Catherine

by A J Hollingsworth

  William raised his eyebrows, 'that could always be a possibility, but what does your gut tell you?'

  'I can't believe it though, I wouldn't think I'd be that blind not to see it, would I?'

  'Are you asking me or telling me Rachel!' exclaimed William.

  Rachel contemplated. Was she asking? No. She knew he wouldn't do that to her. This weekend showed her that. He had booked a weekend away, breakfast in bed and had showered her with gifts. That would not have been the actions of a man who was cheating on her. No. But then again, it could be the signs of the guilt inside Nathan, burning, eating away at him. She shook her head much to the amusement of William, who was now watching her, observing the cogs spin and turn inside her. He knew she was contemplating the probabilities of Nathan cheating and murdering in cold blood, the mistress, Catherine.

  'I can't honestly answer either way,' she replied with her voice starting to breaking.

  William took a deep sigh in, 'the way I see it Rachel, you have to find out one way or another. I still trust you but if you loyalties are going to be compromised, then I need you to say so now!'

  She remained quiet.

  'Good. I will be watching you, I have to, I can't afford to take the risk. From now on, I will need to be involved with every aspect of this case. I will need to sign off on every report, every witness and I will be present when anybody is questioned officially over the murder. I will have to be your consciousness sat on your shoulder and if I see any wrong-doings by yourself then not only will you be of the case but I will bring charges against you Rachel. I hate having to do this but I trust you, so I know you won't let me down, will you?'

  Rachel shook her head. She could do this, if Nathan is involved, then she could bring him to justice.

  Chapter 31

  Rachel placed her glass back down on the desk and moved her way to the door.

  'Rachel, you will need DC Langley's help, don't forget that.'

  Rachel nodded and turned again, reaching the door.

  'Watch your back though!'

  'Thanks Sir,' she said without turning back.

  Rachel exited William Jepson's office and was not exactly surprised to see the snake in the grass standing outside waiting for her. She stood still after closing the door behind herself and could see the disappointment oozing from Logan's stance. He was expecting William to call him to take over the case and there was Rachel, standing bold as brass in front of him. Was he now being petty, probably, but he had done the time. He was the next in line. The job was rightly his. Now, he may just have to bide his time, it would get his chance. 'What's next DS Lambert?' he said solemnly.

  'We need to find out whether what Rebecca is claiming is true or not. There would be one person who I would have ever faith in knowing whether something like that was going on at the University.'

  'Stephanie Wellbeck!'

  'Exactly. She keeps such a tight lease on everything that happens there, she would know for certain.'

  'You car or mine?' he asked.

  Rachel was ready for this, he was not going to like what she was going to say. 'I need you to go alone, Logan.'

  The corridor was busy with officers walking, it would have been unprofessional to make a scene, but he couldn't trust her. Was this a ploy just to get him out of the way, while she went to warn Nathan. Was that the reason she had been so determined to take the case. 'What are you going to be doing DS Lambert?' he said acquisitively.

  I need to follow up on paperwork,' she responded calmly. 'Are you capable of speaking with Stephanie?'

  'DS Lambert I am more than capable of taking over the case-'

  '-that's not what I asked DC Langley! I am your senior officer and I asked if you can find out what Stephanie knows. Can you?'

  Logan looked around the traffic of officers had reduced to a trickle and he walked up close to Rachel. He whispered to her, 'I know what I am capable of without question, but there is a big question whether you can divide your emotion from Nathan and the case. Is that something you can do?'

  The honest answer from Rachel would have been she doesn't know, haven't a clue, she couldn't even begin to start to work out what she would do if that was the case. He wasn't guilty, that wasn't the case, no he was her husband and she couldn't believe that he would. She started to play with her fingernails, clanking one against the other as she should there watching Logan break into a smile. He was right and he knew it. She may not be able to remove the emotion from her decisions and if that was the case then, where would she go with the case. Was she the right person to take charge. He was. Lacking any kind of emotion connection with anyone, he was ice-cold!

