Free Missing: Presumed Dead by James Hawkins

he said eventually, his voice cracking with emotion.
    â€œPainful or not, Mr. Dauntsey, I am asking you to state unequivocally ...”
    â€œThat the bundle contained my father’s body. There, I’ve said it. Now are you satisfied?”
    Patterson gave an audible sigh, “Thank you, Mr. Dauntsey. So you don’t deny killing your father?”
    â€œNo, Sergeant. I don’t deny it. It was stupid of me to think I wouldn’t get caught.”
    â€œDo you regret what you have done?”
    â€œI can’t help thinking it’s what he would have wanted.”
    â€œTo be murdered by his son!”
    â€œWell, we all have to go sometime, Sergeant. The sword of Damocles hangs over us all. Might it not be kinder to have the thread cut by a fellow rather than a foe?”
    Bliss reached over and clicked off the machine. “Amazing – the pompous ass doesn’t give a shit. It’s not murder as far as he’s concerned – it’s nothing more than the involuntary euthanasia of an inconvenient parent.”
    â€œMy wife’s incontinent old mother lives with us,” said Donaldson, trying hard to give the impression he was joking. “She can be fairly inconvenient at times; perhaps I should do the same.”
    â€œAh. But there you’d have an understandable motive. What was Jonathon Dauntsey’s motive? From what I can gather the old Major had moved out some time ago.”
    Donaldson flicked the tape back on but needn’t have bothered, Jonathon Dauntsey had said all he was going to say.
    â€œSo where do we go from here?” asked Bliss, surveying the ceiling, speaking to himself.
    Donaldson slumped back into his chair. “I suppose I should call in the Major Incident Unit, but I’ll look a bit bloody stupid now. I turned them down last night – said we had everything under control. Now I’ll have to crawl cap in hand – makes me look a right imbecile – Smilie Johnston will have a field day ...”
    â€œSmilie?”
    â€œChief Super at H.Q. – a miserable sod.”
    Bliss had other ideas. “I’m not sure we need more men; they’ll just end up tripping over each other. Most of the evidence has been destroyed or contaminated so badly there’s nothing to be gained by sifting through it again. Jonathon Dauntsey is banged up in the cells, and we’ll have no problem getting the Beak to remand him in custody based on his confession. The Major’s body is sure to surface in a day or two.”
    â€œWe can’t just wait and hope ...”
    â€œI agree,” said Bliss heading toward the door. “I’ll have another pop at Master Jonathon – try a different tack; tell him how much he’s upsetting his Mum by not letting on where the old boy is, that sort of thing. In the meantime we can give the troops a rest – there’s no sense in them tearing around like headless chickens.”
    â€œAnd if we can’t find the body?”
    Bliss, hand on the door, turned. “Let’s keep our fingers crossed.” Then he paused, something on his mind. “The press are asking questions.”
    â€œNaturally.”
    â€œI don’t want them printing my name.”
    â€œOh. Yes. Of course. I can see that – no problem. The editor at The Gazette is a fellow Rotarian. I’ll give him a call ...”
    â€œDon’t mention anything about ...” cut in Bliss, but Donaldson waved him off.
    â€œIt’s O.K., Dave. I won’t say anything.”

Chapter Three
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    A fragrant blast of humid air rolled softly over Bliss as Daphne opened the door in response to his knock.
    â€œIt’s the stuffing,” she explained as he drank in the perfume with a deeply satisfying inhalation. “Fresh thyme and parsley from the garden,” she added. “Please come in.”
    Daphne had exchanged her polka-dot day dress for a stately