Clean Cut by Lynda La Plante

track down.
    Anna reported back to the incident room. Blunt took the job of tracking down the two ex-prisoners; she and Brandon were to visit Murphy’s sister. To be cooped up with Brandon and his cologne for a long drive to the New Forest was not a prospect Anna relished. She would have preferred to do it alone.
    When she had suggested this, Sheldon had one of his nasty turns, pointing his finger at her. ‘This man is dangerous. No way would I allow you to visit his sister alone; neither of you can take the risk if he’s hiding out there, and it’s a possibility. So, I’ve already contacted local police for back-up; you touch base with them as soon as you arrive and they’ll be standing by. You are not working with risk-taker Langton now, Detective Inspector Travis–I look out for my team. Now get on out there!’
    Anna made no reply. He’d made her feel two inches tall, and she was beginning to loathe him, but at the same time she knew he was right. Murphy could be anywhere, and he was dangerous.
    Gail Dunn, Arthur Murphy’s sister, had been traced to the New Forest. She had been using the surname Summers when she first moved, but now called herself Sickert. Gail was living in a rented bungalow with numerous outhouses used as a small market gardenbusiness and piggery. Judging by the state of the entire premises, it was none too successful. The gate hung off its hinges and there were deep puddles and potholes in the drive leading to the bungalow. Numerous wrecked cars littered the land, rusting and tyreless. Kids’ bicycles and toys were left in profusion on a balding patch of lawn.
    Brandon sniffed and pulled a face. ‘Jesus Christ, what is that stench?’
    ‘Pigs. There’s some pens out the back.’
    Brandon looked around uneasily. ‘You know, the Gov was right. I don’t like the look of this place. I’ll call in for the back-up. If Murphy’s hiding out in any of those outbuildings, he can just do a runner.’
    ‘Maybe we should have just tipped them off to search and not waste time.’ Anna followed his gaze. The place looked awash with mud. ‘Or don’t you want to get your shoes muddy?’
    Brandon glared at her; he was not amused, but walked away from the front door to make a call. He gestured for her to go ahead and ring the doorbell. Anna pressed the bell, but it made no sound; she pressed again.
    Brandon joined her. ‘We got two cars on their way; not answering the door, huh?’
    ‘Bell’s not working.’ Anna rapped with her knuckles on the door.
    Brandon walked to a window and cupped his hands to peer inside, then rejoined Anna at the front door.
    ‘I don’t like this; let’s wait for back-up to get here.’
    Anna nodded, then checked her watch. ‘Unless she’s gone to pick up her kids from school…Do we know if she’s living with anyone? Changes her name often enough.’
    ‘They didn’t have any details.’ Brandon walked over to look at the greenhouses and huts behind the bungalow then rejoined Anna. ‘Bloody good place to hide out though, isn’t it? Christ, this stench is disgusting. How can she live here with kids?’
    She nodded; the place did have a desolate feel. Like Brandon, she now started to look through the windows.
    ‘Let’s go round the back,’ she suggested.
    Brandon shook his head. ‘Nope, we wait.’
    ‘No dog.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘I said, there’s no dog. Usually in a place like this, they have some scraggy dog loose, or chained up. It’s the silence that’s freaky.’
    ‘Yeah,’ he sighed. ‘Okay–I’ll take a look round the back, you stay out front. They should be here any minute.’
    Anna nodded, and couldn’t help but smile as she saw Brandon roll up the bottom of his trousers to head down the muddy pathway. He was only just out of sight when Anna heard a soft mewing sound; at first, she thought it could be a cat, but listening harder, she was sure it was a child.
    At the same time, two patrol cars headed into the drive. Anna hurried across and