Java Spider Read Online Free PDF Page B

terracotta tiles as she stood, then collided with Jeremy in the hall. She read the display on the messager.
    Need you in soonest. Please ring. Mandy
.
    ‘Damn!’
    ‘What’s happened?’ her mother called from the kitchen.
    ‘I don’t know. Can I use the phone?’
    ‘Of course.’
    Jeremy hovered as she dialled the News Channel newsdesk.
    ‘Mandy? Charlie here. What’s the prob …’
    ‘
Oh, thanks for ringing, love. Look there’s a story brewing. Could be big. I know it’s your weekend off but we’re desperately short. Ted’s specially asked if I could track you down
.’
    Ted Sankey. The editor.
    ‘What’s the story?’
    ‘
That’s the trouble, love, we’re not quite sure. Could be another political sex scandal
.’
    ‘Uh-huh.’ Any story involving sex got priority on the News Channel. ‘What d’you mean you’re not sure?’
    ‘
We got this odd call from a stringer in Warwickshire. He said Foreign Minister Stephen Bowen’s gone missing. Should’ve turned up in his constituency on Saturday – a weekend with the family, local surgery, all the usual. But he never arrived
.’
    ‘You’ve confirmed this?’
    ‘
Oh yeah. It’s straight. Wouldn’t have buzzed you if it wasn’t, would I, luvvie?
’
    ‘No. I don’t suppose you would.’
    Mandy was a temperamental news editor not famed for her reliability, but whom it was best not to cross.
    ‘
Yeah, I’ve spoken to his agent. A real prat. No comment of course. But he did confirm he’d had to cancel the surgery. And I’ve tried Bowen’s wife but I think she’s taken the phone off the hook
.’
    ‘Bowen was in Indonesia a few days ago,’ Charlie frowned. ‘For that arms deal. There were Reuters pictures of him signing.’
    ‘
You’ve got it. But it’s extraordinary! Nobody seems to know if he ever came back
.’
    ‘The Foreign Office?’
    ‘
Well, if they know, they’re not telling us. Said they were still expecting him in on Monday
.’
    ‘And the police?’
    ‘
Not involved, they say. A family matter. Which could be the giveaway. Down at the Commons they say Bowen’s a bit of an old lech. He also likes gambling. Has all the makings for a good scandal, don’t you think?
’
    ‘Well, yes. Are we running it?’
    ‘
Not yet. Ted’s trying to get something firmer from his mate at Downing Street. The point is we need you in to work on it. When can you get here
?’
    ‘I’m down in Devon, Mandy. It’d be hours, and frankly I’ve got family problems of my own at the moment. Isn’t there anybody else …’
    ‘
Devon? And of course you don’t drive, do you? Hang on a minute. There’s someone else down there this weekend
…’
    At the other end Charlie heard Mandy shout across the newsroom. Her heart sank.
    ‘
Jeremy
,’ Mandy came back. ‘
Jeremy Maitland’s down there somewhere. You know … the video-editor?
’
    Charlie glared up at him. And she’d thought him discreet. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I know who you mean …’
    ‘
Tell you what. We could do with him in too. If we can find out where he is, maybe he can give you a lift. Not seen him by any chance, have you
?’ she asked facetiously.
    ‘Ummm …’ Telling lies, even little white ones, was something Charlie had always found absurdly hard to do.
    ‘
Not with you by some chance, is he?
’ Mandy mocked.
    ‘Ummm …’
    ‘
Hey! You’re not serious?
’
    ‘Well it just so happens …’
    ‘
My God! Since when? You dirty little devils. I had no idea. Well put your knickers back on and get in that bloody car of his. See you here in about three hours, OK?
’
    ‘Mandy!’ Charlie felt herself blushing. ‘I’m at my parents’. My dad’s ill. I can’t leave just like that.’
    ‘
Really
?’ Disbelief. ‘
Look, there’ll be big gold stars from Sankey if you can get back quick. Let me know when you’re on your way, OK
?’
    ‘Sod you, Mandy. All right.’ Deflated, she hung the phone back on the kitchen wall. ‘Big mouth,’ she snapped at Jeremy,