Read Online Lastnight by Stephen Leather - Free Book Online Page B

woman I spoke to said she’d probably turn up, that most missing people did. By the time the twenty-four hours was up, she was dead.’
    Nightingale said nothing. He wanted a cigarette badly but he didn’t see any ashtrays around.
    ‘Do you know how they found her?’ Zoe asked.
    Nightingale shook his head. He did, but he wasn’t sure what the police had told her.
    ‘Her blood,’ said Zoe. ‘Her blood dripped down off the bed and through the floorboards and then it trickled down the light fitting of the bedsit below. Her blood, Jack.’ She shuddered again.
    Nightingale sat in silence. The desire for a cigarette was almost overwhelming but he knew enough about psychology to know it wasn’t a nicotine craving that was kicking in, he wanted to do something to cover his embarrassment. He could see how upset Zoe was but there was nothing he could do or say to ease her pain. Whoever had given her that information deserved a serious dressing down. There were some things that didn’t need to be said, and the condition of Abbie Greene’s body was definitely on that list.
    ‘I had to identify the body,’ she continued. ‘I think they tried to contact her parents but they either couldn’t find them or they didn’t give a damn.’ She reached for another tissue and dabbed at her eyes. ‘They’d covered her body up but her face was …’ She sighed. ‘It was like she was asleep. Her eyes were closed and I sort of thought if I just brushed her cheek she’d wake up and smile at me.’ She took a deep breath and then let it out in a slow moan, then her whole body was racked with sobs. She folded her arms and bent over as she moaned. Nightingale watched her, helplessly. She wailed for several minutes as she rocked back and forth, then she slowly sat up and tried to smile at him. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said.
    ‘You’ve got nothing to apologise for,’ he said.
    ‘I just miss her so much.’ She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. ‘I used to love this flat,’ she said. ‘Now I hate it. Everything in it reminds me of her. I look at the paintings and I remember when she did them. Her cosmetics and perfume are in the bathroom. I haven’t changed the sheets because I can still smell her.’ She wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘I don’t think I want to stay in this world without her,’ she whispered.
    Nightingale leaned forward. ‘Zoe, is there anyone who can come and stay with you?’
    ‘Victim Support, you mean? They sent someone around but I sent them packing. Some stupid woman who just wanted to talk about house prices. I don’t need support from a stranger. I need Abbie back, that’s what I need.’
    ‘I meant family. What about your parents?’
    ‘They’re in the Bahamas.’
    ‘Do they know what’s happened?’
    ‘I don’t think they care.’ She sniffed and blew her nose. ‘I’m an only child and they were, let’s say, a bit disappointed when I turned out to be gay. All their plans to get me married off to minor royalty fell to bits and they’ve never forgiven me.’ She waved her hand around the apartment. ‘I think they’d have taken this back if they could but the money came from my grandfather and the trust fund he set up is pretty much impregnable. So no, Mummy and Daddy won’t be around anytime soon.’
    ‘No family at all?’
    ‘My uncle. Uncle Murray.’
    ‘Is he in London?’
    She nodded. ‘He works in the City. But he’s always busy, I haven’t seen him in months.’
    ‘You fell out with him?’
    ‘No, I always got on really well with him. He’s my godfather, too. But he’s never out of the office.’
    ‘You need to call him,’ said Nightingale flatly.
    ‘He won’t come.’
    ‘Then I’ll call him,’ said Nightingale. He held out his hand. ‘Let me have your phone.’
    She shook her head and wiped her eyes. ‘I’ll be fine,’ she said.
    ‘No you won’t,’ he said.
    ‘What, you’re an expert on grief now, are you?’
    Nightingale smiled but didn’t