On Laughton Moor Read Online Free Page B

novel.
    ‘It must have been a Sunday morning.’ said Bishop. ‘I don’t normally lie around in my pyjamas like that.’
    ‘And you live alone?’ asked Knight.
      ‘Yeah, for the last six months, since my partner moved out. Although,’ she gave Knight a sideways glance ‘she wouldn’t have been much use with a face at the window anyway, she’d have been terrified.’
    Knight’s expression didn’t change as he absorbed what Bishop had just revealed. He looked again at the photograph.
      ‘I just don’t see what he hopes to gain from this.’
      ‘You think it’s a he?’
      ‘He, she, whoever. So he knows where you live . . . ’
      ‘Yes, and God knows what else I might have been doing that morning. I’ve been trying to think when exactly it could have been. And then there’s this.’
    Wrapping her hands in a piece of kitchen towel, she lifted the photograph of herself from the table top, to reveal another piece of paper beneath. Knight stepped forward to have a look. There were two images, the first a colour reproduction of old painting showing a pale faced woman in a brown jewelled dress, the second the black and white outline of a chess piece. Knight stared, his mind unable to take in what he was seeing. He shook his head.
      ‘That’s . . . ’
      ‘Catherine of Aragon?’ Bishop replied in a monotone. ‘I didn’t know, but if you put the name ‘Catherine’ in Google, this is the first image that comes up. The chess piece is a bishop, isn’t it, and that gave me a clue. Catherine Bishop. They’re talking about me. What is this?’
    Knight shook his head, not able to make sense of what he was seeing.
    ‘I’ve no idea. You’re sure Pollard had no reason to have a grudge against you, or . . . ’
    ‘None, none at all. Pollard’s dead, how could he be involved? I know it was probably posted yesterday, so he could have sent it. That would make sense if he’d meant it as a threat, if he’d been blackmailing me or whatever, but it’s ridiculous, I’ve done nothing to be blackmailed about. I knew his face, I knew his name, but I’ve never spoken to him, not had any contact with him whatsoever.’ Bishop closed her eyes for a second. ‘It’s like a nightmare, I feel like a suspect must feel.’ She gazed at Knight. ‘I don’t understand any of this, I swear.’
    ‘Neither do I, but I don’t like it.’ Knight said, looking again at the images. ‘We need to tell the DCI about this.’ He took his mobile out of his pocket as Bishop sat down at the table, propping her forehead on her hands, gazing down at the pictures. Kendrick answered gruffly and Knight explained as quickly as he could.
    ‘Bloody hell, this gets stranger.’ Kendrick said. He was obviously eating, Knight heard him chew then swallow. ‘And Bishop has no idea what’s going on? This might sound harsh Jonathan, but do you believe her?’
    Knight glanced at Bishop, her head bent, remembering the fear he had heard in her voice when she had phoned him, thinking about the quick, nervous movements she’d made since he’d arrived at her home.
    ‘Yes.’ he said firmly. ‘Definitely.’
    ‘Good enough for me.’ Kendrick replied, taking another bite. ‘We’ll talk again in the morning but in the meantime tell her to be careful, tell her to book into a hotel or go to a friend or relative. If I was her, I’d be nervous. How’s she holding up?’ 
      ‘Okay, I think.’ Knight looked again at Bishop, who gave a shaky smile.
      ‘Typical Catherine. I’ll have to let the Super know as well, I suppose.’ thundered Kendrick. ‘See you both tomorrow.’
    Knight ended the call, and pointed at the pictures.
    ‘I know you touched these before you realised what they were, but I think we need to get all of this fingerprinted. I doubt we’ll get anything from it, but you never know. How do you feel about staying here after this?’
    Bishop sighed.
    ‘To be honest I’d rather not, not tonight. I know the picture was