Torch by Lin Anderson Read Free Book Online Page A

petrol bomb in Amy’s bedroom window.’
    MacRae ignored
the No Waiting sign and the double yellow lines and swept into an
ambulance space outside Casualty. It had taken twenty minutes to
get to the hospital. MacRae had ignored every red light and kept
his horn on full blast most of the way. Rhona had expected a police
car to stop them at any time. When she offered to park the car,
MacRae threw the keys in her lap without speaking.
    Rhona sat for a
while in the car park trying to decide whether to go in to the
hospital or not. She desperately wanted to know if Amy was okay,
but if Gillian was there it would look bad. She didn’t want to
cause any trouble between MacRae and his wife, especially now.
    When she
entered reception, MacRae was standing alone, but almost
immediately the lift door opened and Gillian emerged. Rhona waited
at the entrance but MacRae caught sight of her and motioned her
over.
    The words were
tumbling out of Gillian.
    ‘Amy was in
bed. She was tired after the cinema. I heard a crash then Amy
screaming. By the time I got to her the room was full of smoke. I
got her downstairs and outside. Mr Fraser next door phoned the Fire
Brigade.’
    ‘Where’s
Amy?’
    ‘Ward seven.
She’ll be alright.’ The sob of relief was turning to anger. ‘I knew
this would happen but you would never believe the threats. The job
always came first.’
    MacRae’s
knuckles were clenched white.
    ‘This isn’t the
time to discuss my job.’
    ‘Your job
almost killed our daughter.’
    MacRae looked
stricken.
    ‘Why don’t you
and Amy come back and stay with me in the flat?’
    Gillian was
staring at Rhona.
    ‘Wouldn’t that
be a little crowded?’
    MacRae looked
weary. ‘Dr MacLeod is covering Gallagher’s job. She’s staying at a
friend’s flat, not mine.’
    Gillian was
unconvinced.
    ‘You threw me
out, Gillian. Remember?’
    ‘It seems
throwing you out wasn’t enough.’
    MacRae turned
to Rhona. ‘I’m going to see Amy. Can you take a taxi back?’
    She nodded. ‘Of
course.’
    Gillian threw
Rhona a look as entered the lift. Rhona wondered if Gillian’s
suggestion of infidelity came from past experience or a sense that
she could never come before the job in Severino’s life.
     

Chapter 9
     
    Jaz couldn’t
sleep. He rolled out of bed and went to stand at the window. The
lights of Edinburgh stared back at him. He had been in this flat
for three months and he still loved it with a passion he would have
found difficult to describe to anyone willing to listen. The only
people who could understand were ones who had been homeless
themselves.
    He left the
window and went into the tiny kitchenette, filled the kettle and
popped a teabag into a cup. He didn’t bother with milk. Without a
fridge it went off too quickly. He scooped two teaspoonfuls of
sugar into the cup and poured in the boiling water.
    The dog was
awake and when Jaz sat down it came and laid its head in his lap.
Emperor was missing Karen. Every time he heard a female voice on
the stairs, he was up and at the door.
    Jaz was the
same, even though Karen had never been in the flat. He’d offered
her a bed one night when it was really cold, but she’d refused.
    ‘Emps keeps me
warm,’ she’d told him.
    He’d gone back
with the dog and the policeman had taken a note of his address and
told him he could hang on to Emps for now. Jaz had offered to look
at the body, check if it was Karen. They’d agreed because they knew
it would take time to locate a relative, if they managed at all.
Kids like Karen were running from someone or something and it
wasn't usually concerned families.
    The blast had
hit her back, so her face was recognisable. It only took a second
but the smell of burnt flesh stayed in his nostrils. That and a
terrible feeling of anger.
    It wouldn’t be
light for another hour. Jaz rinsed his cup at the sink. It was a
good time to find the people he needed to talk to. The ones who
might have noticed someone hanging about the empty