Read Online The Careless Word (#8 - The Craig Crime Series) by Catriona King - Free Book Online Page A

enough to make Davy talk. It was. Davy nodded again, throwing his dark hair across his face. Craig wondered if being concealed somehow made it easier to speak.
    “It’s funny, but w…when he died, I thought about him every day. And now….”
    Craig smiled. “Now it’s only occasionally. That’s normal Davy. No-one can keep up that level of grief forever; you couldn’t live.”
    Davy’s voice dropped so low that Craig could barely hear it. “I know you’re right, but…”
    “He was a Professor of Literature, wasn’t he?”
    “Yes. Early twentieth century w…writers mainly; Yeats, S…Shaw, Dylan Thomas… The book I gave him was a collection of Yeats’ works.”
    “Think like a wise man but communicate in the language of the people.”
    Davy smiled. “That was one of his favourite lines. He used to read it to me w…when I was a kid.” He glanced away quickly. “I think he w…was disappointed that I preferred s…science.”
    Craig shook his head and then realised Davy wasn’t looking. His voice became firm. “There is no way you disappointed your father, Davy. All parents want their children to love what they love. God knows if my Mum had her way I’d be playing the piano in some concert hall, not chasing criminals. But sometimes they love you more precisely because you’re different from them.” Davy stared at him. “Your father would have seen your gift and known that you had to explore it. He’d have been proud when you got your Masters.”
    Davy grinned and the expression made him look like a kid again. “That’s w…what my Mum says. She says he would have loved that Emmie read English at Uni and that I was helping to s…solve crimes. Dad used to read crime novels all the time.”
    Emmie; short for Emily or Amelia? He would get Nicky to check. Craig tucked the name away for future reference and was just about to ask Davy more about his father when a sudden vibrating of the floor said that Liam had arrived. His voice blasted across the squad-room like a town crier’s.
    “Here, what’s happening? How come you two are in so early?”
    Craig turned, with a deadpan expression. “We’ve been working all night and we’ve cracked the case, so we’re leaving you to do the paperwork while we head to the pub.”
    Annette and Nicky entered just in time to hear Liam’s roar.
    “What? That’s not right, boss. I know you wanted this put to bed before the wedding, but solving it yourself isn’t on.”
    Craig raised his eyes to heaven, incredulous that Liam had believed him.
    “We haven’t even started. We just got in early.”
    Nicky’s husky voice cut in. “Did I hear the word wedding? Has anyone decided what they’re wearing yet?”
    She threw her handbag on her chair and stared pointedly at Craig perched on her desk, waving him away with a manicured hand. Today’s nail varnish colour was bubble-gum pink, to match her rather disturbing outfit of ankle socks and wide 1950s skirt. All that was missing was John Travolta and they could have been on the set of ‘Grease’.
    “Go away, all of you. You’re untidying my desk.” She scanned her terrain and then squinted at Craig. “And who touched my percolator?”
    Craig took the hint and moved everyone down the floor, miming coffee pleadingly as he left.
    “Right. Let’s get started. Liam’s right on one thing. We need this done and dusted before John’s big day, hopefully well before it; the last thing I want is to be flying to the Caribbean exhausted. I’ve a best man’s speech to give.”
    They sat by Davy’s desk; far enough away not to annoy Nicky but close enough to smell the coffee perking when it did. As Craig opened his mouth to begin, Liam across him in a self-satisfied tone.
    “I’ve found us someone.”
    Annette got his meaning first. “How? You were working all day yesterday.”
    Liam tapped his nose; the universal sign of ‘I’m bloody clever and you don’t need to know’. Annette was wishing she’d never asked