As if he hadn’t answered the man continued to rail at him. ‘He cut off her face. Her face! Lily! She was beautiful. She was —’
‘Dad?’ It was Alys. She stood nervously in the doorway.
Jack turned and she recognised him instantly.
‘DCI Hawksworth,’ she said, smiling through fresh tears.
Wu walked towards her, composed again. ‘Alys. Er, you know this gentleman?’
She nodded. ‘He buys flowers from us now and then.’
‘Did you know Lily?’ he asked, turning back to Jack.
Jack resisted the desire to clear his throat. ‘Yes, Mr Wu, I have bought flowers from your shop in Chinatown several times. And you’re right, Lily was a beautiful woman. I assure you the police has put its full force behind this case. I promise we will leave no stone unturned until we have her killer behind bars.’
The father’s gaze narrowed. ‘So this is personal for you?’
Jack did not want to lie. ‘Yes, sir, it has become so. I want to catch the person who murdered your daughter.’ He held his breath, glanced at Alys, wondering if anything of this should be discussed in her presence.
‘Good!’ Wu growled. ‘I want it personal. I want someone who feels some of the pain on our behalf. Have you spoken with Chan yet? Lily’s fiancé?’
Jack had to take a slow breath. ‘I’m meeting with him tomorrow.’
‘He’s a broken man, Detective Hawksworth.’
I’ll bet he is, Jack thought. ‘I can imagine. Have you seen him?’
‘He’s spent the last few hours here. He prescribed some sedatives for my wife, actually. She is best kept from this until she calms.’
May I speak with Alys, Mr Wu?’
He shrugged. ‘I don’t want her upset any further.’
‘No, of course not, sir. Just a few questions. DI Brodie will carry on here, if that’s okay?’
Wu nodded, distracted.
‘I’ll just be in the garden for a few minutes, Cam,’ he breathed. ‘Alys, do you want to put a coat on? We might just step out for a minute into the garden. PC Grant will come with us,’ he said gesturing to the young female constable.
Alys disappeared to find something warm. Outside, the late afternoon air bit icily. Jack motioned for PC Grant to wait at the steps. He walked further down the garden to where Alys stood out of earshot.
‘How are you?’ he began.
‘I don’t know really. Numb.’
‘Thank you for handling that so well.’
She shrugged. ‘Nothing to be gained from upsetting them further. And besides, I promised Lily.’
He nodded. ‘I miss her,’ he admitted. It seemed the right thing to say.
A tear rolled down her cheek.
‘I’m so sorry, Alys’ he said.
‘No, it’s okay. We’ve got a lot of crying still to do. Mum’s in a very bad way.’
‘Is there anything you can tell me that could help, Alys? Anything at all.’
She frowned, shook her head. ‘I was away at camp so I don’t know if anything was going down. I spoke to Lily when I got back — she rang and said she had to go to the markets early but would see me after school. She seemed fine. All normal.’
‘Well, she was fine and normal when I saw her a day ago, too. We were planning to meet tonight in fact.’ He shrugged. ‘She was happy.’
‘Not happy to be marrying, though. Happy to be with you perhaps.’
He felt instantly awkward at her candour. ‘What do you know about Professor Chan?’
Alys sighed. ‘Rich, a doctor, he’s on that show that Lily hated.’ Jack nodded. He’d only heard about it, never seen it. ‘He adored Lily, but she found him hard to get on with. I never thought they were right for each other but Mum and Dad approved. The perfect match, Dad often said.’
‘Did you ever get the impression that she was scared of him?’
‘Professor Chan? No. Lily wasn’t scared of anyone. It’s not that she didn’t like him. She did, and she respected him. She used to say that he needed someone less lively than she was. She said to me once that she’d either implode from boredom or he’d explode from her noise and chatter.’
‘And yet everything she did was so elegant and sophisticated. I can understand why he loved her.’
‘Did you love her?’ She looked down. ‘Sorry.’
