Free 1911021494 by MICHAEL HAMBLING

get our heads together to work out where we go from here.’
    Mary Porter left.
    ‘Barry, I’m taking Nadia away with me now. She’s too tired to wait around here. We’ll make a fresh start in the morning. Can Jimmy keep trawling through the records for a while? I also wonder if any of the coast watch organisations have records of boat movements. These men probably sneak across under cover of darkness or mist, but someone may have spotted the boat at some time. It’s not urgent but if you have any ideas, that would be great. Call me if you find anything. But don’t stay late. It’ll be better if we’re all fresh in the morning.’
     

Chapter 6: Bodies in the Field
    Thursday Evening & Friday, Week 1
     
    Jade Allen was chopping vegetables in the kitchen when her mother arrived home with Nadia.
    ‘Hi, Mum. Hi, Nadia. I’ve just made a pot of tea for you, and thought I’d start on the dinner. I’ll show Nadia her room if you want, Mum.’
    Jade hugged them both and held Nadia’s hand as she led her out of the room. Sophie could hear her chattering fade as they went up the stairs.
    Sophie set out cups and saucers and poured the tea, adding a plate of chocolate biscuits. She carried the tray through to the lounge, kicked off her shoes and settled into one of the comfortable armchairs. She shut her eyes, trying to dispel her fatigue. She took a sip of hot, refreshing tea. She’d always thought that Jade was the less sensitive of her two daughters, more likely than Hannah to blunder into situations. Today she had revealed a completely new side to her character. Maybe she might become a good doctor after all. Sophie was annoyed with herself for underestimating her own daughter.
    The sound of girls’ voices came through from the hallway. Goodness, she’d drifted off to sleep. She took another sip of tea. It was still hot so she hadn’t slept for long
.
    The two young women came into the lounge. Nadia was a good three years older than Jade, but they looked almost the same age. Jade’s sleek, dark hair was tied back into a ponytail and she was a couple of inches taller, but they were both slim.
    ‘Nadia’s offered to help me with dinner, Mum. We’ll take our tea through to the kitchen if that’s okay.’
    ‘Of course.’ Her daughter just went on surprising her.
    ‘You can doze off again, if you want to,’ said Jade.
    ‘Was it that obvious?’
    ‘Slightly pink cheeks, Mum. And you’ve been doing it for a few months now. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. I don’t think Dad’s noticed. He does it himself. Either that or he keeps quiet about it.’
    ‘We’ve struck a deal, Jade. Neither of us reminds the other about the onset of middle age. The one who breaks the deal first gets to pay for the next meal out.’
    ‘Cool.’
    Sophie finished her tea and settled back into the chair. She picked up the daily paper. It wasn’t often that she managed more than a quick glance at the headlines. She yawned again. The emotional turmoil of the last few days had affected her sleep. She was James and Florence’s closest living relative and this unexpected discovery, wonderful as it was, meant that she now had their health and wellbeing to think about. But discovering the circumstances of her father’s disappearance had stunned her to the core. She turned the pages of the newspaper without reading them. She put it aside and thought about the coming Sunday and the planned visit to Gloucester. Maybe she could ask Lydia to come across and spend the day with Nadia. The young detective would be home from her training course by then.
    She finished her tea and walked through to the kitchen. Nadia was showing Jade how to chop an onion at high speed.
    ‘I learn in hotel kitchen,’ she explained.
    ‘Nadia is doing a hotel management degree, Mum. Sounds interesting.’
    ‘Well, if there’s food involved, Jade, I can understand your interest. What are you making?’
    ‘Mixed grill. I’ve halved the steaks,