“Sir?”
“Farmer disappeared for several months, supposedly too stressed to go anywhere. Then suddenly he materialised at the Station twice. Flying visits. Let himself in. And out again literally minutes later. Made no attempt to see anyone from his old team. No interaction. Nothing.”
“Stress can do that, Sir. Make you act strangely.”
“Here’s the thing, Cass. The two dates when Farmer came and went without a word are the exact same dates when you and DCI Andrews received those messages from the Huntsman.”
Red caught her breath.
“Obviously it had to be someone with access,” Blake continued. “Our first assumption was naturally one of the civilian staff. But we dismissed the first package as a sick joke. When the second turned up, with the mirror, we looked again at the CCTV from both dates, and made the connection with Farmer being there.”
“Bill knew?”
“Not at first, no. And later DCI Andrews was under strict instructions not to let that information go beyond this room.”
Red’s brow furrowed. “Farmer? And the Huntsman?”
“It beggars belief, doesn’t it. And of course it’s totally circumstantial. Nothing we can prove. I stress we have nothing else on him, and I’m reluctant to ask for a full internal investigation with such a tenuous link. But I felt you should be aware of our concerns.”
“Thank you, Sir. I appreciate it.”
“Whatever your private feelings, this is a low-priority matter. Don’t let it distract you from the murders.” Colin Blake dropped his gaze back to his papers, indicating that the conversation was over.
“Sir.” Red slowly got up, her mind swimming.
“Oh, and, Cass,” Blake said, as Red opened the door to leave.
“Yes, Sir?”
“See you Sunday. Looking forward to it.”
“Sunday?”
Blake’s desk phone shrilled once. A hand reached out on automatic pilot. “Superintendent Blake.”
Red shrugged, closing the door behind her.
Chapter 46.
“Okay, as they say in showbiz, it’s a wrap.” Red surveyed her audience. A smile tugged at her lips. “The Super wants to see progress on these murders,” she said. “Understandably. So do we all. But all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy. Right, Barry?”
Taylor looked mystified. Where was this leading?
“So, I was thinking. What, realistically, will we achieve on a bank holiday weekend? Traffic is going to be hell. It will take us half the day to get from A to B and if we’re honest we’ve nothing to go on anyway.” Red paused to let the statement sink in.
“Guv?”Taylor asked.
“And that’s it. Wind up what you’re doing and head for home. Put your feet up, go fishing, play with your train set, whatever rocks your boat. Three days off. I want you all back in here Tuesday morning refreshed and full of ideas.”
“For real?” Harris beamed.
“Unless there’s an emergency call-out, obviously.” To Metcalf and Roberts, “You guys too. I’ll fix it with your guv if there’s anything said. But you’re on secondment to me, and I’m making the decisions.”
To everyone, “Right, enjoy your time off. Use it wisely and if anyone wakes with sudden inspiration regarding our snipper, you know where to find me. Dismissed.”
Chapter 47.
Red pulled the box from the ottoman, grabbed the manila folders and the gun and put the box back beneath the folded sheets. She wrapped the gun and folders in a bath towel and cautiously crossed to the bathroom. She knew the house was empty, but even so.
She bolted the door, switched the shower on, hi-power, cold water. No condensation. She sat on the floor in her day clothes, legs folded, the gun in her hand. Feeling the weight. The cold steel. The menace. She shuddered, put the gun to one side. Picked up the folders. Maybe fifteen of them. All wafer thin, two or three pages in each.
She read off the name on the cover of the first one, scrawled in black marker pen. Curtis Granger. 1988. She moved to the next. George Barstow. 1975. Pass. She knew what she was looking for. She had seen the name when she first went through the box, but then it hadn’t registered as important.
Seven more files passed through her hands, and then she stopped. There it was. Joseph Farmer. CONFIDENTIAL
Colin Blake’s words echoed in her ears as she faintly heard, above the shower’s spray, the sound of a car door slamming outside.
