AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I had no family here.
I was alone.
Maybe it was apropos.
Thanksgiving day, and I was tracking a possible kidnapper.
The trail cut into a side road, and I could see the pub up ahead. A car pulled up, and I ducked behind a tree. Morgan lowered the window. “It’s me,” he said. “You’re safe. Get in.”
I walked over to his car and opened the door, sitting down.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
I nodded.
“DC Havard is in an uproar. He said you’ve been following him.”
“We need to talk,” I said. “Somewhere private. I’ll explain everything.”
He drove to his house, and we got out, going inside. “Are you hungry? I can make us something to eat.”
“No, I don’t think I could keep anything down.” I clasped my hands together to keep them from shaking.
He motioned to the couch, and I sat down as he took a seat on the side chair, scooching it closer.
“DC Havard can be a bit of an arsehole, but I won’t let him hurt you.” He reached out and took my hand. “What’s going on?”
I told him everything. From the similar missing persons cases to Havard driving the bus route and using the binoculars to look at houses.
“That’s a big accusation,” Morgan said, running a finger along his upper lip. “One I need to tread very carefully with. To indict a cop is very serious.”
“I know.” I looked down. “You oversaw those cases. You were the DCI. Do you remember anything about the missing girl?”
He shook his head. “There were so many cases in Newham. It’s one of the most dangerous boroughs in London. Crime was rampant, and we were understaffed. I can’t say I do.”
“Robert Brandt was the DI on the case.”
“Robert is a good detective. He would have been thorough in his investigation.”
“But Havard was the one who found the letter that closed the case. It’s just like Bryn’s case. It can’t be a coincidence.”
“You found Bryn’s backpack on Rhys Hughes’ property,” he reminded me.
“It could have been planted there. Havard could be trying to frame him to take the suspicion off himself.”
“I know you care for Rhys, Navy,” he said, giving my hand a squeeze. “But he still remains our biggest suspect. I can’t bring accusations against DC Havard without evidence, and driving the bus route and an old case don’t equal proof. Havard is supposed to monitor the bus route. I personally assigned him the job to help ease the tattered nerves of the community. I would still have Rhys in custody if you hadn’t removed the backpack from the scene of the crime.”
“What?” I asked, looking up.
He held a hand up. “It’s nothing. I shouldn’t have said anything. You were trying to help.”
“Rhys is free because of me?”
“The backpack became circumstantial as soon as it left his property. It’s hearsay. Your word against his. You could have found it anywhere.”
Fuck.
Had I been blind this whole time? So much so that I would blame another man.
