The Widow by Fiona Barton Read Free Book Online Page A

to.’
    â€˜Did Bella cry a lot?’ Sparkes had asked.
    The question had given Mrs Emerson pause for thought, but then she’d shaken her head and said briskly, ‘No, she was a happy little thing.’
    The family doctor and health visitor agreed. ‘Lovely child … little poppet,’ they chorused. ‘Mum struggled a bit on her own – it’s hard bringing up a child alone, isn’t it?’ the doctor said and Sparkes nodded as if he understood. All of this was logged in the now bulging files of evidence and statements, proof of the effort his blokes were making, but he knew it was all surface chatter. They were making no progress.
    The long-haired man was the key, he concluded, switching off his computer and carefully stacking the files on his desk before heading for the door and five hours’ sleep.
    â€˜Maybe tomorrow we’ll find her,’ he whispered to his sleeping wife when he got home.
    A week later, with no news, Kate Waters was on the phone.
    â€˜Hi Bob, the editor has decided to offer a reward for any information that leads to Bella being found. He’s putting up twenty grand. Not too shabby.’
    Sparkes groaned inwardly. ‘Bloody rewards,’ he cursed to Matthews later. ‘The papers get all the publicity and we’ll get every nutter and conman in the country on the phone.’
    â€˜That’s very generous, Kate,’ he said. ‘But do you think this is the right moment? We’re working on a number …’
    â€˜It’s going on the front page tomorrow, Bob,’ she interrupted. ‘Look, I know the police usually hate the idea of a reward, but people who see or hear things and are worried about ringing the police will see twenty grand and pick up the phone.’
    He sighed. ‘I’ll go and tell Dawn,’ he said. ‘I need to prepare her.’
    â€˜Right,’ Kate said. ‘Look, what are the chances of getting a sit-down chat with Dawn, Bob? The poor woman could barely speak at the press conference – this would be a proper chance for her to talk about Bella. I’ll be very gentle with her. What do you think?’
    He thought he wished he hadn’t answered her call. He liked Kate – and there weren’t many reporters he could say that about – but he knew she was like a terrier with a bone when she was after something. He knew she wouldn’t let up until she got what she wanted, but he wasn’t sure he and Dawn were ready for this sort of grilling.
    Dawn was still a largely unknown quantity; she was an emotional mess, drugged against her terror and unable to focus on anything for more than thirty seconds. Bob Sparkes had spent hours with her and he felt he’d only scratched the surface. Could he really let Kate Waters loose on her?
    â€˜It might help her to talk to someone who isn’t a police officer, Bob. Might help her remember something …’
    â€˜I’ll ask her, Kate, but I’m not sure she’s up to it. She’s on tranquillizers and sleeping pills and is finding it hard to concentrate on anything.’
    â€˜Brilliant. Thanks Bob.’ He could hear the smile in the reporter’s voice.
    â€˜Hold on, it’s not a done deal yet. Let me talk to her this morning and I’ll give you a ring back.’
    When he arrived, he found Dawn sitting in exactly the same spot as when he had first met her, on the sofa that had become her ark, among Bella’s toys, crushed empty cigarette packs and pages torn from newspapers, cards from well-wishers and letters on lined notepaper from the mad and angry.
    â€˜Have you been to bed, love?’ he asked her.
    Sue Blackman, a young woman in uniform acting as family liaison officer, shook her head silently and raised her eyebrows.
    â€˜Can’t sleep,’ Dawn said. ‘Need to be awake for when she comes home.’
    Sparkes took PC Blackman into the hall. ‘She needs some rest