Free White Light by Alex Marks Page B

be in on this disgusting conspiracy. In the face of that, what could Nick Walters do, assuming he was trying to do anything? I fed the cat on autopilot, threw a box of chicken curry into the microwave, and looked to see who had been trying to reach me.
    The first message was a text from Dave asking if I was alright. I texted back to say I was fine. After that came three texts telling me that I'd got voicemail. I held the plasticky little phone to my ear and pressed 1 to listen to them.
    'This is a message for Adam Kitchener,' I recognised Walters' voice. 'Could you give me a call, please. You have my number.'
    'Hi, my name is Tessa Davies from the Oxford Mail. I am investigating –' I cut the voicemail short with a vicious stab of my thumb. Fucking bitch! Did she seriously think I would phone her back? I kicked a kitchen cupboard door, slamming it loudly back and denting it. Fergus wailed and took off. Bugger it, I thought, trying to calm down.
    Eventually I could raise the phone to my ear again and listen to the final voicemail. It was from Katie from Homes for All. Her voice sounded nervous. 'Hello, Adam, I'm sorry to bother you. Er – do you remember me telling you about Susie Roper? The client of ours who believed that Sarah was, um, killed? Well, she's apparently gone off somewhere so I was just ringing to see if she'd been in touch at all. Could you let me know? Thanks.'
    I pushed that mystery to once side and called DI Walters instead.
    'Hello, Adam,' he said in his unhurried way, 'I understand that you visited the address in Headington today.'
    My blood pressure went up. 'Yes, I did, and an officious bloody constable told me to piss off.'
    'Well, what did you expect?'
    'What?'
    'That house is part of an active investigation, Adam, you need to keep clear.'
    'Is it? Or are you just stonewalling me?'
    I heard him take a deep breath. 'Your statement has been passed to our Greenland team and we will be in touch with you. I know it's not easy but try and be patient. I will call you as soon as I have any news.'
    'Tessa Davies from the paper has just called me.'
    'What did you tell her?'
    'Nothing! She left a message which I've deleted.'
    'Right, that sounds like a good plan, Adam,' he said, and then to my surprise just rang off.
    I banged the phone onto the kitchen worktop and ran my hand over my face. Was that it? Thanks for alleging murder and child abuse, sir, now shut up and forget about it. I grabbed the phone up and dialled Darren Underwood's number. It went straight through to voicemail, his message explaining he was on a training course and unavailable. Shit.
    The phone made me jump by suddenly hopping and buzzing in my hand, signalling an incoming call. I answered, but was disappointed that it was just Katie.
    'Hi, Adam.' She began. I cut across her, impatiently.
    'Yeah, Katie, I got your message. What's happened exactly?' Her nervousness deepened.
    'I am sorry to trouble you. It's just that client, Susie, she's gone missing and we're trying everyone we can think of to see if she's made any contact.'
    I hauled back on my irritation; the woman was actually missing? 'She hasn't been in touch, Katie, sorry. She's really gone off somewhere? Have you been to the police?'
    She sighed. 'Yes, for all the good that's done. They think she's just fallen off the wagon, and will come back eventually when her money runs out.'
    'But you don't think that's what's happened?'
    'No, I can't see it. She's been doing so well. Kenny, her boyfriend, says that someone frightened her the other day, I don't know what about, debts possibly, so perhaps she's lying low, but still...' I could hear her doubt and worry.
    'Well, I hope she's ok and turns up soon,' I said, 'if I hear anything from her I'll definitely let you know.' She thanked me, sounding defeated, and rang off.
    I flopped onto the sofa with my curry and the cat, and spent the rest of the evening trying to watch some inane comedy on the TV. Perhaps I should just be a good little