Free Cherringham--The Vanishing Tourist by Neil Richards Page B

like his eggs and bacon.
    But she guessed he'd want to speak with O’Connor’s sister as soon as possible.
    Then she heard a tap at the door; Jack peering in, with his typical warm smile.
    He entered the kitchen, always seeming like a giant in its tight confines.
    “You know, I think you Brits have an actual heat wave going on outside. It’s positively gorgeous.”
    She nodded but immediately went to her open laptop.
    “Jack, I think I found something important. I just don't know what to make of it. The connection …”
    “I knew you would. See, much as you would like to stay away from all this …”
    She laughed, and quoted Michael Corleone’s great line from Godfather: Part III: “'Just when I thought I was out … they pull me back in.' Or at least you do!”
    “Funny thing about mysteries,” he said, sitting down. “They're so … mysterious, hmm? Show me what you got, detective.”
    She smiled at that.
    But she knew — coming from Jack — it was a mark of respect. He didn’t take her skills lightly.
    “Okay, I kept going back to that Thanksgiving photo. The young soldier.”
    Jack nodded.
    And now she opened up the photo again on her screen so he could see for himself.
    “Course we don't know who it is …” she said.
    “Hopefully, Mary will fill in that blank.”
    “Right. But I wanted to see if there was anything else I could spot there, anything missing. For instance — do you see how grim he looks?”
    “Like he's not really at the celebration at all …”
    She leaned into the keyboard and tapped some keys.
    “Now watch. If I zoom in on that badge on his shoulder …”
    “His division patch.”
    “That what it’s called? Anyway, look …”
    Jack looked up at the screen. “Wow. The 101 st . They’re called 'The Screaming Eagles.' In all the wars, they always caught a lot of the bad stuff. They’re legendary …”
    “And Jack — look at this.”
    She slid to another tab, where she had highlighted where the solider’s division had been sent.
    “Kunar Province, Afghanistan, Jack. He was going to Afghanistan just days after.”
    “So — I need you to tell me. This can’t just all be a coincidence — can it?”
    He sat back. “I learned a long time ago that that there are fewer coincidences in life than we think.”
    “Then this could be something, I mean in connection with Latchmore, Karen’s husband … somehow all fitting together?”
    Jack laughed at that. “With the operative word being 'somehow'.”
    “If only we could find out about the enquiry into Latchmore. You see — the years almost match. Is that part of this? But it’s sealed.”
    “For us …” Jack said.
    “Hmm … what?”
    “For us . But the right person, with the right contacts … well, I guess we could, well, learn about it.”
    “I don’t get you.”
    Jack leaned forward.
    “Your dad. Michael still keeps close to all his contacts in the military. I bet he could call in a favor or two.”
    Now Sarah sat back. “I don’t know, Jack. Dad is very much by-the-book.”
    Jack smiled. “True enough. But I can’t see him saying no to you. He knows all the good you've done …”
    “ We’ve done. And I can't see him saying no to you either.”
    “Give him a call.”
    She had already picked up her phone.
    “This should be interesting,” she said.
    She heard the phone ring once, twice … now hoping she could simply leave a message.
    So much easier than asking on a live call.
    But then her father answered with a cheery “Hello?”
    “Dad,” Sarah said, looking at Jack, “I'm with Jack …”
    She took a breath.
    “And I’ve got a big favour to ask …”
    *
    Jack had called Mary O’Connor to arrange a meeting in the sitting room of the Bell Hotel, a place where the chairs and sofas were almost as old as the patrons.
    Sarah still couldn’t quite believe how fast her father had agreed to her request to delve into the sealed records.
    “Yes, there are people I can ask. They may or may not have