‘What’s wrong with you?’ Ruby said, watching Ash frantically poke at his phone. Too engrossed in his task, he did not hear her come in, and he continued swearing under his breath as he peered at the screen.
‘He’s deleting his tweets,’ Eve said, striding past her with a wad of paperwork.
‘Tweets? You do realise we’re running a murder investigation here, don’t you?’
‘It’s of life-and-death importance apparently.’ Eve said, wearing a hint of a smile. ‘DCI Worrow’s following him on Twitter. It’s part of her new initiative to get to know us all a bit better.’
‘Not another one of her bloody initiatives,’ Ruby said, rolling her eyes. ‘It’s not as if she’s got anything better to do, is it?’
‘Just be glad it’s not Facebook,’ Luddy said. ‘Did you see that photo he posted last night?’
‘I’m not on Facebook for exactly that reason,’ Ruby said, stealing a boiled sweet from his desk. She had renewed her conviction to give up cigarettes yet again, figuring her bad habits would be her downfall one day. ‘Has anyone spoken to Monica’s husband, Adam Sherwood, yet?’
‘I did, just before the body was found,’ Eve said, raising her hand as if she was in school.
Ruby made a mental note to speak to her about being more assertive. ‘Before they found the body? What are you, psychic?’
‘Well, I do follow the horoscopes, as it happens,’ Eve blushed under the strength of Ruby’s withering gaze. ‘Sorry. Erm… all missing person’s reports are highlighted to us now, particularly if they’ve given up a child for adoption in the past.’
Ruby thought of the email address that she had used to contact Lucy. She would keep trying in case its owner activated it again. She had little choice. Not when there was a nutcase scooping up women from their homes. ‘What’s her husband got to say about it?’
‘Adam, her other half, said that she didn’t want children and never spoke about the adoption. I got the impression that she wasn’t the maternal type.’
‘So if someone came to her door purporting to be her daughter, she may not have given them a warm welcome,’ Ruby said, removing Ash’s phone from his grip and shoving it in the drawer.
Eve rose from her desk. ‘I’m just popping out,’ she said, picking up her jacket from the back of her chair.
‘Can I have a quick word first?’ Ruby said, nodding towards her office.
Eve faltered. ‘Sure. Would you like me to bring in a cuppa?’
‘Go on then, you’ve twisted my arm. Strong, three sugars… ’
‘And two teabags. Yes, I know.’
Ruby pulled her chair into her desk. She had five minutes to look into Worrow’s agitated caller because of the workload threatening to engulf her whole. Something was going on with Miss Prissy Pants and she would make it her business to find out what. As Nathan used to say, there were two things in life that got people into the most trouble: money and sex. She clicked on the form to request a credit check. It was time to do a little digging.
‘Sorry,’ Eve said, mopping up the spillage from the mug of tea she had just placed on Ruby’s desk.
‘That’s OK,’ Ruby said, switching off her computer screen as she gratefully accepted the beverage. She blew the steam before taking a sip. ‘Blimey, has the milk been rationed?’
‘Sorry,’ Eve said. ‘Will I go and get some more?’
‘Sit down,’ Ruby said, ‘and for God’s sake, stop apologising.’
‘Sor—’ Eve stopped suddenly, swallowing the apology she was about to deliver. She took a sip of coffee, most likely to shut herself up. Placing the mug on the desk, she twiddled with her fingers.
‘I just wanted to check you’re okay,’ Ruby said. ‘You haven’t seemed yourself lately. Not working you too hard, are we?’
‘No, I’m fine.’ Eve peered out the window in a manner that suggested she would like to be anywhere as long as it wasn’t in Ruby’s office.
‘It’s just that… ’ Ruby said, wishing she had rehearsed the words. Everything was so politically correct now; say the wrong thing and you would find yourself up in front of a tribunal. It was a far cry from when she joined, when she was patted on the bottom and told to stay out of trouble.
She brought her attention back to Eve. Their impromptu meeting was the last thing she needed with everything else going on, but she had watched her for some time now and her behaviour was beginning to grate. ‘I know it’s tough working in an office full of men, but is something wrong? Your confidence seems to have nosedived in the last few weeks.’
Eve’s glance fell onto her lap, where she pulled at a loose thread from her knee-length skirt.
In the absence of a response, Ruby continued. ‘You’re a good detective, but if you want to progress up the career ladder, you need to be more assertive. Don’t let them take the piss out of you. Even DI Downes treats you like a lapdog.’ She sighed, wondering if her words were sinking in. ‘He grew up in an age when sexism was accepted, but it’s no excuse and shouldn’t be tolerated now. ‘Things will be a lot easier if you learn to stop apologising and grow thicker skin. Does that make sense?’
