Free Two Wrongs (Detective Inspector Ross Reed Book 1) by Nathan Sayer

anymore. We used to be. We were in the same year at school and we used to hang out sometimes.”
    “I understand.” Reed said honestly, thinking of the friends he had lost contact with over the years. “You were very quick in telling the police that Carmella had left the club with Lee. Did you have any reason to be worried for her safety?”
    “I saw on the news that she had gone missing and remembered them leaving together, that’s all. I mean, he drives like a madman in that car of his, they could have ended up in a ditch or something.”
    “So you have no reason to believe he would intentionally harm her?”
    “I s’pose not. Not kill her anyway!” Jones was now wearing the look of someone who was dying to say something, almost willing Reed to drag it out of him. A bit like a child trying to hold on to a secret, he was fidgeting too.
    “I get the impression you’re holding something back?”
    “It’s just an opinion.”
    “Opinions are welcome, and confidential.”
    Jones bowed his head, scratching at what was probably an imaginary itch on his ankle again. He took a deep breath but rather than go into the rant Reed was expecting, he slowly exhaled. “He likes to think he’s a bit of a ladies’ man. I say ladies’ man, it’s more like girls.” Jones now sat back in his chair. Reed just waited.
    “He’s 32 and Carmella was 17. That’s nearly double her age. There have been others too, which I’m sure weren’t even that old!” Jones continued. “I just don’t think, personally, that it’s right, that’s all.”
    “What others?” Reed asked.
    “I don’t know. Like I said, we aren’t close anymore.” Jones answered. His tone suggesting he was starting to doubt his own theories.
    “‘Anymore’? Meaning you were close once?”
    “Look, the truth is we were best friends until he tried making a move on my sister. It was a time when she wouldn’t have been legal, if you see what I mean?”
    “That’s why you aren’t friends anymore?
    “Basically yeah, he’s a borderline paedophile if you ask me.”

Chapter 7
     
    DC Plumridge entered the office sounding out of breath and his cheeks were glowing red. Reed had been talking to DS Tyler about his visit to Butler’s Garage and his chat with David Jones last night. When Plumridge saw the look on his superior’s face, he was quick to apologise for barging in.
    “Sorry sir.” He managed to puff out, waving a piece of paper around as way of conversation until he could catch his breath and speak for real. “I’ve got the results back from the speed cameras you asked for. Guess who they picked up?”
    “Mr. Gulliver?” Tyler asked, taking the surprise-factor away from Plumridge, along with the joy of doing so away from Reed.
    “Yeah, but . . .” Plumridge had a reserve surprise which he struggled to get the air in his lungs to say. “Does Nic Anderson ring any bells?”
    “No.” Came the mutual reply from Tyler and Reed. Plumridge’s breathing went up a notch again.
    “He’s a convicted sex attacker, relocated to Thetford from up north four years ago for his own safety. We got him speeding too.”
    The lack of excitement from his audience shot him back down to earth.
    “Can you get me his records please? As quick as you can.” Reed requested.
    “Yes sir. I’ll do it now.”
    Plumridge handed Reed the list of people caught by speed cameras in the area of where Carmella’s body had been dumped on the night she was killed. They had covered a 25 mile radius of Thetford- Reed’s simplistic thinking being that if he had just killed someone, he wouldn’t want to hang around and might miss a speed camera as he drove away, whether it had been premeditated or not.
    “Well done by the way.” Reed said, offering Plumridge the praise he was desperately seeking. Satisfied, Plumridge left with the same gusto with which he had arrived.
    “You’re cruel.” Tyler teased.
    “What?”
    “‘As quick as you can’ indeed. He’ll kill