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Back Time for the Dead Save as PDF
Chapters (94)
  1. Cover
  2. Time for the Dead
  3. Dedication page
  4. Map
  5. Epigraph page
  6. Prologue
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. 81
  88. 82
  89. 83
  90. 84
  91. Epilogue
  92. Acknowledgements
  93. About the Author
  94. By Lin Anderson

‘Who was on duty here when he was collected?’

‘It wasn’t me. I’ve just come on.’

‘Well who then?’ McNab said, adding, ‘This is a police matter.’

‘I’ll find out,’ he said and promptly headed into the back room. Seconds later he emerged with a female about McNab’s age, who looked more composed than her male counterpart.

‘I was out front when Mr McArthur was picked up. A car arrived at the pick-up point outside, as is the usual case. Mr McArthur saw it through the window and said it was his ride. He signed the book, thanked us and left.’

‘Did you see who was driving the car?’

She shook her head.

‘Can you describe the car?’

She looked askance at him. ‘It’s a constant stream of folk getting picked up from the patients’ lounge. If he’d been agitated I would have questioned him, but he wasn’t.’

‘What about CCTV?’

‘You’d have to ask security about that.’

The hospital would be well covered, but checking out footage would take time. And time might be something Harry didn’t have.

McNab departed before he vented any further distress or annoyance at either of the two nurses. The person it should be directed at was himself for arriving late, and the uniform who’d left his charge unattended.

Reaching the car, he called Ollie in IT and told him to check for CCTV cameras at the Death Star, in particular the nearest exit to that particular discharge lounge.

‘What am I looking for?’

‘Cars arriving around 9.30, one of which will pick up Harry McArthur.’

‘The stabbed guy?’

‘His photo’s on file. I want to know who collected him from the hospital. Also,’ McNab continued, ‘find out what this number refers to.’ He quoted the number Harry had left behind.

‘Any idea what it might refer to?’

‘I haven’t a fucking clue, but,’ McNab said, clutching at straws, ‘Harry knew I was coming for him and he left that number behind. So it must mean something.’

Back in the car now, McNab headed for the station, aware the boss wasn’t the only person he would have to face regarding Harry’s disappearance. He was going to have to tell Ellie. And he knew which interview he feared the most.

43

On arrival at the station, McNab immediately took himself off to IT to see Ollie, hoping he’d made some headway on either of the tasks McNab had given him. Going into the boss with nothing, other than to report that Harry had been snatched from under their noses, was McNab’s biggest concern at this point.

Harry played me, McNab thought as he walked along the corridor. While all the time I thought I was playing him.

But what if Harry had had no choice but to go?

McNab found himself a great deal more worried by that interpretation of events.