by Jade Winters
“Custody desk.” The male voice on the other end of the phone sounded bored.
“This is DS McCoy. I’m just checking to see whether they’ve finished questioning Nathan McCoy. He was brought in yesterday.”
The line was quiet for a few moments. With her free hand, Ashley bent over and rubbed both her calves while she waited. She pictured the custody sergeant eyeing the board for the information she required.
“Hello?” The voice was more alert now.
She straightened up. “Hi. I’m still here.”
“He’s still being questioned.”
Ashley thanked him and dropped the receiver onto its cradle. She glanced down at her watch. Almost eight o’clock. Nathan had been in the station for nearly eight hours. What the bloody hell have they got on him?
Her mobile phone beeped, indicating an incoming message. She scooped it up from her desk and a pang of guilt stabbed at her when she saw the sender was Tasha. As she read the text, she felt a rush of adrenaline followed by a wave of nausea as the weight of the message sank in. Tasha was texting her from Gatwick airport. She was going back to Australia.
Chapter Eight
With a trembling finger, Ashley scrolled down her list of contacts and pressed Tasha’s name. I really don’t need this today. Damn it, Tasha, why didn’t you tell me to my face you were leaving? And why are you leaving when Aaron is dead? It’s over; our lives can start being normal again. A knot of tension coiled in her chest when the phone went straight to voicemail.
Clearing the call, she dialled Charlotte’s number. Ashley moved her tongue around in her mouth. It felt heavy and thick, making her words sound leaden. “Charlotte, Tasha’s just texted me to tell me she’s on her way to Australia!” She clung to the vain hope that she’d misunderstood Tasha’s message.
“I know.”
“You know! Did neither of you think to tell me?”
“It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. There were a few reporters hanging around outside the house this morning. Tasha just freaked out. She can’t cope with being in the spotlight again. It’s all too raw for her.”
“But why didn’t she call me? I could have–”
“–Ashley, she said you’ve got enough on your plate to deal with. She’s not gone for good. She’ll be back.”
“When?” Ashley said, her voice sounding more plaintive than she would have liked it to.
“Once everything’s died down. I think she’s doing the right thing, Ashley. She loves you so much, but being here right now is destroying her. It’s all just too much for her to cope with. She told me she has to find a way to move on in order to save herself, but she can’t do it under a blaze of publicity.” Charlotte’s voice was heavy with resignation.
Ashley focused on a flock of birds flying past her window. Any distraction meant she didn’t have to think of Tasha sitting on an aeroplane, flying out of her life. “I suppose you’re right,” she said, trying to convince herself but not succeeding.
“By the way, I’ve got Muffin with me.”
Ashley turned her head towards the door as it opened. Dale stepped in, looking refreshed and well rested. In his hands he held two coffees, one of which he handed to her. She mouthed “thank you” and turned her attention back to Charlotte. “Crap. I forgot all about him.”
Charlotte laughed. “I think he feels the same. Even if you walked in now, he wouldn’t bat an eyelid. All he’s interested in is his bone.”
Ashley couldn’t help but smile at the image. “Is it okay if I pick him up after work?”
“Look, if you’re busy, I don’t mind looking after him until things are back to normal.”
Ashley hesitated. “Are you sure? I can always leave him with my mum.”
“I’m positive. Go back to catching bad guys. I’ll speak to you later.”
“So,” Dale said as Ashley disconnected the call, “what time was Nathan released?” He chuckled. “I bet he’s at work now, regaling everyone with his tale of being questioned for a crime he didn’t commit.”
“That’s very unlikely, seeing as he’s still here.”
Dale choked on his coffee. “What? That’s not good.”
Ashley felt a sudden wave of panic. “No, it’s not.” She slumped into her chair, overcome with weariness.
“Have you been here all night?”
She nodded, taking a long drink of the hot coffee.
“Ashley, go home and get some proper sleep. If I hear anything, I’ll call you straight away. Tasha’s probably worried sick about you.”
She was still absorbing the shock of Tasha’s sudden departure from her life. For now, she could pretend it was just a dream. If she spoke the words to Dale, it would become a reality. Ashley knew she’d break down if she told him. “I’ll nip back to shower and change. I need to be here for my brother when he’s released.”
Chapter Nine
Back at home, their home, Ashley was overwhelmed with how different the place seemed. Empty. Devoid of life. It was as if the house somehow knew Tasha was gone. Ashley didn’t want to be in it a second longer than she had to. She chucked her keys onto the hallway table, went straight to the bathroom, and turned the shower on. As the hot spray relaxed the muscles in her neck, she thought of Tasha, and a lump formed in her throat. If she was going to be of any help to Nathan, she had to push thoughts of Tasha to the back of her mind for now. She needed to stay focused. Not just for her brother but for any work situation that might come up. She couldn’t give less than her best just because of personal problems. Grabbing a towel, she wrapped it around her torso and padded to the bedroom.
Ashley forced herself not to look at the empty space in the wardrobe when she took out her suit, and only glanced at the full glass of vodka sitting on the cabinet as she dressed. She put some music on full volume in an attempt to prevent thoughts of Tasha from entering her head.
