Butchers potted the winning ball, shouting, ‘Yes!’ and Shap groaned with disgust.
‘Doubles?’ Butchers said.
Richard signalled to Janine and then to himself.
Janine picked up a cue.
‘You break,’ Shap said.
Janine took a sip of her drink and chalked her cue. ‘If Norma Halliwell didn’t shoot her husband, then who the hell did?’ she said.
She lined up her sights and drew back the cue, hit the ball, breaking the triangle and potted a shot.
Janine waited until Tom had gone to bed to call Pete, Charlotte already down and Eleanor ensconced in her room. He actually picked up the phone. ‘Can you come round now, we need to sort this out?’
‘Bit tricky, I’m afraid, I’ve got Alfie.’ He sounded pressured, like he was the only person in the world who had ever had to deal with a small baby. But she wasn’t going to let him wriggle out of it.
‘He is portable, isn’t he?’ Janine said, ‘You’ve not super-glued him to his cot? I’m in the rest of the evening.’ She kept her tone frosty hoping he’d realise how pissed off she was and that he needed to face the music.
When Janine heard the door and went to answer it, Pete was there on his own. ‘Managed to get him down,’ Pete said.
‘Good.’
They went in the kitchen, the scene of so many discussions, traumas and celebrations, throughout their married life.
‘I need you to pull your weight with the kids. I end up making excuses for you. They don’t want to hear it. I know Alfie wasn’t exactly planned but it’s not fair on our kids if you don’t find a way of maintaining that contact. We knew it’d be a bit difficult when Alfie first arrived but he’s two months old now. You need to make time for them as well.
‘It’s not that easy-’
‘I don’t care, Pete. You promised me and you owe them. They don’t need you any less because they’re bigger.’
‘I know,’ he rubbed at his face. He looked shattered. Janine knew the feeling.
‘In some ways they need you more,’ she said, ‘Tom especially-’
‘Janine,’ he interrupted her, ‘Tina’s got post-natal depression.’ He looked at her, then away. Was he serious? She saw him swallow, the slump of his shoulders as he exhaled.
‘She can’t get out of bed half the time. She can’t even feed him. It’s all I can do to keep turning up for my shifts and look after her and the baby. We’re really struggling.’
‘Oh God, Pete.’ She stared at him for a moment, taking it in. ‘Has she seen a doctor?’
‘Yeah,’ he said, ‘be a while till the medication kicks in.’ He sounded defeated. Janine had come across women suffering from the condition over the years, even one of them through work, a case of infanticide. Heart breaking. She could barely imagine the enormous strain of dealing with the illness alongside the demands of a new baby.
‘You should have told me,’ Janine said, ‘why didn’t you say anything sooner?’
He shrugged, ‘Hoped she’d improve.’ She felt sorry for him, a novel experience. She knew the baby had not been part of Pete’s game plan, as he put it. When he moved in with Tina he’d been hoping for a different life, unencumbered by kids and their demands. Now here he was starting out on parenthood all over again.
‘Right,’ Janine said, ‘I’ll explain to the kids. At least they won’t think you’ve traded them in for a younger model.’
He shot her a look.
‘You want a drink?’ Janine said.
He gave a wry smile. ‘I’d love a drink.’
They chatted over a glass of wine, Janine filling him in on Eleanor’s current mood and Charlotte’s antics. He promised that once things were on an even keel he’d be back on his regular visits.
‘You can always bring him here,’ Janine said, surprising herself, ‘bring him with you, if Tina’s OK to be left.’
‘That’s not a bad idea.’
‘I’m sure Tom would love to teach him the finer points of Call of Duty or whatever,’ Janine said.
Pete laughed.
She felt a moment’s poignancy, missing this, the company, the shared humour though after four years she was used to dealing with the kids, with the house, on her own. And it seemed to be all she could fit in her life. No space for romance. There were times when it looked like Richard and she might rekindle the flame that had flared between them briefly at the start of their careers, but she’d stepped back from the brink, realising she would rather have the certainty of his friendship than a risky shot at being a couple. And Richard’s track record with women wasn’t particularly persuasive if she was honest, he liked pastures new. Best all round, she thought as she saw Pete out, single, celibate, shattered.
Day Five – Saturday
Chapter 41
‘The gun is still the only hard evidence we’ve got. Aaron Matthews fired it two years ago – and got sent down. The weapon was never recovered. And there’s no record of it being used in any crime since… until this week. Follow the gun,’ Janine said.
‘Boss, when we were in the car,’ Lisa said, ‘he claimed he sold it. Maybe he did.’
Shap shook his head. ‘Nah! One of the gang’s been looking after the gun for him while he’s inside, out he comes, gets it back, they have another go at the surgery and bang, bang, back on form. Friends reunited.’
‘Maybe,’ Janine said.
‘We could offer a reward: information leading to conviction,’ Butchers said.
‘Not yet,’ Janine said, ‘let’s have another go at Matthews.’
‘We can’t arrest him,’ Richard said.
‘I’m not suggesting that,’ Janine said, ‘we talk to him, nicely, see if he’ll tell us who he sold the gun to. Lisa, Shap, see if he’ll co-operate?’
‘What’s the point?’ Shap said.
‘If you don’t ask…’ Janine said. OK it was a long shot. Matthews, protesting his innocence, was going to stay as far away from them as possible. Richard was right, they hadn’t got any new evidence to justify arresting him for interview. Picking him up might be construed as harassment and she didn’t want the investigation undermined by allegations like that. So a long shot it would have to be.
There was no answer from Aaron Matthews’ flat. Lisa wondered if he’d left town. If they were too late. Shap knocked again, long and loud. ‘Come on, Mr Matthews, we know you’re there.’
‘Piss off,’ came from inside.
‘Have you told your probation officer about our interest?’ Shap said, ‘Your licence can be revoked, can’t it, for any infringement. Resisting arrest, for example, they’d whip you back inside before you could fasten your flies…’ Always ready with a threat, Shap was, he liked to apply pressure at the slightest opportunity. It was not a very attractive quality, Lisa thought. And it was not what the boss had asked them to do.
The door opened. Aaron Matthews could barely stand, he was bent over in pain. There was blood on his T-shirt, gashes on his face, one eye swollen shut, he held his hand as though it was broken. From his posture Lisa suspected some broken ribs too.
‘Jesus,’ she said, ‘what happened?’
‘You happened,’ Matthews said, hobbling into the flat, ‘and word got back. You satisfied?’ Angry words but his voice was close to breaking.
‘You should go to hospital,’ Lisa said, closing the door. ‘Sarge,’ she said, ‘ I think we should get a paramedic to see him.’
Matthews shook his head.
‘You’ll have a drink of water?’ Lisa said. She turned to Shap who did his mock outrage look at being asked to do anything he thought she – as a junior, as a woman – should be doing. Lisa held her nerve. No way would Aaron talk with Shap playing the heavy but just maybe he’d talk to Lisa. Shap rolled his eyes and sighed and went out to the kitchen.
‘Who did this to you?’ Lisa said quietly.