‘No. We can find out where she works.’
‘Why not pursue it now?’
‘Because-’ Anna began, clearly exasperated.
‘I’m just kidding. I’m not that tactless,’ Dewar said with a laugh and drove off, leaving Anna to get into her car, thinking that tactless just about said it all.
Chapter Ten
Anna got home just after eight-thirty, feeling physically and mentally exhausted after such a long working day. Too tired to even cook herself something to eat she ordered a Chinese home-delivery of Peking duck, Kung Pao beef and special fried rice. She had just stretched out on the sofa in front of the television when the doorbell rang. Anna went to her handbag and got some cash then opened the door, only to find Langton standing there with her Chinese takeaway in his hand, paying the delivery man.
‘You owe me fifteen quid,’ he said, handing her the food, and stomped past her into the living room. She had a feeling that his unannounced visit was to do with the fractious events at Gloria Lynne’s house.
‘It didn’t take you long to start pissing the public off, did it?’ he said, removing his jacket and throwing it down on the sofa.
‘Sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Don’t bullshit me! You know it’s Gloria fucking Lynne I’m talking about.’
Anna was far too tired for a stand-up argument.
‘What about her?’ she asked as she took the bag of food into the kitchen and Langton followed her.
‘She’s got friends in high places. No sooner had you left her place than she was on the phone to the local Chief Constable. And, guess what? He’s ex-Met and the Commissioner’s bloody golf partner.’
‘What’s his handicap?’
‘Don’t take the piss, Travis!’
‘Actually, I was about to take some red wine. Would you like a glass, or the Scotch is in the cupboard on the left.’
‘I give you a simple suicide case that needs a few casual enquiries and you turn it into a witch hunt against Donna Reynolds,’ Langton said as he removed the whisky bottle from the cupboard and poured himself a large glass, which he promptly downed in one before pouring another.
‘What did the Commissioner say?’
‘He called Walters, who took great delight in biting my head off because of your behaviour.’
For Anna, the mention of Walters’ name put a whole different perspective on Langton’s visit.
‘What did he say?’ she asked as she removed two clean plates from the dishwasher to avoid eye contact with him.
‘He wasn’t happy. He was tempted to scupper your trip to the FBI Academy until I persuaded him otherwise. What on earth made you accuse Donna Reynolds of murder?’
‘I didn’t.’
‘Well that’s not what Gloria Lynne said.’
‘I mean, I didn’t personally.’
‘Come on, Anna. I thought you were better than that. Don’t put the blame on Jessie. She’s only shadowing you.’
‘I’m not blaming her but she’s fixated on the idea that Donna Reynolds had Josh murdered. She makes everything fit her theory and has an extremely aggressive manner.’
‘I think she’s a bit more experienced than that.’
‘You’ve never worked with her. She’s more interested in her own opinion and proving herself right.’
‘Sounds like someone I know.’
‘You know full well I consider all aspects of the evidence before I voice my opinion. As you said to her, you need the team on your side, not against you.’
‘She told you I said that?’
Anna realized she had inadvertently revealed that she had eavesdropped on Langton’s conversation with Dewar.
‘Do you want some of this Chinese?’ she asked, trying to change the subject.
‘You listened in on our conversation, didn’t-’
‘Okay. Yes, I did, but it wasn’t deliberate.’
‘Just as well I was singing your praises then.’
‘Thanks for putting her straight about Ken.’
‘Why didn’t you tell her?’ Langton asked.
‘I don’t really know her, let alone like her, and my personal life is none of her business.’
‘Understandable, but I’ve always found her very pleasant.’
‘When she wants something to be to her advantage, she is. Look at all you’ve done for her,’ Anna hit back.
‘Do I detect a hint of jealousy?’
‘No. You detect someone who’s not prepared to be blamed for Dewar’s mess.’
‘She’s got a good track record,’ Langton pointed out.
‘In a classroom maybe, but I don’t think she’s very experienced at investigative street work. Not a clue about how to talk to people.’
‘She could just be nervous working in a strange environment.’
‘You need to sit down and listen to the interviews I taped with Delon Taylor and at Gloria Lynne’s house and rethink your opinion of her.’
‘You only have to put up with her for a few more days before we leave for Quantico. So do me a favour and give her a break.’
‘Patience as you know is one of my virtues,’ Anna said with a wry smile.
‘Good. While we eat this, you can tell me about the investigation so far. Warts and all.’
‘I thought we’d just covered Dewar,’ Anna said as she put the plates of food and a bottle of soy sauce down on the kitchen table.
‘Don’t push it,’ Langton said, and smiled.
Anna gave Langton a run-down on the investigation so far, going over the interviews with Delon Taylor, Marcus Williams, Donna and Gloria Lynne. Anna told him that although Gloria struck her as someone who was full of her own importance she was a very protective mother when it came to her daughters and Dewar’s line of questioning didn’t help.
‘Everything seems quite straightforward to me. If you’ve shown Taylor to be a liar then it should be case closed,’ Langton remarked, having listened to everything Anna had told him.
‘I’d like nothing more than to agree with you but Dewar has raised some valid questions that are as yet unanswered.’
‘Hang on a minute, you said earlier that she was coming up with wild theories.’
‘I said, I think she makes things fit the way she perceives them to be. You’ve always said to expect the unexpected, but never try and explain it until you find the evidence that proves or disproves a theory.’
‘So what’s the problem?’
‘I know Dewar’s interpersonal skills leave a lot to be desired. She likes to be confrontational, but I have to say she was very impressive during her crime scene re-enactment at the Reynolds flat.’
‘She should be. As a Behavioural Adviser crime scene analysis is her bread and butter.’
‘She went through the scene very methodically, even acted out being shot three times and let herself slump to the ground as if she was Josh Reynolds in his death throes.’
‘A tad dramatic, but her conclusion was?’
‘Dewar said if Reynolds shot himself there should have been blood spatter across the back of his right hand. There wasn’t any and the position his body ended up in didn’t seem natural.’
‘It’s not natural to shoot yourself in the head,’ Langton observed.
‘If Dewar’s right then the scene had to be staged to look like a suicide. I’ve arranged to see Pete Jenkins at the lab tomorrow morning to discuss her theory.’
‘Didn’t he attend the scene at the time of Reynolds’ death?’
‘It doesn’t appear that Pete was ever asked to and I suspect that once the post-mortem was over it was in effect case closed.’ Anna raised her eyebrows.
‘The original file would have been checked and signed off as suicide by one of the Homicide Directorate Superintendents,’ Langton said.
‘They can only go by Paul Simms’ report.’
‘Have you spoken with Simms?’
‘Meeting him for an early breakfast before going to the lab.’
As Langton got up and helped himself to what was left of the Chinese food, Anna looked at the kitchen clock. It was nearly eleven. She was really tired and had an early start in the morning. As a hint to Langton she gave a loud yawn and stretched her shoulders and neck.