Vicki was midway through a storming version of ‘Tain’t Nobody’s Business’ when Elder felt the phone in his pocket begin to vibrate. Outside it was drizzling rain and he sheltered under the archway above the pub entrance while he took the call. Katherine’s voice was faltering, weak, broken by small choking sobs.
‘All right,’ Elder said. ‘Just tell me, where are you now?’
‘At home.’
‘At the flat?’
‘Yes.’
‘And is there anyone there with you?’
‘Chrissy. And Stelina.’
‘And all of this happened when?’
‘This afternoon. Late this afternoon.’
He fought back the urge to ask why on earth she hadn’t called him before.
‘Listen, sweetheart, try not to worry. Get some rest. Sleep if you can. I’ll be there first thing tomorrow. And don’t worry, okay? Try not to, at least.’
‘All right. If you’re sure.’
‘Of course. Of course I am. And just let me have a quick word with Stelina, okay? I’ll see you first thing and we’ll get all this sorted.’
After a few confused moments, Stelina came on the line. Elder asked her to make sure any pills, ibuprofen, paracetamol, anything stronger, were shut away where his daughter couldn’t get at them. Any alcohol. Anything sharp. Keep watch, you and Chrissy between you, it’s important.
Stelina assured him she would. They both would. Abike, too.
Elder broke the connection. For a moment he thought about going back inside to explain to Vicki, then thought better of it; he’d phone her later. Right now he needed to make sure he was in time for the overnight train.
Once he was on his way, he called Joanne and alerted her to what had happened. He didn’t think it was anything too serious, but he thought she should know all the same. It sounded to him like a fishing expedition on the part of the police and not a whole lot more. Anything more serious and Katherine would have been charged and placed under arrest. From what she had said it seemed as though they were trying to make connections, hoping things would fall into place. He would go in to the police station tomorrow, speak to whoever was in charge and sort things out. Let her know how he got on, good news or bad. If there was anything she could do. And he’d be sure to give her love to Katherine, of course.
He closed his eyes.
Slept fitfully.
At Paddington, he paid to take a shower, bought a bacon sandwich and coffee from one of the few places he could find open, then took the Tube to Highbury and Islington via Oxford Circus and from there the overground to Dalston Junction.
When Stelina let him in it was still not yet properly light.
Katherine was sleeping with one finger in the corner of her mouth, her other hand clutching at her hair. Careful not to wake her, he lowered himself to the floor beside the bed and sat there listening to the faint sounds of her breathing and watching the quick, occasional tremor of her eyelids as she slept.
Hadley realised she’d read the document on the screen three times without ever fully taking it in, her mind, part of it at least, elsewhere. Had that been a genuine row she’d had with Rachel that morning or simply more bickering? All over an invitation to supper with friends – actually more friends of Rachel’s; they were always, almost always, more friends of Rachel’s – that she hadn’t felt able to commit to.
‘It’s three weeks away, for God’s sake, Rach, how d’you expect me to know for certain?’
‘I’d just like to be able to say we’ll be there, that’s all.’
‘Well, do. Say that. Tell them yes, we’ll come. I just can’t promise, that’s all.’
‘Can you ever?’
‘Now what’s that supposed to mean?’
‘Oh, never mind.’
‘Look, if it’s that important, you go. Go on your own.’
‘All right then, I will.’
‘Tell them I’m sorry, but I just happen to have this job that doesn’t allow me to commit myself so far in advance.’
‘Three weeks?’
‘Yes, three fucking weeks.’
Bickering? Or something more basic? More serious?
The phone went and she picked it up. The officer at the front desk. ‘Someone to see you, ma’am. Elder. Frank Elder. He’s pretty insistent.’
‘Send him up.’
Take it easy, Elder had told himself. Stay calm. Nothing to be gained from losing your temper, storming in there like a bull in the proverbial china shop. Last thing you want to do, get off on the wrong foot, put this officer’s back up even further.
The moment he entered Hadley’s office all the clichés fell away, unnoticed.
‘Mr Elder …’
He glared at her, ignoring the proferred hand.
‘You’re in charge? In charge of this investigation? The murder of Anthony Winter?’
