Read Online SECRET CRIMES a gripping crime thriller full of suspense by MICHAEL HAMBLING - Free Book Online Page A

one sleepy eye. A chink of light had found its way through a gap in the bedroom curtains and was falling on her face. She felt her husband slide his cold body down under the duvet and raised her head. She spotted a steaming mug of tea on her beside cabinet.
    ‘Oh, you sweetheart,’ she said. ‘You perfect specimen of manhood. I love you to distraction when you bring me tea in the morning.’ She turned around and put her limbs around his chilly torso. ‘Gosh, you’re cold. Did we forget to change the timer on the boiler? You poor thing.’
    ‘I’ll live. After last night I’ve got a lot to live for.’
    ‘All your fault, Martin Allen. It was your shoulder massage that started it. Normally all I want to do when I feel as exhausted as that is to sleep. Preferably in bed, but any soft surface will do if it comes to the crunch. My reaction took even me by surprise. I never knew I had an erogenous zone in the small of my back. Mind you, the way my body is ageing it’s probably slipped round there from wherever it’s really meant to be.’
    ‘Well let’s make sure last night wasn’t a one-off. Let’s make a date for the middle of the week, okay?’
    ‘No promises, but I’ll try. And I did sleep well.’ She sat up and took a sip of tea. ‘I’ll just drink up before it gets cold. And it’s my turn to give you a massage next. Don’t know when I’ll manage it, though.’
    She snuggled up to him and gave him a kiss.
    ‘Love you. But, I must rise and travel the lonely miles to fair Swanage. Time and tide wait for no beauteous damsel.’
    ‘Sorry to break the mediaeval tone, but the porridge mixture is ready in the microwave. Just press the button. Presumably we should leave Jade to sleep on?’
    ‘Yes. There’s no point in us putting our lives at risk unnecessarily. Mothers know these things.’
    ‘In that case I yield before your superior understanding, O great one. You use the en suite, I’ll make do with the bathroom.’
    * * *
    When Barry Marsh arrived in the incident room, Sophie was reading an email.
    ‘Come and have a look at this, Barry. Would you believe what these pen-pushers at HQ think is a priority?’
    Her sergeant looked at the screen. ‘They want you there at nine tomorrow morning? At this stage of a murder inquiry? But, with respect ma’am, even they’re not as stupid as that, are they? There must be something they’re not telling us.’
    ‘You might be right. It does say that more information will be provided. Curious. But at least it gives us another permanent member of the team. We need a replacement for Lydia. This is for you and me only for the time being, Barry.’ She finished her coffee. ‘Now, what are the priorities for today? Did Jimmy get that statement from the roadie we spoke to?’
    ‘Yes, and he’s written it up. He made a start on cross-checking all the statements we have so far before he finished last night.’
    ‘Here’s what we do. Find out what we can about Derek and Brian. I also want some corroboration of that roadie’s story. Even if no one else overheard the conversation, someone must have noticed the two of them out on the patio. We have to make sure he’s not a total fantasist. If we could check with the pub staff that he was doing what he said at the times he claimed, that would be partial support. Will Jimmy be able to finish collating all the statements we took from people in the pubs yesterday?’
    ‘Yes. He’s due in any time now. But I don’t think we should expect too much from them. From what I could gather, the most we got was a few vague recollections.’
    ‘Well at least they help to verify times, Barry. And they help us to check the accuracy of Ed’s story. So far it all matches, so there’s no reason to doubt his and Rosemary’s accounts, but we need to keep an open mind.’
    ‘That makes sense. Festival-goers who were there on Friday night are likely to be somewhere else on other evenings. Our last major opportunity is lunchtime