Death Trap Read Online Free Page B

‘Dunno. She just told me to do it.’
    ‘You don’t come across to me as someone who would just do something without a reason.’ Rio paused, controlling the irritation she heard in her tone. ‘Do you want to get the people who did this?’
    Nikki nodded.
    Rio got out of the chair and eased down on the bed next to Nikki’s hip. ‘Then help me out.’
    Nikki’s fingers stopped playing in the blanket and she folded her arms over her belly.
    ‘OK.’ She raised her head and her light grey eyes stared at Rio. ‘I was in the bedroom, on Hamlet—’
    ‘Hamlet?’ Rio asked, confused.
    ‘That’s what I call my iPad. Hamlet.’
    Well at least this kid was getting a good education, not that Rio knew anything about Hamlet or any other type of Shakespearean play, except the unnecessary tragedy of Romeo and Juliet .
    Nikki’s arms tightened around her body. ‘I thought I heard a noise from downstairs . . .’
    ‘What type of noise?’
    ‘Something falling . . . I don’t know . . . Maybe a scream . . .’ Her voice jerked with her memories.
    ‘Then what did you do?’
    ‘I got up . . .’
    The door opened and Detective Strong pushed his head into the room.
    The temper that Rio had been holding back came out full blast. ‘I told you to stay outside.’ She pointed at the bottom of the doorway. ‘Not to cross the threshold.’
    But he wasn’t moving; in fact he dared take a step into the room. ‘I need to speak with you—’
    ‘Not now you don’t.’
    ‘Yes now.’ There was a bite in his tone for the first time since Rio had met him. Well screw him; she was the one calling the shots, not him. But just as she was ready to let another comeback fly he turned and strode briskly back into the corridor leaving the door wide open. Rio thrust herself to standing. If he wanted a punch up she was so ready to put her boxing gloves on.
    Then she remembered Nikki. She plastered on a half-hearted smile of reassurance. ‘Just try and relax and picture what happened. I’ll be back.’
    Rio found Strong in the corridor leaning casually against the wall.
    ‘I don’t like your tone.’ Her gaze ran over him, slowly, from head to toe. ‘Or the way you’re posing against that wall.’
    He slowly peeled himself off.
    ‘Mind you, it doesn’t matter because you’re going to be off this case as soon as we get back to base.’
    ‘In the meantime,’ he answered, ‘I’ll do my job. I don’t know who that girl is in there, but she isn’t the Bells’ daughter.’
    That shook Rio up; she wasn’t expecting that.
    ‘She said her name is Nikki Bell.’
    ‘The neighbours are saying the only daughter Maurice and Linda Bell have is called Leah. She’s thirty years old.’
     
    ‘She had to be in that house for a reason. Maybe she’s their granddaughter?’ Rio reasoned to Strong.
    ‘Both the Bells’ children are single without any kids attached.’
    ‘Shit,’ Rio let rip. She straightened her shoulders, turning to look with determination at the door of the room she’d just left.
    ‘Go easy on her,’ Strong gently advised.
    Rio flung her gaze with contempt at him. ‘Like you went easy on that lad four years back?’ Strong tipped his chin up in defiance, but said nothing. ‘Why don’t you cash in your cards? The Met doesn’t need the nasty stain of cops like you stinking up its four walls.’
    And with that Rio re-entered the room. She stared hard at the teen. The time for being gentle with the kid had passed. Swiftly she headed for the other side of the bed. This time when she reached the girl she didn’t sit, but shifted her legs slightly wide, looming and looking down.
    ‘Who are you, Nikki?’
    The girl’s tongue darted against her dried lips before she answered. ‘I told you, Nikki Bell.’
    ‘You see that’s causing me a bit of a problem because the man and woman who lived in that house, who are now dead,’ the girl flinched, ‘didn’t have a daughter your age. So whose little girl are