Nightshade: The Fourth Jack Nightingale Supernatural Thriller Read Online Free PDF

it?’
    ‘I think you’ll find that Berwick is in England,’ she said. ‘How long do you think you’ll be there?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Do you think you’ll be back on Saturday? Or Sunday?’
    ‘Doubt I’ll be able to get much done on a Saturday,’ he said. ‘I’ll fly up first thing tomorrow and come back Saturday. Evening maybe.’
    ‘I’ll book your flights and hotel,’ she said. ‘Edinburgh’ll probably work best. And I’ll arrange a hire car at the airport. I’ll get the postcode of the farm so I can get the car people to pre-programme the sat-nav for you.’
    ‘I’m not completely helpless,’ said Nightingale.
    ‘It’ll be safer,’ said Jenny. ‘That way I won’t have to deal with an “I’m lost” phone call when I’m stuck in to Jodi Picoult.’
    ‘Oh ye of little faith.’
    ‘I have faith, Jack. Just not in your navigation skills.’

10
    N ightingale arrived at Heathrow airport at ten o’clock on Friday morning, which gave him more than enough time to check in, pass through security and grab a coffee. As he sat in the café surrounded by suited businessmen tapping away on laptops and BlackBerrys, he phoned Robbie Hoyle. Robbie was one of the few serving officers who’d stayed in touch with him when he’d left the force, but he was more than just a former colleague – he was a friend, and a good one.
    Robbie was at his desk when he answered and he told Nightingale that he’d call him right back. Two minutes later Nightingale’s phone rang and from the sound of the echo he figured Robbie had moved to the toilets. ‘I guess I’m still persona non grata,’ said Nightingale.
    Robbie laughed. ‘Mate, whenever you call you want something so I need to be away from prying ears.’
    ‘That’s not true. I’m always calling you for a chat. How’s Anna?’
    ‘Anna’s great.’
    ‘The kids?’
    ‘All great. You’re coming for dinner week after next, right? Wednesday?’
    ‘Absolutely,’ said Nightingale. ‘It’s in my diary. I wouldn’t miss Anna’s cooking for the world. Look mate, I need a favour.’
    Robbie laughed. ‘See.’
    ‘Okay, I need a favour this time but that’s not the only reason I call you.’
    ‘Stop digging, Jack, the hole’s deep enough as it is. What do you want?’
    ‘Do you have any contacts up in Northumbria? Berwick?’
    ‘What sort of contacts?’
    ‘I’m heading up there as we speak. Remember that farmer who took potshots at schoolkids?’
    ‘Sure. He topped himself before the armed cops got there, right?’
    ‘Yeah, well, the brother’s hired me.’
    ‘To do what?’
    ‘To find out what happened. He accepts that his brother killed the kids, he just wants to know why.’ Nightingale realised that a woman in a black suit was looking at him over the top of her spectacles. He covered his mouth with his hand. ‘Do you know anyone who might be able to give me any pointers?’
    ‘Not off the top of my head, but let me ask around.’
    Nightingale thanked him, ended the call, and finished his coffee. The flight was full, mainly with businessmen who spent the flight tapping away on BlackBerrys and laptops. Jenny had booked him a window seat and Nightingale spent the hour in the air working on the
Sun
’s Sudoku. He had almost finished it when the plane’s wheels touched the runway.
    As Nightingale waited in line to collect his rental car, a young girl was being abducted at the other end of the country. Bella Harper was nine years old and she had been wandering around a shopping centre with her mother. Mrs Harper had only taken her eyes off her daughter for a few minutes but it had been long enough. Bella’s abductor was a woman and she had enticed Bella out of the store by telling her that her mother had fallen ill and had been taken to a first aid room. Once out of the store the woman was joined by a man, and together they took Bella to a van in the multi-storey car park. It was only as they approached the van that Bella realised