‘I liked her,’ Anna said quietly. At the same time, she knew that Gail had lied about how well she had known Kramer. It was obvious that if he was the baby’s father, he would have seen her more than just the once when he had turned up with Arthur Murphy.
Anna realized Mrs Dunn had been talking and apologized. ‘I’m sorry, what did you say?’
‘I said, I think something has happened to her. The phone is not turned on, she’s not at the bungalow, I dunno where she is. I am worried sick.’
‘How long has it been since you last talked to her?’
Beryl tried to remember the exact date. It was around the time Anna had been to see Gail about the photograph.
‘She would never usually leave it this long, because I get stuff sent to me for her, you see. Because she was always moving around, I get sent her child support cheques and I post them on to her, but she’s not been in touch. I dunno whether or not to report it, and I dunno which place I should go to, you know, to file a missing person. To be honest, I don’t want anythin’ to do with the police. No disrespect, but I’ve had a few run-ins in the past and I’ve just got meself sorted.’
‘What do you want me to do?’ Anna asked.
‘Well, could you find her and tell her to contact me, just so I don’t worry, and I can send on her money.’
‘Yes, I’ll do what I can.’
The plump hand clasped Anna’s. ‘Thanks, love.’
Beryl Dunn had been married three times and had a history of prostitution going back to the 1960s. She had also served six months for running a brothel and living off immoral earnings.
Anna and Brandon discussed with Sheldon what they should do about Beryl’s request, plus the fact that the young child Tina was possibly Vernon Kramer’s.
‘Pass it over to social services and the local police station where she was last known to be in residence. That’s all we can do,’ Sheldon said. ‘She could be anywhere. They can file a missing persons report, or the mother will have to do it herself.’
Anna looked at Brandon. ‘Her kids were on an at-risk list from the last place she lived — no wonder, if that bastard Kramer fathered a child with her. I am very concerned, especially as her DSS monies have not been cashed.’
Sheldon sighed. ‘Travis, we are not a probation office, or a social service department. Like I said, just pass the report over to her local branch. If she’s gone missing, she probably had reasons.’
Anna returned to her desk, wrote up her report for their files and then contacted Gail’s local police station. She looked up as Harry Blunt leaned on her desk.
‘You worried about her?’
‘Yes, I am. It’s hard to do a moonlight with three kids, isn’t it? And it looked like they left in a big hurry.’
‘She’ll turn up when she needs money, they usually do; unless you’re worried about that Rasta she was with?’
‘I am more concerned about the Vernon Kramer link. I mean, she said she had been threatened.’
‘But he’s banged up and so is Murphy, so there’s not a lot either can do now. If they were on the loose, yeah — but not now.’
As she drove home, Anna decided that she would discuss the whole episode with Langton; she’d put it off long enough.
She was surprised that he was not there. There was no note to say where he had gone. There were two suits in her wardrobe and more shirts. She showered and got into a dressing-gown, wondering about dinner; it was now after eight. She went into the kitchen and started emptying the dishwasher, a job she hated and one Langton never did. Just then, the front door banged open.
‘You home?’ he yelled.
‘In the kitchen!’ she called back.
He walked in, clean-shaven, hair cut, but still in a tracksuit.
‘Here I am,’ he said grinning.
‘Good heavens, what brought this on?’
He walked out, calling back to her, ‘I have my appointment with the police review board.’
She followed him out of the kitchen. ‘When?’
‘Tomorrow morning.’
‘Tomorrow?’
‘Yes, I applied last week.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I didn’t get a date until today, so there was no reason to tell you. It could have been another week or month.’
‘But are you ready for it?’
Langton put his hands on his. ‘I wouldn’t have applied if I didn’t think I was. Why, don’t you think I’m fit enough?’
‘Well, yes, I do, but surely you don’t want to rush things?’
‘I do. I want to get back to work; my insurance won’t cover much more of the treatment.’
She smiled. ‘Well, if you think it’s the right time…You are obviously the one who’d know.’
He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. ‘Don’t get so worried. I know what I am doing. I wouldn’t have applied if I didn’t feel up to it.’ He kissed her again, then went into the bedroom. ‘Just got to decide on which suit, so I’ll need your opinion.’
Anna returned to the kitchen. ‘I’m going to cook some pasta,’ she called, then listened as she heard the shower running. She shook her head, hardly able to believe that without ever mentioning it to her, he had applied for a fitness test. She knew it would be quite a tough one. He would have to be assessed both mentally and physically to remain in office. The Chief Medical Officer would have to certify him as ready to return to work.
She poured some water into a pan and set it on the stove to boil, then opened a packet of spaghetti and took out some tins of chopped tomatoes. She began to cut up an onion to fry with the tomatoes, slicing some garlic and herbs. By the time Langton joined her, fresh from his shower, the sauce was bubbling away and the pasta ready to be drained.
He kissed her neck. ‘Smells good.’
She turned, smiling. ‘You look good.’
‘I feel good.’
He started to open a bottle of wine. She had almost forgotten how handsome he was. He’d looked rough for so long, with his straggling hair and unshaven face; now he really did look like the old Jimmy. In fact, she had to admit that he actually looked a lot better, as he had cut down on his drinking.
He placed two wine glasses down and poured; he passed her glass over. ‘To me, for the test tomorrow!’
‘To you,’ she said, and they clinked glasses and drank. It was yet again not the right time to get into Sickert or discuss Langton’s attack.
Chapter Seven
Anna waited until he had dressed. She knew she was going to be late for work, but this was more important. He had switched suits and changed his mind about the shirt and tie three times. As it was also to be a physical test, he packed a clean tracksuit and T-shirt. She offered to drive him but he had ordered a car and he insisted she leave, to give him time to calm down.
Langton waited until the door closed behind her before he took a double dose of painkillers. He had been upping the dosage for some considerable time; the excruciating pain that still lingered, especially in the mornings, made it necessary.
Anna waited all morning for a call; she had no idea how long the test would take. She rang his mobile, but it was turned off. She heard nothing all afternoon. She thought about contacting Lewis to see if he had heard anything, but decided against it. She eventually talked with Harry Blunt about the friend he had mentioned. She tried to sound nonchalant, wondering what kind of tests Langton would be put through if he were to go before the review board.
Harry shrugged; he wasn’t too sure. ‘Thing is, they’re pretty hot on testing the old brain cells. Basically, if an officer has been through the mill, shot or injured badly, it can do a lot of damage upstairs. They probably do running, jumping, and a few weights for the physical, but I honestly don’t know. Is he recovered then?’