Читать книгу The Child’s Secret - Amanda Brooke, Amanda Brooke - Страница 14

Sam hadn’t known what kind of trouble he had been stepping into when he had decided to offer a helping hand to the Petersons, but he refused to feel guilty about trying to grant a little girl’s wish. If he regretted anything, it was telling Anna about that first one, but at least he hadn’t shared any more. ‘I didn’t tell you about the wish because I fail to see how it would help find Jasmine.’

‘Let me be the judge of that,’ DCI Harper said.

‘All right then, yes, I knew Jasmine wanted her dad to find a job. Is it a crime now to want to help someone?’ Sam demanded.

‘I suppose that depends on the motive,’ Harper said. ‘What was in it for you, Mr McIntyre?’

Before Sam could reply, static crackled through the air as a police radio came to life. The police officer who had returned to his sentry duty by the door stepped out onto the landing to speak to his colleagues.

Sam took a look out of the window and noticed another police car drawing up outside. ‘Has something happened?’ he asked.

Harper didn’t bother to look outside but took a seat opposite Sam, having decided he was going to be there for a while. He checked his notes again, if only to kill time while he waited for his colleague to return. He didn’t have to wait long, and when he did come back into the room, the officer slipped Harper a note while avoiding any eye contact with Sam.

‘Would you mind if we searched your apartment, Mr McIntyre?’ Harper asked Sam.

‘You won’t find her here.’

‘I’m starting to think we won’t find much of anything here. Were you planning on going away, by any chance?’

A flush rose to Sam’s cooling cheeks, but before he could reply, the detective followed up his question with another. ‘Is that why you called your employers this morning and told them you were handing in your notice with immediate effect?’

Sam didn’t look at Harper but stared into the depths of his half-empty glass of water. ‘I’d simply decided it was time to move on. I never intended remaining in Liverpool long-term and I’d already stayed longer than I ever expected.’

Harper leaned back against the dining room chair, which groaned under his weight. ‘So you’d really had enough of all those schoolchildren flocking to the park to hang off your every word?’

‘I’ve given guided tours for years to people of all ages, here and in Edinburgh.’

Frowning, Harper lifted up the note the policeman had given him. ‘But your actual job is as a gardener at Calderstones, not a park ranger.’

‘Yes, but I started volunteering my time when the ranger services were cut back. It was still an official duty and I’ve been DBS checked, if that’s what you’re wondering. I don’t have a criminal record.’

‘Oh, I already know that, Mr McIntyre. No one’s suggesting otherwise.’

‘Then what exactly are you suggesting?’

‘Absolutely nothing,’ Harper replied and immediately changed tack. ‘Do you have family back in Scotland?’

‘I was married yes, but we’re divorced now.’

Harper nodded and Sam couldn’t tell if he was noting the answer or confirming it was correct. ‘Children?’

‘No.’

There was a moment when Harper held his gaze and Sam didn’t know what he was going to ask next but he dreaded it anyway.

‘I might want to speak to your wife, sorry, your ex-wife,’ Harper said at last. ‘Do you have her contact details?’ Harper had lifted his pen to his notepad in readiness.

‘You might have difficulty there. She was going on her honeymoon this morning so she’ll probably be mid-flight by now,’ Sam said. He was getting to know Harper and had the answer to his next remark before it left his lips. ‘But of course you can have her details if it helps.’

‘You haven’t had much success with relationships, have you, Mr McIntyre?’ Harper said. ‘Why did you break up with Miss Jenkins, by the way? She’s young and pretty by all accounts. What went wrong? Wasn’t she your type, either?’

‘We dated briefly and it didn’t work out, that’s all there was to it,’ Sam replied, not sure how he was remaining calm.

‘Was it something specifically that caused a rift in that particular relationship?’ Harper asked, and then cocked his head before adding, ‘Was she worried about your obsession with the Petersons?’

‘You’d have to ask her that,’ Sam answered, too quickly to see the trap.

‘We will,’ Harper replied with a satisfied smile. ‘But it’s good to hear that at least you recognize your obsession – which wasn’t only limited to Jasmine, was it?’