A Killing Resurrected Read Online Free

house and the nearest neighbours. Just about everyone within hearing range would be asleep. In any case, no one admitted to hearing anything that sounded like a shot.’
    â€˜And this happened just a few days after Bergman’s was robbed, and two people were killed?’
    Alcott sat forward, palms flat on his desk, preparing to rise. ‘Bergman’s was hit on the Saturday morning,’ he said tersely, ‘and Barry Grant killed himself on the following Monday. But as I said, there was absolutely nothing to connect the two events.’ He rose to his feet. ‘Read the files, then go and talk to Rogers himself. He retired to somewhere near Manchester. Pensions will have his address, so—’
    He was interrupted by the familiar rap of Fiona’s knuckles on the door as she opened it and entered the room. ‘Sorry to interrupt, Mr Alcott,’ she said, ‘but it’s Dr Miller. He’s on the phone, and he says he needs to speak to you right away. I told him you were in a meeting, but he insists on talking to you.’
    â€˜Miller?’ Alcott’s brow furrowed as he peered at Paget as if expecting him to explain why his doctor wanted to talk to him so urgently, then shrugged and picked up the phone.
    â€˜I’ll be outside,’ said Paget quietly as he rose and followed Fiona from the room. The secretary flicked a worried glance in Paget’s direction. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but she remained silent as she took her seat behind the desk.
    â€˜It’s probably none of my business,’ said Paget, ‘but is something wrong, Fiona?’ He nodded towards the door.
    Fiona frowned. ‘Not that I know of,’ she said, ‘but I’ve spoken to Dr Miller before, and I’ve never heard him sound quite like that. He’s usually very polite.’
    â€˜But not this time?’
    â€˜Well, he wasn’t rude,’ Fiona conceded, ‘but he was certainly brusque, and he was very insistent on talking to Mr Alcott
immediately
! He made that very clear. It’s just . . .’
    Her words were cut off as Alcott’s door swung back and he came out of the office, one arm in the air as he struggled into his jacket. ‘It’s Marion,’ he said. ‘I knew she had a doctor’s appointment this morning, but she said it was just to get some more tablets for her cough. But Miller tells me he’s put her in the hospital. Sent her over in an ambulance.’
    â€˜Oh, I am sorry,’ Fiona said. ‘Did he say what was wrong?’
    Alcott looked puzzled. ‘Can’t think what’s come over the man,’ he said. ‘All he would say was that Marion wasn’t in any immediate danger, but he refused to say more on the phone. Simply told me to meet him at the hospital, and hung up.’
    He turned to Paget. ‘I have to go,’ he said, ‘but I want you to get started on this case immediately. Go and see Rogers. I know he’ll be glad to help if he can. He’ll want to see these killers caught and punished.’ Alcott fished a packet of cigarettes from his pocket, stuck one in his mouth and lit it. ‘No need to look at me like that,’ he told Fiona sharply. ‘I’ll be out of the building in thirty seconds, so there’s not much point in calling the anti-smoking police, is there?’
    â€˜Has his wife been ill?’ asked Paget as Alcott strode away.
    â€˜Not that I know of, and I’m sure I would have heard.’ Fiona’s motherly features showed concern. ‘But it doesn’t sound good if Dr Miller sent her to hospital in an ambulance.’

TWO
    D etective Sergeant John Tregalles checked the reference number of the files once more to make sure he had them all before settling himself in his seat. This was not the way he had intended to spend the afternoon, stuck here in the office, with the temperature hovering close to thirty-three degrees,