She threw the gun into the box, threw the files on top, wrapped a bath towel around the lot and raced back to the bedroom, closing the ottoman just as the front door opened. She grabbed a fresh towel and sauntered casually onto the landing, all thoughts of guns and Joe Farmer extinguished like the first powerful jet of a fireman’s hose on a burning newspaper.
“Just taking a shower, Counsellor. Won’t be long.” She closed the door, this time not bothering with the bolt. She shrugged her clothes off and stepped into the shower, then jumped back out again with a shriek.
Cold water!
Chapter 48.
Ruby tugged at her brother’s cargo shorts. “Please, Jack, let me look!”
“In a minute.” Jack didn’t look up from the console. “I’m almost through to the next level.”
Ruby planted tiny fists on her hips, a miniature imitation of her mother. “Ella, tell him!”
“Jack, let Ruby have a go will you?”
“Done it!” Jack shouted triumphantly. He shoved the console at his little sister.“All yours, Tues.”
“Hellooooo!” Cynthia Crichton’s sing-song voice careened down the hallway. “Are there any naughty children hiding here?”
“Grandma!” Ruby shouted, the Nintendo history.She rushed out to greet her grandmother.
“Hi, Gran,” Ella said as Cynthia stuck her head around the door, Ruby clinging to her grandmother’s shoulders. “Jack’s the only naughty kid here. You know that. Me and Tues are always perfectly behaved.”
“But not perfectly spoken, it seems. Me and Tues?A good job your mother didn’t hear that, Ella. Two strikes in one sentence. Now what should you have said?”
“Tues and I?” Ella ventured, knowing it was the wrong answer.
“Ruby and I,” Cynthia said. “I know it may seem pedantic, but lax language is indicative of a lax mind. And as for silly nicknames…”
“But you call Cass Red sometimes,” Ella protested.
“Only to wind up your mother, dear.” Cynthia looked around the room. “I thought I heard Jack’s voice as I came in?”
“He just snuck out the back door.”
“Snuck, young lady? Can we not make an extra special effort to speak the Queen’s English on your mother’s birthday?”
“Did someone mention birthdays?” Pippa appeared from the hallway, planting a kiss on her mother’s cheek. She stepped back, running an eye up and down her mother’s attire. “Oh. Did you not get the envelope I left you?”
“I did, thank you, dear,” Cynthia assured her daughter. “But it hardly seemed worth spending so much on one dress. It’s not as if anyone but us would have seen it. That money could go to a worthy cause instead.”
Pippa made no attempt to hide her dismay. “Mother.” Pippa looked at Ella, then Ruby. To Ella, “I trust you aren’t planning on embarrassing me too, young lady?”
Ella looked up from her phone. “What have I done now?”
Pippa tapped her watch. “The time, Ella. You should be changed and ready by now.”“I am ready.” Ella turned back to her mobile.
Pippa leaned across and took the phone from Ella’s hands. Held the power button down and listened for the shut-down tune. “Upstairs. Now. That blue frock I bought you.”
“But you said that was only for special occasions.”
Red appeared in the doorway, towelling her hair dry. “They don’t come more special than Mum’s birthday, Els.” To Cynthia, “Good morning, Madame Sin.”
“Supposing I get burger grease or ketchup on it,” Ella objected. �
�It’ll be ruined.”
Cynthia managed a smile of acknowledgement to Red before turning to Pippa to come to her granddaughter’s defence. “Ella’s right, dear. No amount of dry cleaning would remove a grease stain like that.”
“Which is precisely why there will be no greasy foods on the menu,” Pippa said.
Red, Cynthia and Ella exchanged mystified glances, none of them willing to ask the obvious question.
After a moment’s silence Red decided she had drawn the short straw. “I know this is going to sound like a silly question, Counsellor, but how can you have grease-free burgers and sausage? And they need ketchup. You can’t have a barbecue without ketchup.”
Pippa stared at Red. “Sausages? Burgers? Who said anything about a barbecue?”
Red glared at Pippa. “You did!”
