DC Drew Ellis pushed his chair back from his desk and rubbed his eyes. Today had begun as a nightmare and was rapidly descending into hell. Worse than the body blow of the Evernam news was the impending horror of learning the full details. He kept catching DC Bennett’s not-so-subtle glances in his direction. The thought of what she might not be telling him twisted his guts.
Of course he knew Mark Lingham. He was a stalwart of the cricket team, a constant presence at the bar of The Shire Horse pub at the centre of the village. At one point, Ellis had been part of Lingham’s friendship group, until Mark found a new clique and moved to the other side of the pub. Were any of this new inner circle now lying in their own blood at 62 Januarius Street?
‘I’ve got the owner’s details,’ he said, turning to Bennett. ‘Email just came in. He’s a non-dom, living in the Caribbean. His secretary’s going to send us the details of the current agency letting it and also the last building company to do any work on it. But she reckons it’s been unoccupied for at least eighteen months.’
‘Do you remember what it was before?’ Bennett asked. Ellis noted the way she subtly shifted her monitor to obscure the screen from view. What was she working on?
‘No. It’s been empty for as long as I’ve lived there. I’m hoping the letting agent can give me a history of recent tenants. How are you getting on?’ He gave her monitor a pointed look.
She paled a little. ‘Oh. You know. Background stuff.’
Bennett looked dead on her feet. They all did, of course, but Ellis knew about everything his colleague was dealing with away from work. Since she’d opened up about her impending divorce and the mess that her git of an ex had left her with, Ellis had been more aware of how incredible Kate Bennett really was to have kept going.
She was impressive, full stop.
Not that he’d tell her that.
For now, it mattered that she’d let him in. That glimpse into the world she masked so skilfully at work was a privilege Ellis didn’t want to take for granted.
‘Four bodies,’ he stated, more out of a need to be part of things than to discover who the murdered men were. ‘It’s grim.’
‘It is. Can’t be easy for you, being in your neck of the woods.’
‘Honestly? It’s the worst.’ The smile Ellis offered wouldn’t convince anyone. ‘How are you holding up?’
For a moment he expected Bennett to brush off his concern in the brusque way she usually did. But instead, she rubbed her eyes and stared back. ‘Let’s just say it’s not my favourite day at work.’
‘Going to see Lingham’s missus can’t have been fun.’
‘It wasn’t.’
‘Next shout on this job we should do together.’
Bennett sent him a wry smile from her desk. ‘We don’t have the manpower, Drew. I’ll manage fine on my own, thanks.’
‘I wasn’t talking about you not coping. I need backup for me.’
‘Oh, poor baby.’
‘Cheers.’ The spark of fun between them was exactly what Ellis needed. Glad of the distraction, he decided to push his luck. ‘We should grab a drink tonight after work. If this shift ever ends.’
Bennett made no attempt to hide her surprise. ‘Pint of cola calling your name, is it?’
‘One time! That was one time! And we were on a stakeout, and I was driving…’
‘Yeah, well, nice idea, but I have a hot date with flatpack furniture tonight.’
‘I could help with that.’
Bennett scoffed. ‘What do you know about flatpack furniture?’
‘More than you think I do.’ He pulled a face. ‘Or maybe not. But think of the comedy value of watching me try.’
‘Tempting, that.’ Bennett grinned. ‘Anyway, St Just is out of your way now. You’ll probably just want to go home… Oh, Drew, I didn’t mean…’
Ellis blanched, the thought turning his stomach. ‘Home to Evernam? No, funnily enough, I’m not in a hurry to get back to the scene of a quadruple murder, where half the residents know I’m a copper, and the victims may well be blokes I know. I’ve even considered camping out at my folks’ place till this blows over.’
‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t think.’
‘Don’t sweat it. But think about the flatpack, yeah? The offer’s there.’
Bennett’s laugh betrayed her relief at the subject change. ‘I’ll bear it in mind.’
The CID office door opened slowly, heralding the return of an ashen-faced DC Dave Wheeler. ‘Wotcha, kids. What’s the latest?’
‘Wading through background searches,’ Bennett replied grimly.
It was all Wheeler could do to raise his eyebrows. He looked ready to drop.
‘Brian Hinds sent the names over, then?’
Ellis stared back. ‘They’ve been ID’d?’
‘Yeah, sorry, kid.’ Wheeler flopped down on his chair, chucking the pool car keys on his desk. ‘Three so far, waiting on a fourth. I expect Minsh will fill you in, soon as he can.’
Ellis turned to Bennett. ‘You know already?’
She couldn’t even look at him. How long had everyone known, while he’d been sat there, dreading the news?
‘Thanks for nothing!’
‘I’m sorry…’
‘Who are they?’ He was on his feet, fury searing through him.
‘I can’t say yet…’
‘Can’t, Kate? Or won’t?’
‘Drew – Drew, boy – Minsh told us to wait until we know more. This is going to be a bastard for you when it all comes to light. But their families need to know first. That’s what Kate’s doing.’
‘And what am I supposed to do?’
‘Do what we all do when faced with a pile of crap in this place,’ Wheeler replied, risking a gentle smile. ‘Stick the kettle on.’
Still shaking, Ellis did as he was told. As he set about the task, the conversation recommenced behind him, kept at a respectful volume but audible over the kitchen noise.
‘How’s it looking?’ Bennett asked.
‘In Evernam?’ Wheeler shook his head. ‘Shock, like you’d expect. I imagine the whole village knows now.’
‘Are the press there yet?’
‘No, thank goodness. Won’t be long, mind. Those bastards turn up faster than bloody wasps at a picnic the moment there’s a whiff of trouble.’
‘At least they aren’t there now,’ Bennett offered. ‘Let’s hope they stay away until we’ve got the bodies out.’
‘Amen to that.’ Wheeler stretched his arms above his head, wincing at the pull. ‘Tell you what, though, there was one woman who just wouldn’t leave us alone. Not a journo, either. Councillor, she said she was.’
‘Did she give you her name?’
‘Ohh, now she did, but… What was it? Eve? Yvette? No – Yvonne someone or other?’
Ellis paused mid-pour, the freshly boiled kettle hovering over the mugs. ‘Yvonne Stapleforth?’
Wheeler clicked his fingers. ‘Yeah, that sounds about right, Drew. Frantic about getting in the unit, she was. Which was ironic, seeing as those of us who had been in it were all desperate to get out.’
‘Stapleforth?’
The three DCs turned towards the door to discover Minshull and Anderson standing on the threshold. Minshull’s hand was still on the door handle, as if the name had frozen his body mid-movement.
‘Yes, Sarge.’
‘Councillor Yvonne Stapleforth?’
Ellis nodded, Minshull’s apparent shock setting alarm bells chiming. ‘She lives in Evernam. I used to play rugby with her son, till he moved to the cricket team.’
Anderson’s frown cast his eyes into deep shadow. ‘What’s his name?’
Ellis was suddenly aware of tension filling the room. When he glanced at the point where his hand met the kettle’s handle, he saw that his knuckles had grown white. ‘Tim.’
Anderson cursed loudly. Minshull stared at Ellis, his expression one of shock and compassion.
‘How well do you know him?’
‘Pretty well. He’s a decent bloke. Older than me but solid, you know? One of the lads…’ Fear began to grip his insides. The way Minshull and Anderson were looking at him, a sense of foreboding prickled his skin. ‘Why?’
Minshull gave a slow, weary nod. ‘Then we have all four names. I’m sorry, Drew. I think you should sit down…’