Page 122 of Night Call

“Why?”

Blake let out a breath and shook his head. “No reason. Just seeing how you were feeling about it now.”

Pember sighed. “I want to see Ru again, but not with them around. I’ll text him in a couple of days.”

He should have just dragged him back to the car. But how would that make him any better than Maya and the others?

Blake shifted, wrapping both arms around Pember’s chest and nuzzling his face into his shoulder. “What do you know about Ru?”

“Nothing, really. Nothing at all. They didn’t give me a chance to get to know him.”

“Perhaps it’s for the best.”

“How so?”

Blake sighed. “It sounds like he has a lot of his own issues. I don’t want you getting hurt by being drawn into something that isn’t your problem.”

That stung a little. More than Pember would have liked to admit. “I know. But where would I be now if Ollie didn’t help me out last year? I may not know Ru, but he deserves to know someone has his back.”

Blake hummed. “You’re too kind, Pember McArthur. Save some of it for yourself.”

Pember chuckled and leant into him. “Oh, I forgot to ask. What were the results of Robert Green’s 999 call? Did it connect?”

Blake swallowed and nodded. “Yeah. The call only lasted five seconds before the phone was dropped into the water. There was some background noise, but ultimately Robert Green’s last words were him screaming for his mum.”

Sadness lanced through Pember’s heart and he covered his mouth. “That’s… devastating. His poor mum.”

Blake nodded in agreement.

Just then, Blake’s phone rang on the little table next to the bath. Pember tipped his chin up and glanced over at it. “It’s the inspector,” he said flatly. “Does he know why you’re off?”

“Yeah, I called in this morning.”

“You better get it. It must be important.”

Blake sighed and reached across. “Your phone’s ringing too,” he said, tilting Pember’s phone up from where it lay next to his. It was Wallace.

Pember sighed, grabbed the phone and slid to the other end of the bath. Shaking the water from his hand, he pressed the phone to his ear.

“Pember?” Wallace said, sounding flustered.

“Yes. Hi, Wallace.”

“Ah, good. I’m really sorry to call, can you speak?”

Pember glanced up at Blake. “Yeah, of course. What’s up?”

“Pem, there’s another body. The woollen mill up in the hills. Maya’s indisposed and Duncan’s already worked a twenty-hour shift. I’m so sorry to ask, but are you well enough to come in?”

Pember’s stomach dropped, and when he looked up again he found Blake staring at him. They shared a look before simultaneously saying, “I’ll be right in.”

CHAPTER 27

CLOSE TO HOME

Pember

The police stationwaiting room was as quiet as the grave. It was Thursday afternoon, and the old-fashioned sign hanging from the front door had been flipped to Closed. The station’s usual hum of activity was completely silent, and as the security lock beeped and they stepped into the front office, they could have heard a pin drop.

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