“I said no such thing. I believe the phrase I used was an alfresco dining experience. Nothing whatsoever to do with eating offal.” Pip glanced at her watch. “In fact they should be arriving any minute to set up the marquee.”
“You’ve hired a circus?”
“Very funny, Cassandra. It’s just a small marquee. Well, obviously, given the size of our garden. I do hope the gardener mowed the lawn as I asked.”
“I saw him out there with a ruler, measuring every blade of glass, Counsellor.”
Pippa glared at Red. “I trust you’re not going to carry on with this childish banter when the guests arrive.”
Red’s mouth dropped open. “Is there something we should know here? Guests?”
“Of course. It is my birthday, after all.” Pippa smoothed invisible creases out of her dress. A ring of the doorbell stopped Pippa elaborating. To Cynthia, “Mum, would you? Just send them down the side and straight out the back.”
Red glared at Pippa. “I’ll be upstairs getting ready. Jeans and a loose top be okay, will it? Or is this a black tie event?”
Upstairs, Red took a moment to look out of the window of Ella’s room, overlooking the side gate. A stream of young people, decked out in black and white, were teeming through with silver trays, the pattern broken by the marquee men, bringing in poles and canvas.
“Nice timing, Pip,” she said to herself. “Tent and food at the same time.”
“I’m sorry?” Pippa appeared in the doorway lipstick in hand.
“Just admiring the marquee,” Red said. She followed Pippa back to their own room. “So just how many people are we expecting today?”
Blotting a tissue against her lips, Pippa turned from the mirror. “Oh, you know. The usual crowd. How do I look?”
“Like you’ve just been caught with your hands in the till.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning while we’ve been led to believe this was a small, family do, you’ve been busy planning a bloody grand banquet for half the city.”
Pippa looked genuinely astonished. “Really, Cass. I asked you if you wanted to invite a guest. You have Elizabeth coming, haven’t you?”
“And you have…”
“Just a few colleagues and acquaintances from the bar.”
“A few?”
“Well, I sent out thirty invitations, but of course not all of them will be able to make it.”
“So it might only be twenty-nine,” Red said coldly.
Pippa waved a dismissive hand. “Well invite someone else, then, if it’s such a big problem for you. There’s plenty of food.”
Chapter 49.
“Elizabeth, how lovely to see you again.” Pippa leaned in to air kiss.
“Happy birthday, my darling child. And on a bank holiday weekend too, how perfectly convenient!” Elizabeth Andrews handed Pippa a glorious spray of flowers.
“Oh, thank you. They’re beautiful!”
“As are you, my dear. Beautiful flowers for a beautiful lady. Isn’t that right, Cassandra?”
Red grinned. “Sure is!”
“I picked them from my garden,” Elizabeth said, clasping Pippa’s hand. “I am so thankful that you invited me.”
“Nonsense. Cass insisted that you be here. You’re practically family.”
“You’re very kind, Philippa. Speaking of family, where are those delightful children of yours?”
Ruby poked her head out from behind her mother’s gown. “Are you Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth beamed down at Ruby. “Don’t you remember me?”
Ruby shook her head. “Cassie said you were coming. I’m a princess.”
“Well, I can see that,” Elizabeth laughed. “And what a wonderful princess you make.”
Ruby shrugged. “I’m good at it now.”
“That’s a beautiful dress, Ruby. And shoes to match your name!”
Ruby took the complement in her stride. “Did you bring flowers for me too?”
Elizabeth pause a split-second, then reached out and relieved Pippa of her bouquet. “There you are, Princess Ruby. I didn’t realize you were here so I gave them to your mum to look after for you.”
Ruby held up the flowers, eyes sparkling. “Thank you!” she gasped.
“You’re perfectly welcome, darling,” Elizabeth said. “Mind you put them into a vase with some clean water as soon as you can.”
“I’ll help you, Ruby,” Cynthia said as she joined them. “Hello, Elizabeth. Lovely to see you again. And such beautiful flowers! You are a lucky girl, Ruby.”
