No Second Chances: A British police dog-handler mystery (Daniel Whelan #4)(16)

‘I know how it looks but he may not be with anyone,’ Daniel began, but Lorna cut in.

‘Then where is he? And how did those men know he was back when I didn’t? How often has he lied to me like this? I feel like everyone knows what’s going on except me!’

‘Lorna, slow down,’ Daniel advised, when she stopped for a breath. ‘I think it’s much more likely that Harvey has got wind of the fact that those two charmers are looking for him and is lying low.’

‘But why didn’t he tell me what’s going on? Why didn’t he warn me, for God’s sake?’

‘I can’t say for sure but he may have thought it would be better if you knew nothing about it. After all, what you don’t know, you can’t tell, and if he has got himself into a whole load of trouble, I imagine he hoped he could sort it all out without you knowing.’

‘But what sort of trouble? I don’t understand how he came to owe those men money, if that’s what it is. What’s he been doing? Should I ring the police and report him missing?’

‘Well, strictly speaking, we don’t know that he’s missing, do we?’ Daniel said. ‘He came back from Hong Kong early without telling you but it seems to have been planned. I hate to have to say it, Lorna, but whatever he’s been up to, it’s unlikely to be legitimate. Those two guys weren’t sent by any solicitor’s office. If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say maybe he’s got himself in a bit deep with the bookies and got himself in hock trying to clear it.’

‘No!’ Her vehemence surprised him. ‘He wouldn’t do that. He knows how I feel about gambling. He promised. He actually promised, when we got married, that he never would.’

Belatedly, Daniel remembered what Fred had told him about Lorna’s brother. Privately he thought that the breaking of such a promise might go a long way to explaining Harvey Myers’ secretive behaviour but he had no wish to distress Lorna further while there was no proof. ‘Well, for whatever reason, I reckon he’s found himself short of cash and gone to a moneylender – maybe to fund an investment that went bad – and now he can’t pay it back. You said his accountant was keen to get hold of him the other day …’

‘He was,’ Lorna admitted. ‘But he wouldn’t tell me why. Oh God, what a mess! What am I supposed to do now? How dare he just bugger off and leave me to deal with all this?’

As Daniel’s thoughts had been running along the same lines for the last two days, he could provide no constructive answer.

‘What’s important now is to make sure you and Zoe are safe. I really don’t like you being there on your own.’

‘I won’t be for much longer,’ she said. ‘I rang Stephen and he’s coming down tomorrow for the weekend.’

‘Well, that’s something, at least,’ Daniel said, endeavouring to keep the doubt out of his voice. As far as he knew, Harvey’s son, Stephen, worked as the manager of an art gallery. He just hoped his spare-time activities were more physically challenging, if he was to provide any form of protection to his stepmother should Leather Jacket and his tattooed mate come calling again.

‘So where does your mum think you are this time?’ Daniel asked, as he and Zoe headed for Barnsworthy the following evening.

‘Doing coursework at a girlfriend’s house,’ she replied unashamedly. ‘At least, that’s what I told her. She probably thinks I’m secretly meeting Shane.’

‘You haven’t told her he’s disappeared, then?’

‘No. She doesn’t need any more reasons to dislike him.’

‘She’s just looking out for you, you know,’ Daniel said.

‘I know, and I love her to bits, but she’s wrong about this.’

‘Has there been any news on your father?’

Zoe shook her head. ‘And the worst thing’s happened. Apparently Stephen’s coming down for the weekend.’ She groaned dramatically. ‘I can’t stand him! He’s just so … so pompous! Thinks he knows everything and it’s, like, his job to tell everyone how they could do things better. It’s seriously annoying.’

‘Seriously,’ Daniel agreed, but Zoe appeared not to notice his gentle mickey-taking.

‘Why did you stop being a policeman?’ she asked after a moment or two. ‘Didn’t you like it?’

‘I was asked to leave.’ It wasn’t strictly true, but easier than explaining the circumstances that had led to him handing in his notice.

‘Seriously? Why? What did you do?’

‘I, um – fell out with a senior officer.’

‘Why?’

‘Long story,’ Daniel said with a sigh. ‘I’d rather forget it.’

‘My real father was a policeman,’ Zoe said then. ‘He ran out on us – Mum and me – before I was even born.’

‘Yeah. My father did the same. He was a policeman, too.’

‘When you were a baby?’

‘No. He hung around longer than yours. I was eight when he left. No warning, no explanation. Mum had four of us to bring up by herself. It was a struggle.’

‘But you still joined the police. Didn’t your mother mind?’

‘She wasn’t over the moon but my sister was worse. She’s really bitter about it. We don’t talk much, but that’s life, I guess.’ With some relief, Daniel changed the subject. ‘Now, the satnav is saying we’ve reached our destination but I don’t see it, do you?’