  'DC Langley, I am professional and I have spent years bringing people to justice. That has never been in question to me. You may-'

  'Really Rachel, you sound like you reading from the idiots guide of how to be a good detective. Did you buy it from Amazon.' Logan shrugged his shoulder looking almost sorry for her that the only defence to the question was read from a text book. He turned from her and began walking.

  'How dare you question my motives,' she shouted after him. The station went silent and the officers nearby all stood still with their eyes on the pair. 'You prick!' she stormed after him, only stopping a few inches from him. 'You are so aggrieved that I am your superior that you would do anything to break my career, break me?' she started to sob out of anger, she couldn't stop herself regardless of how much she wanted to.

  'You are blind DS Lambert. I don't know if it's just because of your age or whether your mother pampered you, but your naiveness is blinding you.'

  'I was wrong DC Langley. You are not a prick, you are a fucking arsehole! I'm naive? How dare you! I know exactly what is going on and I will make the right call when it is required. Whereas with you, your hatred is eating you alive and if you don't control it you will end up a bitter twisted sad old man! Wait as minute, you already are.'

  The officer nearby were frozen like statues now, the awkwardness had restricted them from moving, even William Jepson had heard and was now standing in his doorway watching the pair of them. The only officer that was moving was PC Tanya Scott, heading straight for the pair and once she had reached them she stood in between the pair. 'This is not the place to settle differences,' she said firmly and calmly.

  Logan was about to say something more, not paying any attention to Tanya, but before he could. 'DC Langley, I believe you need to go and ask some questions?' William ordered loudly from his doorway. Logan looked across, not aware previously of being watched, he nodded and walked away in the opposite direction still annoyed.

  'PC Scott would you like to assist DS Lambert with her case?' William asked Tanya.

  'Of course Sir. Not a problem.'

  Tanya placed her arm around Rachel and led her away towards the exit into the station car park. It was just passing one in the afternoon and the wind was howling around the corner, whistling in between the parked cars and the several metal skips cluttering the rear of the car park. Rachel's car was parked in the corner, she reached inside her pocket for the keys, outstretched she clicked the remote. Before she had chance to make her way to the car, Tanya took the keys from her, 'passenger seat,' she told Rachel.

  Rachel didn't argue and within a minute Tanya was sat behind the wheel of the car. She pushed the key into the ignition but didn't turn it. She turned sidewards in the seat and looked at Rachel who was staring into space through the windscreen. 'Talk,' Tanya ordered. 'What the hell was all that about, a minute ago in the station?'

  Tanya sat waiting, she thought it was about time that somebody put that egotistical prick in his place, but that was more. Rachel was in command, she didn't have to blow up like she had.

  'It's nothing Tan, it's just Logan trying to flex his muscles, nothing more.'

  'You really expect me to believe that? You called him a fucking arsehole in front of the entire station. Besides, what were you both doing in DCI Jepson's office?. Don't give me bullshit and start talking!' she s
aid raising her eyebrows disapprovingly.

  Rachel wasn't in the mood for chatting, especially not about that idiot and even if she did, then she would have to tell her about Nathan and she didn't know if she could just yet. She looked over at Tanya, still sitting in the drivers seat waiting for her to talk. She was not going to let this go, the expectancy was clear to see in her eyes. She wanted to fight, adrenaline pumping around her veins and fury in her heart. She wanted to scream and shout. She didn't, 'Tan, I don't know how to tell you.'

  'Rach,' she responded reaching over the handbrake and gear lever and placing her hands on top of Rachel's. 'I am your best friend, you can tell me anything, I don't judge and I may even be able to help you. All you have to do is let me in.'

  'I know Tan, you have always been there for me from the very first day I walked through the police station door. It's just difficult,' she paused and looked down at the carpet running along the floor of the car. 'Nathan may have being having an affair with Catherine.'