‘I am.’
‘In connection with which you had my daughter in here yesterday, being questioned under caution?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then what the fuck did you think you were doing?’
Hadley caught her breath, held his look, walked around him and pushed the office door closed, went back behind her desk.
‘Mr Elder, please take a seat.’
‘I’ll stand.’
‘As you wish.’
‘You interviewed my daughter without a solicitor being present?’
‘She was offered legal representation and declined.’
‘And without the presence of an appropriate adult?’
‘There was no need …’
‘What?’
‘In my assessment there was no need.’
‘Bollocks!’
‘Your daughter is how old?’
‘Twenty-three.’
‘Exactly. No longer a juvenile.’
‘That’s not the only reason … Here, look. Look it up on your fucking computer. Guidance for Appropriate Adults under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, Codes of Practices, 1984.’
‘I’m fully aware …’
‘Really?’
‘Fully aware of the stated reasons for having an appropriate adult present and after taking those into consideration, made my decision accordingly.’
‘Mentally disordered or otherwise mentally vulnerable, isn’t that what it says?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you didn’t think that applied?’
‘No. Clearly not. Or I wouldn’t have made the determination I did.’
Elder shook his head in disbelief. ‘Do you know anything about Katherine at all?’
‘A little.’
‘You’d spoken to her before? Before yesterday?’
‘Once. Informally. An informal interview.’
‘And what opinion did you come to? About her state of mind?’
‘I thought she was nervous, perhaps a little more than usual, but in similar situations, as you might know yourself, that can often be the case.’
‘Nervous, that was all?’
‘Lacking in confidence, perhaps. But still able to express herself clearly.’
‘And not mentally vulnerable?’
‘No.’
‘Did you happen to notice her wrists? I imagine there are still scars.’
‘Yes, I did.’
‘And what did you think?’
‘I thought it was possible evidence of self-harm.’
‘But not a sign of mental vulnerability?’
For a moment Hadley closed her eyes.
‘I’m sorry …’
‘Sorry!’
‘On consideration, I should have given what I saw greater significance. But if I or my officers have been in any way responsible for causing your daughter undue distress I apologise and I assure you … No, let me finish … I assure you everything was done to put her at ease. Everything. But, let me remind you, this is a murder inquiry.’
‘In which she’s a suspect?’
‘Not currently, no.’
‘Then you were interviewing her as what? A potential witness?’
Hadley shook her head. ‘A person of interest.’
‘How so?’
‘You know I can’t tell you that.’
‘Does that mean you might have cause to interview her again?’
‘It’s possible.’
‘In which case …’
‘In which case, I shall do my best to ensure that an appropriate adult is present to support, advise and assist her throughout the process and to ensure that her rights are respected.’
‘And if that person is myself?’
Hadley hesitated before giving her answer. ‘I’m sure the considerable experience I believe you have will enable you to assist her in the best ways possible.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Now, Mr Elder, as you’ll understand, there are things I need to attend to. But please make sure we have your contact details so that we can get in touch with you as soon as possible should it become necessary.’
This time Elder agreed to shake her hand.
Elder rang the flat and Abike answered. Katherine was still sleeping. One or other of them could be there with her for most of the day. Just a little way along Kentish Town Road, he spotted a Turkish restaurant with what appeared to be an old shop sign preserved above. He was enjoying his lamb kebab with chilli sauce when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Joanne, he thought, ringing to find out how he’d got on, but although it was a Nottingham number it wasn’t one he recognised.
‘Frank Elder, this is Colin, Colin Sherbourne. Notts CID. I don’t know if you remember me. Your daughter’s abduction. I was just a DC.’
‘Yes. Yes, at least I think I do.’
Tall, almost gangly. Thin-faced. A moustache.
‘I’ve been trying to get hold of you all morning. Maureen, Maureen Prior, you’ll remember her, she suggested trying the cop shop in Penzance. I spoke to someone called Cordon. He gave me your number.’
‘What was it you wanted?’
‘Adam Keach.’
‘What about him?’
‘He was being transferred from Wakefield down to Lincoln and there was an accident. Pile-up on the A1 just short of Retford. He’s escaped. He’s on the loose.’