17

The traffic crawled all the way back to Hendon. The sky was heavy with smog. An electricity substation was surrounded by high green railings and warning signs. Danger of Death. A few colourful horses stood mournfully in a tiny patch of green, their rear legs bent. A builder’s yard. Pallets wanted. Sarah thought of the call she had taken earlier at the mortuary from Elaine. She hadn’t even said hello.

‘I’ve booked the hotel for Julie and Fergal. I’m on my way to the mortuary now.’

‘Thank you, I’ve got to get to that meeting . . .’

‘Never mind that. I’m very happy to help that poor woman, but please, don’t ever get that creep Lee to tell me to do anything again. He doesn’t outrank me, he’s got less service and he’s a prick.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘He’s one of the Fat Elaine brigade.’

‘Really. I’m sorry.’

‘He knows what a good cop looks like because he sees one in the mirror every day. Mostly pisses standing up. Certainly can’t look like me. No way. Definitely can’t have kids that actually need looking after.’

‘I’m sorry. You’re doing a great job. I was in a rush—’

The phone had gone dead before Sarah had even finished her sentence. Now, clipped to the dashboard, it was ringing again. Withheld number. She answered, hands-free.

‘Detective Inspector Collins.’

She heard the flat vowels of Walker’s solicitor, Holt. He was shouting. Sarah put her hazards on and pulled over. She interrupted, ‘Have you called 999?’ Cars were beeping and pulling round her. She clipped the emergency beacon onto the roof and plugged it into the cigarette lighter. The siren began to wail. ‘I’m driving there now. I’m going to have to close the call.’ The road ahead cleared and she accelerated.

Minutes later, she had pulled off the North Circular and onto the richer residential streets near Tania’s house. Big bay windows. Cherry trees and lilacs. There was a turning she recognized on the right and here, by an arcade of shops, the run-down house with plastic bins in the front garden. Outside the gate a marked response car was double-parked, lights flashing.

The front door was open. She grabbed her harness and ran through the small garden, taking the stairs two at a time, but when she arrived at the entrance to the flat, it was already over. Andrew Walker was lying on his side, clutching his ribs. His face was a bloody mess, one eye swollen and closed. A tall man was standing next to two uniformed officers, his hands cuffed behind his back. He looked completely out of place. He was dressed in a smart suit and what was clearly an expensive shirt. It was Ben Mills, Tania’s father.

The security system in Ellersby police station was beginning to get on Sarah’s nerves. It was always hard being an officer in a foreign nick, but Ellersby was on a different level. You had to swipe your warrant card to go anywhere in the building, and of course, as she wasn’t a local, hers wasn’t activated. It had taken her five minutes just to get into the station, another ten to find someone to swipe her into the lift so she could meet Fedden in the canteen. It was at the top of the tower: all glass with good views across the low-rise suburbs and out towards the green belt.

Fedden was waiting for her, Lee sitting beside him, in front of the remains of two portions of fish and chips. Lee had changed into a suit, Sarah noticed, and both men had taken their jackets off and rolled up their shirt sleeves. Fedden had a paper napkin tucked into his shirt top and one on his lap. He pushed an unopened bag of chips and a bottle of water across the table towards Sarah.

‘On me. Hope it’s still hot.’

‘Thanks.’

‘You’re welcome.’

The chips were warm enough, and salty too. She was starving.

Fedden said, ‘What a fucking shit storm.’

Sarah, eating, only nodded. It hadn’t been her idea to release an appeal that suggested Walker as a suspect in the disappearance of Tania Mills. Walker’s lawyer had already made a complaint about that.

Fedden said, ‘Tania’s father said anything about what made him do it?’

‘Journo doorstepped him. He’d done his homework on the appeal. Told Mills all about the attempted abduction. Asked him what he thought of Walker being linked to Tania.’

‘For fuck’s sake.’

Sarah popped another chip in her mouth and made no comment.

