went.  She’s just read about his disappearance online.”
                  “You’re joking?”
                  D.C.Blake shook his head.
                  “No, really.  We’ll need to check out her story, of course, but it looks like her disappearance is totally innocent.”
                  No-one spoke for a few minutes as they digested this new information.
                  “So that means…” began one of the officers “that if the secretary’s story holds up, and Justin’s death was not suspicious…all we’ve got is the house fire.”
                  D.C.Blake nodded.
                  “And a missing solicitor and an attempted child abduction. Nothing out of the ordinary for us,” he said sarcastically.
    *   *   *
     
     
    “Hello, Detective,” said Sarah Greenwood as she showed him to a table at the Hyatt café.  He looked a little awestruck. The Caymans had that effect on people, especially those who were not used to travelling.  She suspected that to be the case with D.C. Blake judging by his pallor and the way he kept gazing at everything around him. The turquoise sea always took the breath away, and the azure sky and the happy people.  Sunshine made people happy. That was why she had been so desperate to leave rainy old England.
    “Miss Greenwood,” he said, “thanks for meeting me.”
    “I’m amazed you came all this way just to see me,” she replied.
    His eyes wandered as two stunning women passed by the table, their perfect figures embraced by bikinis that might have been painted on. She waited for his attention to come back to her.
    “This is an amazing place…” he began, and then seemed to pull himself together.
    “I’m sorry,” he said, “I’m still a bit jet-lagged.”
    “How long are you staying?” she asked.
    “Heading back tomorrow, unfortunately.  I could certainly do with staying a few days,  but the budget won’t allow it.  I’ve been heading up this investigation from the start which is why I was chosen to come and speak to you.”
    He carried a briefcase from which he took a notebook and pen.  She noticed