Scorched Heart (The Firebrand Series Book 4), Helen Harper [free ereaders .txt] 📗

The anxious churn in my stomach flickered back to life. The police officer had succeeded in snapping the padlock on the cottage door. The door creaked open and he stood back so Larry could enter.

‘I had a bit of time during my break to look through some of the files on your parents’ murder. The investigation done on their bodies was thorough. Although the murder weapon was never discovered, I would agree that it was probably some kind of kitchen knife. The thing is, Emma, that although you were alive to all intents and purposes, you were examined as well. The evidence taken from you didn’t match up with the other findings.’

I didn’t move. ‘Okay.’

‘First of all, there’s the sulphur residue from your resurrection. It was decided that Samuel Beswick tried to burn down the cottage and failed. The forensic team at the time commented on the amount of residue on your skin, but couldn’t explain why there was so much of it.’

They couldn’t possibly have imagined the truth. ‘There’s more, isn’t there?’

‘I’m afraid so.’ Laura took a deep breath. ‘Saliva was found on your skin, too.’

I frowned. Larry reappeared at the cottage door, framed in the dimming light, holding something in his gloved hands. I squinted at it. It looked like a bunch of papers bound in a file. I stared harder. It looked familiar.

‘Various tests were done on the saliva at the time,’ Laura told me. ‘It didn’t come from you or from your parents. And it wasn’t a match for Samuel Beswick, either.’

Larry’s head turned towards me. His face was pale. When he caught me looking at him, he quickly turned away as if he were afraid to meet my eyes.

‘Emma,’ Laura said, ‘I might have made a mistake. This might be a case of cross-contamination, and the tests that I’ve been able to run are only basic. I’m going from the report written twenty-five years ago. I can’t do a full DNA work-up. That has to be completed by the lab.’

‘Laura,’ I said. ‘Tell me what you’ve found.’

I looked again at the wad of papers in Larry’s hands. Something was written on the front of the file in large, clumsy letters. R.I… I tilted my head to get a better look.

She sighed. ‘The initial markers detected in the saliva found on Patrick Lacey and Julie Mackintosh are identical to the markers in the saliva that was found on your skin when you were five years old.’

Blood thudded dully in my ears. I stared at the words written on the papers. R.I.P. E.B.

Rest In Peace Emma Bellamy.

‘Oh,’ I whispered. Oh.

‘I found the files in the kitchen,’ Larry said. ‘I’ve seen enough of these in my time to know that they’re ours.’

‘We’ve checked the serial number.’ Boateng’s arms were folded tightly across his chest. ‘It matches the file on Patrick Lacey’s murder that I gave to you.’

‘The one that was stolen from my room at the Bird and Bush.’

‘Yes.’

Barry’s moustache quivered. ‘We’ll need to do tests to be sure, but the writing on the front appears to have been done with blood.’

I met Boateng’s eyes. ‘What’s the bet that the blood is a match for either Julie Mackintosh or Patrick Lacey?’ I said grimly.

He didn’t blink. ‘Why? If we assume that EB stands for Emma Bellamy, then why go to this trouble? Why target you? Why leave the file here, of all places?’

‘Because the same person who killed my parents twenty-five years ago killed Patrick and Julie as well.’

Boateng shook his head. ‘That’s not possible.’

‘Of course it is, sir.’

‘Emma, Samuel Beswick killed your parents. And he’s still locked away at HMP Galloway.’

‘Actually,’ I said distantly, ‘he’s not. He’s in hospital, in intensive care. He didn’t kill my parents. He was convicted of their murder but he’s innocent.’

Larry, Barry and Boateng all stared at me. It was Larry who spoke first. ‘In the kitchen, there’s a large scorch mark. It’s almost exactly the same as the one we found in your room at the Bird and Bush.’

‘Uh huh.’

I lifted up my head, daring Harris Boateng to challenge me. ‘New evidence has come to light about what happened.’ I pointed to myself indicating that I was that damned evidence. ‘And it changes everything.’

‘Emma, I understand that emotions are running high and that this must be traumatic for you—’ Boateng began. Then his voice faltered.

A moment later, a familiar arm curled round my waist and pulled me close. I briefly closed my eyes. Thank goodness. ‘Good evening,’ Lukas said.

Barry and Larry stepped back in perfectly synchronised movements, but Lukas continued to smile pleasantly. He was still pale but he was clearly much better. ‘I am Lord Lukas Horvath.’ He turned to me and his black eyes softened. ‘I was told I might find you here.’ His grip around my waist tightened for a moment then he released me.

DCI Boateng recovered the fastest. ‘It’s nice to finally meet you, Lord Horvath.’ He reached out to shake Lukas’s hand and Barry and Larry stared in horror. Barry’s eyes went to Lukas’s fangs, while Larry turned his head to check my neck. I shouldn’t have been disappointed in their reactions but I was.

‘Maybe it’s best if we talk in private,’ I said to Boateng.

Barry and Larry couldn’t get away quickly enough. I glared at the other police officers and technicians who were staring open-mouthed at Lukas. Yes, vampires didn’t usually come to places like Barchapel but for goodness sake… This was ridiculous.

Lukas started to move away as well but I grabbed his hand, indicating that he should stay. Then I inhaled deeply and told both DCI Boateng and Lukas all that I’d learned. Lukas already knew most of it, but even he looked shocked at Laura’s discoveries. Boateng’s usually stoic composure also appeared shaky.

The only thing I didn’t tell him was the role that Miranda had played. She’d demanded secrecy and it was the least I could do for her.

Boateng rubbed his hand over his head several times. ‘Well,’ he murmured. ‘Well.’

Shivering,