Read The Eyes of the Accused: A dark disturbing mystery thriller (The Ben Whittle Investigation Series Book 2) for Free Online Page A

else?’
    ‘Who knows? Women are unfathomable at the best of times. And while we’re on the subject of possibilities, it’s not inconceivable that she went somewhere and took her own life.’
    Ben didn’t believe that for one moment. ‘Her mother gave no indication that Hannah was depressed.’
    ‘Mothers don’t know everything.’
    ‘Monica would know how Hannah was feeling,’ Maddie said. ‘She seemed really close to her.’
    Geoff looked at Ben. ‘Does your mother know what’s going on inside your head?’
    Ben sincerely hoped not. ‘I doubt it.’
    ‘Would you tell her if you were depressed?’
    ‘Probably not.’
    ‘Would you tell me?’
    ‘It’s not me who’s vanished, though, is it?’
    Maddie rescued Ben from a hypothetical depression. ‘Anyway, Hannah was pregnant. She had everything to live for.’
    ‘I agree,’ Geoff said. ‘But women’s hormones are all over the place when they’re up the duff. I caught Anne trying to get out of the bedroom window once when she was carrying Ben. Reckoned she was dreaming. I’m not so sure.’
    Ben could fully understand his mother wanting to jump out of a bedroom window to escape his father. Especially when he was droning on and on about what was wrong with the world.
    ‘Anyway, I’m not saying she has done away with herself. It’s just an option. Write Hannah’s name and age at the top of the whiteboard. Beneath it divide the board into three columns. Suspects, Possibilities and Miscellaneous.’
    Shall I write hormone imbalance in the Possibilities column , Ben thought.
    ‘Put Frank Crowley in the suspects’ column and Blu-Tack his ugly mug to the board,’ Geoff said. ‘We don’t need to look much further than him.’
    Ben did as he was told. Perhaps his father would have fared better in medieval England when it was perfectly legal to conduct witch-hunts.
    ‘Right. Let’s write down a few possibilities,’ Geoff said. ‘First off, abduction. Then murder. Then suicide. And, last but not least, elopement.’
    After Ben had finished, Geoff asked Maddie if anything jumped out at her.
    Maddie studied the board. ‘I reckon Crowley is definitely the best place to start.’
    ‘Without doubt,’ Geoff agreed. ‘I don’t like the look of him one bit.’
    You don’t like the look of anyone , Ben thought. ‘I thought you shouldn’t judge a book by—’
    Geoff flapped a hand, as if swatting fly. ‘When you speak to the boyfriend, see if you can’t build up a better picture of Hannah’s state of mind. Monica Heath’s bound to be biased. It wouldn’t be the first time history’s been re-written by a mother’s love.’
    ‘What’s the point?’ Ben said. ‘We’ve already tried and convicted Crowley.’
    ‘It’s called covering all the bases. Then I want you to go to Sunnyside Nursing Home and talk to the care manager. See what she knows about Crowley. It might also be an idea to go and have a look around his mobile home while he’s at work.’
    ‘Is that legal?’ Ben asked. ‘We can’t just break in.’
    Geoff reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a bunch of keys. ‘No one’s suggesting we break in. These babies fit anything.’
    ‘And what do we do if someone sees us? Wave the keys in their face and say, don’t worry, my dad runs a private investigation business and he gave us a set of keys?’
    Geoff rolled his eyes. ‘You say you’re site maintenance. You’re carrying out work on the caravan.’
    Ben shook his head. ‘No way. I’m not breaking in. If we get caught that’s the whole operation up the swanny.’
    ‘Can’t we just interview Crowley at work?’ Maddie suggested. ‘On more neutral ground.’
    ‘I don’t want him to know he’s in our thinking. Which reminds me, you’re not going to Sunnyside with Ben.
    ‘Why?’
    ‘I don’t want Crowley seeing you. I’ve got plans for you.’
    ‘What plans?’ Ben said. ‘Or dare I ask?’
    ‘I think Maddie should get close to Crowley. See if she can get him