‘This is outrageous!’
‘What kind?’
‘An Audi.’
‘What colour.’
‘Black.’
‘Someone saw you getting into your car around ten o’clock last Sunday night in Coverton car park. How does that sound, Trevor?’
‘Preposterous,’ said Lomax. ‘You’ll never convince anyone of that.’
‘Oh, we might,’ said Annie. ‘And it might just be true, mightn’t it?
‘I already told you. I was at home with my wife.’
‘Watching Downton Abbey. Yes, we know. But alibis can be very fragile things, Trevor. In our experience, wives especially don’t make very convincing alibis.’
Annie stood up and walked towards the door. Banks followed, while Lomax remained at his desk, red-faced and spluttering.
‘Cooper next?’ Banks asked when they got down the stairs.
‘I suppose so,’ sighed Annie. ‘But I’ve had enough of this place for the moment. Lunch first?’
‘Good—’ Banks’s mobile went off. He stopped on the stairs and listened for a while, as Annie waited impatiently.
‘Who was it?’ she asked, when he’d finished.
‘Doug Watson.’
‘And?’
‘He’s located Kyle McClusky. Seems he’s a guest in HM Prison Leeds.’
‘Mr Cooper,’ called Annie. ‘I’m so glad I caught you before you left for the weekend.’ She was crossing the grassy square when she saw Cooper leaving his department with his battered briefcase in his hand and a silk scarf wrapped artistically around his neck, longish hair hanging over at the back. He looked exactly as Lomax had described him, someone pathetically trying to appear younger and more hip than he really was. He probably liked to hang out in the student bar, too, Annie thought, pretend he was one of them, and maybe, just maybe, to appear extra cool, he might like to score some coke or speed once in a while, or smoke a joint.
Banks had gone back to the station after lunch to follow up on the call they’d got about Kyle McClusky, so Annie was on her own for this one. She didn’t mind. It would be a pleasure to puncture Cooper’s sense of self-importance and arrogance.
‘I like to get away early on a Friday,’ said Cooper as Annie fell into step beside him. ‘I don’t have any classes in the afternoon, so I usually manage to get the paperwork done and slip away before three. What is it this time?’
‘Oh, you know. Just a few more questions.’
‘I thought I’d already answered all your questions.’
‘We keep coming up with new ones. It’s the funny thing about this job. One piece of new information comes in, and it changes the whole picture.’
‘And this time?’
‘Well, perhaps there’s somewhere we could have a quick chat?’
‘Would my car do?’ Cooper pointed his key ring at a red Toyota, and it beeped as the door locks opened. Annie didn’t particularly fancy the idea of being enclosed in a car with Cooper, but it was a bit nippy outside, and what could happen, anyway? She was sure she could still take care of herself, despite the odd aches and pains she still suffered since the shooting. Besides, she didn’t think he had the bottle to try anything.
Once they had got seated, the heater on, Annie half turned to face him and said, ‘It’s about the Gavin Miller case.’
‘I thought so. Still not caught your man?’
‘Or woman.’
‘Oh, yes. Mustn’t forget. Equal opportunity murders these days. Well, how can I help you this time?’
‘That’s assuming you helped us last time.’
‘Didn’t I? I’m mortified. Well, I must try to do better, mustn’t I? Ask away.’ The faint mocking smile never left his face. It was the kind of smile that made Annie want to slap it off. Hard. ‘What is this new piece of information? You have me intrigued.’
‘We think that Gavin Miller’s murder may be linked to the events of four years ago.’
‘That’s a bit of a stretch, isn’t it?’
‘It was very traumatic for him. He lost his job, his living, his self-respect. It was the start of a long downward spiral.’
‘You don’t have to tell me what it did to him. I was there, listening, lending a shoulder, not to mention a tenner or two.’
‘But it wasn’t enough, was it?’
‘Nothing ever is. I couldn’t turn back the clock.’
‘He wanted more money, didn’t he?’
‘Don’t we all?’
‘Don’t try to be clever. You know what I’m talking about. Gavin Miller was desperate for a change in his fortunes. Desperate enough to take things in his own hands and seek it. By blackmail, perhaps?’
‘Gavin? You obviously didn’t know him. Never. He might have been a bit of an oddball, but he wasn’t a crook. Gavin was a gentle soul, angry and bitter though he was. He would no more have blackmailed someone than he would have hurt them.’
‘People change,’ said Annie. ‘Sometimes circumstances drive them to it. What do you think of Trevor Lomax?’
‘Lomax. He’s a competent enough department head, but there’s not a great deal of energy or sense of innovation about him. He’s about as exciting as a wet Sunday in November.’
‘Shortly after Gavin Miller was fired, a student overheard Beth and Kayleigh boasting in the ladies’ about how they’d pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes about Miller. What do you think about that?’
‘First I’ve heard of it. Did she tell anyone?’
‘Trevor Lomax.’
‘And?’
‘That’s as far as it went.’
‘The bastard.’
‘Why do you say that?’
‘Well, it could have helped Gavin, couldn’t it? Lomax was also supposed to be his friend. I didn’t know anything about this.’
‘Trevor Lomax said it was too late, and he didn’t believe the source.’
‘Who was it?’
‘I can’t tell you that.’
‘Then I can’t really help you. Why didn’t Gavin tell me about it, or make a fuss himself at the time?’
‘He never knew about it.’
‘Trevor didn’t tell him?’
‘No. He thought it would only upset him more, as it clearly wasn’t going to go towards getting him his job back.’
‘It all sounds like a bit of a mess, doesn’t it?’
‘It does. I think a lot of the people involved were going through hard times. Drugs were involved, and we still think they may be involved with Gavin Miller’s death. Did you know anyone called Kyle McClusky?’
‘Kyle McClusky? The name is vaguely familiar. Is he a student?’
‘Was. He hung around with Beth and Kayleigh. Gavin Miller warned him off selling drugs around campus, and he dropped out. He blamed Gavin for all his woes.’
‘That’s right. Gavin did mention someone called Kyle dealing drugs. One of his students. I suggested he have a quiet word, and maybe he’d disappear before we had to bring in the authorities. Is that what happened?’