Read Online Closer by Morning by Thom Collins - Free Book Online Page A

I think that was too big a deal for Olly. Still, he was a nice lad. A really nice lad. I can’t believe anyone would want to hurt him.”
    â€œAny news of an arrest?” Like Trish at the office, Danny was always a good person to ask if you wanted to know what was going on.
    â€œFuck no. The police round here haven’t got a clue.”
    â€œAccording to The Echo they’re playing down any connection with the other murdered boy.”
    Danny’s eyebrows shot up. “They’re connected all right. It’s all over Facebook. Haven’t you seen it?”
    Matt shook his head.
    â€œWhat connects them,” Danny said, “is their sexuality. Olly Raymond and Conner Welsh were both gay. Those stupid plods are playing it all down but come on—both boys are gay, both are from Durham, they look so much alike they could pass for brothers and they’re found dead within a fortnight of each other.” Danny’s usually bright demeanor had taken on a serious expression. “Someone is picking up and murdering young men—gay men—in our city and the police are doing fuck all to warn the community. It stinks. It fucking stinks.”
    ****
    Since the unexpected appearance of Annabel had spoiled his intention to chat up Matt, Dale’s day had not gone as planned. But Annabel’s unwanted intrusion was nothing compared with the shower of shit that rained down on him when he got to work.
    The production was using the empty buildings of an old primary school as their temporary studio and offices. The building had a sad, gloomy feeling that worked perfectly for the show. It was due for demolition later in the year. Something local residents were dead set against. The solid structure was over one hundred and forty years old and loved by the community, many of whom had been educated there. Its current use by a TV company proved that it was not yet ready for the wrecking ball. Dale had even signed a petition by residents campaigning to save the old school buildings and agreed to pose for a photo for the local paper.
    Arriving at the studio direct from boot camp, he saw half a dozen people gathered at the gate. They brandished homemade placards, which they waved at passing motorists, many of whom gave a blast of their horn as they passed.
    He was all for saving the school but someone would have to ask these guys to turn it down. They couldn’t have those car horns blaring while they were trying to shoot a take.
    It was only as he pulled into the car park that he noticed their placards had nothing to do with the proposed demolition. Stop the Bloodbath. Save Our Children. Violence Breeds Violence .
    What the hell was that about?
    By the time he had showered and changed into costume, the crowd outside had doubled.
    Roxanne Maxwell was in the makeup room. She was already dressed in the black designer power suit of her DCI character and her luxurious auburn hair was being fixed into a businesslike wave around her face. Roxanne stared at a computer tablet while the hairdresser worked.
    â€œWhat’s going on?” Dale asked, taking the chair beside her. “Are those guys outside extras or something? I didn’t notice any crowd scenes in today’s script. Have they changed the schedule?”
    Roxanne raised her cool gaze from the tablet and regarded him in the mirror. “Haven’t you heard the news?”
    â€œThis morning? No, I listen to music on the way in,” he said. “It helps me to focus. All that noise on the radio—DJs and presenters—it’s all too distracting when I’m trying to get the lines in.”
    â€œYou know a couple of local boys have been murdered?”
    He nodded. He had seen that story on TV last night.
    Roxanne raised two finely arched eyebrows. “Remind you of anything?”
    â€œWhat? Us? The show? How?”
    â€œGood old social media,” she said. “Someone was quick to point out a similarity