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Back The Dead Line Save as PDF
Chapters (87)
  1. Cover
  2. By the Same Author
  3. Dedication Page
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. Acknowledgements
  86. Also Available by Holly Watt
  87. The Hunt and the Kill

And the baby opened her mouth, and started to cry.

44

44

It seemed to take ages to get to the hotel room, the lift creaking past the floors. The lift was small, Ed and Casey awkwardly close, Casey’s head full of the kiss that meant nothing.

The baby was mewling, a small arm escaped from her blanket. She was stronger than Casey had expected, the little limbs wrestling in the babygrow.

‘Shh.’ Casey bounced the baby up and down, struggling to support the small head. ‘Quiet, little one.’

Casey had read Emily’s instructions, and looked through the bags and bags of equipment. But back in the room, it was Ed who sorted out a bottle, and held the tiny baby, and tried to get her to feed. After a few squawks, she took the bottle trustingly, her eyes two slits of blue.

‘God.’ Casey stood flat against the wall. ‘How do people cope?’

He laughed up at her. ‘It’s not hard, you know. Just patience, and a little bit of love.’

‘Not’ – Casey was checking her phone – ‘my specialities.’

They were racing back, all of them except for Miranda. She’s here. All done. Come back.

Out in the city, Miranda was following Raz, her tuk-tuk slipping easily down the streets as the big Land Cruiser got tangled up in traffic. ‘I’ll be back when I can,’ she messaged.

Savannah was the first back to the hotel room.

‘I never even caught a glimpse of them,’ she grumbled. ‘I checked every person going in and out of that hospital. Never saw a thing. Hello, poppet. Aren’t you gorgeous?’

Casey had shown Savannah photographs of the men beforehand, and given her the Land Cruiser’s numberplate.

‘It was the longest shot,’ Casey apologised. ‘There are several hospitals around the city. And they may well not have taken her to a hospital anyway.’

‘Doesn’t matter,’ Savannah shrugged. ‘How is she?’

‘Ed just changed her nappy,’ said Casey. ‘I almost had to leave the room.’

‘Casey’ – Savannah was laughing – ‘you’re ridiculous.’

‘She’s very quiet,’ said Casey approvingly.

They all stared at the baby, a tiny technological miracle.

‘They often are,’ said Savannah drily. ‘For the first twenty-four hours. Then, God help you.’

‘Time for you’ – Ed picked up the baby – ‘to have a kip.’

Very carefully, he settled the baby in a tiny travel cot in the corner. ‘He’s a good one,’ Savannah winked at Casey, and Casey turned away, embarrassed, confused.

Layla bounded through the door, Hessa just behind her.

‘The Land Cruiser left the Sagorika factory just after eight this morning,’ Layla said briskly. ‘It turned west, and shot off fast. I followed, but I lost it as it turned onto the Dhaka Highway. All the windows were rolled down as it left the factory, before the air con kicked in. I am sure the baby wasn’t with them then.’