Carson had been fully aware of their journey to Kent and so wasn’t in the least surprised when the call came in from DCI Hart’s superior in Kent, a Detective Superintendent Miller.
‘Were you aware that two of your detectives marched into my HQ this morning and arrested one of mine?’
‘I was, sir, yes,’ Carson replied.
‘So would you mind explaining why you didn’t pay me the courtesy of informing me?’ Miller asked.
‘Let me answer that with a question. Do your detectives make a point of calling a suspect’s employer to let them know an arrest is going to be made in their place of work?’ Carson asked.
‘That’s completely different and you know it. We’re the bloody police. We’re on the same team.’
‘I think that answers your question, sir.’
‘What are you trying to suggest?’ Miller asked indignantly.
‘I’m not trying to suggest anything.’
‘Then let me ask you a question you might want to reflect on. How do you think your chief constable is going to react to the call he’s going to receive from mine?’
‘When availed of the facts, I’m sure he’ll be completely supportive.’
‘I’m not sure mine will be so accommodating.’
‘With respect, sir, these allegations are very serious. What is more, I’m reliably informed three victims claiming to have been raped by Warner are now willing to come forward. Two of whom worked in your force. So, you might want to consider very carefully what you say to your chief, if you’re at all worried what side of history you land on.’
The call was ended abruptly by Miller.
‘Annie, can you get me the chief constable’s office on the phone?’ Carson called out to his secretary. He’d made the decision during the call to go straight to the top rather than through his immediate superiors, as he wanted the chief to hear it directly from him.
*
As Warner got out of the car at the MCU building he looked up and saw dozens of faces looking down from the windows that overlooked the car park. Word had spread quickly. One of those faces was Alice Mackenzie, now back at work. This was the closest she would get to Warner before the trial. Ottey had asked her to keep well away. But she needed to see her attacker in cuffs.
There was an unusually quiet and sombre atmosphere in the custody suite as Warner was asked if he understood why he’d been arrested. He was photographed but excused the additional humiliation of being fingerprinted as his prints were already in the system. (As a police officer, his prints had been put in the database for reasons of elimination at crime scenes.) Melissa the forensic investigator then arrived with a male colleague to photograph the scratches on his face. She also swabbed his hands for any traces of pepper spray although it was a long shot considering the amount of time since the attack. This was the last Cross and Ottey would see of him. Two detectives, who had been briefed, read the crime report, read Alice’s statement and also interviewed her, arrived. They would be conducting Warner’s interview.