Dead Level (The DI Nick Dixon Crime Series Book 5) Read Online Free Page B

that though, Dave, and we’re gonna do this one by the book. OK?’
    ‘He could’ve . . .’
    ‘Of course he could. So we check.’
    ‘Yes, Sir.’
    ‘While I think about it,’ said Lewis, turning to Janice, ‘check his bank statements. If he did drive from London to Bridgwater and back in one night, chances are he’ll have stopped for petrol.’
    Janice rolled her eyes.
    ‘Teaching you to suck eggs, I know. Sorry,’ said Lewis.
    ‘It’s fine, Sir,’ replied Janice.
    ‘Right, let’s talk about the press. There’s usually bugger all to report on at this time of year, except the Queen’s speech, and we’ve got the by-election angle so they’re going to be all over this story. The nationals too.’
    ‘It’s going to be a nightmare,’ said Janice.
    ‘It is,’ replied Lewis. ‘I suggest we meet with the press officer, Janice. I’ll set it up for this afternoon, when you’ve got more of a handle on what’s going on.’
    ‘Yes, Sir.’
    ‘In the meantime, no one says anything to anyone. Is that clear?’
    ‘Yes, Sir.’
    The phone rang on the sideboard behind Dave Harding. He leaned back on his chair and answered it.
    ‘Chief constable’s here, Sir,’ he said, replacing the handset.
    ‘Well, I’ll leave you to it,’ said Lewis, standing up and walking towards the door. ‘Let me know when Perry gets here and ring me if you get anything in the meantime.’
    ‘Yes, Sir,’ replied Janice.
    She waited for DCI Lewis to close the door behind him.
    ‘OK. Dave, I want a full background check on Mrs Perry. Mark, you take the husband. Business dealings, bank accounts, mobile phone records, everything. Friends, known associates. I want to know everything about them before I speak to the husband .’
    Dave and Mark reminded Jane of nodding dogs on the parcel shelf of a car.
    ‘Harry, you liaise with the house to house team. I want a complete timeline of their movements for the last forty-eight hours to begin with. We may have to go back further but we’ll see. All right?’
    ‘What time does it start?’
    ‘Nine, but there aren’t that many doors to knock on so it shouldn’t take too long.’
    ‘Good.’
    ‘I’m going over there now,’ said Janice. ‘Jane, you’re with me.’
    Thank God for that.

    ‘How’s Nick?’
    Jane was sitting in the passenger seat of Janice’s car as they drove over the M5 at Huntworth, over the canal and on towards Moorland . She was watching the windscreen wiper and thought it odd that Janice’s car only had one. It was working twice as hard to do the same job, much like being a police officer after the latest round of budget cuts, but she decided to keep that thought to herself.
    ‘He’s fine.’
    ‘How did his interview go?’
    ‘OK, I think,’ replied Jane. She looked at her watch. It was just before 8.30 a.m. and no doubt Dixon was still in bed.
    ‘We’d all have done the same thing in his shoes,’ said Janice. ‘And I preferred sharing an office with him to this open plan crap any day.’
    They arrived in Moorland to find the left turn to Northmoor Green closed opposite the church. A patrol car was parked across the road, blocking the junction. Janice waved her warrant card at the uniformed officers sitting in the patrol car, but neither of them seemed keen to get wet. Next she tried improvised sign language and a yell of ‘Shift!’, which appeared to do the trick.
    Jane used the opportunity to read the road signs: ‘Northmoor Green, No Through Road’; ‘Unsuitable for HGVs’; ‘No Turning Area’; and last but not least, a homemade ‘SAT NAV WRONG, DEAD END’. Then she noticed that all of the bungalows either side of the junction had ‘Dredge the Rivers!’ signs in their windows.
    ‘The cottage is down at the far end,’ said Janice, waiting for the patrol car to pull forward. ‘Waterside Cottage, so I imagine it’s by the river.’
    ‘That explains the signs,’ replied Jane.
    They followed the lane, the red brick bungalows on