Rollover by James Raven Read Free Book Online Page B

God.’
    ‘It’s why we virtually blacklisted those two reporters. Technically they’d exposed a corrupt police officer and had done nothing wrong. But that’s not how his colleagues saw it. There’s been a lot of ill-feeling . Still is. Some of the guys have always felt they had a score to settle.’
    ‘What happened to the son?’
    ‘Warren is OK for the moment,’ Temple said. ‘He’s nine now and responding to the new treatment. A fund was set up after George’s death. A lot of money was raised and then three months ago the NHS agreed to supply the drug free of charge.’
    They both fell silent. Temple tried to remember the last time he had dropped in on George’s widow, Beth. Surely he was due to pay another visit.
    ‘Sounds to me like maybe Danny Cain is a good starting point for this investigation,’ Angel said. ‘What do you think, guv?’
    ‘I think you’re right,’ Temple said. ‘I know where he lives. We’ll leave DC Patel in charge here and go right over. But before we do there’s something else you ought to know about this case.’
    Angel tilted her head to one side and arched her brow.
    ‘It concerns our boss,’ Temple said. ‘Superintendent Priest.’

8
    ‘I ’m scared,’ Laura said. ‘I want Daddy.’
    Maggie Cain pulled her daughter close to her with her free hand. Her little face was red from crying. Her eyes were dull and unfocused.
    ‘Daddy will find us soon, sweetheart. Everything will be all right.’ Saliva cracked at the back of Maggie’s throat as she spoke.
    ‘But why does that man want to hurt us?’ Laura said.
    ‘I don’t know, sweetheart, but I swear I won’t let him harm you. Trust me on that.’
    ‘Max says the man is going to kill us.’
    Maggie was suddenly furious with Max, which of course was absurd since he was a figment of her child’s imagination.
    ‘Max doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I suggest you tell himto be quiet. Or maybe you can get him to tell you a story. Take your mind off what’s happening.’
    ‘He didn’t bring any of his books. He forgot them when he chased out of the house after us.’
    ‘Then why don’t you tell him a story? He’s probably as scared as you are and that will cheer him up.’
    Laura started whispering, which was her way of communicating with her imaginary friend. That’s good, Maggie thought. It’ll focus her mind on something other than the terrifying reality of their situation.
    Maggie chewed her bottom lip and rested her head against the wall behind her. They were sitting on the floor of a freezing loft, or attic, or whatever it was called. One ring of a pair of metal handcuffs was attached to Maggie’s left wrist and the other ring to a short length of chain that encircled a wooden stanchion.
    The loft was large and gloomy and there were lots of timber supports. Between them spiders had woven dozens of webs. It hadn’t been fully converted. There was a makeshift floor of chipboard sections that had been nailed on to the joists, although they didn’t cover the whole area. There were gaps where the insulation obscured the top of the ceiling below. Light welled softly from a naked bulb suspended from above. The walls were bare brick and there was a noisy water tank in one corner.
    Their own loft at home was filled with junk. Cardboard boxes, spare pillows, old photo albums. But this space was empty.
    Maggie closed her eyes and prayed that the nightmare would soon be over and that no harm would come to them. But she was scared. Desperately scared.
    If only she hadn’t opened the door. But then how was she to know that it would prove to be the biggest mistake she had ever made? She just wasn’t thinking. The prospect of sharing in a massive lottery win had unsettled her.
    After the man in the balaclava had taken Maggie’s phone he called Danny. And as she listened to what he said to her husband it became clear to her that Vince was dead and that this man was a cruel, sadistic killer.
    After the