‘It’s not easy,’ Eve replied, in a quiet voice.
Ruby strained to listen. ‘And that’s another thing: you’ve got to speak up. Talk with authority; say it loud. Don’t apologise unless there’s a very good reason for it. Banter is fine, but don’t let them treat you like you’re a second-class citizen. You can help them with their workloads as long as it works both ways.’ Ruby sighed as she watched Eve withdraw into herself. ‘I’m not having a go at you; I’m just trying to help, because sometimes I see you when nobody’s looking and you don’t seem very happy. Are you being bullied? Is that what it is?’ Silence fell, and Ruby’s gaze lingered on Eve as she waited for her response.
‘No, but it’s not easy for me. If people knew… ’ Eve blinked twice, her blue doe-eyes filled with sadness.
‘Knew what?’
‘I can’t say,’ Eve sniffled.
‘You can tell me to mind my own business, but if something’s affecting your work then we need to discuss it. Is it something at home? Family problems? Finances?’
Eve bit her bottom lip, a scarlet hue rising up her cheeks. ‘I told you. I can’t say. I’ll take on board everything you said; I’ll try harder. Now can I go? My shift ended half an hour ago.’
Ruby frowned. Since the discovery of another body it was a given that the investigating team would be in for another late finish. But there was something about Eve’s demeanour that made Ruby uneasy. Eve had changed from being calm and composed to someone ready to snap.
‘OK. But my door is open if you want to talk.’
Eve stared at the floor, her eyes swimming with tears. Ruby got the feeling that the young woman had not listened to a word she had said.
‘Just remember, you can’t afford to be taking on other people’s workloads as well as your own. If any of them lot give you grief, then just tell them where to go.’
Eve nodded vigorously as she rose. Pulling a tissue from under her sleeve, she made it past the door before bursting into tears and running out into the corridor. Ruby walked out of her office, and all eyes turned on her.
‘What did you say to her?’ Downes asked, biting off a chunk of Mars bar.
Ruby rolled her eyes before she turned to face him. He never had been blessed with a sense of discretion. ‘Nothing. I think she’s a bit stressed.’ She turned to the rest of the team. ‘So ease off on her, guys, okay?’
Heads nodded and murmurs rumbled in an acknowledgement of her request. Ruby was not going to chase after Eve. But she would be keeping a close eye on her.
Downes scrunched up the chocolate wrapper and threw it in the bin. ‘Oh and Ruby? Briefing’s in ten. Crime scene investigators have picked up specks of blood in Monica Sherwood’s hallway, and DCI Worrow has made the decision to bring in her husband for questioning.’
‘I thought our sights were on Lucy as a suspect for this case?’ Luddy said. He stretched his arms in a yawn. Sweat patches dampened the underarms of his shirt. He looked tired. They were all being pushed to the limit.
‘Think about it,’ Ruby said, pre-empting her boss’s reply. ‘If you wanted to bump your missus off it’s a pretty clever tactic to piggyback another killer’s method. Just say you’re going away, then come back early and set it up. There was no sign of struggle in her home which means either it was someone she knew, or was happy to allow inside.’
‘Or someone that had a key,’ Downes piped up, sucking the melted chocolate from his thumb.
‘It’s a leafy suburb and quite private. Most of the people that live in that area work during the day.’
‘What about the property where the body was found?’ Ruby asked Luddy. ‘Have you picked up anything?’
‘It was burgled last year, and they changed the locks straight after. It’s a high value property worth in excess of two million.’
Ruby frowned as something clicked in the back of her brain. A high value property. The ones Nathan’s estate agency dealt with. She shook the thought away. Why would Nathan, or any of the Crosbys, be involved in this? It was a ludicrous idea. She sighed, knowing police would check it out just the same. ‘Early examination at the scene suggests Monica wasn’t killed at the dump site,’ Ruby said. ‘She could have spent time elsewhere, possibly the same place as Emily. I know it’s difficult, but we need to continue working with the adoption agency to obtain details of women who have given their children up for adoption in the area. Then we’ve got to offer safeguarding; at least until we get this person behind bars.’
‘Getting information from the adoption agency is like pulling teeth,’ Luddy said. ‘They’re insisting it goes through the courts.’
‘And that will be fast-tracked now another body’s turned up on our patch. Luddy, I want you to oversee all dealings with the adoption agency and report back to me. We need to delve deeper with them, find out how our suspect is getting this information so readily.’
‘Will do,’ Luddy said. ‘I’ll follow up with them today.’
‘Good,’ Ruby said. Not because she thought he would help solve the case, but because of what he had heard. If the courts authorised the police to view a list of local women who had given their children up for adoption, Ruby knew her name would be among them. And the fewer people who knew about that, the better.