Read The Revelation Room (The Ben Whittle Investigation Series Book 1) for Free Online Page A

them
begging.’
    ‘Chop off the feet of tramps to stop them tramping.’
    ‘This country sucks.’
    ‘Like a kid’s straw in a milkshake,’ Maddie agreed. ‘Did you
see that Big Issue guy outside Debenhams?’
    ‘The big dude with the shaved head?’
    Maddie nodded. ‘I wonder if he’s seen our busker?’
    ‘He looks like he might have eaten him.’
    ‘Swallowed him whole,’ Maddie agreed. ‘Shall we ask him?’
    ‘Do you reckon we ought to buy a Big Issue?’
    ‘We could give him a tenner. It might help to jog his
memory.’
    Big Issue guy offered Ben a magazine and a smile that looked
capable of mincing beef.
    Ben tried to smile back, but his lips refused to cooperate.
‘I was wondering if you could help me. I’m looking for someone.’
    Big Issue scowled and squinted at Ben. ‘Are you a copper?’
    Ben moved back a step. ‘Me? God, no.’
    ‘We’re looking for my sister,’ Maddie said. ‘Show him the
picture.’
    Ben took Emily’s picture from the back pocket of his jeans
and handed it over. ‘It’s not very up to date. She’s nineteen now.’
    Big Issue handed the picture back to Ben. ‘I ain’t seen her.
When did she go missing?’
    Ben tucked the picture back in his pocket. ‘A couple of
years ago.’
    ‘Kids vanish all the time. The street just sucks ’em up.
Paedophiles and pimps everywhere.’
    Maddie hooked her thumbs in the side of her bright red
dungarees. ‘She may have run off with a busker. A guy called Marcus.’
    Big Issue shook his head. ‘Name don’t ring any bells.
Thousands of kids end up with some twat who offers them the world and then
takes them straight to hell.’
    Ben sighed. ‘That’s reassuring.’
    Big Issue treated Ben to a bloodshot stare. ‘That’s the way
it is.’
    Ben turned to Maddie. ‘Come on, let’s go.’
    Maddie ignored him. ‘She’s nineteen. You have a think about
that.’
    ‘I lost three toes in Afghanistan and got discharged from
the army without so much as a thank you. You think about that.’
    ‘I’m sorry to hear that.’
    ‘Serve your country, and what do you get? Treated like shit
on a shoe.’
    Maddie touched his arm. ‘I’m sorry.’
    ‘I’ve seen people with arms and legs blown off. All that
fucking bravado, and for what? No one gives a tin-shit. Welcome to the world.’
    Maddie and Ben walked away. Big Issue called after them.
‘There is this one guy. I don’t know his name. He comes in a few days a
week. Usually on a Wednesday and Friday. Sometimes more. He’s  quite
young. Good-looking, I suppose, if you like that sort of thing. Wears a shitty
looking pinstripe suit and a straw hat.’
    Maddie turned around and grinned. ‘And he busks?’
    ‘Busks. Deals shit. Yaps to all the girlies. Fancies
himself. Yep. A right regular arsehole.’
    Maddie smiled a smile to open hearts. It caused a knot in
Ben’s stomach to tighten. ‘Where does he busk?’
    Big Issue pointed across the street towards Boots. ‘Over
there, sometimes. Sometimes he stands outside the Methodist church.’
    Maddie nodded. ‘Thanks so much for that. What’s your name?’
    ‘I’ve got all sorts of names, love. Most of ’em ain’t very
nice. But you can call me Gary.’
    Maddie shook Gary’s hand. ‘I’m Maddie. This is Ben. Have you
got a mobile, Gary?’
    ‘Yeah. But I ain’t got no credit.’
    ‘If I give you some money for credit, could you give me a
ring the next time you see this busker?’
    Gary nodded. ‘Okay.’
    Maddie plucked a Big Issue out of Gary’s hand and wrote her
mobile number on the back. She handed it back to him.
    Gary looked at it and grinned. ‘I hope you’re going to pay
for the Big Issue.’
    Maddie turned to Ben. ‘Give him twenty pounds.’
    ‘Twenty quid? What for?’
    ‘Ten for his phone and ten for the magazine.’
    ‘But—’
    Maddie scowled. ‘But nothing, skinflint. It’s my sister
that’s missing.’
    ‘Yeah, do the right thing, dude. You might need help one
day.’
    Ben fished his wallet