Read Substantial Threat for Free Online Page A

gruesome angle because of her broken neck. ‘Do you own some flats in Cheltenham Road, Blackpool?’
    She nodded. ‘And Dixon Road, Coronation Street, Hornby Road, and others.’
    â€˜Oh, right,’ said Henry thoughtfully. He kicked himself for expecting to have to deal with some seedy landlord. This one looked far from seedy dressed in a jogging top and a pair of black lycra shorts which looked as though they had been pasted on to her slim thighs, her blonde hair tied back in a pony tail, exposing an area of seriously touchable neck. She was sweating lightly and Henry could just smell her fragrance . . . but then again, he warned himself, she might be just as seedy and deceitful as all the rest. Because she did not reek of cigar smoke and whisky, and looked terrific, did not mean she was any different from the others. Henry knew his weakness for a pretty face, but was determined not to let it cloud his judgement. ‘I’m DCI Henry Christie and I’m investigating the murder of one of your tenants in those flats about a year ago . . . a young girl?’
    Jack Burrows’ face fleetingly creased with annoyance. But Henry had noticed it and filed it away for future reference. She recovered her composure quickly and smiled that lop-sided smile, pushed a stray wisp of hair away from her face and looked at him with wide blue eyes. It was a look, Henry guessed, designed to make his stomach go flip-flop. ‘I was interviewed about that ages ago, made a statement and everything. Have you caught the killer yet?’
    It was at that moment she realized the conversation they were having was taking place on the doorstep. ‘Ooh, sorry.’ She grinned. ‘Manners! Come on in and I’ll make a drink or something.’
    Henry followed her inside. She led him into the lounge, which was furnished in such a way that he thought it looked like it might once have been the show house. It was a through lounge and in the dining room Henry saw an exercise bike and a rowing machine side by side.
    â€˜Tea, coffee . . .?’
    â€˜Tea’ll be great.’
    â€˜Tell you what, come through to the kitchen and we can keep talking, though I doubt I’ll be able to help you any more than I already did. It was a real tragedy, but it was a long time ago.’
    She walked through to the spacious fitted kitchen and clicked on the kettle.
    â€˜We haven’t caught the killer yet,’ Henry admitted, harking back to her question at the doorway. ‘I’ve been given the job of reviewing the case again to see if I can open up any new leads, that sort of thing, y’know?’
    â€˜Oh.’ She leaned against a worktop, her hips thrusting forward. ‘I always thought that if a case wasn’t solved, it got closed down.’
    â€˜No, not with a murder.’ He locked eyes with her – and he had to admit she had pretty eyes – but something grabbed his heart with icicle-like fingers and made him go on to say, even though he did not necessarily believe his own words, ‘I think there’s a good chance of rooting out the killer in this case.’ He squinted thoughtfully at the ceiling and added, ‘Particularly as it’s been given to me to investigate. It’s a matter of pride, you see. I’m very good at catching murderers.’ He came eye to eye with her again.
    Jack Burrows nodded. Henry thought she looked a tad uncomfortable at the news. This pleased him no end because for no other reason than she was the owner of the property in which a brutal crime had been committed, he had made her his first suspect.
    â€˜Two-fifty and certainly not more than three hundred quid at the outside,’ JJ had to admit. ‘Honest, that’s all it was. I skimmed a bit here and a bit there, and I’m sorry, but it were never two grand. Nowhere fuckin’ near. That sorta figure is one you’d’ve noticed, Ray. That would’ve been