Tony Hill u Carol Jordan 08 - Cross and Burn

immediately, remembering the social conventions of dealing with a visitor. ‘Do you want a drink? I’ve got coffee and tea. Orange juice. Some of that Indian lager, goes well with takeaways.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘And white wine and vodka. Though there’s not been much call for those lately.’
    Carol Jordan’s drinks of choice. ‘I wouldn’t mind a lager.’
    Two steps and he was by the fridge. Tony pulled out two bottles, reached up for two glasses and was back at the table in a matter of seconds. The bottle opener was in a shallow drawer under the table. It was convenient, no denying that. ‘So, what brings you here?’ he said, pouring a beer for his guest.
    ‘I’ve had a strange day.’ Paula raised her glass. ‘Cheers. And I wanted to talk about it with somebody who understands what I’m talking about. Because I’ve started on a new team and —’
    ‘And your new boss isn’t Carol Jordan and you don’t have Chris and Stacey and Sam and Kevin to bounce things off.’
    ‘All of that, yes. And I know you’re not on the payroll any more and I know you don’t owe BMP anything. But I suppose I’ve got used to using you as a sounding board —’
    ‘Even when the boss says no.’ That wry twist to his mouth again. They both remembered only too well the times they’d sneaked behind Carol Jordan’s back for what they saw as the right reasons.
    Paula scowled. ‘OK, I don’t have her scruples about exploiting you. I think if you want to help, we should let you. And if you don’t, all you have to do is say no.’
    ‘I know. I wasn’t having a go at you, Paula. I’ve got skills and I prefer to use them rather than keeping them nicely polished on a shelf.’ This time his smile was uncomplicated but sad. ‘Besides, you’re the nearest thing I’ve got to a friend. If I can’t help my friend, what’s the point of me?’
    Paula shook herself like a dog emerging from a river. ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake. Listen to us. What a pathetic pair.’
    ‘We are, aren’t we? Best get some work done and stop auditioning for Oprah . So, what’s been strange about the day? Apart from it being the first day on your new firm.’
    And so she told him about Torin. About the unaccountable absence of Bev McAndrew and her rescue of the boy from the uncertain clutches of social services. ‘I spoke to the duty pharmacist who did the handover with her last night. Bev said nothing about any plans for the evening other than picking up some shopping on the way home. I’ve tracked down a couple of her female friends. Neither of them have heard from her.’ She ran her finger round the rim of her glass. ‘I’ll be honest, Tony, I don’t like it.’
    He leaned back and studied the low roof of the cabin. ‘Let’s consider the possibilities. Not an accident or an incident involving the emergency services.’
    ‘I told you. I checked.’
    ‘I know you did, I’m just running through the options. Amnesia? Hard to believe she could have gone twenty-four hours without attracting the attention of somebody who would do the responsible thing. And besides, real amnesia is incredibly rare. Usually memory loss is connected to a head injury which would have landed her in hospital. And you’ve ruled that out.’
    ‘She’s dead, isn’t she?’
    He held up a hand, palm towards her. ‘You jump to that conclusion because it’s what you know. In your world, murder is something that happens on a weekly basis. But that’s not how it is for most of us. Even if you consider six degrees of separation, most of us get closer to Kevin Bacon than we do to a murder victim. We need to look at more likely scenarios first.’
    ‘Like what?’ Paula’s jaw had a stubborn set. She knew what was coming and she’d already dismissed the other options.
    ‘A boyfriend – or a girlfriend – she’s gone off with spontaneously.’
    ‘She’s straight. But everybody I spoke to says she hasn’t been seeing anyone in the last couple of years.’
    Tony leaned forward. ‘How likely does that seem to you? You described her as bright, funny, attractive. I’m assuming she’s late thirties, early forties. A bit young to be going for the life of a nun, I’d have thought.’
    Tell that to Carol Jordan. How many years have you two been avoiding getting your act together? Paula kept her face straight and said, ‘What is it the straight women say? By the time you get to thirty-five, all the best blokes are taken or gay.’
    ‘And by the time