Slice by David Hodges Read Free Book Online Page B

about than a handful of bruised egos – like why Lyall was topped in the first place, for instance. There’s got to be something in his background that made him a target. Find that out and we’re well on our way to catching his killer.’
    Gilham shrugged. ‘Being a judge would be enough. There must be a fair few villains around who have him to thank for a nice helping of porridge.’
    ‘So look into it then. I want to know everything about him: friends, hobbies, where he went at night, any threats he may have received – everything.’
    ‘Could be a mite sensitive, considering who he was.’
    ‘Just do it and if anyone doesn’t like it, refer ’em to me.’
    Gilham was plainly still far from happy. ‘There could be something else to worry about, though.’
    ‘Go on.’
    ‘Maybe our man kept the cuffs because—’
    ‘He intends using them again?’ Fulton crushed his cigarette in the ashtray on his desk as if he suddenly found the taste unpleasant. ‘Then we’d better pray we catch him first,’ he replied grimly. He hauled himself to his feet and grabbed his coat off the back of the chair. ‘Now, it’s time I went home, I reckon.’
    Gilham nodded. ‘Yeah, me too. I’m meeting Emily Ford, Lyall’s daughter, at the morgue for formal ID of his body at just after nine.’
    ‘And the PM?’
    ‘We’re hoping for around two o’clock. Oh, by the way’ – he rummaged in his pocket to produce a computer printout – ‘LIO asked me to give you this.’
    Fulton practically snatched the printout from him and studied it with an air of triumph.
    ‘Something to do with the inquiry?’ Gilham queried, hovering curiously, with one hand on the door handle.
    ‘Eh?’ Fulton looked up and quickly stuffed the printout into his pocket, inwardly cursing Oates for being so indiscreet. ‘No, just a little job he was doing for me.’
    Gilham’s eyes narrowed. ‘Jack,’ he began.
    Fulton held up one hand to stop him continuing. ‘Don’t go there, Phil, OK?’
    His number two sighed heavily. ‘Jack, we’re in the middle of a murder inquiry. If you’re doing something on the side, maybe to do with Janet—’
    ‘I said forget it. My business.’
    ‘It won’t be if it gets out. Listen, Jack, I’ve heard all about your run-in with Miss PC—’
    ‘Miss who?’
    Gilham made a face. ‘Dee Honeywell; they call her Miss PC. She’s not very popular on this police area.’
    Fulton made to push past him into the incident room. ‘Why doesn’t that surprise me? Now, are you going or not?’
    Gilham didn’t budge. ‘She’ll have your “testimonials” if she hears about this, you know that, don’t you?’
    Fulton reached past him and pulled the door open, forcing him to one side. ‘I doubt whether she knows what balls are, Phil.’
    Gilham called after him as he strode purposefully past the banks of computers. ‘You need to get your head down, Jack.’
    Fulton half-turned. ‘Don’t we all, Phil. See you in the morning.’
    Gilham watched him lumber through the door into the corridor and shook his head slowly. ‘Damned fool,’ he muttered to himself. ‘I just hope she’s worth it.’

chapter 5
    THE ROAD CUT into the closely packed pines like a shaft, dropping away so steeply that Fulton found himself constantly tapping his brakes to keep the car from overreaching itself and skidding off into a ditch. He was very tired and he knew he should have gone home and got his head down as Gilham had suggested. There was a lake of acid churning round in his stomach, his head felt as though it were cracking open and his eyes were so gritty and inflamed that he had to lean forward in his seat to see the road properly. Irresponsible? Yeah, what he was doing was that all right, but he couldn’t help himself. He had to find Janet and bring her back.
    He didn’t try to kid himself that his motives had anything to do with love – that emotion had died a long time ago, shortly after he had found out about her affair with