‘Leave me alone!’ she said, slamming the door shut.
He pulled his hand away just in time.
‘Have it your way, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.’
She started the engine, shoved it into first gear and sped off, leaving him on the pavement, shaking his head.
On the way home, she nearly went through a red light. What Kingston said had really touched a nerve. She no longer felt so sure about anything. Either he was lying about Murphy to try and get her into bed, or Murphy was just using her until he could kick her off the squad. She even began to wonder if Stanley was playing games with her when he said the rest of the team were impressed with her work. Her good mood had definitely vanished.
‘Screw ’em all!’ she said to herself.
From now on she was just going to focus on the investigation and keep a detailed record of everything she did, to cover her back. That way, she knew, if it was her hard work that solved the Leytonstone robbery, then no one could take it away from her.
Chapter Twenty
Jane had a cheese sandwich and a glass of wine when she got home, then went to bed, but she found it hard to get to sleep, unable to get what Kingston had said out of her mind. Eventually she gave up, got out of bed and switched on the TV, then lay on the sofa under her duvet to watch the late film. It was New Face in Hell, starring George Peppard as a private eye who’s set up for a murder by Raymond Burr. It was odd seeing Burr playing a bad guy, as she always thought of him as Ironside, the San Francisco detective in a wheelchair. The film was gripping enough to take her mind off the evening’s events but, feeling exhausted, she switched it off before the end and went back to bed. She fell asleep almost at once.
The sound of the phone ringing jolted her awake. She fumbled for the switch on the table lamp and saw the time on her alarm clock was 1 a.m. She got up to answer the phone, assuming it must be someone from the squad, but instantly recognized her brother-in-law Tony’s voice. He sounded agitated and distressed.
‘Something bad has happened, Jane — I didn’t know who else to turn to.’
He sounded as if he was trying to control his breathing. She could tell he was close to tears.
‘Are Nathan and Pam OK?’ she asked anxiously.
‘They’re fine — it’s me that’s in trouble, Jane. I really need your help.’
‘Take a deep breath, speak slowly and tell me what’s happened, Tony.’
‘I’ve been arrested for something I didn’t do. I’m worried the police will frame me for it,’ he said, sounding even more distraught.
‘I need to know why you’ve been arrested before I can help, Tony,’ she said.
There was silence on the other end of the line.
‘What’s so bad you can’t tell me?’ she asked calmly.
Tony took a deep breath. ‘This woman said I sexually assaulted her... but I swear I didn’t.’ He started to cry.
Jane was stunned. ‘Jesus Christ, Tony — what happened?’
She heard a male voice in the background.
‘Time’s up, son. You got to go back to your cell now.’
‘Please, please help me, Jane,’ he begged, sounding like a broken man.
‘What station are you at?’ she asked quickly.
‘The one in Mayfair—’
The phone went dead, and Jane realized the officer she could hear must have put the phone down. She sat on the edge of her bed in total disbelief, wondering what to do. She knew there were a few police stations in the West End, but the only one with a Mayfair address was West End Central in Savile Row.
She ran into the living room and got her Met Police pocket diary out of her shoulder bag, then, looking in the alphabetical list of police stations at the back of it, found the number for West End Central. She went back to her bedroom and was about to pick up the phone, but hesitated, wondering what she should say, as she knew the custody sergeant wouldn’t be obliged to tell her anything. She didn’t even know if Tony had requested to speak to a solicitor, but doubted it as he would only have been allowed one phone call.
‘Christ, this is all I fucking need right now!’
She wondered if she should go to Pam’s house or call her. It seemed pointless, since she didn’t even know what the evidence against Tony was. The one thing she did know was that Tony had never been a violent man and had, in her eyes, always been a faithful and loving husband. He had his faults, but he was certainly no rapist. Her mind was made up; she decided to drive to West End Central Police Station and see if Tony was there, then find out for herself what the strength of the evidence against him was.
It didn’t take long to get to the police station, being just over a mile away from her flat. After parking in a back street, she was about to go through the foyer door to the front counter when she heard someone say her name.
‘Are you Jane?’
She turned and saw a familiar-looking man in his mid-twenties sitting on the foyer bench.
‘Do I know you?’
‘I’m Noel Harper. I was Tony’s best man. We met at the wedding and I remember him telling me you were a detective. Do you work here?’
‘No. I take it you know he’s been arrested?’
‘Yes, I was with him at the time. I’ve been trying to find out what’s happening, but no one will tell me anything.’
She sat down beside him. ‘When you say you were with him... did you actually see what happened?’
‘Yes and no, I guess. We were with a group of mates on a stag night in Leicester Square. When the pubs closed some of us went to the Empire Ballroom and this girl was all over Tony, but he wasn’t really interested in her.’
She sensed he was trying to hide something.
‘What do you mean by “not really interested”?’
‘Tony had a few dances with her, then he came back to the bar. She followed him over and asked if he’d buy her a drink.’
‘How many drinks did he buy her?’
‘Just the one, I think.’
‘Was Tony pissed?’
‘Not really.’
Jane didn’t believe him.
‘I’m going to be straight with you, Noel — and I need you to be the same with me, because I’m already feeling like you’re trying to protect Tony and that’s not going to help him. He phoned me after he was arrested and sounded in a hell of a state. I don’t know what the evidence is against him, but I don’t believe Tony would do what he’s accused of. If I’m going to try and help him, I need to know the truth. So, I’ll ask again: was he pissed and how many drinks did he buy her?’ she asked firmly.
‘He was drunk but coherent and bought her two drinks.’
‘Was he trying to get her pissed?’
‘No, she was half-cut when we got there and wouldn’t leave Tony alone. I think he thought she might piss off if he bought her a drink, but she kept holding him by the arm and kissing his neck.’
‘And did he reciprocate?’
Noel sighed. ‘Not at first, but when the slow music came on she dragged him back onto the dance floor. They stayed on the floor for a few songs and she was rubbing her body against his and they kissed.’
‘Did he touch her sexually or anything like that while they were dancing?’
Noel nodded. ‘He had his hands on her backside, but that was all. When they finished dancing, she went to the toilet and he came back to the bar.’
‘Did he say anything about her?’
‘No, but one of the lads said she was a slapper and Tony said he was just having a bit of fun and wasn’t interested in her. I noticed he had make-up on his shirt collar and said Pam would kill him if she saw it. He went to the toilet to clean it off and the girl came back. She asked where Tony was and I said he’d gone home. She looked upset and stormed off.’