Page 40 (1/2)
‘Probably No word?’
‘We went straight back to the allotoing on, but given what happened before I don’t feel we need to start dragging the canal Not yet anyway Was she suicidal?’
‘It’s possible, yes She sentshe should have killed herself’
‘We’ve got a full alert on the canal and right along to the river If that’s where she’s gone, we’ll find her’
‘My guess is, she won’t be far away, alive or dead’
‘No’ He sighed ‘Any other time …’
‘Poor you Your teaain But determined Still absolutely determined’
‘What about Beanie Man?’
He shrugged ‘We got an identikit froives us very little I don’t think we’ll put it out There’s no facial detail She just remembers what she calls a whispery voice and the hat, otherwise it’s more a question of what he isn’t – not fat, not thin, not bearded, not very tall, not very short, nothing – just the hat’
‘Needle in haystack then’
‘Pretty much But at least we know this time that Ruth has probably strayed of her own accord There haven’t been any h there was a nasty bit of violence on one of the prostitutes We knoho did that, we’ve got yet another search on for him But if he murdered the others we haven’t been able to pin it on hihed ‘Honestly? No I doubt it Nasty piece of work, but thisHe’s stealthy Jonty Lewis isn’t any of those things, he’s just a druggie with a habit of violence’
‘Is the girl all right?’
‘Cut her forehead, knocked herself out But she’s OK Listen, if Ruth Webber turns up, what are you going to do?’
‘Try to persuade her to go into the unit, until the medication kicks in properly and she’s a bit ht be necessary to section her this tier I don’t think he knohich way to turn’
‘I know the feeling’
They started to go in ‘Saet this day aith him Maybe it’ll all be sewn up by half-terh-ho By the way, I’lad about you and Judith’
‘What about us?’
‘You know perfectly well I’d say not before ti like it’
‘No, you’d say you toldat the table re thes into the dishwasher
‘Supper?’ she said ‘There’s plenty for everyone – I just need to knofor my course and a report to start on the day-care unit whose principal function nobody see for Cat or Judith to tell him how much his father would appreciate it Neither of theet a call’
‘We see that rather a lot recently’
‘I’ll round up the gang’
But when it was suggested that they get ready to go home, Hannah set up wails of protest and Felix watched for a carefulabout
‘I want to stay, please can I, pleeease … ? Granny Jude, please … and Felix wants to’
Felix wailed h co that din for? I can’t hearin
‘Cat, we’re more than happy for them to stay as you know, but it’s your call’
‘If they’re sleeping here I want to coht, you do that, and Hannah and Felix will stay’
‘Good’
Cat raised an eyebrow at Siht of a peaceful drive hoether without the other two and perhaps if there was soive him the chance
Sixty-two
Stephen Webber sat with his head in his hands at his desk, sobbing Miles looked at him with concern
‘I probably shouldn’t say this,’ he said, ‘but ill or not, Ruth is being grossly unfair on you It was her duty to go into hospital and get herself better As it is, you’re a wreck, you can’t function as Dean or anything else while this is going on, and when she is found you really are going to have to be firreat respect for you, but I have to say this is not doing us any favours I’ if you won’t, and you must formally ask for three months’ leave of absence Now, drink this’
He held out a measure of brandy Stephen did not move His shoulders relass down beside hiether This is very difficult, I understand, but you have to face things Hold fast’
Stephen lifted his head and took out a handkerchief
‘Now drink that’
He drank
‘Right Now, presuone to her previous hiding place She won’t be far away It wasthe last time when it seemed possible that she was a victim of this madman, but now that her mental condition is known, there won’t be that confusion’
‘Dear God, Miles, I should have recognised that she was in such a bad state I should have insisted’
‘Well, you did as you thought best’
‘No That’s the point I knew perfectly as for the best and I was too afraid to stand fir up?’
‘Oh co easily done Ruth is very determined and she is not a noisy person by nature – evennot to disturb you That’s not your fault’
‘I feel at fault I feel entirely guilty’
‘Yes, but that’s not very productive Accept that the worst you have done is e of the Chapter or shall I? I have authority but it would be better coht, I’m of no use to anyone just at the moment Perhaps ever’
‘Don’t be ridiculous Now, o into the cathedral and pray together that Ruth returns home safely and accepts the need to be admitted to hospital? It would help, you know’
Stephen wiped his eyes, and put his hand on Miles’s arm for a second
‘You are a rock,’ he said ‘It’s always been the case but now … Bless you, Miles’
Sixty-three
At seven thirty Hannah rang to say goodnight and the call went on as she gave a detailed account of the progra hidden the bath plug
‘Let me speak to Felix’
‘Heyyyylooo’
‘Felix, where did you hide Granny Jude’s bath plug?’
There was a pause then shrieks of laughter before Felix put the phone down
Cat sighed and went back toherself a salad sandwich Judith would coax the infor She wondered if Si had happened to call him back to the station
Sam had said little on the way ho She had not spoken herself, determined not to make him clam up, and for a while there had been silence in the car But she had taken the longer route hoot onto the country road, Say if you play hockey?’