Frozen Grave (Willis/Carter #3)(30)

Carter answered: ‘Nothing.’

‘Okay, but I know it will take you weeks to get permission to access the dating site’s private info. Let me help then.’

‘How? We can’t put you at risk.’

‘I can go on the hunt if it’s useful. I can contact him – it will be easy.’

‘We appreciate it,’ said Carter. ‘Can we think about it, please?’

‘Sure.’





Chapter 14


Ellerman drove to Exeter and parked up at the Quay. He put on his gold-rimmed aviators, got out and walked across to look out over the river. The low winter sun was shining in his eyes as it set. He breathed in deeply. He was always happiest when he was back near water. As man and boy he had been drawn to it. He looked at his phone. There were several missed calls and unread texts. The bank was chasing the mortgage payment again.

‘Fucking vultures,’ he said out loud.

He felt the cold air whip straight off the water and across the sweat that had come to his brow. The sky clouded over and turned slate grey and the river mirrored it. He shivered. He hurried back to the car and drove back along the main road into the city. He parked up and opened the boot of his car. Unzipping his bag, he swapped his dirty clothes for fresh and changed his smart shoes for suede loafers. He walked back along the street, stopped at number 35 and pressed the doorbell as he put his bag down. He smiled at the woman approaching from the other side of the bevelled glass door.

‘Hello, darling,’ she said as she opened the door and wrapped her arms around his neck before he’d had time to step inside. She had on a tight pencil skirt and a neat white blouse.

‘Missed me?’ Ellerman kissed her, squeezed her tightly as he stroked the side of her breast through the crisp white blouse. ‘You’ve been to work today. I love it when you look so officious.’

She pulled him inside.

‘Yes, I have. Come on, let’s go to bed, it’s been two weeks too long.’

He held back, grinning awkwardly. ‘You’ll have to feed me first. I’ve had a busy couple of days – difficult client. I need fuel. Then I’ll ravish you.’

She pulled away, instantly annoyed.

‘Where have you come from?’

‘The wilds of Dartmoor.’ He brought his bag further into the hallway and followed her through to the lounge.

‘Not far then. It’s just up the road.’

‘Of course, it’s a great place. We must go there for a night sometime. I’d forgotten how beautiful it is. The last time I saw it though I was on training exercises in preparation for Afghanistan. That was a rough experience.’

She smiled, tight-lipped. ‘It must have been. You promised me you’d wear your uniform this time. I’ve never seen you in it.’

‘Sorry, darling. I completely forgot to put it in the car. I’ll wear it next time.’ He held on to her and kissed her neck. He could feel the tension in her. Something wasn’t right. He was trying to think what it could be. ‘Wish I’d had you in Afghanistan. You’d have kept my morale up as well as something else. Now put the kettle on chop-chop and make me something to eat.’ He smacked her hard on her bottom as he turned to pick up his bag from the doorway.

She gave a false laugh but didn’t move.

‘No. I really want to go out for dinner this evening. You said we would this week. I’ve been looking forward to it. Seeing someone every two weeks means you have to make a big effort when you do. Don’t you think?’

‘Of course. Thought we’d light the fire and get cosy.’ He put his bag down in the hallway.

‘You know what, JJ?’ Gillian stood with her hands on her hips. ‘I’m sick of staying in and waiting for you to come and then we do nothing. Absolutely nothing. I’m beginning to think you just use me as a stopover. Eighteen months we’ve been together and we’ve only been away once. It’s not good enough. I can’t even put photos of you on my Facebook. It’s like I’m your dirty secret.’

Ellerman sighed. ‘I’m sorry, darling. I’d love to announce our relationship to the world on Facebook but I was in the SAS, remember? Do you know how many people would love to get me? I put some serious terrorists out of business. I—’

Gillian didn’t wait to hear him out; she turned and walked away into the kitchen.

‘Did you bring any wine with you?’

‘No. Sorry. I was in such a rush to get here.’ Ellerman strained to listen to her response. Normally, she would have melted at that kind of a comment – ‘couldn’t wait to get here and rip your clothes off’ kind of thing. But recently things had changed between them. Ellerman wondered whether their time was coming to an end. Christ knows, he was banking on her today. He was tired, hungry, a little hungover. He had been expected to really perform at Megan’s. He’d thought he was in for an easy night at Gillian’s. He hadn’t anticipated this reception. He heard the fridge door open and heard the clink of bottles. ‘I’ll go and get some,’ Ellerman called out as he jangled his keys.

‘Don’t bother . . .’ Gillian reappeared. She had stripped and was wearing a red corset. How Ellerman hated red lingerie. It reminded him of blood.

‘It can wait. I’ve got some.’ Gillian handed him a glass of cold white wine. He sipped it and tried not to grimace. Eastern European. He gave what he considered to be his deep seductive laugh – full of 007 promise, appreciative of what he saw in front of him and the beautiful figure that he was supposed to be delighting in, but in real terms he thought Gillian had become a little fat. He saw her as a little on the big side now and he wasn’t a great lover of curvy women. He liked all his women to be petite, much smaller than him. He loved to be able to pick them up in his arms and carry them, but he was pretty sure that Gillian now weighed twelve stone and would take some lifting. She looked at him expectantly but he saw by the glint in her eyes that she was challenging him.