Bleed Like Me Read Online Free PDF

shopping?’
    She halted, momentarily surprised that Janet knew this, but then said, ‘Yes.’
    ‘Was there anything unusual about the message, the time, or the content, anything at all?’ Nothing had been obvious to the police.
    ‘No.’ Lynn shuddered, losing control of her muscles. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said.
    ‘It’s the shock,’ Janet told her. ‘Let’s get you some tea.’ She went out and asked the receptionist if she could bring some sweet tea for Lynn as she had been the bearer of bad news. The girl paled and said of course. Once that was accomplished, Janet began again, not knowing how much longer Lynn would be capable of talking. ‘You’re close friends, you and Pamela?’
    ‘Yes,’ she said.
    ‘How long have you known each other?’
    ‘For ever. We met when she first came over from Ireland. Chambermaids. I was her chief bridesmaid. She was mine. I’m their godmother, all three of them.’ Her face contorted and she began to sob. Janet had some tissues in her bag. Always. Tissues, warrant card, alert alarm, pepper spray, radio, antiseptic spray (for scratches or bites – less exposure to that in serious crime than in uniform), phone, money and keys.
    Lynn thanked her for the tissue and wiped her nose.
    ‘Did you see much of them?’
    She cleared her throat. ‘More recently, with us being nearer. I moved to Manchester while they were still in the Lakes and then they went to Birkenhead then here, Oldham, and so we saw more of each other then.’
    ‘How was the marriage?’
    Fresh tears ran to her chin; she wiped them away with the back of her hand. Sniffed hard. But didn’t reply straight away. Janet felt she was trying to frame her reply. ‘Fine. I think.’
    ‘Did Pamela talk about it, about Owen?’
    ‘Not often. But sometimes he could be a bit, well, I’d call it controlling.’ She made it sound like a question, as though seeing if Janet agreed. Janet made a neutral sound, encouraging her to say more.
    ‘Like he always wanted to know where she was, what her plans were. She didn’t have much privacy. Much life of her own. Maybe some marriages work like that.’
    Janet thought of her own. She and Ade shared pretty much everything; the logistics of work and home made it crucial. Only now she had secrets, now she told lies and misled Ade if she wanted to catch half an hour with Andy.
    ‘Wouldn’t have suited me,’ Lynn said, ‘but then my bloke left as soon as a better offer showed up.’
    ‘You have any family?’
    ‘Twin boys, two years older than Penny. How am I going to—’ Emotion flickered over her face again.
    ‘Did either Owen or Pamela ever get involved with anyone else?’ Janet said.
    ‘No,’ Lynn said, ‘no, she loved him. And he thought the world of her.’
    ‘Would she have told you if she had been seeing anyone? Or if they’d had problems?’
    ‘I think so,’ Lynn said.
    ‘Is there anyone else she might confide in?’
    ‘No, she didn’t really see anyone else. When we first met up there were a few of us became mates, but over the years . . .’ She pulled a face.
    ‘What about the pub, the business?’
    ‘She said things were getting tough. Everyone’s having a hard time. We see it here,’ Lynn said.
    ‘Did she mention any debts, owing money?’
    ‘No – nothing like that.’
    ‘When did you last see her?’
    ‘Three weeks ago. We went for a drink in Manchester. She seemed fine. She never said he was depressed or anything. He must have been, he must have had a breakdown, mustn’t he, to do that?’ Her voice was thick now and she shuddered again.
    Not necessarily, thought Janet. The debate about mad or bad was an endless one, practised by shrinks and criminologists, kicked about by police officers, the public and lawyers. But according to what Lee had said so far, and supported by the relative normality in the scene surrounding the victims at the inn, Cottam had not gone barmy and raged about in an orgy of destruction, he’d waited and acted