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Back Cross and Burn Save as PDF
Chapters (74)
  1. About the Author
  2. Also by Val McDermid
  3. COPYRIGHT
  4. CROSS AND BURN
  5. Dedication
  6. Acknowledgements
  7. Epigraph
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. 51
  59. 52
  60. 53
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  62. 55
  63. 56
  64. 57
  65. 58
  66. 59
  67. 60
  68. 61
  69. 62
  70. 63
  71. 64
  72. 65
  73. 66
  74. 67

Dean Hume, the duty inspector, had the mangled ears, thick neck and asymmetric nose of a rugby player who had never shirked in the scrum. His scalp had a five o’clock shadow that revealed his male pattern baldness and his eyes nestled in tired grey folds of skin. He inhabited a tiny glassed-in cubicle in a corner of the main squad room. His computer monitor was the size of a bedside cabinet and it was surrounded by stacks of file folders. His white shirt was already wilting under the pressure of work. When Paula explained why she was there and what she had discovered at Bev’s house, he looked as thrilled as Fielding had. ‘You used to be on the MIT team, right?’

Paula was starting to get tired of this. ‘That’s right, sir. DCI Jordan’s firm.’

‘You were a bit of a law unto yourselves there.’ To her surprise, Hume smiled. ‘Got some good results, though.’

‘We did, sir. We thought we were bloody good value for money.’

He grunted. ‘Shame the brass didn’t agree. The thing is, Sarge, we’re a bit more by the book here. DCI Fielding runs a tight ship. And she gets results too. So if you’re going to go off piste, you’ll need to be discreet about it.’ It was a warning, but in the friendliest of terms.

For the first time since she’d arrived at Skenfrith Street, Paula felt part of a team. Shame it was the wrong team. ‘Thanks, sir. I’ll bear that in mind. As far as Bev Andrews is concerned, I typed up a full report of my actions and the information I gathered. It should give your officers a head start. Who should I email it to?’

He gave her the details of his sergeant. ‘From what you tell me, it’s not looking too clever,’ he said. ‘I’ll have a word with media liaison and see if we can get something in the Sentinel Times tonight. And we’ll have to talk to the lad again.’

‘I doubt he’s got anything else to give.’

Hume nodded. ‘I’m sure you’re right. I heard you’re the whizz kid when it comes to interviews. But we’ve got to cover all the bases. You can sit in as the appropriate adult if you like?’

Paula’s smile was grim. ‘I don’t think DCI Fielding’s going to cut me any slack on that score. My partner is probably your best bet.’ She scribbled down Elinor’s details and handed them to Hume. ‘She’s a doctor at Bradfield Cross.’

‘Thanks. Any developments, I’ll let you know.’

Paula stood up to leave. But Hume hadn’t quite finished. ‘And, Sergeant – leave this to us now. None of your maverick MIT tricks, please? Nobody’s got your back here. Where DCI Fielding’s concerned, you’re on your own.’

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