  'What! The girl whose murder you are investigating?'

  'Yeah.'

  'Holy shit!' Tanya said gob-smacked looking straight through the windscreen. 'How? Why? What?'

  Rachel nodded, 'Yes, that's what I've been asking myself ever since I've found out.'

  'What evidence do you have?'

  'A witness who claims Catherine was having an affair with a professor.'

  Tanya looked at Rachel, the shock now dissipating to be replaced by confusion. 'A professor? Why do you think that means its Nathan? There is more than one male professor at the University. It might not even been a male too. She could be a secret lesbian or bi-sexual anyway. I think you are jumping to conclusions here Rach. I am sure Logan has done his best to throw the cat amongst the Pigeons too,' she sighed. 'Anything to discredit you.'

  'You might be right Tan, but what if you are wrong? Maybe Logan is right and I am not the best detective to lead this investigation now we know that it could be a possibility. How can I be impartial?'

  'Are you fucking kidding me? OK, let's say your suspicions are right.' Rachel nodded going along with Tanya. 'Nathan is the killer, would you hide that and go home to him? Share a meal with him? Watch a movie together, curled up on the sofa in his arms? Go to bed with him, letting him kiss you and touch you? You couldn't live with that, think of how much you are hurting even thinking about the possibility. You would place him behind bars quicker than you could blink and deep down you know you would!'

  Rachel looked up smiling at her and nodded.

  'What did DCI Jepson say? I mean as he took you off the case?'

  'No. He believes he made the right choice.'

  'You need to believe that, Rach and we need to find the evidence missing in this case. I can't accept that Nathan would do something like this. I really don't Rachel. You need to catch me up on what we know, then we can make a plan of where next, before I will start this car. OK?'

  Rachel accepted Tanya's terms and watched her sit back in the drivers seat listening intently to every word that fell from her mouth. Tanya had a eidetic memory, more commonly known as a photographic memory, anything she read or even looked at for a split second was lodges inside her memory forever. She knew how to read it also, like a micro-processor in the most powerful computer she could sort and search through the files of her memory in milliseconds, just to find the smallest trinket of information that even the greatest of detectives would have overlooked.

  It was Tanya's special gift that had cemented the connection between the pair in the first instance. She had remembered a note that was written by a murderer in a previous case when she had still been a detective constable. That was ten years ago and almost a lifetime away in her memory. She could trust Tanya, she had always covered her back and that she could never repay with enough gratitude.

  'So Mark Jacobs could be the murder, Daisy Reynolds could be the murderer and so could a mystery professor?'

  'Yes not exactly narrowed it down have we and everything is circumstantial at best. We don't have a confirmation on Mark's alibi yet, maybe that's where we start?'

  Rachel didn't have time to respond before her mobile phone started to vibrate in her pocket. Sliding it out, she noticed an unknown number displaying on the screen. She swiped across right to answer and held it to her ear.

  'Hello, is that DS Lambert?'

  'It is. How can I help?'

  'It's Duncan from the University Library. I want to let you know that the CCTV footage you were asking for is now ready. Would you like me to send it across to you?'

  'That's OK Duncan. I'll have my constable pick it up from you.'

  They exchanged pleasantries and end the call. 'I think we may have an answer to your question Tan.'

  'What for us then?'

  'I think we'll go and talk to Rebecca. She knows which professor!'

  Chapter 32

  Logan was fuming, livid, infuriated and generally simply out, pissed off with Rachel. He suspected that DCI Jepson would support his protege, he had made a minor mis-calculation. The seed is planted inside the head of their boss, but he was wrong to attack so strong, he accepts he needed to be a lot more subtle. And now he was being punished by doing the donkey work.

