Death Line
Authors: Maureen Carter
Also by Maureen Carter:
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Praise for Maureen Carter’s witty, gritty Bev Morriss series:
... a cracking story that zips along...
- Sarah Rayne, author of Tower of Silence
Crime writing and crime fighting: Maureen Carter and her creation Bev Morriss are the Second City’s finest!
- Mark Billingham, author of the acclaimed Tom Thorne series
If there was any justice in the world she’d be as famous as Ian Rankin!
- Sharon Wheeler, Reviewing the Evidence
Bev Morriss is a strong character inhabiting an energetic and compelling series of stories that would work well on TV. It’s only a matter of
time, surely.
- Tangled Web
Carter has perfected the art...
- Sunday Mercury
A strong narrative voice and easy to understand slang...
- Publishers Weekly (USA)
British hard-boiled crime at its best.
- Deadly Pleasures Year’s Best Mysteries (USA)
... shows us another side of the hero and encourages us to connect with her on a deeper personal level than ever before.
- David Pitt, Booklist (USA)
Crème de la Crime... so far have not put a foot wrong.
- Reviewing the Evidence
First published in 2010
by Crème de la Crime
P O Box 523, Chesterfield, S40 9AT
Copyright © 2010 Maureen Carter
The moral right of Maureen Carter to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any
information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is
published.
All the characters in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
Typesetting by Yvette Warren
Cover design by Yvette Warren
Front cover image by Peter Roman
ISBN 978-0-9560566-3-4
eBook ISBN 978-1-906790-93-6
A CIP catalogue reference for this book is available from the British Library
Printed and bound in the UK by
Cox & Wyman Ltd, Reading, Berkshire
www.creativecontentdigital.com
About the author:
Maureen Carter now lives in Birmingham and has worked extensively in the media.
As ever, I am hugely indebted to Lynne Patrick and her exceptional and inspirational team at Crème de la Crime. It’s a pleasure and
privilege to be with this innovative and exciting publishing house. For professional expertise, knowledge and insight, I’m more than grateful to Lead Forensic Scene Manager Robin Slater and
Investigator Chris Elliott. Their input is more valuable than I can say, and goes far beyond answering my countless questions. Any errors of interpretation are mine.
As I’ve said before, writing would be a lonelier place without the love and support from some special people. For ‘being there’ even when they’re
sometimes miles away my love and affection go to: Sophie Shannon, Dan Rees, Veronique Shannon, Suzanne Lee, Paula and Charles Morris, Corby and Stephen Young, Helen and Alan Mackay, Frances Lally,
Anne Hamilton, Jane Howell, Henrietta Lockhurst, Sheila Quigley and Bridget Wood.
Finally, my thanks to readers everywhere – as always this is for you.
For Peter
The burgundy leather cover gave no clue to the scrapbook’s contents. A hand tentatively leafed through the pages, the reader’s face
impassive, inscrutable. Every item was cleanly cut, painstakingly positioned: news cuttings, magazine articles, family photographs, the symmetry and chronology clearly important to the collector.
The first story was on the opening page, dead centre. A short item, it was clearly breaking news: detail was sparse, head and shoulder snapshot slightly blurred.
1 July 1980
and
Leicester
Mercury
was handwritten: black ink, bold copperplate.
Police are increasingly concerned about the safety of 10-year-old Scott Myers.
Scott (pictured) hasn’t been seen since leaving Belle View Junior School at Highfields yesterday afternoon.
Detective Inspector Ted Adams told the
Mercury
that Scott was not in trouble at home and had not gone missing before.
The little boy was wearing a navy blue blazer, white shirt and short grey trousers.
Anyone who may have seen Scott is asked to contact Leicester police on 01533 999999.
The holder of the scrapbook stared intently at the photograph as if willing the little boy to speak, to share his secrets; exploratory fingers ran over the grainy image,
tenderly traced Scott’s lips captured for ever in a gap-toothed smile. Had he been self-conscious about that? Had his friends teased him? Children could be so cruel.