Page 48 of Not That Complicated

“You’re the police!”

“This is my private number, you have to report—”

“Dead guy! In my house! Liam!”

“Yep.” I heard the faint jingle of keys. “I’m on my way.”

It took Liam and hispartner twenty minutes to show up. I can say with all confidence that those were the longest twenty minutes of my life.

I paced up and down in the back garden, avoiding looking at the house. In particular avoiding looking at the window of the guest room. If I saw movement—which I would not, because that guy was so very dead—but if Ididsee movement, I would expire on the spot.

And then I’d be haunting this place, too.

Liam didn’t have his siren on, but I heard the tires chirp on the road as he came to a fast stop and saw the splash of electric blue light between my house and next door thrown up by his car. He pounded on the front door.

I scurried around to the side gate and shot into the drive.

“Hello!” I called out, and waved. “Over here!”

Liam and DS Patel were standing on my doorstep. Patel saw me first, and nudged Liam.

“Mr Underwood,” she said, briskly coming my way.

“Yep. That’s me.” I recognised her from last time. I smiled but she didn’t give me anything. All business. Pretty daunting, actually. She was about five feet six, had an unlined face but a wicked cool streak of iron grey in her thick mahogany hair, and a flat professional detachment in her steady gaze. “Hello,” I said. “Hi, Liam.”

“Mr Underwood.” He gave a curt nod. “Shall we go in?”

“Must we go in? Can’t we chat in the back garden?” I looked around. “Where are the forensics guys?”

“We’ll call them when the body has been verified.”

I cocked a hip and said to Liam, “Tell me you don’t think I’m making it up.”

“Inside, Mr Underwood?”

“Can you call me Ray, please?Liam? You’re freaking me out.”

Liam’s lips tightened. “Ray.”

I tipped my head. “Come on around the back. I don’t have my door keys with me. I just ran out the house. Sorry.” They dutifully followed me.

I was getting some serious fuck-off vibes from Liam. Rude. He’d sounded happy enough to hear from me before I mentioned the dead guy.

I dithered in the kitchen. “Tea, anyone? Or…?”

Patel gave Liam a knowing look, edged with a hint of exasperation. Liam pinched the bridge of his nose.

I squinted at him, then I gasped. “Youdothink I’m making it up.”

“We have to check all calls,” Liam said.

What a fantastic non-answer. “Why would I make it up?”

“Nobody’s saying you’re making it up, Mr Underwood,” Patel said in a wonderful deadpan. “Would you like to show us the body?”

“Likeis overstating it, but okay. We’d better get it done.”

“Where is it?”

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