Nowhere Child by Rachel Abbott Read Free Book Online Page B

weight of it all settling on her like a heavy stone. She wanted it to be over so they could put it behind them, where it belonged. Part of a life that was done, parcelled up and stored, so that they could move ahead without any burden dragging them down. And for her, that would only work if she got Tasha back too.
    ‘Surely there are others who can give evidence against him? Do you really need Tasha?’
    ‘There are plenty of people that could. But they won’t. We caught several members of the gang that night. but none of them would risk going against their enforcer. They know they’d be dead within hours. McGuinness has enough contacts outside to see to that. Rory Slater is petrified of saying a word about anything in case he gives something away that gets him killed. It’s amazing to watch some of these tough guys crumble when they think somebody bigger and uglier can get to them.’
    ‘What about his wife, or can’t she be forced to give evidence?’
    ‘We can’t compel her. She’s already been found guilty of so many crimes – don’t forget the under-aged prostitution on top of Ollie’s kidnap. She’s been given a hefty prison sentence, which is likely to be longer than Finn’s as things stand. That’s why we have to find Tasha.’
    Emma shook her head in disgust at the McGuinness pair and started to get plates and cutlery ready.
    ‘What else did Tasha say?’ Tom asked. ‘Did you manage to persuade her to come home?’
    Emma laughed, but without a trace of amusement.
    ‘She thinks you’re going to arrest her. I don’t think she has any idea what’s happened at all. She asked if David was putting up the reward, but she discounted that fairly quickly based on his previous performance. She obviously doesn’t know he’s dead, and I didn’t want to tell her on the phone.’
    Emma’s sadness for Tasha was reflected in Tom’s expression.
    ‘Was there anything she said that would help us find her? Where was she calling from?’
    Emma handed over a piece of paper with the call box number on. ‘She won’t have used a phone close to where she’s living, though. She’s too smart for that. At least we know she’s in Manchester – and somewhere fairly central – but I know that’s a lot of ground to cover.’
    Tom texted the phone number through to Becky to pass to the team looking for Tasha.
    ‘She thinks the reward that’s being offered is putting her in danger,’ Emma said as she put a plate of hot food in front of Tom.
    ‘She’s probably right – but if the reward has come from McGuinness she’s already in danger. If she calls again, you have to make her understand that. We can try making it known on the streets that she’s not in any trouble with the police, but I don’t know if she’ll believe that.’
    Emma debated whether to tell him the rest. If, by drawing attention to Tasha, she was really putting the girl in danger, she needed to know what to do. She took a mouthful of the stew, barely tasting it, and chewed for a moment.
    ‘Tasha’s wasn’t the only call I received.’
    Tom continued to eat, but he raised his eyes to hers, and she could see he was listening to every word as she recounted the threats made by the young-sounding man on the phone.
    ‘But it’s just words, Tom,’ she concluded. ‘If Tasha gets back to us, we can make sure she’s safe, can’t we?’
    Tom put down his fork.
    ‘And how, precisely, do you think we’re going to do that, Emma? You know what happened here, in this very kitchen.’
    Emma was shocked that he would mention it. Did he think she ever forgot that her husband had died on her kitchen floor, beaten to a pulp by Finn McGuinness’s men?
    ‘Don’t look like that,’ he said. ‘I’m being tough because you’ve got to be tough. We could make this place like Fort Knox, but you’ve got to go out some time. If for any reason Tasha comes back, you call me. Don’t wait – not even for five minutes. Have you got that, Emma, because this