Chapters (82)
- Cover
- Dedication
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
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She left the building by the back exit where the cars were kept and got into the unmarked police car assigned to her. Mulling over possible scenarios for Anne being in the woods, Beth drove up the high street, heading in the direction of Melton. Some of the shop windows were already decorated for Christmas, but Beth’s thoughts didn’t mirror their festiveness. There was something disquieting about Anne Long being in the woods late at night following the previous investigation into missing babies. She dearly hoped she was wrong, but Anne wouldn’t be the first nurse to suffer from psychosis and use her position to do harm rather than good to others.
Beth gave the Christmas tree standing in the market square at Melton a cursory glance as she drove past and then, with a growing sense of unease, turned into Dells Lane. Her satnav showed that Number 45 was at the far end on the right. There was no van parked on the driveway, nor any sign of the other car registered to Anne – a grey Vauxhall Corsa. Perhaps one of them was in the garage; it wasn’t large enough to take two vehicles. Beth got out and glanced at the sky. Dark clouds were gathering on the horizon and storms were forecast for the weekend. She rang the doorbell to Number 45 and waited. No one answered. She tried again, knocked on the door, then looked through the letterbox, but a security hood blocked her view.
She returned up the drive and then went next door to Number 43. A woman in a dressing gown answered the bell.
‘Sorry to trouble you. Detective Constable Beth Mayes,’ Beth said, showing her ID. ‘There’s nothing to worry about, but do you know when your neighbour Anne Long will be at home? I would like to talk to her as part of a routine enquiry.’
‘If she’s not there she’s most likely at work. She’s a midwife and doesn’t keep regular hours. If she’s late back, she goes straight out again to walk her dogs. Someone else was asking about her and my husband told him the same thing.’
‘Who? Do you know?’
‘No, just said he was a friend of hers.’
‘And Anne keeps dogs?’
‘Yes, dangerous ones that have to be kept on a tight leash. She can only take them out at night when there’s no one else around. Goodness knows why she bothers with them. I wouldn’t go to all that trouble.’
‘No, indeed,’ Beth said. ‘That’s very helpful. Do you know what breed of dog they are?’
‘No, never seen them. We stay well away. You could try phoning her mobile,’ she added helpfully. ‘Do you have her number?’
‘Yes, I do. Does Anne have a navy van here?’