Cynthia and Elizabeth exchanged air kisses. Elizabeth asked, “And where are the other two?”
“Ella will be texting away in a quiet corner,” Red said. “And Jack is still putting gel in his hair and checking himself in the mirror.”
“Oh, is he at that age already?” Elizabeth asked.
“Darren is bringing his younger sister,” Red explained. “Jack’s quite taken by her.”
Pippa looked horrified. “My Jack? And Darren’s sister?”
“They’ll make a lovely couple, I’m sure,” Cynthia said as she led Ruby away with the flowers.
“Not funny, Mother. Tell Jack I want a word when he comes down.” Pippa turned back to Elizabeth. “Do come and meet everyone. They’re mostly friends and colleagues from the Bar, so you may have met some of them before. They all would have known William.”
Red was left alone to watch Pippa arm-walk Elizabeth to the marquee, where the barrister crowd hovered around the champagne table. Red hung by the back door to the house, wondering if Pippa would notice if she disappeared and watched a DVD instead. Anything was better than mingling with Pippa’s Bar colleagues. She consoled herself with the thought that things couldn’t get any worse.
Then things got worse.
“For Christ’s sake,” Red muttered beneath her breath. “Tell me I’m dreaming.” She forced herself to attention, fixed a smile on her face, and crossed to the side gate where two figures stood hesitantly in the entrance, awaiting an invitation to cross the threshold.
“Superintendent Blake. Margaret. So glad you could make it,” she lied.
“Colin, please,” said Blake. “I’m not on duty today.”
“So kind of you and Philippa to invite us, Cassandra,” Margaret added.
“Wasn’t it just,” Red said.
Pippa magically appeared at their side. “Colin. Margaret. I am so pleased you could make it. Come and let me get you both a drink. There’s champagne in the second marquee. I’ll introduce you to some of my colleagues from Chambers.”
Red caught Pippa’s arm as she moved away. “Any more surprise arrivals?”
“I did say to invite someone else,” Pippa said over her shoulder.
Chapter 50.
“Darling, please don’t scuff you shoes like that.”
Ruby looked up from the tuft of grass she had been happily kicking. “Why?”
Pippa shot an embarrassed smile at Verity Smith-Kline and Daniel Parker, both of whom were dressed like they were just about to enter Court. To Ruby, “Because your shoes will be ruined, and my lawn will be ruined. Why don’t you run along and play with Ella?”
�
�I don’t know where she is.”
Pippa scanned the garden. “Well I’m sure you will find Jack and Darren in the food tent,” she urged. “Maybe they’ll let you play with them. Tell Jack I sent you.”
“Okay,” Ruby skipped off.
Pippa turned to Red, in uncomfortable conversation with Blake and his wife. “Another glass of champagne, Margaret?” Pippa asked.
“Not for me, thank you,” Margaret said. “I’m driving. But Colin will, I’m sure.”
“Colin?”
Blake didn’t reply, his gaze directed at the side gate, his smile evaporating.
Pippa followed his eyes.
Red smirked.
Barry Taylor was leading the procession, closely followed by James Mackenzie and his wife, and Anna and her boyfriend from Admin. Jez Harris and Nikki were right behind, with Terri Miller bringing up the rear.
It was a toss-up as to whose expression was the darker. Pippa’s or Colin Blake’s.
Chapter 51.
Pippa dropped onto the sofa, “I’m exhausted!”
“Entertaining is hard work,” Red agreed.
“Especially when eight people turn up unexpectedly,” Pippa said.
“Yes, I was most surprised to see the Super there, too. Fancy him turning up at your birthday party like that.”
“Well someone has to think about your future, Cass. Promotions don’t just happen out of the blue.”
“Be serious. I’m struggling to pass muster as DCI. And the last thing I want is to be a bloody superintendent. That’s a desk job.”
“It’s good money, and it’s safe,” Pippa said. “And you’d be associating with a better class of people.”
“Meaning?”
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