Due Process Read Online Free PDF

piece of paper.
                  “There’s a message,” she trilled.  “Is it from daddy?”
    Amanda felt the familiar icicles working their way up her spine, her legs turning to stone.  She took the note and squinted in the dimness of the cabin.
      As she read, her legs finally gave way and she sank on to the chair.
                  The kid is next.
     

CHAPTER FIVE
    Detective Constable Christopher Blake lived alone and was glad that he did.  He had been married for two years but Janice had never taken to the life of a policeman’s wife, and had soon given him an ultimatum.  The force or her.  He had chosen the force. Although he only worked in a small town he loved the variety of the work.  Usually it was small scale crimes that kept him busy, but the disappearance of Tony Purcell was demanding all his attention.
                  This case had so many unanswered questions.  If you counted the secretary then there was actually two people missing.  No-one had reported Sarah Greenwood as missing so there was not a lot he could do about her, but sooner or later someone was bound to miss her.  Unless, of course, she had done a runner with Tony Purcell, as Inspector Finley seemed to suggest. But that was highly unlikely. 
                  The truth of it was, though, that it just wasn’t feasible.  A thirty two year old professional, handsome, and apparently happy man, wasn’t going to run off with a fifty seven year old secretary.  One look at the wife and child would confirm that contention.  Amanda Purcell was gorgeous, poised, smart, attractive, and the child was delightful and pretty as a picture.
                  Christopher Blake sat at his kitchen table, sipped a cup of steaming tea, and looked at the facts.  Two people missing, the family home burnt to the ground thus destroying any evidence of motive, two men taking the father, although no substantive witnesses.  Still awaited was the result of the fire investigation and information on any life insurance.  Even if there was life insurance, Amanda Purcell could hardly make a claim if she didn’t know who the Life Insurance Company was. 
                  The most serious thing was the incident with the little girl.  The mother’s antics had drawn most of the attention so there was definite confirmation that someone had attempted to take her in the few witness statements they had. Problem was, someone had suggested the man had been cuddling the little girl, and they didn’t think it looked like an abduction.  Mother hadn’t shouted for help, and the little girl didn’t scream. It all gave a reasonable cause for doubt.
                  And on top of all this – the biggest thing to hit Walsham in a decade – there had been a suicide.  Apparent suicide.  Post Mortem tests awaited.  He looked at the police report on his desk.
                  Name of Deceased:  Paul Justin. Date of Death:  10 th September.  Time of Death: between the hours of 12midnight and 4am.  Approximately.  Cause of Death: Drowning and/or overdose of controlled substance.  Report awaited.  Next of Kin:  not known. Other contacts:  Girlfriend – identity unknown.  Comments:  Known to police.  Criminal record for possession.  Pending hearing on possession with intent to supply.  Legal representative:  Tony Purcell, Morgan and Pacey.
                  Detective Constable Christopher Blake gasped and slopped his cup of tea. The coincidences in this case were past ridiculous and he knew it was time to go back to Inspector Finley with his suspicions.
    *   *   *
     
    Amanda was frantic.  What the hell was going on?  She didn’t think things could get any worse, but how wrong could she be?  Someone had been on board the boat and left that message, letting her know they knew where she was and who she was.  They knew about