Dead Of Winter (Willis/Carter #1)(93)

Ebony studied the page then turned to see the rest of the staff rota for the preceding and following month. ‘And . . . apart from the core staff there are an extra three staff who appear sometimes on this register? I’d like to ask you about: Josie Quirino, Mandy Spray and Linda Peters.’

‘They’ll be the agency staff.’

‘Do you know these women personally?

‘I have worked with all of them. There are some we will always choose to use if we can. Josie is a Filipina working here; she’s married to one of the ambulance men. Mandy is an old friend who I have known all my working career and Staff Nurse Linda Peters is a very welcome new addition to the great agency staff we can call on. Now she is someone I would love to have working here full-time. She’s very popular, and highly qualified. She loves the kids. She has a great rapport with the parents.’

Ebony took out the clearest of the photos taken of Alex with the woman as they prepared to get into the van.

‘Do you recognise this woman?’

Nurse Phillips took it from Ebony and looked closely.

‘It looks like Nurse Peters, Linda. But Linda’s hair is blonde not dark.’

‘Here Ebony showed her another photo of the woman’s back view.’

‘Yes. It could be her. It’s definitely none of the other two.’

‘Do you keep in touch with her? Have you got her home phone number? Address perhaps?’ Sister Phillips shook her head. ‘Not even from the checks that were run on her when she started working here?’ asked Ebony.

‘No sorry . . . I just ring the agency when we need someone. If she’s free she comes.’

‘How long have you had Nurse Peters work here?’

‘I would say . . . about a year . . . on and off.’

‘Which agency does she come from?’

‘Here . . .’ She pulled out a list from the front of the staff file. ‘Top one . . . here’s where I look when I need staff to cover. You can take that list; I have a spare one. I always start at the top.’

She handed it to Ebony.

‘Do you have a better photo of her?’

‘I’ll ask the nurses that have worked with her. They may have one of her on their phone.’

‘Thank you I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone what my visit was about. We are in the middle of a murder investigation. If any of the agency staff who were working that week contact you again, would you please ring me straight away?’

‘Absolutely.’





Chapter 63


Justin’s head was swollen and throbbing as he dangled upside down. His feet had long since lost all feeling.

Carmichael watched him from the side of the dance floor.

‘Let’s go through things again.’ Justin groaned. ‘Why did you come back?’

‘Business.’

‘You can harvest bodies, sell organs, anywhere in the world.’ Carmichael picked up his rifle and inserted a new magazine. ‘Don’t lie to me.’

‘Okay. It wasn’t just business. We came back for someone specifically. We needed a match.’

‘For who? Martingale? You? Digger?’

‘No.’

‘The woman?’

It was the first time Carmichael had mentioned that he knew there was a woman in their team. Justin didn’t answer. Carmichael repeated the question.

‘The woman. Was it for her? Who is she?’

‘She wasn’t there when your wife was killed . . . leave her alone. She just does what she’s told.’

‘Who are the other Bloodrunners? Is Martingale involved?’ Justin didn’t answer. ‘The woman?’

‘I told you; she does what she is told. I won’t tell you about her.’

‘Do you think she would protect you?’

‘No.’

‘What then? Do you think she’ll have time to get away? Has she got the organs she came for?’

‘She will have.’ Carmichael moved around him in the dark. ‘I remember you at the graveside of your wife and daughter. You want to find out who killed your wife and kid . . . look to yourself, Carmichael . . . you fucking failed them both. They were never meant to be there.’

Carmichael aimed his gun, ready to fire. Justin laughed . . .

‘Yeah . . . do it . . . you useless piece of shit . . . get on with it.’ Justin laughed in the darkness. ‘She begged me to save her daughter. All I could hear was It’s alright, Sophie, Mummy’s alright. She had no idea Digger had already killed your daughter. Digger made Louise suck his cock . . . should have seen it . . . her crying, gagging. Very funny. You know as well as I do that you had a hand in it all. If it wasn’t for you she’d be alive today – you know I’m right.’

Carmichael steadied himself. He leant his weight against the wall and breathed deeply. He knew what Justin was doing. Justin knew he was going to die and he wanted Carmichael to get on with it . . . but it wasn’t Justin’s choice. It was Carmichael’s. He picked up a pair of wire snippers.





Chapter 64


When the call came from her ex-husband Simon, Harding was busy examining the contents of Sonny’s stomach. Seemed that Sonny liked to drink and snort coke but eating wasn’t high on his list.