Ashley was back at the station well within an hour. Even Dale looked surprised when he saw her heading towards him in the corridor.
“That was quick. You really are Superwoman,” he said in jest.
She gave him a half-amused smile. “Ha ha. Funny. Have you heard anything?”
“Nope, but Colleen’s in her office.”
“Is she alone?”
“Yep.”
“Good.” She was hoping Colleen would be more moved by her plight than Ripley had been, and that she’d be willing to share information.
Ashley walked briskly towards the DCI’s office. She knocked before entering, not wanting to get Colleen’s back up unnecessarily. Stepping inside, Ashley greeted Colleen. “Good morning, DCI Rees.”
Colleen kept her head down, scrutinising some paperwork. “I hope you’re not here fishing for information, Ashley.”
“Oh, come on.” Ashley forced a laugh, and then winced at how unnatural it sounded. “This whole thing is ridiculous, and you know it. We’re talking about my brother here. You’ve met him. Tall, clumsy man-child who lived at home with my parents until a few months ago. Did he look like he had a dodgy bone in his body?”
Colleen looked away from her paperwork and foraged around in her desk drawer. “Be that as it may, we’ll just have to wait and see. Ripley has authorised that he be detained for an extra twelve hours.”
Ashley was instantly angry. “Another twelve hours!” That bastard, Ripley. She knew he had it in for her. Was this his way of making her suffer? If it was, it was working, big time.
“Yes. So, for now, you need to keep your focus on work. The Johnson case needs wrapping up.”
Ashley knew Colleen was about to dismiss her. Trying to stall her departure, Ashley slipped into the seat opposite. “Okay, the report will be done but–”
“–No buts, Ashley. Whilst you’re in this building, you’re being paid to work. Worry about your brother in your own time. For now you and Dale can work on a new case that’s just come in. PC Michaels is at The Princess Alexandra Hospital. He’ll fill you in with the details when you get there. I’
m still going to need your report for the Johnson case on my desk before the end of the day.” Colleen returned to her paperwork, waving a hand in the air to dismiss her without looking up.
Ashley realised that getting any information out of Colleen was about as likely as finding an ice-cold beer in the middle of the desert. She reluctantly abandoned her mission.
Dale was waiting outside the door as she exited the room. “By the look on your face, I’m guessing you’re none the wiser about your brother’s situation than when you went in?” he said.
“Nope. And, apparently, I’m not allowed to worry about my brother while at work either.” She shot him a sardonic grin. “What I am allowed to do is go to the hospital.”
“The hospital? Why? Is something wrong with you?” he asked.
“Not me, but there is with someone else.”
Chapter Ten
Outside the corridor window of The Princess Alexandra Hospital, dark clouds began to shed heavy drops of rain that, in a matter of seconds, were beating hard against the glass panes. Ashley tried to ignore the increase in volume as she shrugged out of her soaking wet jacket and turned her attention to PC Michaels, a fairly tall man in his late thirties with a pleasant face and kind eyes.
“What have you got so far on this case?” she asked wiping the raindrops from her cheeks with the back of her hand.
PC Michaels’ sagacious eyes snapped towards the detective and then to Dale as if he had only just realised Ashley was addressing him. His blunt fingered hand scratched his long grey-flecked sideburns as he cleared his throat and read from his notepad.
“A hit-and-run in Harlow village. PC Green and I were first on the scene. Vic is a fifteen year old female...” He flicked forward a page and continued, “...one Abbi Connor. She was involved in a fight with another pupil in the school building and after the altercation, fled from the school grounds. Half an hour later she was found unconscious in the school car park. There were fragments of glass next to her. The boy who found her, did the right thing – he didn’t move her, phoned for help and stayed with her until the medics arrived.”
PC Michaels took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Doctors have confirmed she was struck by a car that, given the extent of the vic’s injuries, must have been travelling at some speed, which is strange seeing as it’s a car park. Kind of gives the impression it might have been deliberate.” He closed his notebook. “Victim is still unconscious. The doc says that it’s touch and go as to whether she will regain consciousness or not.”
Ashley’s gaze wandered to the window. Someone had driven away leaving a young girl to die in the freezing rain. Surely any decent human being wouldn’t even leave an animal in that situation? Spending her days amongst the town’s “low life’s” and criminals, she thought that nothing could still shock her. It seemed that the world she inhabited was getting sicker by the day.
“Um…” She was so lost in thought about the low level some humans existed at, that she had momentarily forgotten her line of questioning. “I assume her parents have been informed?”
A loud wail that bounced off the corridor’s walls answered the question for her.
PC Michaels’ face was drawn and tense as he nodded. “Yes.” He pointed in the direction of the sobbing cries they could hear. “DS McCoy, I’ve got a kid the same age as Abbi…I just can’t imagine someone doing this...it’s so...so...evil!” His eyes misted over and Ashley rested a gentle hand on his forearm. He didn’t need to tell her that Abbi could be his daughter laying in intensive care. A lot of officers took cases personally when the victims were children.
Ashley cleared her throat. “Who found her?”
