Read Blackout (Sam Archer 3) for Free Online Page B

Cobb and shook his head. 
    ‘Sad news.'
    'Yes. It is.'
    'Deaks mentioned he was a friend of yours?’
    Cobb nodded. ‘We worked together a few years ago.’
    Both men watched the screen in silence as a photo of Adams in suit and tie came onto the screen. He was smiling and waving to a crowd on a podium, a lectern in front of him, either before or just after he had given some kind of speech. Even out of combat fatigues and dressed in the suit, the man still cut an impressive figure, the broad musculature of his shoulders and arms clear under the dark suit jacket, his eyes narrowed warmly as he smiled at the crowd.
    'Did you know of him?' Cobb asked.
    Porter nodded. 'Yes, sir. He gave a speech in my local area last month. Impressive guy. He had my vote, that was for sure.'
    Pause.
    'The report said he left a widow and a small boy. A real shame.’
    ‘Yes. It is.’
    Just then, the phone on Cobb’s desk rang. He reached over and pushed a button for the loudspeaker on the phone.
    'Yep?'
    ‘Sir, I spoke to CID, ’ Nikki said, her voice filling the office. ‘I have some bad news.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘The wife and boy are both missing.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘No one has seen or heard from them since the news of the suicide. Not family, nor friends. They’ve just vanished. The boy didn’t show up for school, and the woman isn’t picking up her phone.’
    ‘What about the house?’
    ‘DI Graham went round to talk to her, but no one answered. When they eventually got inside, he and another detective found two unmade beds upstairs. The master and the kid’s room. But the house was empty. No bags were packed though. Everything was still there. Clothes, valuables, the whole lot. They haven’t done a runner.’
    ‘Maybe they had a fight,’ Porter suggested, loud enough so Nikki could hear.
      ‘ Seems unlikely,’ Nikki said. ‘ DI Graham said the neighbours told him they heard no noise last night, saw no one arrive or leave the house. Adams was at the office until midnight anyway, so if they argued, it would have been over the phone.’
    She paused, as Cobb and Porter absorbed what she’d just said.
    ‘Speaking of his office, I have more news for your sir.’
    ‘Go on.’
    ‘DI Graham spoke to the receptionist at Mr Adams' office. The girl said a letter came in the post for him late last night, around eleven o'clock, completely out of the blue. She said she gave it to him before he went home for the night, around midnight. She was the last person who saw him alive.’ 
    Cobb looked at Porter, and both men frowned.
    ‘Have they found the letter?’ Cobb asked.
    ‘No, sir. But they found the envelope in his car. Forensics took a swab from the seal and are already running it to try and match the DNA. They're also checking the envelope for prints or anything at all they can trace which might tell us where it came from. When they found his body, the report said there were black remnants of burnt paper by his feet. Two different types. Standard sheet paper and photographic.’
    Cobb nodded. ‘Any details?’
    ‘No sir. They were only singed edges, all curled up. The letter and photographs themselves were torched. Only parts of the edges are left, and those are black and charred.’
    Cobb swore.
    ‘Shit. What progress is DI Graham making re the two missing persons?’
    ‘ They are already going through her phonebook and contacting friends and family. He hasn’t alerted the press yet, but he’s going to let them know shortly and put out a plea for public help to call them immediately if there are any sightings. Adams’ wife was starting to become recognisable to people, so he thinks that might help locate her.’
    ‘OK. Stay on it. The moment it comes in, I want to know of any progress. If anything comes up that is relevant, let me know. And I mean anything.’
    ‘Yes, sir.’
    The call ended. Cobb shook his head and leaned back in his chair, looking at Porter.
    ‘Shit, Port. What do you think?’
    ‘I don’t