Blood Ties by Jane A. Adams Page A

patted, and Alec found himself checking that his watch was still there when he’d finally been released.
    â€˜My wife, Naomi,’ Alec introduced. ‘Good of you to come at such short notice.’
    â€˜Well, got to admit you’ve intrigued me,’ Sergeant Dean said. ‘What’s your interest, then? Oh, beer, please, anything that’s not lager. Can’t stand the stuff.’
    â€˜Right,’ Alec said and headed for the bar.
    â€˜We’re actually here on holiday,’ Naomi said. ‘We got to know Eddy, slightly, and the friend that found him, Susan Rawlins, she asked Alec for advice. It sort of followed from there.’
    Andrew Dean laughed loudly. ‘Being a policeman is a bit like being a doctor,’ he said. ‘You’re never off duty. Must be irritating for you though, love? Coming for a nice break and then getting dragged into this?’
    â€˜Oh, I’m used to it,’ Naomi said. ‘Alec and I joined the force at the same time. We spent years racing one another for promotion before I had my accident.’
    â€˜Ah,’ Dean said and the sound was filled with meaning. Sympathy, curiosity.
    â€˜The force’s inclusivity policies still don’t quite come to keeping blind detective inspectors.’
    â€˜Oh, so you were both . . . I see what you mean about racing for promotion.’ He laughed as though the thought amused him.
    Naomi didn’t bother adding that she’d only actually got to acting inspector before her accident had intervened.
    â€˜My wife doesn’t have any interest in the job,’ Dean said. He seemed happy with that. ‘She’s got her own interests. Does a lot of gardening.’
    â€˜She’s OK with you being late home tonight?’
    â€˜Oh, she’s off on a coach trip with her sister. Inspecting the Lost Gardens of Heligan and such. They do it every year, one garden or another. Comes back full of it, she does. Me, I can’t tell the difference between a dandelion and a daffodil, but it makes her happy, so that’s all that matters, isn’t it?’
    The unexpected softness that crept into his voice caused Naomi to slightly shift her opinion of him. External bluster, she thought; gooey-centred, probably. Alec arrived back with their drinks. And they consulted menus, settled down to exchange small talk and continue with their mutual summing up.
    â€˜Nothing to suggest it wasn’t an accident,’ Sergeant Dean said. ‘We think he caught his foot in the carpet and fell. I had a quick look around, but everything seemed in order, and Mrs Rawlins, Susan, she said nothing seemed to have been disturbed. The doors were locked, back door bolted. I mean, yes, someone could have just let themselves out the front and the door would have latched behind them, but I saw nothing to worry about.’
    â€˜Post-mortem?’
    â€˜In a couple of days, I suppose. I can check, but he’s not going to be a priority case so he’ll just be on the normal list.’
    â€˜Can you have a word, ask them to take a look out for micro-bruising?’
    â€˜Micro-bruising? What is this? An episode of CSI?’
    â€˜It would have developed by now,’ Alec pressed on, disregarding the tone. ‘It’s just possible—’
    â€˜You think he was pushed,’ Dean said flatly.
    â€˜I don’t actually think anything. I just promised Susan I’d check things out.’
    â€˜Because, of course, us local country bumpkins can’t be trusted.’
    â€˜No one’s saying anything of the sort,’ Naomi intervened. ‘Could someone hand me the pepper please? Thanks, Andrew. What Alec is saying is, no one would have thought anything of it, but Susan is convinced there was someone else there that night. It’s bothering her and as she’s the one coping with all of this single handed, trying to find family and taking on all the