Dishonour Read Online Free PDF Page B

fruit.
    ‘The family in Luton I told you about want me to pursue matters with the police.’
    Jack swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple dancing. ‘I thought you said they just wanted a bit of advice.’
    ‘They did,’ said Lilly, ‘and now they need some more.’
    Before Jack could give his opinion Lilly picked up the phone and dialled.
    ‘I’ll be going then,’ he said, and left the room.
    When Lilly heard the front door slam she felt a pang of guilt. She’d been hard on Jack and she knew it. She was the one making difficulties, refusing to play happy families. He was making her brain hurt at the moment—but he meant well, so why was she railing against him? She considered going after him but on the fifth ring, DI Bell answered.
    ‘It’s Lilly Valentine here,’ she said, ‘the Khans’ solicitor.’
    ‘Ah,’ he said.
    ‘We agreed to review the situation in two days.’
    ‘I recall that’s what you said, not necessarily what we agreed.’
    Lilly gave a polite laugh. ‘So can I tell the family you’ll release the body today?’
    Bell paused. Lilly had been around enough barristers, judges and senior police officers to know that they liked to milk the moment. She knew that the best way to get what she wanted was to allow them their dramatic tension. But the baby was lying heavily on her pelvis and she desperately needed to pee.
    ‘DI Bell?’ she prodded.
    He gave a small humph, disappointed not to be allowed his moment in the sun. ‘I’m afraid not,’ he said.
    Lilly crossed her legs. ‘Oh, come on, Inspector, you’ve had enough time to make a decision.’
    ‘Yes I have.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘You’re absolutely right, I’ve come to a decision,’ he said.
    ‘Then you have to give this girl back to her poor family.’
    ‘I’m afraid I don’t.’
    Lilly shook her head. What was he going on about? He may be a pretentious jobsworth but he wouldn’t risk a legal action against him, would he? Unless…Lilly felt a heaviness settle on her. She gulped.
    ‘And the reason?’
    DI Bell cleared his throat. Lilly could almost seehim straightening himself up to full height. ‘It is my considered opinion that Yasmeen Khan was murdered.’
    Jack’s desk was buried in paperwork: forms to be filled, statements to be drafted, information to be forwarded to the courts.
    He flicked one of the larger piles with his nail. Being a copper these days was like being a civil servant.
    He took a violent gulp of coffee and checked his email.
     
To: Sergeant Jack McNally
    From : The desk of the Chief Superintendent
    Subject : A Meeting
    Please see me at your earliest convenience.
     
    Jack scowled. The super was a total prat. He couldn’t just pick up the phone, could he? No doubt he wanted to go over a list of dead cases for archiving or review the latest figures for youth offending. Ticking boxes was something the man revelled in.
    Jack refused to hightail it up to the super’s office. He’d finish his coffee first.
    To be fair, Jack knew full well it wasn’t the email that was making him cranky. It was Lilly. The woman was beyond infuriating.
    He’d be the first to admit that her pregnancy had come as a bit of a shock. Becoming a dad was never something he’d wanted. He couldn’t look after himself, never mind a kid. All those years living alone and he still never managed to have fresh milk in the fridge orpay his gas bill on time. How on earth would he remember all the stuff you had to do for a baby? The poor wee fella would probably starve if it were left to Jack. But after a couple of months he’d settled into the idea. The two of them, with Sam and now a baby, seemed somehow right. A family.
    It should be a time of joy, shouldn’t it? Anticipating the big day, buying prams, choosing a crib. He’d even bought one of those baby names books. So why was Lilly so determined to carry on as usual?
    Setting up a new office, taking on cases, were not what women ought to be doing at a time like this. She should be