Sheila Croft had calmly gone with Christian and Scott to South Yorkshire Police HQ. She was placed in a holding cell while Scott and Christian went into the changing rooms to dry off.
‘Poor woman,’ Scott said as he slumped down on the bench. He kicked off his shoes and struggled to take off his sodden socks. ‘Some people seem to get all the bad luck, don’t they?’
‘It would appear so,’ Christian said, peeling off his shirt.
‘So, do we think Calvin killed Keeley or not?’
‘I don’t think so. She hadn’t been raped and the sexual assault was old. He’d have to have had contact with her on several occasions going back months. I don’t see how he could have done it.’
‘So, we’re back to square one with no suspects.’
‘Not really. It does leave us with one.’
‘Who?’
‘The father.’
***
The Homicide and Major Enquiry suite was in darkness. Christian opened the glass doors and switched on the lights. They buzzed and flickered into life. He went over to his desk, but something caught his eye. He looked up and saw Matilda Darke sitting in her small office. She was looking straight at him but hadn’t seen him. Her eyes were wide, her face expressionless.
Christian tapped lightly on the glass, but she didn’t hear him. He knocked louder but didn’t wait for her reply before walking in.
‘Is everything all right?’
It was a while before she realised anyone was there. ‘Sorry?’ She asked.
‘You looked like you were a million miles away. What were you doing sitting here alone in the dark?’
Matilda looked around her as if wondering where she was. ‘I just needed somewhere to think.’
‘And a big farmhouse in the middle of nowhere’s not good for that?’
Matilda smiled painfully.
‘Have you been here all day?’
‘Most of it. I had arranged to meet with Danny Hanson. I was going to give him the Carl Meagan story, but I couldn’t go through with it.’
‘I’m glad,’ Christian smiled.
‘It doesn’t help Aaron, though, does it?’
‘I like Aaron, I really do,’ Christian said, hitching his chair closer to Matilda’s desk. ‘He’s a good detective and a nice bloke. He’s made a mistake, a huge one, but a mistake nonetheless. And he has to answer to that mistake.’
‘But what about the Mercer case?’
‘I was thinking about this earlier. If Leah Mercer had been an actual witness to the murder of her family, the case would be in trouble, but she wasn’t. She wasn’t even in the country when the murders took place. If she’s called as a witness when it goes to court, all she’ll be able to say is what wonderful people her parents and brother were. She can’t give any evidence, because she doesn’t know any.’
‘But Rachel does. And while Aaron has been seeing Leah, he’s been seeing Rachel. The defence could say Aaron’s been coaching her for giving evidence while pretending to be a caring friend of the family.’
Christian blew out his cheeks. He hadn’t thought of that. ‘Ok. Ok. Rachel’s evidence is a lot to lose but look at everything else. We’ve got the attack on you, the car chase to Ladybower, the connection between Millie Jonson and the Mercers, your evidence on top of that. The jury could be full of village idiots and they’d still see the truth.’
It was a while before Matilda responded as she mulled over what Christian said. ‘You’re right. I know you’re right. I just don’t want to throw Aaron to the lions.’
‘I know you don’t. Neither do I. But he’s a grown man. He knew what he was doing when he began the affair and must face the consequences.’
‘Christian, if you were in my position and had Danny Hanson practically blackmailing you and a detective having an affair, how would you handle it?’
‘For a start I wouldn’t let Danny Hanson blackmail me. I’d let him print his story and pass it on to our lawyers. As for Aaron, I’d have him in the office, ask him to explain his actions, then deal accordingly.’
‘You wouldn’t feel uncomfortable with Aaron being a close colleague?’
‘Not if he’d made such a monumental cock-up. I’d be incredibly sad, but it’s of his own doing.’
Matilda sat back and smiled.
‘What?’ Christian asked.
‘You’re going to make a great DCI.’
His eyes widened. ‘What?’
‘There’s going to be a restructuring at some point next year. The ACC is recommending me for Superintendent, and I can’t think of anyone better to take over my role.’
‘Are you serious?’
‘Would you be interested?’
‘Of course. When is this restructuring happening?’
‘I’m not sure. It’ll be another year or so.’
‘Oh good. I’ve got plenty of time to pay off my secret second family,’ he laughed.
‘Don’t even joke about that, Christian,’ Matilda smiled, genuinely.
The door burst open and a saturated Sian Mills entered the office.
‘Why is it I can never break down outside a chocolate shop or a millionaire’s mansion or a vineyard?’ She said breathlessly.
‘In Sheffield?’ Christian interrupted.
‘My sodding engine flooded and died on me. I look up and what’s the first thing I see? The bloody South Yorkshire Police sign.’
Matilda stifled a laugh. ‘Would you like a lift home?’
‘Yes please. Last time we had a big rainstorm, my house flooded. I’m dreading it happening again.’
Scott pushed open the door and practically sent Sian flying.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘Something bad’s happened. Ellen Devonport’s been attacked. She’s missing.’
***
While Scott was on the phone trying to get hold of anyone on the team to come in and help with the search for Ellen, Sian was co-ordinating with sergeants and inspectors in uniform to put a search team together and find out whether the helicopter would be useful in this weather.
Christian grabbed Matilda by the elbow and pulled her to one side. He filled her in on Sheila Croft and everything surrounding Sebastian and Calvin.
‘I’m worried that it leaves us with just one potential suspect,’ he said, his voice lowered.
‘Craig Armitage?’ Matilda guessed.
‘Exactly.’
‘But what’s his motive?’
‘The historical sex abuse for a start. What if he’s the one who’s been abusing her? What if she threatened to tell someone and he killed her to shut her up?’
‘I could understand that if Keeley was an only child, but there’s Jodie to think about in all this. Why didn’t he abuse Jodie when she was Keeley’s age?’
‘Maybe he did,’ Christian said, firmly, not breaking eye contact with Matilda.
‘Fuck!’ Matilda said, kicking the nearest door. ‘We’ve never had a serious talk with Jodie, have we?’ They should have interviewed her. They should have taken her out of that house and asked her to give them chapter and verse on Craig and Linda as parents. If Matilda hadn’t been so distracted with Carl Meagan and the worry of her reputation at another child disappearing and not being found, she would have asked the right questions of the right people and known the Armitage family inside and out by now. Once again, she blamed herself.
‘It’s on the list of things to do but we’ve been tiptoeing around them because they’re grieving.’
‘We still can’t discount Calvin Page, though. Get his phone off to forensics and see if any of these photos or videos show Keeley Armitage. Get a sample of his DNA and run it past anything we found on Keeley’s body or inside the Armitage house. Also, get a decent photo of Calvin and send it to my phone. I’ll show the Armitages, see if they recognise him.’ She ran her fingers through her hair, pulling tight on the strands. ‘Ok, here’s what we’re going to do: me and Sian have spoken to the Armitage family the most, so we’ll go out there now and have a private word with Jodie. I need you to get everyone out there looking for Ellen.’
‘Do we think there’s some kind of connection?’
‘I bloody hope not, but we’ll get an alibi for Craig, see if he’s been out at all.’
There was a crack of thunder so loud that the lights dimmed and the walls of the station shook, causing everyone to stop in their tracks.
‘Please don’t tell me that’s an omen,’ Matilda said.