  He pulled up outside the Vice Chancellor's building, parking next to Stephanie's car. She was at work today at least and hopefully he could be in and out with the information he required. He switched off the engine and opened his door, fastening his coat along the way, the bitter cold chomping down as the afternoon progressed. The entrance of the building was unoccupied and now he had to remember the way to Stephanie's office. He recognised the staircase and began climbing reaching the top with ease, before looking right and left at the top. He had forgotten which way they had previously took, The left didn't look familiar but there were something that he remembered about the painting down the corridor.

  At the bottom of the corridor he recognised the same walnut desk and the same assistance sitting behind, with her judgemental eyes examining, what Logan could only imagine, being his very soul. He gave a welcoming smile as he approached. He did not receive one back.

  'Constable!' said Stephanie's assistant. 'I'm afraid she is very busy at the moment. I can see if she can squeeze you in, if you like?'

  'I would appreciate that, if you could? I'll be as quick as I possibly can be!'

  Stephanie's assistant lifted the headset of her phone and explained to her that Logan was wanting to speak to her. She had accepted with reservation. 'She is free, go through,' Stephanie's assistant said.

  Logan thanked her and twisted the office door open, 'thank you for sparing your time Miss Wellbeck.'

  'I've told you once before DC Langley, please call me Stephanie. And you are welcome, feel free to pull up a chair and sit down. How can I help. You got any further to find who murdered that poor girl?'

  'The investigation is ongoing Stephanie. We chasing all leads we have and hopefully we can have the matter wrapped up soon.' DC Langley moved across to the chairs, pulled one away from the back of the desk and sat down, resting his right leg over his left knee and removed his notepad from the inside pocket of his jacket. He opened it to the page where he had made notes from the conversation with Rebecca.

  'What have you found out?'

  'We need to find out more about Catherine. Who were her friends? Who did she hang out with? Did she attend any campus clubs? Who was her professor's? Any information at this conjunction of the investigation can prove invaluable in catching the murderer, you will be helping us Stephanie.'

  Stephanie, already sitting behind her desk when Logan had entered the office, relaxed against the back of her chair. 'WOW, this isn't going to be a short conversation then? Can I interest you in a cup of coffee?'

  Logan was not that interested to be honest, but if he wanted to get information from her, then he had very little choice. 'That would be lovely,' he replied with a gentle sincere smile.

  Stephanie lifted up the headset for her phone and clicked
one on the dial pad. Her assistant responded quickly and efficiently, as she always did, and took the order from Stephanie. 'Two sugars DC Langley?' she asked moving the mouthpiece away a couple on inches and covering it up with her free hand.

  'You have a very good memory Stephanie, I'm impressed,' he stated knowing that already, it was that memory he was now counting on.

  'Thank you,' she said before confirming his request with her assistant. 'You need more information, well I can see you have you pen and pad ready so I'll start with what I know for certain. You know the basics. Her boyfriend was Mark Jacobs. Her closest friend is another student called Rebecca, she is also doing an English Degree.'

  'Would that be Rebecca Castor?'

  'Yes it would be. Have you already questioned her?'

  Logan wouldn't call it questioning, trying to get what little information they could over a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. There was something about her, a gut reaction maybe, but he knew she had been holding back at lunch time. 'We have met, yes. What kind of student is Rebecca?'

  Stephanie lent forward in her chair ushering Logan to move in closer too, ready to whisper a secret in his ears, 'she is what you would call a quiet student!'

  'What do you mean by that, I thought you would like quiet students?'

  Stephanie was interrupted before she could answer, by a knock at the door, she called out for them to enter. Her assistant walked in with two cups of coffee, one in each hand and placed them on top of the desk. Two mugs not cups with the University logo emblazoned on the side, slightly lob-sided. Logan lifted the mug up to his lips and took a sip gently. It could only be considered to be luke warm at best and tasted like the coffee beans were left in the coffee machine since three weeks ago. He did not want to offend and instead smiled at her and then looked down at the logo.

  'You can buy one from the University gift shop at a very reasonable price too. They have proved a popular seller.'