Free Missing: The Body of Evidence by Declan Conner Page B

he was dwelling on
something he knew, but wasn’t about to say what it was that was on his mind.
    The van stopped and the sergeant told them
to wait inside the van. She half expected a gun battle, but after ten minutes
of hailing over a megaphone, she heard the sergeant call for a round of
teargas. Five minutes later, the van door opened and the sergeant gave Nancy
and Bill the all clear to search the house. As she exited, SWAT formed a secure
perimeter. All they had arrested was one gang member, whom Nancy recognized.
    ‘Your mom’s gonna love you for this,’ said
Nancy
    The young guy spat phlegm on the floor to
show his disgust.
    ‘I know you; you’ll get yours, Bitch.’
    Nancy ignored him as they led him away and
she entered the house with Bill.
    ‘Someone’s tipped them off, the place is
clean,’ said Bill. ‘I’ll buy you a McDonald’s when we get back to the car. I
doubt well get anything from the young punk.’
    ‘Burger, fries and a milkshake,’ Nancy
ordered when they arrived at McDonald’s and they sat next to the window.
    ‘You want to get out of all this garbage,
get married and settle down in a good neighbourhood, and have kids,’ said Bill.
‘Kyle’s a good guy, you could do worse.’
    ‘Whoa, steady on there. I hardly know him
and besides, I’ve only just started my career as a detective.’
    ‘The job’ll destroy your humanity, get out
while you can, that’s my advice. Vacation for me on Friday for two weeks, then
it’s back for my retirement party, followed by spending the rest of my days
fishing.’
    ‘Yeah, well, just remember me, when I’m
still fishing for felons.’
    Bill laughed. His gaze had the comforting
warmth of a well-worn pair of slippers. There was a time fifteen years ago,
when he had taken her to one side after a lecture he had given at the police
academy that she had thought differently. At the time, she detected a gaze of
lust, one that went hand in glove with his friendly advice, but not any longer.
She couldn’t be sure if the years had dulled the lead in his pencil, or that
his loyalties to his wife had prevented him from ever making any suggestive
remarks. All she knew was that after the years of friendship they had enjoyed,
she owed him debt of gratitude for helping her make detective.
    Bill took her hand. The fire in the depth
of his eyes, belied his age. His hand was weathered and covered with liver
spots; his brow furrowed and he spoke to her like a father figure, in soft
tones.
    ‘Listen, I meant it when I said forget the
case with the professor. That’s one dirty pool to go fishing in without waders.’

Chapter 17
    Thursday
afternoon brought Nancy a well-earned break, although she wasn’t looking
forward to her monthly visit to see her dad. The Ventura Freeway was light of
traffic. Nancy took the 13A junction, headed toward Pasadena, along West and
then East Colorado Boulevard. Starbucks came into view, she signalled left, and
turned onto North Meredith Avenue.
    Overhanging tree branches and the
occasional tall palm tree cast shadows on the road. She eased off the gas,
braked, and parked under the shade of a tree. Nancy looked across at her dad’s
white painted apartment block. It seemed to be a world away from Compton. Fond
memories of her childhood, what little she could remember of living on Meredith
Avenue, flooded through her mind. Most of her early life she’d spent travelling
on army postings with her dad, or living with her auntie after her mom died.
    She always liked to spend a moment dwelling
on the good times, to psyche her up for the visit. Nancy let out a long sigh
before steeling her nerves, hopping out of the car and heading for her dad’s
first-floor apartment.
    Checking to see that she had fastened the
top button of her blouse, she straightened her skirt and pressed the doorbell
of the blue painted apartment door.
    The door opened.
    ‘Oh, it’s you. Come in.’
    I love you, too, Dad.
    She followed him down the hallway and