‘No, it’s okay. But I can’t really talk about it. If my superiors find out that Lily and I knew each other well, they’ll take me off this case. You’ll have a stranger in charge, and I don’t want that for you and your mum and dad.’
‘I want you to catch him and kill him!’
‘Alys, you know killing him won’t help bring Lily back. But I will catch him, that I promise you. I won’t rest until I do and that’s why it’s important I stay on this case.’
‘I understand,’ she said. ‘Anyway, I’ve told you, there’s nothing to be gained from them knowing about you, unless of course you did it.’ At his look of pain and despair, she relented. ‘You know I didn’t mean that. Lily was crazy about you, but she probably never told you.’
He felt his throat closing. ‘No, she didn’t. We tried never to talk about life beyond the few weeks we had to share.’
‘She told me she wished she’d met you properly before our parents ever met Professor Chan.’
‘So do I,’ he admitted, but realised he needed to get their conversation back on track. ‘Alys, I need you to give a lot of thought to anything Lily has said to you recently about work, or men she may have met, or new friends, perhaps old friends . . . absolutely anything that seems just a bit out of the ordinary, okay?’
‘Okay.’
‘Here’s my number — you can call it any time, day or night. I don’t care how inconsequential it seems, I want to know. Because sometimes, Alys, the biggest clues lie in the smallest, seemingly irrelevant, recollections.’
She nodded. ‘I’ll try hard to think of anything like that.’
‘Anyone she spoke about at work or someone she knew at the hospital . . . just see if any names bob up in your mind. Were there friends she met recently for lunch, perhaps a nurse or doctor she knew well . . .’ He looked back into the house. ‘I’d better go back inside. Do you need anything?’
She shook her head. ‘I’d like to see her but they won’t let me.’
‘Nor would I, Alys. Neither you nor your parents need to see her as she is now. Just remember her as she was.’
‘Have you seen her?’
‘Yes.’
‘Will you see her again?’ He didn’t know what to say, and as he hesitated she added, ‘Kiss her for me.
Tell her I’m never going to marry anyone I don’t love.’
He nodded solemnly. ‘I’ll tell her, Alys.’
‘Can I call you to talk sometime?’
‘Any time.’
‘Thanks.’
‘A police constable is going to stay here tonight. Have you spoken with her?’
‘Yes, she’s very nice. But I don’t particularly want to talk about it to any other people.’
‘I understand. But she’s there to help if your parents need anything or want to get in touch with us. She’s around to help with your mum too.’
‘I know.’
‘Okay, I must go.’
She grabbed his arm. ‘Do you think I look like Lily?’
‘Without doubt you are sisters.’
‘And you thought she was beautiful, didn’t you?’
Lily had told him that Alys had a crush on him. He needed to tread carefully. ‘I still do. And I’m sure plenty of guys your age are desperate to take you out.’
She shrugged. ‘Dad won’t let me go out with boys yet. And now . . .’
‘He will, Alys. There’s plenty of time for that. Right now just enjoy being adored from afar.’
‘He’ll make sure I live like a nun!’
Jack shook his head. ‘I can remember my sister saying much the same thing when she was your age. Every dad is the same a
bout his precious, beautiful girls and your father is naturally going to be especially protective of you, Alys. He won’t be able to help it and you’ll have to be extra patient with him. You don’t need to be in any hurry.’
‘I want to be able to go out, like my friends.’
‘I understand and he will too but you’ll have to approach that gently. Your mum will help you, I’m sure. Don’t rush it, listen to her wisdom and she’ll probably talk to your father on your behalf.’
Alys nodded, gave a shy smile. ‘I know, it’s just that there’s someone I really like.’
‘Ah.’
‘He works at one of the restaurants near the shop in Chinatown,’ Alys continued. ‘I see him often going to and from work.’ She shrugged. ‘We’ve spoken a few times. Lily liked him.’
Jack cleared his throat. ‘He’s working? That makes him sound a bit older than you.’
‘Nineteen,’ she said and sighed.
‘Too old!’ he said archly.
‘That’s what Lily said.’
