Read Online Monument to Murder by Mari Hannah - Free Book Online

‘What the hell is wrong with you?’
    ‘Shh, keep your bloody voice down!’ Stamp put his ear to the door and listened before continuing: ‘I can explain everything. Please, Jo . . . meet me at the pub and hear me out.’
    Jo’s pulse raced.
    No point screaming. The officers were long gone .
    ‘I told you, I’m busy ,’ she said. ‘Now get out of here.’
    Stamp wouldn’t release the door.
    ‘Martin, stop it! You’re freaking me out.’
    ‘I’m sorry . . .’ He let go of the door handle, shifting his hand to her forearm. His touch made a shiver run down her spine. Responding to the fear in her eyes, he spoke again. ‘Jo, don’t be scared.Please . . . accept my apology. I don’t know what came over me. That was totally out of order—’
    ‘Damn right it was.’
    ‘I said I’m sorry!’
    Jo liked Martin but he was beginning to unnerve her.
    Despite his apology, his eyes were like two black pools, devoid of any emotion. Looking down at her arm, she tried to shrug his hand away but he wouldn’t let go. His fingers had closed around her wrist so tightly his knuckles were white. He just stood there, a weird look on his face that made the hair stand up on her neck. She had to get out of there. Fast .

16
    A RMED WITH THE knowledge that her victims hadn’t been buried at the same time, Kate headed back to Alnwick station. It was cold and dark outside. It had stopped snowing but heavy footfall had made the pavements all grey and slushy. Not that it mattered. Now that the enquiry was up and running she’d be spending much of her time inside.
    An old man was struggling to cross the road. Offering to help him over, she got the brush-off. Ignoring her outstretched arm, he muttered something about managing by himself for eighty-odd years – or words to that effect – waved her away with his cane and shuffled off, mumbling under his breath.
    With neither the time nor the energy to care whether or not he made it to the other side, she walked on, a dozen separate actions competing for attention in her mind. Naylor was nowhere in sight when she reached the incident room. The rest of the team were exactlywhere she’d left them – except Hank, who’d shifted to a desk near the window.
    He was eating a chicken wrap and washing it down with Coke, a newspaper spread out in front of him. Kate was worried about him. Since his marriage hit the rocks, he’d let himself go. He’d been drinking and smoking more than usual, eating out to avoid going home. Not taking care of his health had become a habit of late, and it was beginning to show. She’d bullied, coaxed and pleaded with him to stop the rot, but may as well have been talking to the wall.
    Well, if he wanted blocked arteries, so be it.
    Sensing a presence, he looked up.
    Seeing her standing on the threshold, he rose from his seat and lumbered over to greet her. He seemed tired today, more so than usual, but she knew his lethargy was down to inactivity rather than the size of his waistline. All day she’d felt much the same. Having little to occupy their minds when they were used to working at breakneck speed hadn’t been easy to take. Kate was restless too, knew exactly where he was coming from.
    ‘Any news?’ He binned the wrap packaging in a wastepaper basket.
    ‘Some, but don’t get too excited.’ She draped her coat over the nearest chair. ‘It looks like we’re in for the long haul on this one. Has the guv’nor gone for the day?’
    Gormley nodded, licking Caesar sauce from his fingertips. ‘He’s got a conference call with Bright scheduled. Then he’s off to get himself spruced up for a night out with you-know-who . . .’ He sniffed at the air and screwed up his face. ‘You changed your perfume, boss?’
    Kate grinned. ‘Wanna slap?’
    He smiled back. ‘Just making an observation.’
    He was right though. She stank to high heaven. Every pore on her body seemed to ooze disinfectant and chemicals. The sickening, overpowering stench of death