A bright blue sky greeted Kay when she crossed her driveway to Barnes’s waiting car the next morning, sunshine sparkling in the puddles that lined the lane.
‘Morning,’ she said, fastening her seatbelt as he started the engine.
‘Guv.’ He waited until they were underway, and then cleared his throat. ‘Pia was wondering – if Adam’s up for it – whether you’d both like to come around for dinner next week?’
‘That’d be nice, thanks. Do you want us to bring the wine?’
‘I won’t say no.’ He grinned. ‘She’s desperate to show off the new patio heaters that turned up last week and it isn’t meant to rain for a while now. Mind you, I did tell her you’re a wimp and half an hour out there would probably be enough for you.’
Kay laughed. ‘True. Perhaps I’d better bring mulled wine instead.’
They fell into a companionable silence while Barnes fought his way through the remnant commuter traffic on the motorway, and Kay’s thoughts turned to the interview ahead.
Phillip Parker had switched places with the constable she’d seen at the hospital last night, and had messaged her to say that Xander’s doctors were pleased with the man’s progress overnight. Reluctantly, they had also agreed to the formal interview going ahead that morning.
‘Did Parker say whether Xander’s going to have a solicitor present?’ said Barnes as he found a car parking space on the far side of the hospital.
‘He has – someone Damian found for him, I think.’ Kay scrolled through her emails as they walked towards the main entrance, the glass doors automatically swishing open to let them through. ‘This is the one. William Taylor.’
‘Where are we interviewing him?’
‘Bedside, according to Parker. The doctors don’t want him moved around too much today.’ She craned her neck to peer into the cafeteria. ‘No sign of Damian.’
‘Visiting hours aren’t until this afternoon,’ Barnes replied. ‘Besides, the solicitor has probably advised him to keep away until we’re finished. He probably got a bollocking for talking to us last night as it is.’
When they reached the ward, Parker rose from one of the chairs grouped against the wall facing the nurses’ station and put the leaflet he’d been reading back in a rack display next to a pair of fire extinguishers.
‘Morning, guv… Sarge,’ he said. ‘Xander’s solicitor arrived about five minutes ago. The nurse showed him through and said she’d come back for you.’
‘Okay, thanks,’ Kay said. ‘Anything to report?’
‘Nothing new. A couple of hours ago I overheard one of the doctors say they were going to reduce his pain medication.’
‘Well, that’s a good sign – they must be less concerned about long-term damage then.’
They turned as the double doors through to the ward swung inwards and an officious-looking nurse appeared.
‘Right, are you the detectives?’ she said brusquely. ‘Which one of you is in charge?’
‘Me. I’m Detective Kay Hunter, and this is my colleague, DS Ian Barnes.’
‘Let’s see your identification.’
They meekly handed over their warrant cards and despite her own authority, Kay held her breath.
If the medical staff deemed Xander Beech too sick to cooperate, then they would have had a wasted journey – and the investigation would reach a natural hiatus until they said otherwise.
‘All right,’ the nurse said eventually, handing back the IDs. ‘Come with me.’
Barnes opened the door for them to pass through, and Kay hurried after the nurse, surprised at the woman’s pace as she led them along a short darkened corridor to a closed single door off to the left.
‘Given the circumstances, we placed Mr Beech in a separate room from the main ward,’ she said, then knocked once and opened it.
Xander’s nose had borne the brunt of the attack, with thick surgical tape and bandages criss-crossing the visible parts of his face. He stared at her through eyelids purple with bruising. A cut to his lip had required stitches.
He winced as he tried to adjust the pillow behind him, hissing under his breath at the effort.
‘I’m not sure this is such a good idea.’ William Taylor rose from his seat beside the bed and glared at the two detectives. ‘My client needs his rest.’
‘Your client has got some explaining to do,’ Kay snapped. She reiterated the formal caution to Xander, and then turned at the sound of metal scraping against the polished tiles to see Barnes dragging two more chairs through the door.
‘Thanks,’ she said, taking one and placing it at the foot of the bed.
Resigned to the interview, Taylor’s top lip curled as he returned to his seat and crossed his legs. He pulled a legal pad from the briefcase beside him, uncapped a fountain pen and then leaned across to Xander and murmured under his breath.
‘Right, Mr Beech. Who attacked you?’
Kay watched as Xander picked at the corner of a sticky plaster covering the back of his hand, his gaze dropping to his fingers.
‘No? Okay, let’s try another one. Perhaps you could explain why a quantity of methadone hydrochloride and ketamine hydrochloride were located in your flat after the attack?’
In the silence that followed, Kay could hear the soft footsteps of the nurse in the corridor beyond the closed door and someone at the nurses’ station laughing.
Xander remained quiet, but gave a slight shake of his head.
‘How do you know Felicity Gregor and Gary Lovell?’ Kay persisted.
‘Mr Beech, you ought to be aware that you’re currently our only suspect in relation to the theft of these drugs from Turner’s Veterinary Practice, and the subsequent overdoses of three people,’ said Barnes, his tone impatient. ‘We also have you on a CCTV recording with Daisy Stiles, who we suspect you coerced into carrying out reconnaissance at the surgery prior to breaking in and stealing those drugs.’
‘Unless you can tell us who stole those drugs instead perhaps?’ said Kay.
Xander’s head rocked to one side before he caught himself and took a shuddering breath.
The machine next to him emitted a startled beep.
‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered, his eyelids flickering. ‘I’ve got nothing to say to you.’
The door crashed open behind Kay and she spun around to see the nurse peering through.
‘Is everything all right in here? We had an alarm go off at our end.’
Taylor rose from his chair and straightened his cuffs. ‘I think that’s enough for today, detectives. My client is extremely tired after his ordeal and evidently needs to rest.’
Kay clenched her jaw, biting back the retort that came to mind as she glared at Xander, sure he was responsible for attacking Adam and leaving him in much the same state as he now found himself in.
‘We’ll be back in the morning, Mr Taylor. Make sure your client gets that rest. He’s going to need it.’