Page 73 of Five for Silver

“Yes,” James hissed, and yanked Chad out ofsight by his shirt collar. “If you don’t get seen.”

James’s black sedan and an escort of threemarked police cars and two motorbikes took off from the car park atspeed. James paced reception back and forth until the slap of hisshoes began to grate on Chad’s nerves. Lucy sat on a plastic chair,tugging her bottom lip.

“They bought it,” Lynn confirmed. UnlikeChad who’d been yanked from the window, James allowed her tolook.

James’s decoy plan had worked, and the presshad taken the bait and packed up their things to pursue the blacksedan.

“No escort?” Chad asked.

James stopped. “I’m sure we can handleVincent.”

“Is the superintendent okay with this?”

“The superintendent just wants us to findHarriet. Whatever we have to do to achieve that he’s happy to turna blind eye to as long as we get the result we want.”

Lucy snorted drawing James’s glare.

“Sorry,” she said, covering her mouth. “Theresult youwant, sounds like the police, out for themselves.As usual.”

“We’re ready for Vincent.” James told Lynn,before speaking to Chad. “I’ll meet you in the car.”

“Where am I going?” Lucy asked. “I’m notsitting in the middle seat. I don’t want to be up close andpersonal with the man that killed my sister.”

“You can follow behind us in your truck.”James replied before hurrying out of reception.

Chad knew it would take time for Lynn andPauline to get Vinicent ready, time he could spend alone withJames. He sighed, pushing to his feet. The Romeo and Juliet tactic.James seemed more likely to cave Chad’s face in than open up abouthis relationship with Harriet, but he had to at least try.

He paused. “Lynn, have you got that list forme yet?”

Lynn stiffened. “Almost.”

“Almost?”

She didn’t meet his eye.

“What list?” Lucy asked.

Chad frowned at Lynn’s obvious avoidance. “Iasked for a list of Vincent’s contacts. People he wrote to, called,had visit him.”

“Why do you want to know that?” Lucy bit herlip. “In case he told them something about Harriet?”

“Yeah,” he shrugged. “So I can contact themto ask for information.”

Lucy nodded. “That sounds smart.”

“I better help Pauline with Vincent.” Lynnsaid, avoiding the topic entirely.

Lucy fished her keys out of her pocket.“James better drive sensibly today.”

“He will,” Chad promised, holding the doorfor her.

They strolled across the car park insilence. Lucy shot him a small smile as she climbed in her truck,and Chad took a deep breath, approaching James.

James sat in the driver’s seat with his headin his hands. He shot up when Chad opened the door, and got in nextto him.

“I honestly don’t know why it takes them solong to get him.” James pressed back in his seat. “They should just… throw him in here and let memakehim tell us.”

“I don’t think the superintendent could turna blind eye to that.”

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