PC Michaels brushed a hand hurriedly over his eyes and quickly regained his composure. He flicked through several pages of his notebook until he found what he was looking for. “A young lad by the name of Adam Cameron.”
“Did you speak to him?” Dale asked.
PC Michaels looked up at him, his cheeks flushed and he glanced away, obviously embarrassed by his show of emotion. “Yes. He was pretty shaken up, says he knew Abbi from school.”
“Was he the only person to see her?” Ashley said.
He turned back to her and nodded. “Well, he was the first anyway. There were a few other kids hanging around when the news got out about the incident but they claimed they didn’t see or hear anything. You know how teenagers are – always thinking that they might get blamed, so not willing to say much.
“We did a door to door in the surrounding area, to see if anyone saw anything, and got nothing.” He paused for a moment then continued, “We checked the bonnets of all the cars in the area, looking for any dents consistent with a hit and run, but there weren’t any with that kind of damage.”
Ashley’s forehead creased in concentration. It wasn’t a great way to start an investigation. A hit and run with no witnesses and an unconscious victim unable to tell them what happened. She let out an exasperated sigh. “What did the traffic police say? Were there any tyre tracks?”
“Yes, there were two skid marks near where the victim was laying. They want you to liaise with their collision investigator; he should be able to give you an idea of the type of vehicle you are looking for.”
“Okay, I’ll give them a call when I get back to the station. Did you notice anyone suspicious hanging around?”
“No. No one.”
So many questions and so few answers. “I don’t suppose the school has any CCTV cameras pointing in the direction of the car park?”
The constable shook his head. “Nope.” He pulled the corners of his mouth down in an inverted smile, and sighed.
“Great! Please tell me you know what the fight was about?” Ashley asked with more frustration coming through her voice than she would have liked, but she was seriously beginning to lose hope of finding out anything about this case. Normally, somebody saw something, no matter how small it was.
PC Michaels rubbed his hand over his chin. “No one knows, or if they do, they’re not talking about it.”
Dale gave a small shake of his head. “Are the other pupils aware Abbi is in intensive care?”
PC Michaels’ expression was grim. “No. When we arrived at the scene she was unconscious but still breathing. We spoke to the headmistress – a Mrs. Haywood – and she said she would inform the relevant class about the incident as she didn’t want us causing panic amongst her pupils.”
“Maybe when the kids find out how serious Abbi’s situation is, guilt will cause them to open up and speak. Hopefully someone’s conscience will prick them! Okay, I’ll speak to her parents first then Dale and I will head over to the school. Let me know immediately if Abbi regains consciousness.”
“Will do.” The constable turned and, lost in thought, stared out of the window at the raindrops making their hurried way down the pane. Ashley and Dale gave each other a sad smile. PC Michaels was obviously upset it was someone’s daughter but he couldn’t shake off the relief that it wasn’t his own. His feelings of guilt at those thoughts were written all over his face. Ashley felt nothing but empathy for him.
She and Dale walked in silence along the sterile corridor, typical of a big hospital. They could see a man speaking in a low voice to a dark haired woman. The man looked as distressed as the woman did. There were no other people to be seen so Ashley assumed that the couple had to be Abbi’s parents.
As they got closer she could see that the woman’s blue-black hair grew outward and upward in great masses of curls, almost masking the pale face beneath. She was leaning with her back against the wall; her head tilted upwards as she repeatedly knocked it against the wall. Her husband stood close by, hands stuffed in his jacket pockets and his eyes cast downward, the words he had been earnestly saying seemingly having dried up.
Ashley and Dale stopped a few feet away. “Mrs. Connor, Mr. Connor?” Ashley said.
There was no response from either of them. Ashley cleared her throat and took a step towards the small framed woma
n. Sorrow ripped through her heart to see someone in so much grief and despair. “Mrs. Connor, I’m sorry about your daughter.”
Mrs. Connor stopped the movement and slowly turned to face Ashley.
“Is she...dead?” she asked in a hoarse whisper, her voice quivering as tears streaked down her pale cheeks.
“No... No, as far as I am aware nothing has changed in her condition. I’m sorry, that was a thoughtless phrase to use.” Ashley inwardly cursed herself, she should know better than not to preface her questions with who she was. “I’m DS McCoy from Harlow Police Station and this is my colleague, DC Taylor. I just wanted to let you know how sorry I am about your daughter’s accident.”
Mrs. Connor’s eyes blinked in bewilderment. “How do you know it was an accident? Have you found the person responsible?”
Her voice rose at the end of her question, and Ashley felt bad that she had to dash that tiny bit of hope.
“No, we haven’t caught the person as yet. But we’re working on it.”
Mr Connor banged his fist against the wall, making Ashley flinch at the sudden violent action. “You had better hope you find them first, because if I get a hold of them.” He let the threat hang in the air. He seemed unable to continue speaking, and just shook his head slowly.
“I understand your frustration, Mr. Connor...” Ashley began, but he cut her off.
“Do you? Do you really? Or is this just one of those platitudes that they teach you in police training?” Mr. Connor’s angry demeanour was growing in severity. “Have you got a daughter lying in intensive care, dying?”
Ashley glanced away, unable to look at the pain in his eyes.