Read Online Broken Dreams by Nick Quantrill - Free Book Online Page B

married with children. He was quite traditional in that way.’
    ‘Presumably her singing in a band didn’t sit well with him, then?’
    ‘No. He didn’t approve and apparently they often argued about it. He didn’t like the way she dressed, the places she went, or who she was hanging around with.’
    ‘Sounds like he pushed her away.’
    ‘Sounds like it.’
    I was intrigued by Ron Platt and wondered what kind of role he had played in forcing his daughter’s disappearance. I wanted to know more about the man.
    Sarah stood up and checked on Lauren. I heard them go upstairs and get ready for bed. I flicked through the newspaper which was on the table before Sarah came back into the room with a bottle of wine. ‘Shall we?’
    I nodded and smiled. 
     
     
    ‘Truth is Joe, I’m under pressure.’
    I shrugged. Coleman’s problems weren’t my concern. I’d considered not answering his call earlier, never mind agreeing to meet in a near-by pub after I’d left Sarah’s house.
    I wasn’t in a rush to go home, and although Don and Sarah had reassured me to a point about not being a potential suspect in Jennifer Murdoch’s death, I was intrigued to hear what he had to say.
    ‘We should be working together’ he said to me.
    ‘Why?’ I wasn’t in the mood to make it easy for him.
    ‘We both want the same thing here, don’t we? We both want the truth. We might be coming from different angles, but it’s the same bottom-line.
    I sipped my drink and continued to stare around the bar
    Coleman turned to face me, clearly angry. ‘For fuck’s sake, Joe. I’m not pissing around here. I know we’ve had some differences in the past but we’ve got to move forward. Some co-operation might go a long way. I’m sure there are things we can work on together.’
    ‘Work together? My wife is dead.’
    Coleman put his drink down and lowered his voice. ‘We did our best, Joe. We really did. Nothing got overlooked; everything was given our full attention.’
    It was my turn to sigh. I knew I was being unfair, but it was hard to admit it. I couldn’t bring Debbie back and though the cliché about time being a great healer contained some truth, I still harboured bitterness towards the police and in particular Coleman. I wasn’t surprised he was under pressure to make a breakthrough. On the face of it, Jennifer Murdoch was an upstanding member of the local business community. It was the kind of case which could quickly become the police’s worst nightmare. I sat there and said nothing, letting Coleman take the lead.
    ‘It’s a chance to start again’ he continued. ‘I’m sorry for what’s happened in the past, really I am.’
    ‘Sorry?’ I cut in. ‘I lost everything. You didn’t.’ My hands were ripping up the beer-mat they were holding. I needed to get a grip.
    ‘We can’t keep going over old ground, Joe. I know you’re still working the Jennifer Murdoch case and I might be in a position to help.’
    ‘How do you know what I’m doing?’
    ‘It’s my job to know.’
    ‘How’s the wife?’
    Coleman sighed. ‘We don’t need to do this.’
    ‘How’s your wife?’ I repeated.
    ‘She’s fine.’
    ‘She was pregnant when we met.’ I was going to add, when you were implying I had a hand in my wife’s death.
    ‘A girl. She’s nearly two now.’
    ‘Congratulations.’ I drained my glass and placed it on the bar. ‘Be seeing you, then.’ I got up and walked out of the pub. I didn’t care what he thought we were doing. To me, we were just two men talking, passing the time of day.
    Coleman followed me out and shouted. ‘Come on, Joe. You know you need me if you want some answers.’
    I ignored and him and continued walking, my night ruined.
     
     
    The drink had made me hungry, so when I returned home, I made myself pasta surprise. The surprise part of the recipe was whatever vegetables were left available in the fridge. I’d stirred in a tin of chopped tomatoes and with the aid of some herbs and