Read The Careless Word (#8 - The Craig Crime Series) for Free Online

they get a free bed, but how long for will be up to Dr O’Neill. She’ll do a ward round tomorrow at ten-thirty and decide then.”
    Craig nodded and took out a card, scribbling his mobile number on the back.
    “Mr Delaney may have been the target of the explosion which means that his life could be at risk. We won’t know for some time, so we’ll be leaving an officer here to guard him. Could you please ensure my card gets to Dr O’Neill and say that I’ll drop by tomorrow morning to speak to her?”
    With that Craig headed back to Delaney’s room. As he went to enter he was greeted by an obstacle; Liam had found a chair and was sitting against the door. Craig’s entrance tipped him forward.
    “What the hell?”
    Craig turned swiftly towards the bed, just in time to see Fintan Delaney’s eyes fly open at the noise. He shut them tightly again, so tightly that they wrinkled like a man’s twenty years his senior, and Craig knew Delaney was keeping his eyes shut deliberately because they were the police. He crossed to the bed and leaned in close to Delaney’s ear, speaking loudly enough for Liam to hear him across the room.
    “Mr Delaney, I know you can hear us and I know that you can see; I’ve spoken to your doctor.”
    The only response was a further tightening of Delaney’s eyelids. Craig continued.
    “You’ve been in an explosion and you were the only survivor. Four people died, so we’ll need to speak to you, no matter how long it takes. I’m leaving an officer outside your door and I’ll be back tomorrow to speak to your consultant. I realise that you’ve been through a trauma but we need your help.”
    More silence. Liam joined Craig at the bedside and spoke in a stage whisper. The loudness of his voice was enough to make Delaney wince.
    “Do you want me to have a go, boss? I’ll get him to open his eyes.”
    The threat was clear and Craig smiled, knowing that Liam was trying to provoke a response. He did. Delaney’s previously still hands gripped the bed cover like a life-belt. A few hours of undiluted Liam and Delaney would definitely speak, if he didn’t die of shock first. Tempted as he was Craig decided against it. He leaned in again.
    “D.C.I. Cullen and I will be back tomorrow morning. Let the officer outside know when you’re ready to talk.”
    Craig turned on his heel, beckoning Liam to follow and they exited the room in a deliberate show of noise. Fifty feet down the corridor Liam spoke.
    “Either he’s in shock or he’s guilty of something, boss.”
    Craig nodded. His suspicious mind said guilty, but of what? Planting a bomb and then waiting there until it went off? Not the dissidents’ style and other terrorists did suicide bombing much more efficiently. If Fintan Delaney had meant to kill himself in the blast then he’d failed abysmally.
    Possible explanations flew around Craig’s head until he settled on what he knew. Only two things were certain. Delaney knew more about the explosion than he was telling them, and it wouldn’t be long before he would talk.
    ***
    Holywood. Tom and Mirella Craig’s home. 10 p.m.

    Lucia Craig glanced at her mother’s back as she stood at the cooker, then she caught her big brother’s eye and made a face, staring at her nose until her eyes crossed and making both Craig and Katy laugh. The first two courses of the meal had passed easily enough in chat and pleasantries, but they all knew that Mirella was gearing up for the main event; to grill Katy on everything from her background and parentage to her views on children, education and, most importantly of all to Mirella, music.
    Mirella had been a professional pianist all her adult life, touring prestigious concert halls for years before finally retiring, to play for charity and practice every day. It was during a tour that she’d met Craig’s father, when they’d been in the same conference centre in Venice. She’d left her home in Rome to be with him and brought up both her children to