Read Online All the Lonely People by Martin Edwards - Free Book Online Page B

be definite yet, said Skinner, but undoubtedly someone possessing very considerable physical strength. How much had the Press been told? A statement had already been made, the detective told him, but it would be sensible to prepare for their questioning.
    â€œI can handle them,” said Harry, as much to himself as to Skinner. He clenched his fist, as if glad of an outlet for his anger at having lost Liz. “No way am I having a bunch of journalists camping on my doorstep day and night, trying to grab a story.” He glanced at the clock. “I must ring the office, let them know why I haven’t arrived.”
    He got through to Jim Crusoe at the first attempt and in two or three clipped sentences explained that Liz was dead. At the other end of the line, his partner’s shock was almost tangible.
    â€œIt’s - my God, I heard on Radio City that a woman’s body had been found, but I never . . . ” Jim’s voice trailed off into nothingness.
    â€œTell Lucy I’ll be in later.”
    After a pause, Jim said in amazement, “You’re not coming in to work?”
    â€œWhat else should I do? The police are all but through with me. I just have to talk to Maggie about all the arrangements, but the inquest’s bound to be adjourned. There’s nothing else for me to do but sit and mope. The way I feel at present, I’ll be better off in the office than sitting here with my head in my hands.”
    â€œLook, I - I want you to know . . . Christ, this is terrible.”
    Harry could picture his partner going back over the past and all his gibes about Liz, her greed and unfaithfulness. Too late now to apologise, he thought savagely, but all he said was a brusque “See you later” before ringing off.
    Skinner was back. “I think we can leave you in peace for the time being, sir.”
    Harry gazed at the room. It still bore the indelible marks of unwanted intrusion.
    â€œWhere do you go from here?”
    â€œWe have plenty of inquiries to make in a case like this, sir.”
    â€œYour sergeant told me Coghlan’s still out of town.” He hesitated for a moment, then added impulsively, “Make sure the bastard doesn’t slip through your fingers. I don’t want him to get away with this.”
    â€œI wouldn’t jump to conclusions if I were you, sir. As a solicitor, you don’t want to find yourself on the receiving end of a libel writ.”
    â€œFor saying that he killed her? That’s slander, not libel, Chief Inspector, and anyway there’s a defence of truth.”
    â€œI’m keeping an open mind, Mr. Devlin, and I’d advise you to do the same. You’ll be available if I need to speak to you again, sir?”
    â€œI’m not thinking of doing a moonlight, if that’s what you have in mind. But I’ve told you everything I know and that isn’t much. Liz and I had become strangers. So until you have some news for me, you don’t need to call round again. Having half the police force here all morning is bad for business when my job is to keep clients out of trouble. The neighbours must have had their eyes out on stalks since your lads turned up with their fancy cameras and their two-way radios.”
    Getting that off his chest made him feel a little better. Concentrate on the trivia, he told himself, like what the woman next door might think and how to cram a day’s work into four or five hours. Bury your darker imaginings, that’s the way to stay sane when the world seems full of madness.
    The detective scratched his chin and said, “I can’t guarantee that I won’t have to trouble you once more, sir, as the inquiry develops. We have to do our job, you understand.”
    Surely they couldn’t now regard him as suspect? They had turned the flat upside down and found nothing; Harry was certain of that, for there was nothing to find. Even so, Skinner’s attitude bothered him as the