DS Jessica Daniel series: Think of the Children / Playing with Fire / Thicker Than Water – Books 4–6 by Kerry Wilkinson Page A
Authors: Kerry Wilkinson
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around her mind on her drive
back to the station. Some people did things for revenge but, for others, it was because of the reward waiting for them at the end. Jessica felt uncomfortable sharing her thoughts with anyone else
as she had next to no basis for them but Lucy’s new husband had certainly gained from everything that had happened.
Back at the station, Jessica typed his name into their computer system to see if there was something from his past. Aside from a few driving offences, there was nothing but she used the Internet
to search his name as well, although that didn’t reveal much. She knew it was probably nothing but felt it was worth keeping Neil’s name in mind.
After that she re-read the file relating to Toby’s disappearance and checked in with Izzy, who was working with Rowlands on paperwork for a few other cases, while also trying to find time
to track down Ian Sturgess and Simon Hill. What they knew was that neither man lived in the same house he had fourteen years ago. Jessica left them to it but asked them to call if they came up with
anything.
She drove out to the woods where the dig had begun. A row of cars and vans was parked close to the pathway she had walked along a few days earlier but the entire area looked different now it
wasn’t pouring with rain. The day hadn’t really brightened up and the overcast skies were threatening but so far it had stayed dry. Jessica weaved her way along the trail, trying to
avoid puddles that didn’t seem as if they were going to disappear any time soon. She could hear noises in the distance and caught sight of activity just across the threshold of the woods as
she crossed the stile.
As well as actual police officers, forensic archaeologists were used when there was a chance they could discover a buried body. Because some parts of the soil might need to be forensically
examined, the whole process was incredibly slow-moving. Jessica could see Reynolds and Cole standing at the edge of the trees talking. Jason noticed her first. ‘Are you all right?’ he
asked as Jessica approached.
‘I want to feel like I’m doing something,’ Jessica said.
Cole was wearing a heavy coat and pulled it tighter as a gust of wind blew across them. ‘There’s not much to do around here. We’ve spent most of the day watching.’
Jessica was wearing her suit and felt a chill breeze through it. She tried not to shiver. ‘I know, I was wondering if either or both of you wanted to come for a drive?’
‘Where to?’ Cole asked.
‘I wanted to drive the route – go to the land where Toby Whittaker was taken from. I brought the maps from the station, it’s not far.’
Reynolds looked at their boss and stepped forward. ‘I’ll come, it’s bloody freezing here.’
Cole smiled at the two of them. ‘Aye, aye, leave the old man out in the cold.’
‘You’ve got the big coat,’ the inspector replied with a grin of his own.
‘Maybe I’ll just pull rank?’ He looked back to Jessica. ‘How was Toby Whittaker’s mother?’
‘She’s remarried, it’s Lucy Martin now. She was understandably annoyed and upset. It helped clear things in my mind seeing her though.’
The other two detectives nodded as Jessica chose to keep quiet about Neil Martin’s possibly ambiguous remarks. She wondered if Louise had the same opinion about him.
Jessica and Reynolds made their way back to her car after another light-hearted crack from their supervisor about leaving him at the mercy of the elements. She had printed some maps off the
Internet which Jason picked up from the passenger seat as they got in.
‘Do you know where we’re going?’ he asked.
‘Sort of, have a look yourself. I read through the files and checked the location. I was trying to match the old descriptions with how it is now but it’s hard to figure it all out
online.’
Reynolds was scratching his chin, looking through the papers. ‘It looks like there are buildings on this site now,’ he
back to the station. Some people did things for revenge but, for others, it was because of the reward waiting for them at the end. Jessica felt uncomfortable sharing her thoughts with anyone else
as she had next to no basis for them but Lucy’s new husband had certainly gained from everything that had happened.
Back at the station, Jessica typed his name into their computer system to see if there was something from his past. Aside from a few driving offences, there was nothing but she used the Internet
to search his name as well, although that didn’t reveal much. She knew it was probably nothing but felt it was worth keeping Neil’s name in mind.
After that she re-read the file relating to Toby’s disappearance and checked in with Izzy, who was working with Rowlands on paperwork for a few other cases, while also trying to find time
to track down Ian Sturgess and Simon Hill. What they knew was that neither man lived in the same house he had fourteen years ago. Jessica left them to it but asked them to call if they came up with
anything.
She drove out to the woods where the dig had begun. A row of cars and vans was parked close to the pathway she had walked along a few days earlier but the entire area looked different now it
wasn’t pouring with rain. The day hadn’t really brightened up and the overcast skies were threatening but so far it had stayed dry. Jessica weaved her way along the trail, trying to
avoid puddles that didn’t seem as if they were going to disappear any time soon. She could hear noises in the distance and caught sight of activity just across the threshold of the woods as
she crossed the stile.
As well as actual police officers, forensic archaeologists were used when there was a chance they could discover a buried body. Because some parts of the soil might need to be forensically
examined, the whole process was incredibly slow-moving. Jessica could see Reynolds and Cole standing at the edge of the trees talking. Jason noticed her first. ‘Are you all right?’ he
asked as Jessica approached.
‘I want to feel like I’m doing something,’ Jessica said.
Cole was wearing a heavy coat and pulled it tighter as a gust of wind blew across them. ‘There’s not much to do around here. We’ve spent most of the day watching.’
Jessica was wearing her suit and felt a chill breeze through it. She tried not to shiver. ‘I know, I was wondering if either or both of you wanted to come for a drive?’
‘Where to?’ Cole asked.
‘I wanted to drive the route – go to the land where Toby Whittaker was taken from. I brought the maps from the station, it’s not far.’
Reynolds looked at their boss and stepped forward. ‘I’ll come, it’s bloody freezing here.’
Cole smiled at the two of them. ‘Aye, aye, leave the old man out in the cold.’
‘You’ve got the big coat,’ the inspector replied with a grin of his own.
‘Maybe I’ll just pull rank?’ He looked back to Jessica. ‘How was Toby Whittaker’s mother?’
‘She’s remarried, it’s Lucy Martin now. She was understandably annoyed and upset. It helped clear things in my mind seeing her though.’
The other two detectives nodded as Jessica chose to keep quiet about Neil Martin’s possibly ambiguous remarks. She wondered if Louise had the same opinion about him.
Jessica and Reynolds made their way back to her car after another light-hearted crack from their supervisor about leaving him at the mercy of the elements. She had printed some maps off the
Internet which Jason picked up from the passenger seat as they got in.
‘Do you know where we’re going?’ he asked.
‘Sort of, have a look yourself. I read through the files and checked the location. I was trying to match the old descriptions with how it is now but it’s hard to figure it all out
online.’
Reynolds was scratching his chin, looking through the papers. ‘It looks like there are buildings on this site now,’ he
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