Free Deadline by Simon Kernick Page A

fast.'
    Bolt grinned and gave him a playful punch on
the arm. 'You never move fast, Mr Khan. How did
you get here? Levitate?'
    'I'm a man of many talents, boss.'
    'So, have you seen her yet? This Mrs Devern?'
    He nodded. 'I spoke to her briefly. She looks
absolutely shattered, but she's very keen to talk
to us.'
    'I'll bet she is.'
    Bolt slowed down to take a sip from his coffee,
burning his lip in the process.
    'Have the Hertfordshire cops checked her story
out?'
    'Parts of it. She's definitely got a fourteen-year-old
daughter, but they haven't searched her
house yet to check that she's actually missing.
They're leaving that to us, in case the place is
bugged.'
    'So this whole thing could still be a load of bullshit?'
    Mo shrugged. 'I talked to the cops who brought
her in. They think that if this is all an act, then
she's one hell of a good actress – but, yeah, it's
possible.' He stopped outside Interview Room B.
'Guess there's only one way to find out, isn't
there?'
    Mo entered first, and as Bolt followed him in he
experienced a lurch of shock that almost knocked
him backwards. It had been a long, long time, but
even looking as drawn and exhausted as she was
now, with all the life sucked out of her features by
whatever ordeal she'd endured these past few
days, there was definitely no mistake. He knew
the woman sitting in front of him.
    And at one time he'd known her far too well.

Ten
    Andrea Devern stood up as they came in. Mo
introduced Bolt to her and they shook hands
formally. Knowing that he couldn't let on that he
recognized her, Bolt sat down opposite Andrea.
Pleased that she made no sign of recognition
either, he explained that they were only talking
in such formal surroundings because their conversation
could be monitored and recorded. 'This
way, it'll allow us to go back over your statement
more easily. But don't worry. It's not an interview
under caution. We just want you to go through
everything from the beginning, trying not to leave
anything out, so we've got a full picture of what's
happened.'
    This wasn't entirely true. Given that the truth of
her story had yet to be confirmed, making her
repeat it would give them an opportunity to check
for discrepancies later, should the need arise.
    Andrea yawned, putting a hand over her
mouth, and Bolt noticed that one of her manicured
nails had been broken. 'I've already told
everything to the detectives in Welwyn Garden
City. I just want you to find my daughter.' Her
tone was weary, almost irritable.
    'It's important for us to hear it from you. Just in
case there's anything you've forgotten. That way
it'll help us to get your daughter back safely.' He
gave her a reassuring smile.
    'OK,' she said, meeting his eyes. 'I understand.
Can I smoke in here?'
    'Well, this is a non-smoking building, and Mo
here has just given up a forty-a-day habit, but . . .
What do you think, Mo?' Bolt smiled. 'Will you be
able to concentrate?'
    Mo didn't look too happy about it but he
nodded his assent. He'd only quit the dreaded
weed six weeks earlier and by his own admission
was still wobbling at the precipice, but Bolt was
one of those people who still believed in a
common-sense approach to how the law was
enforced, and it seemed churlish to deny Andrea a
small pleasure at a time like this. Big Barry would
probably have something to say about it, given
that he usually had something to say about everything,
but Bolt would worry about that later.
    Andrea thanked him, removed a pack of
Benson and Hedges from an expensive-looking
handbag on the desk in front of her, drew out a
cigarette and lit it. She took a long drag, clearly
enjoying it, before blowing a thin column of blue
smoke skywards. And then she started talking. As
she spoke, Bolt listened carefully, taking notes, only
occasionally interrupting her narrative to question
her about points that needed clarification.
    It's possible to tell a great deal from a person's
body language about whether or not he or she is
telling the truth.