Hello My Angel - Sue Brown Page 0,3

had been used to kidnap Lucinda Weatherly. She was currently in a stolen black Golf, who knew where, in the hands of Chyna Moles, her erstwhile personal assistant and now her kidnapper.

“The Ford doesn’t look any better.” Josh squinted in the darkness. “Is that the driver of the Golf?” He pointed to a young woman talking to a female police officer.

“Let’s go and find out,” Cal said.

They got past the police officers at the barricade easily enough. Despite the fact no cop wanted outsiders trampling over their crime scene, Josh’s ID was enough to gain access. The officers knew who they were. No one stood in their way. Cal led the way to the officer and the women. The driver was little more than a girl, Josh realized, and probably not long passed her driving test. He felt sorry for her. How was she to know her car would be stolen by a murdering psycho bitch from hell? As he got closer, she wailed, “My dad’ll kill me.”

The police officer patted her arm. “It wasn’t your fault, Lisa. You couldn’t have stopped her.” From her tone, it was something she’d already said many times.

“She had a gun. A real gun. She was going to shoot me.” Lisa burst out into loud sobs.

The police officer made soothing noises and put an arm around Lisa’s shoulders. She looked up as Josh and Cal approached, a look of relief on her face.

Josh smiled at her. “I wonder if we could have a word?”

“Who are you?” Lisa sobbed out the words.

“My name’s Josh and this is Cal.”

She surveyed him with interest. “You’re American.”

“That’s right. May we talk to you? Lisa, is it?”

She nodded and her bottom lip wobbled. “Lisa Riley. Have you found the car?”

“Not yet.”

“Dad’s gonna kill me. It was his baby.” More tears fell, leaving tracks in her make-up.

Josh summoned every bit of the Cooper charm and patience he was famous for and said, “I’m sure he’ll be relieved you’re all right.” She gave him a doubtful look, but he carried on. “Can you tell us what happened?”

“I was driving to work. I work at the pub. They’re going to kill me for being late.”

Eager to head off another round of tears, Josh said quickly, “The police will have contacted them.”

He flicked a glance to the police officer, who said, “I’ll check for you.” She hurried off with an air of relief.

“Did you see the Fiat hit the bridge?” Cal asked.

Lisa shook her head. “It was in the ditch when I arrived, but the lights were on. I only stopped to see if anyone needed help. I left the keys in the car. That cow got out from the driver’s side. Before I knew it, she’d pushed me down on the road, and told me to stay there or she’d shoot me.” Her lip wobbled and tears threatened again.

Josh spoke hurriedly. “You’re doing really well, Lisa. What happened next?”

“She made me look at the ground, but I heard her moving around. There was a groan, and she was yelling at someone to hurry up or she’d kill them. Then I heard her drive off in the Golf.”

“Where’s my daughter? Lisa, where are you? Is she all right?”

Josh heard Lisa whimper and turned to see a man yelling and waving his arms at the police officer by the tape. He put his arm around Lisa and guided her over. The police officer stood aside, and Lisa fell into her dad’s arms, blurting out everything in a stream of incoherent words and choking sobs. Her father, a short, stocky man in his forties with thinning hair, held onto her like he was never going to let her out of sight again. He murmured soothing words into her hair.

While Josh waited patiently for Lisa to calm down, he glanced around to find Cal. He’d stayed by the car to talk to two cops, leaving Josh to deal with the distraught girl. Coward!

Lisa’s father fixed Josh with a piercing gaze. “You a cop?”

Josh shook his head. “No. I work with an agency involved in this case.”

“Huh. Where’s my car?”

“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Josh assured him.

“I’m so sorry, Dad. I know she’s your baby.” More wild sobbing from Lisa but Mr. Riley held her out so he could look into her face.

“You’re my baby, Lis. Not the car. She’s important, but she’ll never be as important as you.”

Her face crumpled, tears spilling on her cheeks, leaving fresh tracks in her make-up. Mr. Riley’s bottom