‘What’s his name? I’m afraid I’ll have to have him arrested,’ he teased.
She didn’t want to smile but did anyway. ‘I’ll tell him.’
‘Alys?’ She looked up at him. ‘I think you’re every bit as beautiful as Lily. Don’t be in a rush — let the boys ache for you.’
He suspected she blushed, but couldn’t tell as she’d thrown her arms round him. He couldn’t put his arms around her, despite wanting to, knowing she needed him to but realising it was dangerous on too many levels. She was still a child and he could remember how much affection and comfort he’d needed when he lost the two people he loved most. Sadly, she would have to find it elsewhere or all the wrong conclusions could be drawn. He glanced at the PC and she gave a sympathetic nod.
‘Thanks, Jack,’ Alys murmured.
* * *
On the way back to Westminster, they went over what they’d learned. It wasn’t much.
‘He obviously thinks very highly of Chan,’ Cam commented.
‘He would,’ Jack growled.
‘Did the sister give you much?’
‘No, but she and Lily were really close and if we can encourage Alys to think hard enough she may give us something. She’s hurting, we need someone to stick close, offer a shoulder to cry on.’
‘What about Sarah? She’s pretty good at teasing out information.’
Jack shook his head. ‘We need her at base. What about one of the PCs, someone closer to her age, less threatening? PC Grant seemed calm and understanding.’
‘There must be a social worker who —’
‘No, Cam, someone from inside the op would be good. They’ll know what we’re looking for.’
Cam sighed. ‘All right, I’ll have PC Grant attached to the case for the duration.’
‘Thanks.’
‘They want to see her.’
Jack didn’t need to clarify who they were or who they wanted to see. ‘They can’t. They mustn’t. They really need to remember Lily how she was. If they see her now, that’s the image they’re left with and I can assure you it’s hideous.’
‘I’ll leave that to you, chief. Chan’s adamant he’s going to see her, it seems.’
‘I’ll talk to him.’
Jack did his best to stifle a yawn but Cam caught it and yawned as well. ‘What a day,’ he said, ‘and yours hasn’t even finished.’
‘What do you mean?’ Jack suddenly realised. ‘Oh yes, my appointment with Dr Brooks.’
‘Spill your soul.’
‘I have to do it by the book, Cam.’
He shrugged. ‘Just lie. Say what she wants to hear.’
Jack nodded noncomittally. ‘Actually I think I’ll appreciate talking to someone without worrying about the consequences.’
‘Well, she’s not the one, chief. She’s a consultant to the Met and she’ll have you off this case quicker than lager turns to piss.’
‘Yeah, I’ll be careful.’
‘We’ll watch your back. But you have to tell us when it’s all going pear-shaped in your head.’
‘Has Kate been talking to you?’
‘I don’t need DI Carter to tell me what grief feels like.’
‘Sorry.’
‘Don’t be. I reckon you’ve had your fair share of it. But I lost someone I loved once. I don’t talk about it because it was a long time ago, but it hurt. Still does.’
Jack nodded. Strange how you discovered the most unlikely information about someone at the oddest times. He was sure the normally cynical Cam Brodie would never have revealed that pain under normal circumstances. He was such a tough nut. But there was something about this moment, two men in a car, talking honestly — and out it came. He shook his head in the dark, realising there was always something new to learn about everyone, always something to learn about people in general.
He glanced at his watch. ‘Perhaps drop me at Cockfosters. I can grab the Piccadilly line.’
‘Much of a muchness, chief,’ Brodie said, shrugging. ‘It’s rush hour whichever way you package it.’
‘Still quicker, I reckon, by the time you hit the city traffic — I’m heading in the wrong direction for most commuters.’
‘Listen, I know what you’re doing. But you can’t avoid us — people who care, I mean — and most of all us, your team. I’ll get you back. We won’t talk. Just be still. I don’t reckon you’ve had time to yourself all day since it happened.’
Jack felt a fresh wave of nausea wash over him. He didn’t want Cam being kind right now.
‘Just drop me anywhere from this parade of shops coming up.’
