The Cloned Identity Read Online Free PDF

him?”
    â€œNot a lot. Apparently he is some sort of egghead in research. Tolchester know him vaguely as there was some trouble at the lab where he works.”
    â€œTrouble? What sort of trouble?” I asked.
    â€œThey do experiments on animals, and some of the locals object to that sort of thing.”
    â€œCan you call in at the hospital on your way home and have a quick word with him. Usual stuff – when he last saw or heard from her.”
    â€œYes, it’s not out of my way.”
    â€œDon’t forget to book it as overtime.”
    â€œOK, boss.”
    On the way down to the hospital, Joe thought back to the first time he had met DI Roger Watson. ‘He doesn’t just have a chip on his shoulder – more like a bloody great oak tree. He certainly makes it painfully obvious that he doesn’t want to be here. Mind you, when I heard through the grapevine what had happened to him I couldn’t really blame him. His record spoke for itself, and I am certainly glad he is with us now.’
    At the hospital Joe located the WPC and she pointed him in the right direction. He stopped at the door she had pointed out and knocked and entered. There were two men in the room. The one wearing the white coat was talking to a well-built man, probably in his late forties. He was certainly colourful, wearing a multicoloured sports jacket with a spotted handkerchief and matching cravat. His small-check shirt looked as though it had been put on without ironing. They stopped their conversation as Joe walked over to them, and, in answer to their enquiring look, he introduced himself and flashed his ID. Joe held his hand out to the chap in the white coat.
    â€œDr Moore?” he said as they shook hands.
    â€œYes, but how—?”
    â€œDid I know your name? I read it on your badge,” Joe said, pointing to the name tag on his pocket.
    He nodded and smiled.
    Joe turned to the other man. “You must be Professor Mark.”
    â€œYes, that’s right.”
    He took Joe’s hand and shook it vigorously. It struck Joe that he had very blue eyes.
    Joe turned back to the Doctor and asked how Miss Wood was.
    He told Joe there had been no change. “But, I was telling the Professor here, you can never tell in these cases,” he added. “She could wake in the next few minutes, or she could go on for a long time. There is no way of knowing.”
    â€œI wonder, could I have a word with the Professor alone?”
    â€œYes, of course. I have work to do,” said the Doctor. As he was leaving, he turned and said, “If you need me any time, the sister at the desk can bleep me.”
    They both nodded.
    â€œShall we sit down?” Joe suggested, pointing to the chairs. They both sat down opposite each other with a small square coffee table between them. Joe took out his notebook and received from him the nervous reaction he usually got whenever he did that, so Joe used his training to help him relax.
    â€œDid you come by train?” Joe asked.
    â€œYes,” he replied. Then he went on to display how nervous he was feeling by rambling on about how he didn’t enjoy driving any more, and how things had changed. He said how startled he was, when he left the station, by the volume of noise and traffic.
    Joe smiled. “Yes, I know what you mean.”
    After a few more minutes Joe soon had him ready. He opened his notebook.
    â€œI would just like to ask you a few routine questions about your niece, if that’s all right.”
    â€œYes; I will help you all I can.”
    Joe smiled at him. They were old buddies now.
    â€œWhen was the last time you saw your niece?”
    â€œLet me see – that would be over a year ago. I came down to London for a lecture and we had dinner before I left.”
    â€œDid she seem all right then?”
    â€œYes, she seemed very happy and talked enthusiastically about her work at the church. She even talked me into making