The Hostage: BookShots (Hotel Series) Read Online Free Page B

something to hide.’
    The last time Roscoe had seen Peter Savage had been on the day he’d resigned from the police force. The final case they’d worked on together had seen a casino security guard accused of assault and attempted murder. From the outset, Savage was certain the security guard was guilty. To him it was an obvious fit. A steroid-pumped security guard was an easy target to tailor for a conviction.
    But Roscoe wasn’t so certain.
    Surveillance cameras both inside and outside the casino offered no conclusive evidence. For Savage, however, this meant a perpetrator who knew how to avoid being seen. It was simply a case of finding the evidence to convict his man and he ignored the fact that the two victims had been involved in a fight in a nearby pub earlier in the day.
    No DNA evidence against the security guard existed until Savage was left alone to carry out a second sweep.
    Suddenly the evidence materialised.
    A conviction followed that Roscoe knew in his heart was dirty.
    He raised an internal investigation with his superiors but it was swept away. The day the Internal Investigation Unit delivered its report was Roscoe’s last day as a member of the Metropolitan Police. He resigned that day and never returned.
    ‘Is this lovely lady checking in for the night?’ said Savage, looking at Anna Conquest. ‘You here to carry her bags, Roscoe? Sorry I’m not here for a longer stay myself or you could have checked me in as well – earned yourself a nice tip.’
    ‘Don’t start, Savage,’ replied Roscoe, not putting any effort into hiding his dislike of the man. ‘We’ve got one dead man and another one badly injured.’
    ‘And a third man who has no jurisdiction, so butt out. I want you back down in the lobby right now.’
    As they rode the elevator back down, Savage turned to Roscoe. ‘You look bloody horrendous. What have you been doing?’
    ‘Trying to catch a killer – while you were taking your time getting here.’
    When the elevator doors opened on the lobby, Savage looked across at Stanley, still lying on the floor receiving treatment from the paramedics.
    ‘What happened to the big man?’
    Roscoe bristled at Savage’s goading but Anna put her hand on his arm.
    ‘He was stabbed in pursuit of the killer,’ Roscoe said.
    ‘Pretty
slow
pursuit’s my guess,’ Savage laughed. ‘We’ll need to speak to him before you take him away,’ he continued, speaking directly to the two paramedics.
    ‘Afraid we have to get him out of here as soon as he’s stabilised,’ replied the lead paramedic. ‘He won’t be speaking to anybody right now.’
    ‘I can tell you what happened,’ said Roscoe, standing beside the inspector. ‘The killer was wearing a ski mask so we don’t have a description. Stanley tackled him on the stairs, the killer pulled a knife and Stanley got stabbed. After that, the killer headed back up into the hotel.’
    ‘So we’re saying we’ve got this crazy guy running around somewhere upstairs but we have no real idea where?’
    ‘Would seem like it,’ Roscoe agreed.
    Roscoe watched as Savage drew himself up, filling out his chest, as he readied himself to take control. He’d seen it a thousand times before.
    ‘Then I want everyone in the building brought down to the lobby and they remain here until I say otherwise. Starting with you, Roscoe.’

CHAPTER 8
    ROSCOE STEPPED ASIDE as, refusing to answer any questions, Savage and his team issued instructions to everyone in the lobby. No one was to leave the area. Confusion continued to reign and all those who only a few minutes before had appeared so eager to come inside the hotel now suddenly felt trapped.
    Were they in danger or were they under suspicion? All of them were to be interviewed as witnesses and could not leave the building until statements had been taken. Roscoe knew that Savage would be determined not to be the one to let a killer slip through his fingers.
    Voices began to be raised as guests expecting a