Cam didn’t slow the car. ‘Once I get us across the North Circular, we should have a reasonably clear run on the A10.’
Jack said nothing, turning to face the darkening sky as Cam fell mercifully silent. He watched as they gradually eased through the dreaded North Circular and once clear of that they were soon doing reasonable time past Tottenham Football Ground. Normally Jack liked to drive, but today he’d allowed Cam to take charge of the silver Ford Sierra Ghia, not trusting himself behind the wheel. It was rare for him to have time to take a really good look at the different neighbourhoods he traversed in the course of a day’s work, but he quickly realised this mainly Afro Caribbean area was seriously deprived. Soon enough they were hitting Stamford Hill and his attention was captured by the Hasidic Jews who formed the area’s main residential group. It was only the men who were out and about at this time; dozens of them in their distinctive outfits, crisscrossing the streets, probably on their way to or from their prayers.
‘Strange lot this,’ Cam said, his first words in twenty minutes or more.
‘I don’t really know much about them,’ Jack admitted.
‘I used to live around here. Trust me, it’s a very closed community. They’re quiet, and nice enough, but they can be suspicious of anyone outside their religion.’
Jack shrugged. That didn’t sound so strange.
‘The women look drab and always so tired, probably because of the huge number of kids they punch out. They have to shave off their hair once they’re married — most of the women wear wigs, usually under a scarf.’
‘Are you making this up?’
‘No, chief, I swear it. I lived next to a really nice family. The usual load of kids. It’s nothing for a couple to have nine or ten children.’
Jack looked across at Brodie, waiting to see when the punchline was coming, but his colleague just glanced over and nodded.
‘No jest.’
‘What else did you learn living here?’ Jack asked.
‘The kids go to separate schools — boys and girls, I mean. And they have two kitchens in their houses.’
‘Ah, I’ve heard about that,’ Jack said. ‘Separating meat and dairy, right?’
‘Something like that,’ Cam agreed. ‘It’s very strict.’
‘Well, that’s fair enough. And it doesn’t hurt anyone else.’ Jack turned to stare out the window again.
They were already in Dalston, a dilapidated and poor area of Hackney, once dubbed ‘the arsehole of the world’ by its own residents, Jack recalled. He watched one woman, wearily struggling with so many plastic bags of food he had to wonder how many mouths she was feeding.
Now they were moving closer to Shoreditch, where Lily had lived. This was hard for Jack. He was pleased he only vaguely knew where her flat was; they’d always met at his place in Greenwich, because Lily was nervous of her parents making an unannounced visit, something she assured him they were more than capable of doing. You just don’t understand ethnic families, Jack, she’d groan.
Jack briefly closed his eyes and finally took stock of the savage attack the day had made on his emotions. He knew he’d pushed the real pain somewhere deep and that’s where he was going to leave it for now. He had no intention of allowing himself to consider it too closely, not for a little while yet.
‘Leave me anywhere here, Cam. Bishopsgate would be good.’
‘Sure?’
‘Yes. We’ve made great time, well done.’
This time Brodie slowed the car and Jack got out. ‘I’ll be in early.’
‘All of us will, I reckon.’
‘Thanks, Cam.’ When his DI did a double take, he added, ‘For the support.’
The man nodded, lifted a hand in farewell and merged back into the traffic. Jack looked at his watch again. He was standing opposite Liverpool Street Station; a frenzy of commuters was pouring lemming-like through its entrance. The streets were awash with people, either heading for the market, or perhaps more likely, to the nearby mosque. Jack joined the throng heading east towards Brick Lane all over again, impressed at the good time Cam had made.
If he was honest, he had emerged from the warmth of the police car onto the cold streets of east London feeling far more in control than at any time since learning of Lily’s death. Only a slight tingling in his throat reminded him that something was seriously wrong in his life. It was amazing how the body handled grief. Whatever chemicals were pouring into his system right now were keeping him numb, and he was glad of it. For the rest, he considered himself a fine actor, giving an Oscar-worthy performance.
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