trashed and her missing.”
“Did you contact DI Chandler?”
“Yes, I got the uniformed boys involved too, but they seemed to think she did a runner with the money and wouldn’t listen to my concerns.”
“Then let’s get the DI down here, before we go any further.” David picked up the phone and spoke rapidly. “He’ll be right down.”
Adam pulled out his phone and texted Sam again. “Just wish she’d pick up. Even if all she says is get lost . Last time we spoke, we had a fight.”
“What about?”
He shrugged. “It’s not important…”
DI Chandler came in and sat down. “Mr. West.”
Adam nodded. “DI Chandler.”
David looked at him. “You’ve reported Sam missing and the last time you saw her, you fought. I’d say it’s important.”
“I wasn’t the last to see her, but fine. She accused me of having an affair. Not that we’ve been together since we split. In fact, the first time I saw her in the last ten years was when I took this case. And if I’d known it was her, I wouldn’t have done.” He sucked in a deep breath, and lowered his voice. “I left with Freddie and Jason Bryant about three on Friday afternoon, or thereabouts. We went to my office, which my PA can confirm. The Bryants have been helping do the leg work on this case.”
“I’ve read their notes and spoken to them,” DI Chandler said.
“I then left to go on the church retreat. Actually, Jason drove. They picked me up on Friday about five-thirtyish. I got home late on Sunday evening and went to Sam’s office for a meeting yesterday, to find her car parked outside her office, but no one has seen her since Friday, and her office has been trashed, files missing or deleted.”
David looked up from his notes. “I still have to ask if you have an alibi for the weekend.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “Is half the church enough of an alibi for you? The only time I was alone the whole weekend was when I went to bed. Once I realized the files were missing I rang you both yesterday.”
“Who was the last to see her?”
“Peter Carter—”
“The guy we arrested for drunk in charge when we arrested Sam?” David asked.
Adam nodded.
“Actually,” DI Chandler said. “He goes by several names. Peter Carter-Higgins. Peter Higgins. Joseph Brown. Paul Clements, the list goes on. And he has a record.”
“What?” Adam said, his stomach pitting.
DI Chandler opened the file in his hand. “Assault, battery, kidnap, rape, extortion, fraud, as well as DUI, DIC and embezzlement.”
Adam swallowed the rising nausea. “And he’s got Sam because she knows he’s behind this.”
“We don’t know that for sure,” DI Chandler said. “All the evidence points to her.”
“I know, but I know Sam.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He unhooked the frog USB pen drive. “This is the missing data from their computers. I backed everything up on Friday afternoon before I left.”
“Thank you.”
David looked at Adam. “Leave this with us. If you hear anything or think of somewhere she’d have gone, give me a call.”
Adam nodded and left, praying hard all the way to Sam’s house. He’d looked up her address in the church member’s directory earlier. The key was, as always, under the flower pot. He’d told her years ago that wasn’t safe but was thankful she’d chosen to ignore him. He let himself in.
The place was a mess.
Either she was a rotten housekeeper, which he knew she wasn’t, or someone else had been here. He pulled out his phone. “David, I’m at Sam’s. Someone’s been in here as well. It’s twenty-seven Hurricane Way.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t touch anything.”
“OK.”
He slowly walked around the house. On the dresser in the bedroom, lay the chain she’d worn on Friday. Her wedding ring circled it.
Adam picked it up and put it into his pocket, before heading back down to the lounge.
Photos were scattered across the floor.
The wedding album was on the table,
“Did you contact DI Chandler?”
“Yes, I got the uniformed boys involved too, but they seemed to think she did a runner with the money and wouldn’t listen to my concerns.”
“Then let’s get the DI down here, before we go any further.” David picked up the phone and spoke rapidly. “He’ll be right down.”
Adam pulled out his phone and texted Sam again. “Just wish she’d pick up. Even if all she says is get lost . Last time we spoke, we had a fight.”
“What about?”
He shrugged. “It’s not important…”
DI Chandler came in and sat down. “Mr. West.”
Adam nodded. “DI Chandler.”
David looked at him. “You’ve reported Sam missing and the last time you saw her, you fought. I’d say it’s important.”
“I wasn’t the last to see her, but fine. She accused me of having an affair. Not that we’ve been together since we split. In fact, the first time I saw her in the last ten years was when I took this case. And if I’d known it was her, I wouldn’t have done.” He sucked in a deep breath, and lowered his voice. “I left with Freddie and Jason Bryant about three on Friday afternoon, or thereabouts. We went to my office, which my PA can confirm. The Bryants have been helping do the leg work on this case.”
“I’ve read their notes and spoken to them,” DI Chandler said.
“I then left to go on the church retreat. Actually, Jason drove. They picked me up on Friday about five-thirtyish. I got home late on Sunday evening and went to Sam’s office for a meeting yesterday, to find her car parked outside her office, but no one has seen her since Friday, and her office has been trashed, files missing or deleted.”
David looked up from his notes. “I still have to ask if you have an alibi for the weekend.”
Adam rolled his eyes. “Is half the church enough of an alibi for you? The only time I was alone the whole weekend was when I went to bed. Once I realized the files were missing I rang you both yesterday.”
“Who was the last to see her?”
“Peter Carter—”
“The guy we arrested for drunk in charge when we arrested Sam?” David asked.
Adam nodded.
“Actually,” DI Chandler said. “He goes by several names. Peter Carter-Higgins. Peter Higgins. Joseph Brown. Paul Clements, the list goes on. And he has a record.”
“What?” Adam said, his stomach pitting.
DI Chandler opened the file in his hand. “Assault, battery, kidnap, rape, extortion, fraud, as well as DUI, DIC and embezzlement.”
Adam swallowed the rising nausea. “And he’s got Sam because she knows he’s behind this.”
“We don’t know that for sure,” DI Chandler said. “All the evidence points to her.”
“I know, but I know Sam.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. He unhooked the frog USB pen drive. “This is the missing data from their computers. I backed everything up on Friday afternoon before I left.”
“Thank you.”
David looked at Adam. “Leave this with us. If you hear anything or think of somewhere she’d have gone, give me a call.”
Adam nodded and left, praying hard all the way to Sam’s house. He’d looked up her address in the church member’s directory earlier. The key was, as always, under the flower pot. He’d told her years ago that wasn’t safe but was thankful she’d chosen to ignore him. He let himself in.
The place was a mess.
Either she was a rotten housekeeper, which he knew she wasn’t, or someone else had been here. He pulled out his phone. “David, I’m at Sam’s. Someone’s been in here as well. It’s twenty-seven Hurricane Way.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t touch anything.”
“OK.”
He slowly walked around the house. On the dresser in the bedroom, lay the chain she’d worn on Friday. Her wedding ring circled it.
Adam picked it up and put it into his pocket, before heading back down to the lounge.
Photos were scattered across the floor.
The wedding album was on the table,
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