The Eyes of the Accused: A dark disturbing mystery thriller (The Ben Whittle Investigation Series Book 2) by Mark Tilbury Page A

be honest, she looked more pissed off that Hannah had gone sick. Said they were already two staff short.’
    ‘She sounds all heart,’ Maddie said. ‘I’m glad I don’t work for her.’
    ‘It must be difficult juggling staff around in a twenty-four-seven operation,’ Geoff said. ‘Especially when half of them are skiving.’
    Maddie was intrigued to know how Geoff knew they were skiving. There was such a thing as genuine illness. She didn’t voice her opinion.
    Ben finished the last dregs of his tea and put the mug down on the desk. ‘Anyway, that’s all Connie Sykes said. She never saw Hannah again after that.’
    ‘What about Crowley?’ Geoff asked. ‘Did she say anything about him?’
    ‘Not much. I asked her if he was at work when Hannah left, and she said that he works nine-to-five. He’s meant to be on call if anything breaks down out of hours, but she said he switches his phone off. She called him a bone-idle swine, or words to that effect. I asked how the other members of staff got on with him. She said she didn’t know and she didn’t care. As long as they all did their jobs, she wasn’t interested in what they thought about one another.’
    ‘She sounds a right bundle of joy,’ Geoff said. ‘A proper caring nature.’
    ‘Oh, by the way, she’s blind in one eye,’ Ben said. ‘She has a glass eye that stares over your shoulder all the time. Kind of blows your theory about left and right thinking out the water, doesn’t it?’
    Geoff grinned. ‘Maybe we should buy her a patch and a parrot for Christmas. Right, that’s both the care manager and the police who think Crowley’s a bad apple.’
    ‘Connie Sykes said he’s lazy,’ Ben said. ‘That doesn’t make him a sexual predator, does it?’
    ‘No,’ Geoff agreed. ‘But don’t forget he’s flashed to a kid. He’s just the sort of filthy swine you’d find lurking around schools masquerading as caretakers.’
    ‘He hasn’t been charged with anything since the flashing, though, has he?’ Ben said. ‘It’s not like he’s got a string of convictions.’
    ‘Doesn’t mean a thing. Just that he’s been more careful since he got his fingers burnt. Anyway, a lot of those perverts get their rocks off on the internet these days. They don’t even need to leave home. The sooner we get inside that bastard’s lair, the better.’
    ‘By using Maddie as bait?’
    ‘We’re doing no such thing. Maddie will always be within touching distance.’
    ‘I wish you two would stop talking about me as if I’m not here. It’s up to me whether I want to do it or not.’
    Geoff stretched. ‘Exactly. Maddie has her own mind.’
    ‘You’ve changed your tune. It’s only five minutes ago you said Maddie was a silly girl who might chip a nail.’
    ‘I haven’t changed my tune; I’ve just go to know Maddie a bit better, that’s all.’
    Maddie turned to Ben. ‘I know you’re only looking out for me. And I appreciate it. But I just want to help.’
    Ben looked away. ‘If you say so.’
    ‘Did Connie Sykes say anything else?’ Geoff asked.
    Ben shook his head. ‘No. She seemed impatient, as if I was keeping her from her duties or something. She kept saying she’d already told the police everything she knew. I did manage to get a word with Seb Smith on the way out. He’s the guy that Hannah got a lift to work with.’
    ‘And?’
    ‘He said that he waited in reception for a while after his shift ended to give Hannah a lift. He didn’t know she’d already gone.’
    ‘Didn’t Connie tell him?’
    ‘Nope. Said she’s a sour old bat who wouldn’t tell the staff if the building was on fire. He can’t believe Hannah walked home. Can’t understand why she didn’t just wait for him to finish his shift? I agree with him.’
    ‘It does seem odd,’ Maddie agreed. ‘She didn’t wait. She didn’t call a cab. It’s almost as if she wanted to walk.’
    Geoff asked if Seb had mentioned Crowley.
    ‘Nothing new. Said a few of the girls