Imogen was staring at her screen when the coffee cup appeared next to her. She looked up, hoping to see Adrian staring back at her, but it was DI Matt Walsh.
‘Sorry to disappoint you,’ Walsh said.
‘What?’
‘Still no call from DS Miles?’
‘DCI said he called in sick, so I guess I’ll see him when he gets back,’ Imogen said, unsure whether Walsh was hinting he knew something was going on between Adrian and her. Her tension since yesterday certainly could be construed as a dead giveaway.
‘What are you working on?’ Walsh asked.
‘Just looking up any mentions of Corrigan Construction online.’
‘Wouldn’t it be quicker for Gary to do that?’
‘Probably, but I need him to break down the financials and so I thought I would get on with this,’ she said, trying not to snap.
Walsh wasn’t the one she was annoyed with. She wasn’t even sure it was Adrian she was annoyed with. Why didn’t she keep her mouth shut?
‘Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but Corrigan’s out already. He said Adrian didn’t identify himself as a police officer and he thought he was an intruder; his wife has backed him up.’
‘What is wrong with that woman?’ Imogen asked.
‘She’s scared, that’s all. She sees him getting away with it time and again. It’s self-preservation. She doesn’t trust that we can stop him and so far, we haven’t proven otherwise,’ Walsh said.
‘Sounds like you speak from experience.’
‘Not personal experience, thankfully, but I have had a few cases like this. We just have to remember that she’s the victim in this, even though she isn’t cooperating. Luckily for us, it looks like Corrigan’s behaviour has affected more than just his wife. It’s only a matter of time before we find someone willing to speak out against him.’
‘Well, let’s hope we find them before he kills his wife.’
‘Or before DS Miles kills him.’
‘Adrian wouldn’t,’ Imogen said. ‘I get the feeling you have Adrian all wrong. He’s not the bad guy here, either.’
‘He seems to be an unpredictable variable. I read the report you filed yesterday about what happened at that house and knowing how loyal you are to DS Miles, I can only imagine the reality was a more extreme version of your truth. I have asked the DCI to take him off the case.’
‘Oh,’ Imogen said, unable to think of a more appropriate reaction.
After the way Adrian had behaved at the Corrigan house, she could hardly defend him.
‘You’re a good cop, Grey. I would hate to think of you letting DS Miles hold you back.’
‘Adrian and I work well as a team; our track record proves that.’
‘I get the feeling you are the driving force behind most of that success.’
‘Well, you would be wrong. DS Miles’ determination is a huge factor. I’m not comfortable talking this way about him without him here to defend himself. I also don’t really appreciate your suggestion that I falsified my report in order to paint DS Miles in a more favourable light.’
‘There’s nothing to defend; these are observations. Not attacks. All I am saying is don’t let your loyalty ruin your career. He’s attacked both an officer at this station and a civilian now. We have to be held to higher standards than that.’
‘I think you mean suspect, not civilian.’
‘Does that make it OK?’
‘This conversation is over. Unless there is anything else?’ she snapped.
This time, it was most definitely Walsh she was annoyed with.
‘Let’s move on. Have you found anything?’
‘The usual, really: announcements for construction bids they won and things like that. A picture of Corrigan with a bloke called Gerry Thompson from a couple of years ago; apparently, he was his right-hand man, but I don’t remember seeing him on any of the staff lists.’
‘Maybe we should give him a visit.’
‘I’ll get his address,’ she said.
She hated it when other people pointed out her flaws to her, especially if they were right. She wanted to call Adrian and tell him about the conversation she had just had with DI Walsh, but she didn’t much feel like calling just to have her call rejected again.