The next day, a melancholy clung to the incident room while Kay listened to the morning briefing.
Her colleagues shifted uncomfortably in their seats as those who were rostered off duty were brought up to date by Barnes on the weekend’s lack of progress and the final findings from the undercover operation at the nightclub were assessed.
Her DS met her gaze as he finished speaking and raised his voice above the murmured grumbles and sighs of frustration.
‘Guv? Would you like to give us a quick update about your conversation with Isobel Gregor yesterday?’
‘Thanks, Ian.’ Kay sidled past Laura, then paused next to the whiteboard and made sure she had everyone’s attention. ‘Okay, so hopefully we’ll have all of Felicity’s phone records to hand later today, maybe tomorrow but in the meantime, we need to speak to the owner of this hotel just off Jubilee Square.’ She paused to write the name of the establishment on the board. ‘According to Isobel, Felicity was invited to join an exclusive breakfast club for young entrepreneurs a year ago, and they meet here every Friday morning. Isobel further confirmed that Gary Lovell was a member…’
A cacophony of voices filled the air, and she let the noise subside before continuing.
‘I’ve also spoken with Gary’s parents who said they knew about the breakfast club as well. Unfortunately, none of the parents could name any of the other members.’
‘There was nothing on either of their social media profiles about it,’ said Laura, tapping the end of her pen against her chin. ‘So why the secrecy?’
‘Well, that’s going to be down to you and Gavin to find out,’ Kay replied. ‘I’d like you to arrange to interview the manager of this hotel as soon as possible and ask who was on the guest list. I’m presuming they’ll have a note of the names, given all of the health and safety requirements these sorts of places are required to have in place these days.’
‘We’ll wander up the road after this,’ said Gavin, his head bowed as he scrolled through search engine pages on his phone. ‘If the manager isn’t around, we’ll find out from the receptionist who manages the function room and speak with them.’
‘Sounds good, thanks.’
‘Right, today’s other actions,’ said Barnes, flicking through the agenda in his hands.
They both looked up as the door to the incident room swung open, the handle smacking into a filing cabinet behind it.
Sharp advanced towards them, his face thunderous.
‘Guv…’ Barnes managed, ‘is there a problem?’
‘A word with DI Hunter, if I may,’ barked the DCI. ‘Sorry to interrupt, Ian.’
Kay took one look at Sharp’s face and swallowed. ‘Right, guv. Perhaps your old office?’
Heat rose to her face as she excused herself from the group gathered around the whiteboard and hurried over to where Sharp stood beside the open door to the abandoned office.
As she walked inside, she took a deep breath, her heart rate rocketing while her mind worked, trying to fathom what might have happened, what might have gone wrong, and why Sharp was in such an obvious foul mood.
The door slammed shut, and she turned to face him.
‘What’s wrong, guv?’
‘Suzi bloody Chambers, that’s what’s wrong,’ he spat, thrusting a copy of an online news article at her.
Kay frowned, took the printout from him and looked at the headline.
Detective pleads with victim’s parents after vet practice theft.
‘What the…?’ Her eyes fell to the photograph underneath, her breathing shallow as she recognised herself leaving Isobel Gregor’s home the previous day. ‘The people I saw opposite the Gregors’ house yesterday – they must’ve taken this.’
‘Suzi does have contacts in low places,’ Sharp said. ‘They must’ve been waiting for something like this to happen, especially with Peter’s political ambitions.’
Kay skim-read the article, her voice shaking with anger.
‘“A senior detective with Kent Police was spotted speaking with the mother of suicide victim Felicity Gregor just days after a ketamine theft from Turner’s Veterinary Practice in Maidstone. The practice is owned and managed by Detective Kay Hunter’s partner, Adam Turner…”.’ She lowered the page and glared at Sharp. ‘This is bullshit.’
‘Unfortunately, it’s bullshit that’s caught the eye of Peter Gregor and the Chief Superintendent,’ said Sharp, checking his watch. ‘Which is why we’re having a meeting with them at Northfleet first thing tomorrow.’
‘Shit.’
‘I know it’s not fair, Kay but it’s to be expected in the circumstances. You’d do the same.’
Kay huffed her fringe from her eyes. ‘I suppose so. What do you want me to do?’
‘Head home for now. Hand over all your work to Barnes before you go.’ Sharp sighed. ‘I’m sorry, Kay but we have to face the possibility that the Chief Super might want to suspend you until this is all over. Both for your own protection and that of the force.’
Blinking away the stinging sensation at the corner of her eyes and biting back her frustration, Kay sighed.
‘I haven’t got much of a choice, have I?’