Read Online Lazy Bones by Mark Billingham - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mark Billingham
Tags: Fiction, General, Psychological fiction, Thrillers, Mystery & Detective, Suspense fiction, Mystery Fiction, Police, Police Procedural, Serial Murders, Rapists, Thorne; Tom (Fictitious character), Police - Great Britain, Rapists - Crimes against
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what Brigstocke had said. Something that had caused Thorne's heart to beat faster, just for a second; but, like the face of someone in a dream, like an object he ought to recognise, glimpsed from an unfamiliar angle; it had faded away before he could see it for what it was.
He was stil trying to work it out when he spoke. 'I'm chasing something else up. Something with the photos...'
Brigstocke leaned forward, raised an eyebrow.
Tl tel you if it comes to anything,' Thorne said. He looked at his watch. 'Fuck, I'm going to be late...'
As he was standing up, the phone began to ring in his office next door...
Hol and's mobile had rung just as he was heading across to the pub, for what Was becoming something of a regular lunchtime pint. Andy Stone had given him that look. The one he'd been getting from a few of the lads, whenever the mobile rang, and they saw his face as HOME came up on cal er ID.
59
'Shit,' Hol and said.
Stone took a few steps toxvards the pub doorway and stopped. 'Shal I get you one in, Dave?'
Hol and pressed a button on the phone and brought it to his ear. After a few seconds he caught Stone's eye and shook his head.
Sophie was stil crying when he walked through the door twenty minutes later.
'What's the matter?' He wrapped his arms around her, knowing what the answer would be.
'Nothing,' she said. 'I'm sorry ... I know I shouldn't cal .' The words sputtered into his col ar between sobs.
'It's OK. Look, I've only got about a quarter of an hour, but we can have a quick bit of lunch together. I'l go back when you're feeling calmer.'
The baby was three months away. It was easy enough to put these weekly col apses down to hormones, but he knew that there was much more going on. He knew how frightened she was. Frightened that he would make a choice between her and the job. That he would think she was forcing him to make a choice. That the baby would not be enough to make him choose her.
He understood because he was twice as scared.
They sat on the sofa and cuddled until she grew quiet. He whispered and squeezed, feeling the bump against his leg that was the child inside her, staring across the living room and watching the minutes go by on the video recorder display.
'Thorne.'
'This is Eve Bloom...'
It took him a second to place the name, the voice. To put the two of them together. 'Oh... hel o. Sorry, I was miles away. Already thinking about lunch.'
'Is this not a good time? Because...'
'It's fine. What can I do for you?'
6O
'Just being nosey, if I'm honest. Wondered how it was al going. Stupid real y, when I haven't the faintest idea what it actual y is. Just, you know, curious as to whether that tape you took away has helped you.., solve.., it!'
He remembered hearing the amusement in her voice before. The phone in that hotel room, pressed tight to his ear. Happy to hear it this time.
'Fine, but I have to be somewhere about ten minutes ago, so...' 'That's OK, I didn't real y mean now anyway...' 'Sorry?'
'What about lunch on Saturday? You can ask me a few pointless questions about answering machines, claim that I'm stil helping you with your inquiries and stick it al on expenses.
Twelve-thirty any good...?'
He hung up a few minutes later, just as Yvonne Kitson strol ed back into the office. 'What on earth are you grinning about?' she said.
'Forget it, Mr Thorne. No fucking way am I eating duck's feet.'
The fact that Dennis Bethel was built like a brick shithouse, and had a voice like a chorus girl on helium, made most things he said sound vaguely ludicrous, but this was up there with the best of them...
It had been Thorne's idea. The last time they'd met had been in a pub and the voice, as it often did, had caused something of a scene. A sedate lunch sounded like a better idea and Thorne was fond of this place. The New Moon in the heart of Chinatown served the best dim sum in town. Thorne loved the ritual every bit as much as the food. He enjoyed watching the grumpy-looking old women as
He was stil trying to work it out when he spoke. 'I'm chasing something else up. Something with the photos...'
Brigstocke leaned forward, raised an eyebrow.
Tl tel you if it comes to anything,' Thorne said. He looked at his watch. 'Fuck, I'm going to be late...'
As he was standing up, the phone began to ring in his office next door...
Hol and's mobile had rung just as he was heading across to the pub, for what Was becoming something of a regular lunchtime pint. Andy Stone had given him that look. The one he'd been getting from a few of the lads, whenever the mobile rang, and they saw his face as HOME came up on cal er ID.
59
'Shit,' Hol and said.
Stone took a few steps toxvards the pub doorway and stopped. 'Shal I get you one in, Dave?'
Hol and pressed a button on the phone and brought it to his ear. After a few seconds he caught Stone's eye and shook his head.
Sophie was stil crying when he walked through the door twenty minutes later.
'What's the matter?' He wrapped his arms around her, knowing what the answer would be.
'Nothing,' she said. 'I'm sorry ... I know I shouldn't cal .' The words sputtered into his col ar between sobs.
'It's OK. Look, I've only got about a quarter of an hour, but we can have a quick bit of lunch together. I'l go back when you're feeling calmer.'
The baby was three months away. It was easy enough to put these weekly col apses down to hormones, but he knew that there was much more going on. He knew how frightened she was. Frightened that he would make a choice between her and the job. That he would think she was forcing him to make a choice. That the baby would not be enough to make him choose her.
He understood because he was twice as scared.
They sat on the sofa and cuddled until she grew quiet. He whispered and squeezed, feeling the bump against his leg that was the child inside her, staring across the living room and watching the minutes go by on the video recorder display.
'Thorne.'
'This is Eve Bloom...'
It took him a second to place the name, the voice. To put the two of them together. 'Oh... hel o. Sorry, I was miles away. Already thinking about lunch.'
'Is this not a good time? Because...'
'It's fine. What can I do for you?'
6O
'Just being nosey, if I'm honest. Wondered how it was al going. Stupid real y, when I haven't the faintest idea what it actual y is. Just, you know, curious as to whether that tape you took away has helped you.., solve.., it!'
He remembered hearing the amusement in her voice before. The phone in that hotel room, pressed tight to his ear. Happy to hear it this time.
'Fine, but I have to be somewhere about ten minutes ago, so...' 'That's OK, I didn't real y mean now anyway...' 'Sorry?'
'What about lunch on Saturday? You can ask me a few pointless questions about answering machines, claim that I'm stil helping you with your inquiries and stick it al on expenses.
Twelve-thirty any good...?'
He hung up a few minutes later, just as Yvonne Kitson strol ed back into the office. 'What on earth are you grinning about?' she said.
'Forget it, Mr Thorne. No fucking way am I eating duck's feet.'
The fact that Dennis Bethel was built like a brick shithouse, and had a voice like a chorus girl on helium, made most things he said sound vaguely ludicrous, but this was up there with the best of them...
It had been Thorne's idea. The last time they'd met had been in a pub and the voice, as it often did, had caused something of a scene. A sedate lunch sounded like a better idea and Thorne was fond of this place. The New Moon in the heart of Chinatown served the best dim sum in town. Thorne loved the ritual every bit as much as the food. He enjoyed watching the grumpy-looking old women as
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