Fedden said, ‘And how did Mills find out where Walker was living?’

‘He won’t say. We can look at his computers and phone, but my guess is, it wasn’t difficult. Walker’s still in the area. People will know where he lives.’

‘Lee’s been with Walker at the hospital.’

Sarah turned to Lee and he said, ‘Fractured jaw but it’s only a hairline. Doesn’t want a prosecution. Says it will only put him more at risk.’

Sarah, wondering how hard Lee had tried to persuade Walker to give evidence, said nothing. She concentrated on her chips.

Fedden said, ‘Mills made any expression of remorse?’

Sarah shook her head.

Lee said, ‘I wouldn’t bloody feel sorry if it was my daughter.’

Fedden said, ‘I’ve spoken with his lawyer. He’s a barrister, works out of 3 Holden Court. Good set of chambers. He’s a decent chap, actually. Not the kind of guy you normally meet in custody. Family friend, apparently. Anyway, he’s going to talk to Mills, persuade him to accept a caution.’

Now that she was no longer hungry, Sarah realized with some disgust that the chips weren’t really hot enough after all. She pushed them to the side. She said, ‘We could try for a victimless prosecution. The officers’ evidence might be enough.’

A muscle twitched in Lee’s cheek. He said, ‘I don’t mean to be rude, Sarah, but I don’t get it.’

Sarah turned to him. ‘What’s that? What is it exactly that you don’t get?’

‘I’ve told you. Walker wouldn’t give me a statement.’

‘Yes, and that’s why I’m suggesting we prosecute without his evidence.’

‘And that’s what I don’t get. Are you fighting for a charge against a man who was assaulting his daughter’s murderer?’

Fedden intervened. ‘Lee, hang on there.’

Lee clocked the boss’s severe expression and checked himself. ‘Sure thing. Sorry if I was out of turn there, Sarah.’

‘That’s all right.’

Fedden said, ‘Could you give us a moment, Lee?’

Lee got up and left the canteen, but Sarah could still see him, standing by the lift, stranded by the fact that his warrant card too wasn’t activated for the security systems. Finally he had to put his head back into the canteen and ask one of the local officers to help him out. Lee grinned and Fedden nodded at him, less enchanted than usual.

Fedden said quietly, ‘Don’t worry about Lee, I’ll have a word. Can’t have the troops disrespecting the rank.’

Respecting the rank: it was a phrase Sarah had never liked. She spoke quickly, hoping to cover her objection. ‘Thanks for the support, but I think I’d do better to stand up for myself.’

Fedden frowned as if not conceding the point. ‘Well, that’s up to you.’ After a pause he added, ‘I hope you’re not taking it personally.’

‘Not at all.’

‘OK: Mills. I want this shut down. That lawyer of his will squeeze a couple of words of remorse out of him, you’ll give him a police caution and I’ll sign it off. That poor man’s daughter is probably dead. We really don’t want to prosecute him, you know we don’t.’

No wonder they called Fedden the Bulldozer. Sarah didn’t know what to say, let alone think. She thought of Walker’s bloody face. Everyone deserved the protection of the law. And yet she had to admit to herself that she also felt relief. It would have been hard to find the stomach to pursue Tania’s father. Fedden was continuing.

‘I want you to concentrate on getting a charge for Walker.’

‘Jim—’

‘I know what you’re going to say but there’s more than enough of us looking for Brannon. Walker has to be your focus now. Lee will arrange for him to be moved to a new address, but the only real way to protect him from further reprisals would be a conviction for murder and a decent stretch inside. No security like that provided by Her Majesty, don’t you think? I saw you got a forensic hit on the camera you submitted. Well done for doing that.’

‘That was Elaine . . .’

‘She may have submitted it, but it was your idea. Rearrest Walker tomorrow by appointment, and interview him again.’ He pushed his chair back. ‘Now, if I can find a way to get out of Fort Knox, I’ll head on back to Hendon. We’ve still got nothing useful on Brannon.’