Free Vanished Beneath: DS Lasser six (The Lasser series Book 6) by Robin Roughley

house.'
    Lasser scrubbed at his chin. 'So, why hasn't she been reported as missing?'
    Lizzie smiled sadly. 'Mary tended to move around a bit, you know what it's like, they have a base but sometimes they can go weeks, months even before they go back home.'
    'Right, Lizzie, you've been brilliant.'
    'I do know she spent a lot of time with a woman on Millers Lane.'
    'Do you know her name?'
    'Kylie Frodsham, she'd had a lot of trouble with an ex-partner, you know - the usual stuff, he would turn up and break down the door and go on the rampage. Kylie moved into sheltered accommodation for a while and then I think she moved out to Hag Fold estate. Mary was good to her; she tried to help her out with money and stuff. In fact she was the one who stood up to Kylie's bastard boyfriend, he came around one day and she leathered him with a frying pan, knocked out most of his teeth and fractured his eye socket.'
    'So, she was a good girl then?' Lasser asked.
    Lizzie smiled. 'I tell you, Lasser, she was one tough nut and to see her like that,' she sighed. 'Well, it's just wrong you know.'
    Lasser nodded, he knew exactly what she meant.
     
     
    24
    Bannister rubbed his hands together, at first Lasser had thought his boss would be furious letting a member of the public wander around the morgue like a morbid sightseer. As soon as Lasser told him about Mary Sheldon, Bannister had clapped him on the back.
    'Good work, Sergeant.'
    'So, that just leaves the girl.'
    They were sitting in Bannister's office; the spider plant in the windowsill had withered through lack of water.
    'Right, take Coyle and head out to Plank Lane, see if any of Sheldon's neighbours can help us out.'
    'Seems unlikely, according to Lizzie Rogers she didn't spend a lot of time there and no one had reported her missing.'
    Bannister stood up and straightened his tie. 'Nevertheless it needs checking and if you have no luck then you can head out to Millers Lane and give Cooper and Chadwick a lift.'
    Lasser grimaced and Bannister flapped a hand. 'Just do it, Sergeant.'
    'No problem,' Lasser replied as he clambered to his feet.
    'One more thing before you go, what do you make of Spenner?'
    The question took him by surprise. 'I don't follow?'
    'Well, does he seem alright to you?'
    Lasser shrugged. 'To be honest I was surprised to see him back so soon. I thought he'd have been off for at least another couple of months.'
    'You think he's come back too soon?'
    Lasser thought about the way Spenner had jumped when Bannister had tapped on the window of the car. 'Well, he said he was sick of sitting at home staring at four walls.'
    'That's not what I asked you, Lasser.'
    'Come on, you can see where he's coming from, maybe it'll take him a while to get his confidence back, but I'm sure he'll be OK.'
    Bannister pursed his lips. 'I don't know the lad seems different...'
    'Hardly surprising considering what he's been through.'
    'I'm not an idiot, Sergeant, I realise it'll be hard for him but he seems…' he paused as if searching for the right word, ' Brittle .'
    'Well, he said he's on light duties so...'
    'That's the problem we're stretched to the limit. I can't afford to have someone who isn't up to the job.'
    Lasser looked at Bannister through narrowed eyes. 'Hang on, you're not thinking of giving him the push are you?'
    Bannister looked annoyed at the suggestion. 'What the hell do you take me for ?'
    'I...'
    'I just need to know that he won't do a runner if things get heavy.'
    Lasser suddenly remembered Cathy Harper his ex-colleague and lover, dead now for almost twelve months. She’d been partnered with Spenner and the young PC had left her to tackle a scrote on her own, Cathy had ended up in hospital after the thug took a swing at her with her own nightstick.
    'Sergeant?'
    'I'll keep an eye on him.'
    Bannister nodded. 'Right well, forget taking Coyle, take Spenner instead. But I want to know if he can't cut it, Lasser, no bullshit excuses, no holding out on me is that clear?'
    'Yeah