‘What happened then?’ Jane asked.
‘She told me to eff off out of her flat, so I did before she went for me as well.’
‘Regent’s Park is a bit off Eddie’s usual patch for shooting up, isn’t it? From what I read he normally used the squat on the Pembridge,’ Jane remarked.
Kath cocked her head to one side, noting Jane’s use of ‘shooting up’, proving that she had picked up the drug lingo Kath had explained to her.
‘A dog walker found him face down between two barges, more towards Camden than by the Zoo side. Who knows what he was doing over that way. In fact Mrs Phillips came to the station yesterday morning as she thought he was still in custody, but he’d been released the day before.’
‘I think it’s really strange. I mean do they reckon he died where they found him, or elsewhere and was dumped?’ Jane asked.
Kath shrugged. ‘Gibbs told me they don’t know for sure, but they think that whatever happened to him occurred on the canal path. So far there are no witnesses. All he had on him was a few coins and a bus ticket from Hackney, bought shortly after he was released from here.’
‘How long had he been in the water?’
‘No idea as I didn’t get to stay for the post-mortem. But you know they got those two big markets in Camden and they’re both fairly new, very trendy and the sort of place drug dealers might hang out.’
Jane remembered something. ‘Didn’t Eddie Phillips give DCI Bradfield the names of some dealers?’
‘Yeah, and the drug squad came in and were with him for a couple of hours. They were going to do some digging and speak to informants and see what they could find out, but I don’t think he’s heard back from them.’
Jane sifted through the indexing carousel and finding the card she was looking for showed it to Kath.
‘Eddie said two men, one nicknamed Big Daddy and someone called Dwayne.’
Kath nodded, ‘Yeah, that’s right.’
‘Do you think Eddie got scared and went to see this Big Daddy?’
Kath had a drip of egg yolk on her chin and she wiped it off with her paper napkin before answering.
‘Why would Eddie go see someone he’s scared of?’
Jane shrugged. ‘He might tell him about being arrested as a murder suspect, or that the police were asking questions about Julie Ann’s dealer. He could say he kept quiet and didn’t tell the police anything so—’
‘He wouldn’t look like a grass? I dunno, Jane, it’s possible, but what I do know is the poor little bastard ended up dead.’
‘We should have had him followed after he left here.’
‘Yeah maybe, but I wouldn’t go saying that to Bradfield. He was really pissed off last night because he still thinks Eddie was withholding information.’
‘And I’ll be more pissed off if you two don’t get on with some work!’ Bradfield said.
Kath and Jane were so engrossed in their conversation that neither of them had seen him standing in the doorway. He was rubbing his hair dry with a towel and had obviously just had a shower in the men’s locker room. He threw his Eddie Phillips death-scene and post-mortem reports down on the desk and told Jane to get them typed up and indexed. He then turned to Kath and asked her to call the drug squad and tell them to pull their fingers out, as it was now possible that this Big Daddy character, or his sidekick Dwayne, had murdered Eddie Phillips.
Jane got out some blank index cards, placed two sheets of plain paper and carbon in the typewriter and began typing. Kath was straight on the phone to the drug squad whilst Bradfield asked Jane if Kath had updated her on the death of Eddie Phillips.
‘Yes, sir,’ she replied nervously, wondering how much he’d heard of her conversation with Kath.
‘This case is going from bad to worse. Tell the team as they come in that I want an office meeting at 10 a.m. I’m going to the canteen for some breakfast,’ he said gruffly.
Kath put the phone down. ‘Two drug squad officers are already on their way from the Yard to see you, guv.’
He said nothing, simply raising his hand in acknowledgement as he left the room.
‘Do you think he’d been standing there for long?’ Jane asked.
‘Na, otherwise he’d have had you over the coals for the remark about tailing Eddie. So tell me, how did it go with Dr Harker?’
‘It was really interesting and informative when he discussed fibres being left behind and picked up at a scene by suspects. Especially as there were red carpet fibres on Julie Ann’s socks. Dr Harker was very nice and I liked him... he even asked if I would like to go for a drink.’
‘Wow! Teacher’s pet! So where did you go?’
‘I didn’t — I had a rehearsal for my sister’s wedding.’
‘So you turned him down? Couldn’t the rehearsal have waited?’
‘No way — you have no idea how obsessed my family have been with it all — the church arrangements, the reception venue, the invitations... My sister is behaving like a prima donna and I can’t think of anything worse than being a bridesmaid.’
‘Ah well, she’s your sister and it’ll be her big day.’
‘The only hope I have is of some major incident happening so that my leave gets cancelled and I have to come to work.’
‘Don’t be so cruel! You never know, you might get a leg-over with the best man.’
‘For goodness’ sake, Kath, if he’s anything like the guy she’s getting married to that is definitely not going to be on the agenda.’
‘Well, maybe you’ll get another date with Harker — mind you, rumour has it he’s married with kids.’
‘What?’
‘It’s only what I heard. You gotta watch these forensic scientists — they’re all smooth talk and touchy-feely. I think he’s attractive in a sort of public-school way. Why not put yourself down for another one of his lectures?’
‘I wouldn’t mind another lecture but there’s no date if he’s married.’
Kath pursed her lips, smiling.
‘Well, you’re quite a prude, aren’t you, Jane Tennison?’
‘I don’t think not dating a married man, children or not, has anything to do with being a prude. Why get into something that isn’t going to do anything but cause hurt and emotional stress?’
‘You’re not gay, are you?’
‘No I am not! Honestly, Kath, you’re really embarrassing me.’
‘Well, I don’t know, you could be, as I’ve never seen you out with any of the guys from this station. Mind you, I can’t say I blame you as most of them are only interested in havin’ a quick shag. Are you dating a fella or shacked up with anyone?’
‘You know that I live at home with my parents.’
‘Oh Christ yes, I forgot. Did you fill in that request form for a section-house room?’
‘Yes, but I haven’t heard back yet.’
‘I know there’s a space coming up, and you’ll have your pick of three floors of guys. Lotta drinking and sex goes on, but there’s a uniform sergeant in charge who’s like Godzilla. Heaven forbid if he catches you going in or coming out of one of the men’s rooms, and vice versa for the blokes. Mind you I suppose living at home is not conducive to having a hot fling.’
‘Kath, for heaven’s sake!’
‘My God, don’t tell me you’re a virgin?’