DC Hale felt good about himself. He’d worked his way up, starting as a uniformed copper and putting in for promotions, eventually making it into CID. Now, he was a detective constable, which had proven to be a title he could use to his advantage. When the new command had been established, he’d made sure he was involved.
Now, he was in the middle of a big case. A serial murder. All his friends were jealous, he knew it. Spotting him on TV, as he strode into crime scenes. All of them ringing him for the latest gossip, wanting to know all the juicy details. Stuff he wasn’t supposed to reveal, but that didn’t really stop him.
DC Hale opened the door to the family room, putting on his best sombre face as he walked in. ‘Kim, do you need anything? Tea, coffee, water?’
He waited for her to turn towards him. She looked him up and down, appraising him in a second.
‘No, I’m fine.’
DC Hale slipped into the room proper, feeling a little frisson of excitement as he thought about who Kim was. The sister of an actual murder victim. A very high-profile case and he got to spend time with her.
‘Who is the person they’ve arrested?’ Kim said, nonchalantly as if it didn’t really matter. ‘Is it Carly’s killer?’
DC Hale didn’t hesitate. ‘No, it’s some bloke who sent an email to the guy. Apparently it named your sister and her boyfriend. We’re not sure of all the details yet . . .’
‘So, this guy emails the murderer and what? Asks him to kill my sister?’
DC Hale felt the ground slip away from him a little. He’d already said too much. ‘We’re not sure that’s exactly what happened . . .’
‘Who is he?’
‘I’m afraid I can’t give you that information at the moment, but if you give me some time, I’ll get someone in to talk to you about it.’
‘Is he here?’
This time, DC Hale did hesitate. ‘I . . .’
‘He is, isn’t he?’
* * *
Adam didn’t know what was going to happen next, but he didn’t think it would be anything good. He’d screwed up. He had made one single stupid decision, and his life was never going to be the same again. Not that it had amounted to much anyway, but it was still his.
He couldn’t believe Carly was gone.
He allowed himself to be led out of the interview room, towards the cells at the other end of the station. Passing people in the corridor, all staring and judging him. They all knew what he’d done. He may not have been in that room, but he might as well have been.
He’d killed Carly.
The thought brought on a fresh bout of sobs, as the uniformed officer gripped his arm harder, pulling him along the corridor.
‘What have I done?’
It wasn’t supposed to end this way, he thought. Not like this. Through a film of tears, he saw something ahead. A blonde version of Carly, walking towards him, shouting.
‘There he is. You little prick, I’m going to kill you.’
* * *
Murphy was heading back to the main office when he heard the commotion coming from one of the corridors leading off the stairs. He assumed it was some rowdy prisoner who wasn’t taking kindly to being held.
‘An email?’
The shouted accusation made him stop in his tracks. Murphy shook his head and was about to move on, when he placed the voice he’d heard.
He started running.
In less than a minute, he reached the confrontation. DC Hale was trying to hold back Carly’s sister from a cowering Adam Evans, the volume of noise all coming from one direction.
‘You as good as killed them, you piece of shit,’ Kim said, baring her teeth at Adam. She was almost out of DC Hale’s grip, only a uniformed officer standing between her and Adam.
‘Get him out of here,’ Murphy shouted, sprinting towards the group. ‘Move him now.’
The uniformed officer came to life, grabbing Adam by the shoulders and lifting him to his feet. Kim was almost away from DC Hale, slashing at the air between her and Adam with one hand as Murphy shoved DC Hale to one side and grabbed hold of Kim himself, his arms locked around her waist so she could no longer move.
‘Let me go. Let me get at him. I’ll kill you. You hear me? You killed my sister. I’m going to end you. They can’t keep you here forever.’
‘I’m sorry . . . I’m sorry,’ Adam muttered through tears, as he was led away. He ducked his head, but not quick enough to dodge the glob of saliva as it flew from Kim’s mouth.
‘Keep your fucking sorries. I’m going to find you.’
‘That’s enough,’ Murphy said, still holding on to Kim. He walked her across the corridor and shoved his way through the nearest door. Thankfully, the office inside was empty.
‘What the hell is going on?’ Murphy said, once he’d placed Kim into a chair, standing between her and the door. He turned to DC Hale who had followed them in. ‘Wait here, Kim.’
Murphy gripped Hale’s arm, leading him out of the office and closing the door behind him. He glanced to his left, saw Adam Evans being led round the corner, still crying uncontrollably.
‘Start talking.’
‘I . . . I . . .’
‘Did I say start stuttering? No, I don’t think I did. You’ve got precisely three seconds to tell me what the hell is going on, or I’m going to tell her you’re the one who killed her sister and leave you alone in there with her for a while.’
‘I wasn’t thinking,’ DC Hale said, lifting a shaking hand to his hair and trying to smooth it out. ‘It just came out.’
‘What did?’
‘What Adam Evans was arrested for. About the email and that. I wasn’t thinking. That’s all. It was a mistake.’
Murphy puffed out a breath and stared at the top of Hale’s head as he lowered it to his chest. ‘You stupid little dickhead. You could have screwed us all up, do you know that? We’re at a very critical stage right now and the last thing we need is for one of our victim’s relatives to be arrested for assault, or worse. Do you understand that?’
‘I was just trying . . .’
‘I don’t care what you were “just trying”,’ Murphy said, banging his fist into the wall beside Hale’s body. ‘All I want to hear is, “Yes, sir, it won’t happen again.” Got it?’
‘Yes, sir,’ DC Hale said, six inches shorter than when the conversation had begun. ‘It won’t happen again.’
‘Good. Now piss off and stay out of my sight for the foreseeable future.’
Murphy turned and entered the office behind him without looking back. Kim was sitting on the chair next to the desk, swivelling it from side to side.
‘You shouldn’t have a go at him, he did me a favour.’
‘That’s not the point, Kim,’ Murphy said, leaning against a filing cabinet opposite her. ‘I know you’re angry. Trust me, I’ve been there. But this type of thing won’t help us find your sister’s killer. I need you to be cool and calm. I don’t care what happens after all this is over, but for now, I need everyone on side. Understand?’
Kim looked at him with dark eyes, peering at him as if she were looking at him for the first time. Her brow knitted together, the lines fading as she processed what he’d said.
‘Yes. I can wait.’
Murphy nodded and stood upright. ‘Good. Now, I should get back. Stay here, I’ll have someone come get you and take you to the family room again.’
Murphy left the office, stood outside for a few seconds and breathed in deep. What had been a long week, was becoming even longer.
