Read Online Before It's Too Late by Jane Isaac - Free Book Online Page B

time then.”
    Jackman smiled guiltily. From a young age she always seemed to be able to read his mind. He swallowed his pride. “This Adrian. Errr… Serious, is it?”
    “Dad!” She raised a hand. “I’m not doing this.”
    “No, I didn’t mean that. Just wondered if you wanted to invite him here for a bit in the holidays?”
    “I don’t know.” She took another sip of her coffee. “Maybe. His parents live in Exeter. It’s a long way and he doesn’t drive.”
    Jackman planted his empty mug on the floor beside him and began sorting through the pile of papers on his lap. “He could join us in Newquay if you want?” he said, without looking up.
    “Adrian? I don’t think so. He can’t even surf! Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll think of something for the summer. You can meet him then. As long as you promise to be nice.”
    Celia rambled on, but Jackman wasn’t listening. His eyes were fixed on a single entry on Ellen Readman’s credit card statement. He’d seen that somewhere before.

Chapter Fifteen
    “Both the victims have a connection to The Thai Boat house,” Jackman said as he eased into his chair.
    Janus sat opposite, cradling a mug of milky tea in her hands. Her fringe fluttered as she blew across the top of the drink. She’d caught Jackman by surprise when she’d called in for an impromptu briefing en route to Leamington that morning. Luckily Celia’s coffee at daybreak meant he’d been in since before seven, although he had to borrow some milk off the ladies at the front desk for her tea.
    “I found a Stratford number on Katie Sharp’s phone records, a month before she disappeared, and traced it there. The restaurant also appears on Ellen Readman’s credit card statement, a couple of weeks before she was reported missing.”
    Janus inhaled deeply, but said nothing. She kept her eyes on Jackman.
    “I emailed Reilly with the details this morning, but it does give me cause for concern,” Jackman continued. “It brings both cases to Stratford. And I found one of their menus in Min Li’s room at the college. We might have to brace ourselves for a link. All three women are around the same age, slim and dark-haired. Readman and Sharp disappeared for some time before their bodies were found. None of them have family close by.”
    Janus exhaled loudly, pushed her glasses onto her forehead and rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger as she spoke, “Any more on the missing girl?”
    Jackman gave her a summary of their actions from the day before. He finished up with the surveillance crews, which had relieved the weary detectives at Tom’s family home that morning.
    “What are your thoughts?” she asked.
    “The pregnancy casts a new light and gives Tom a possible motive. If she refused to abort, it threatened his future. It seems our best bet at the moment. I’m not convinced about any potential affair with the agent from the abortion clinic, but I’ve asked the guys to run some background checks, just in case. Of course, it also gives Min a reason to run away.”
    “What does that leave us with?”
    “The enhanced footage on the two vehicles – the van and BMW car – that were seen in the vicinity close to the time she left the pub should be through this morning. Hopefully then, we’ll have number plates and be able to trace the drivers. And we’re still tracking down people from the CCTV footage at the pub, and following up from the public appeal.”
    “And the parents?”
    “Russell is the family liaison officer. She spoke to them yesterday and they claim to have heard nothing. Obviously, we’ll be in touch again today. The biggest problem we have is victimology.”
    “You’ve not heard from the Embassy yet?” Janus’ forehead creased into a frown.
    “A report came through in the early hours – copies of his business accounts and his credit rating which all look in reasonable order. There’s very little on her background, and that of the family.”
    Janus glanced at the