Only the Good Die Young Read Online Free Page B

on a big case, Dad. I might be working late for a while.’
    ‘Well maybe now isn’t the time.’
    ‘Why? What’s wrong?’
    Shirley forgot the missing people.
    ‘Is Mum OK?’
    ‘It’s your Granny. She’s been diagnosed with cancer.’
    ‘What!’
    ‘It doesn’t look good I’m afraid.’
    ‘Is she there? Can I speak to her?’
    ‘She’s sleeping. I think she’s in shock.’
    ‘I’ll come and see her as soon as I can,’ she said.
    She hung up and sat staring into space.
    ‘Bad news?’ asked Dave.
    ‘My Granny. She’s got cancer.’
    ‘I’m sorry,’ said Dave. ‘Are you OK? You’re shaking.’
    ‘She practically brought me up. I can’t believe it.’
    ‘If you need to go to your family, go. You can take time off.’
    Shirley looked at the CCTV on the computer screen.
    ‘No,’ she said. ‘I’ll visit at the weekend. Come on. Let’s find this bastard.’
    They scrolled through the footage.
    ‘How did he know where to park? He parked outside of the CCTV area.’ said Dave.
    ‘I think this guy is our guy,’ said Shirley.
    She pointed to a man in a green hoody.
    ‘Can we get his face?’ asked Dave.
    They scrolled through as he walked to the cafe.
    ‘No,’ said Shirley.
    ‘So he’s turned his face away from every camera. Interesting,’ said Dave.
    ‘Look at him,’ said Shirley. ‘Here he is, sitting in the cafe, behind a newspaper. And look – here we have an elderly man sitting on his own.’
    She got out her phone and checked the picture sent by the daughter. She held it up next to the screen.
    ‘Looks like a match to me,’ said Dave.
    ‘Shit,’ said Shirley. ‘If he was in the cafe, why didn’t he make his appointment?’
    ‘Because this man,’ said Dave, pointed at the screen. ‘Got to him first.’
    Shirley scrolled forward.
    ‘And here they are together. Mr Thompson and our green hoody guy are walking together,’ she said.
    ‘Cut to the entrance.’
    The man held Mr Thompson’s arm. They set off towards the car park.
    ‘Where’s the last sighting?’ said Dave.
    ‘In the car park,’ said Shirley. ‘Before the white van drives off. As far as I can see, Mr Thompson doesn’t return from the car park.’
    ‘Motive?’ said Dave.
    ‘I really don’t know,’ said Shirley. ‘It seems quite random, except that Mrs Mckinckley and Mr Thompson are elderly. That’s the only connection.’
    Shirley’s mind flitted to her Granny for a second. She took a deep breath. She tried not to imagine her not being there anymore.
    ‘We need to tell elderly people to be careful. How do we do it without scaring people?’ said Shirley.
    ‘I’ll phone press relations,’ said Dave. ‘Let them deal with it. We should talk to the staff now, at reception and the cafe. They might have seen something.’
    ‘I’ll request a list of staff on shift this morning,’ said Shirley.
    ‘Ah yes,’ said Dave.
    Shirley left him calling the station to update them and went to speak to the receptionist.
    ‘What time did you come on shift today?’ she asked.
    ‘Eleven.’
    ‘Do you know who was here between 7am and 8am this morning?’
    ‘Sam.’
    ‘How can I get hold of Sam?’
    ‘Here.’
    The receptionist passed over a list of names and numbers.
    Shirley took it and walked off.
    ‘I need that back,’ said the receptionist.
    ‘OK,’ said Shirley.
    She put the number into her phone and dialled. There was no answer. She left a message asking him to call urgently.
    ‘He’ll be asleep,’ said the receptionist as she took the sheet of paper. ‘He was on a night shift.’
    Shirley nodded and walked away. She walked down the corridor to the cafe. It smelt of coffee. There was a warmer, friendlier atmosphere with loved ones and patients laughing together. She went to the till and asked who was working earlier.
    ‘I was,’ said the young man serving.
    ‘Long shift,’ said Shirley.
    ‘I’m jacked up on coffee all day so I get by.’
    ‘I know the feeling,’ said Shirley. ‘Do