I get up and give her hand a last squeeze.
`Adam?' she says as I get to the door. But when I turn again she seems to have changed her mind.
`It's nothing,' she says. `It'll keep.'
* * *
`So that's as far as we've got,' says Ruth Gallagher. `Full marks to Everett, but until we can speak to Ashley himself, it's all still supposition.'
It's the morning meeting and the room is full. The sense of anticipation is now as palpable as the smell of office-machine coffee. Perhaps they really are going to finally crack this bloody case.
`What's Nadine saying?' says Gislingham.
`Nothing,' replies Gallagher. `No surprises there. Though her mother claims a) she's never heard of anyone called Ashley Brotherton, and b) Nadine doesn't have a boyfriend. Which, as any parent of a teenager will know, has no evidentiary value whatsoever. But that being the case, and with nothing else to fall back on, I had no option but to bail Nadine and send her home.'
Quinn gets up and goes to the whiteboard. He's the only one with a proper shop-bought coffee; no surprises there either. He stares at the photos for a moment then turns to the group. `Well, if you ask me, we're barking up totally the wrong tree on this one.'
No one was asking you, thinks Everett, her hackles rising. Typical bloody Quinn to stick a spoke in.
`Why do you say that?' asks Gallagher evenly.
`Well, you only have to look at her `“ Nadine, I mean. Ashley Brotherton's way out of her league. He wouldn't look at her twice.'
There's a ripple round the room at that. Some of them may have been thinking it, but only Quinn would actually come right out and say it.
Gallagher raises an eyebrow. `One thing I've learned in this job, DC Quinn, is that if you base an investigation on your own personal assumptions, you're likely to land yourself well in the shit.'
Somer and Everett exchange a glance: neither have worked for a female DI before, but it clearly has its upsides.
`So are we clear?' she continues, looking round the room. `Regardless of DC Quinn's misgivings, we're going to assume there is a connection between Nadine and Ashley Brotherton, until such time as we prove there isn't. And while we're doing that, we're also going to work out if it was physically possible for that girl to get to Blackbird Leys and back on April 1st and still be in school for double Geography. Extra brownie points on offer for anyone who volunteers to do the buses, otherwise I just pick a victim.'
* * *
Adam Fawley
9 April 2018
10.05
I see her as soon as I pull up in the car park. She'd be hard to miss anywhere, and even more so in this place. She's standing just outside the entrance, a messenger bag slung over one shoulder, her long dark-red hair in a jaunty ponytail. Over-the-knee boots laced up the front and a skirt that only gets halfway down her thighs. She looks at her watch twice in the time it takes me to lock the car. And then she sees me.
`DI Fawley,' she says, coming quickly in my direction. There's no question in her voice, no rising intonation. She knows who I am.
`I'm busy. Talk to the press office.'
She comes to a halt, directly in my path. `I already did. They won't tell me anything.'
`Well, I'm not going to tell you anything either. It's not even my case any more. As you well know.'
I start walking again, and she follows me. `But you're still part of it `“ if they find the killer, that's going to have a direct impact on the Parrie case. That's what I'm working on `“'
`Look, Ms `“?'
`Bowen. Nicole Bowen.'
`It's DI Gallagher's investigation. Talk to her.'
She makes a face. `I did. She told me to sod off. Unquote.'
I can't help a dry smile at that. Then over the woman's shoulder I see a car signal and pull in from the main road. It's a red Jaguar coupГ©, which I'm fairly sure I've seen before. A hunch that hardens into conviction when I see who's driving. It's Victoria Parker; Isabel's mother. And I don't want Nicole bloody Bowen anywhere near her.
I turn away and start walking, but Bowen keeps pace with me. `I heard a rumour,' she says. `They say you've arrested someone. For the Blake murder.'
I stop and turn to face her. `Who told you that?'
She comes a step closer. `Word is it's one of her teachers. Graeme Scott?'
I don't control my face quickly enough `“ she sees the blow land. On the other side of the car park Victoria Parker is already locking her car and starting towards me.
`So it's true,' says Bowen, her eyes searching mine. And one thing I do know: this woman needs to get herself a much better poker face if she wants a career in crime reporting `“ that knowing smirk of hers is going to get every copper's back up.
`Look, Ms Bowen, I have better things to do than standing here listening to wild, uninformed speculation. If you want to keep your job, don't even think about doing that in public or putting any of it in your bloody documentary. Do I make myself clear? Good. Now, if you'll excuse me.'
There must be something in my face because this time she doesn't try to follow. Victoria Parker has stopped at the main door now and raises an eyebrow as I approach. `Problem?'
`Press,' I say. `Occupational hazard in a case like this, I'm afraid. Was there something we can help you with?'
`This terrible thing with Sasha Blake `“ the rumour mill at the school's gone into complete overdrive.' She looks embarrassed. `I mean, I don't usually do the whole gossip at the gate thing, but I was talking to Leah Waddell's mum and I suddenly thought `“ I mean, I'd totally forgotten about it before that, but `“'
She's a little flushed now. `Sorry, I'm gabbling, aren't I? It's probably nothing `“'
`Mrs Parker, there's one thing I've learned from doing this job: if people make the sort of effort you have to come to a police station it's very rarely for `њnothing`ќ. So why don't you come inside and tell me what this is about and I'll find someone you can speak to.'
Her eyes widen. `Can't I talk to you?'
I shake my head. `Not formally, no. I'm not part of the investigation any more. But there's DS Gislingham, or DC Somer if you'd prefer to talk to a woman `“'
She hesitates, then nods. `OK. But I've only got half an hour. I told Isabel I was going to Waitrose. I didn't want her to know I was coming here.'
* * *
Gallagher didn't have to dump the bus job on anyone in the end, because Asante volunteered. To a ripple of smirks and an audible mutter of `teacher's pet' from Quinn. But Asante doesn't care. He's always had a healthy respect for enlightened self-interest. And besides, the rain has finally stopped and he could do with some fresh air.
He parks the car in a side road near Summertown High, then walks up to the bus stop. There's one into town in five minutes.
* * *
Adam Fawley
9 April 2018
10.26
When I push open the door to the incident room, Gislingham is up at the front, gesturing towards the whiteboard. People are clustered close around him. They're all on their feet. And take it from me, as a snap indicator of case morale, the ratio of sit to stand is usually pretty reliable. `Up and at 'em' isn't just a clichГ© `“ not in this job.
Heads turn, people register it's me.
`We were just going through the latest developments, sir,' he begins.
I move up towards the front. `I'm sorry to barge in but this can't wait. There's a witness downstairs who needs someone to take her statement.'
Gislingham frowns slightly. `A statement about what?'