by Lisa Hartley
Then the noise started up again. Catherine sat at her desk, checking through her emails. As Knight headed for his office, she met his eyes and mouthed, ‘Well?’ He gave her a tiny smile and she resolved to interrogate him later on.
When Knight’s door had closed behind him, Melissa Allan sprang out of the next office and treated Catherine to a dazzling smile before approaching her desk.
‘Good morning. DI Shea would like a word.’
Catherine hesitated just long enough to make Allan’s smile dim a few watts, then said: ‘I’ve no time now, I’m afraid.’
‘It can’t wait.’ Allan took a step forward.
‘It’ll have to.’ Catherine beamed, switching off her monitor. She felt Allan’s resentful eyes on her back as she crossed the room to Anna Varcoe’s desk.
‘Don’t ring me again, do you understand?’ Anna snapped at whoever had called her. Catherine perched on the corner of her desk as she slammed the receiver down.
‘All right?’
‘That was Rob Hunter, phoning me at work as if that’s a perfectly reasonable thing to do.’ She looked up at Catherine, furious. ‘He even came to my flat last night, wanting to talk. I told him to get lost. I’m so bloody annoyed.’
‘I’m sure he realised. Are you ready?’
Anna held up her notebook.
‘As long as I can stay away from Rob.’
‘I think we can arrange that,’ Catherine replied. Chris Rogers fell into step with them as they passed his desk.
‘Sarge …’ he said. Catherine held up a finger.
‘Is this going to be about Ellie?’
‘No.’ He looked wounded.
‘Carry on then.’
‘It’s just that Faye …’
Catherine strode ahead as the two DCs broke into laughter and jogged to catch her up.
This time when they arrived at the premises of Worthy and Son, there was no welcoming smile from the receptionist. John Worthy hurried to meet them as soon as they arrived, smoothing down his waistcoat.
‘Back already, Sergeant Bishop?’ He smiled. ‘And with two colleagues this time. How can we help you?’
‘We’d like to speak to your staff again, Mr Worthy. I’m hoping your second-in-command is back in the office?’
‘Alex? Well, yes he is, but …’ Worthy shuffled his feet.
‘Could you let him know we’re here, please?’
‘I think he’s on a conference call at the moment,’ he replied with an apologetic shrug. There were footsteps behind him and he turned.
‘It’s all right, John, we’ve just finished.’ He was tall with his hair cropped short and wore a casual navy blue shirt and jeans. Standing beside him in his shabby tweed jacket and cord trousers, John Worthy looked like a poor relation.
‘I’m Alex Lambert.’ He came towards them, hand outstretched, a broad smile fixed in place.
‘Mr Lambert, we’d appreciate it if you could answer a few questions.’ Catherine kept her tone neutral. Lambert nodded.
‘No problem at all. Shall we go through into my office?’
‘Thank you. Mr Worthy, would you be able to show DC Rogers the rest of the building, please?’
Worthy nodded, bewildered. ‘I’m not sure what any of this has to do with …’
The rest of his protest was lost as Lambert led Catherine and Anna away from the reception area.
The room was a contrast to the old-fashioned style of Worthy’s office. Lambert sat in a chair that looked like it would have been more at home on a space shuttle than in an office. His desk was made from curved silvery metal with a black glass top. The carpet was also black, the walls painted a light grey. There was a lime green sofa along one wall, as well as two armchairs of the same colour facing Lambert’s desk.
‘Please sit down,’ he said, the smile still evident. He unbuttoned his shirt cuffs and rolled up his sleeves, revealing an expensive-looking watch. No wedding ring, Catherine noted. She was silent, wanting Anna to take the lead.
‘John said you were asking about Lauren Cook?’ Lambert tilted his head to the side, smiling at Anna. ‘I don’t know her well, I’m afraid. I’ve only been with the business a couple of years.’ Catherine made a note and Lambert’s eyes followed her pen across the page. ‘I hadn’t realised that I was so interesting.’ He laughed.
‘Mr Lambert, do you remember a woman called Keeley Pearce coming to work here?’ Anna asked.
It was subtle, but his eyes narrowed for a second.
‘I don’t, I’m afraid.’ His voice was smooth, unflustered. ‘Was she a temp? We do have them from time to time. I don’t have much to do with the packing staff, I’m more interested in the web design and marketing side of the business.’
I’m sure you are, Catherine thought. Lambert didn’t seem the type to get his hands dirty somehow.
‘She worked here for a few weeks about eighteen months ago, we understand,’ Anna continued.
‘I’m sorry. As I said, I don’t remember the name.’
Yet you knew she worked in the packing department.
‘But she did work here?’ Anna had noticed his mistake too.
‘I don’t know for sure.’ Lambert ran a hand through his hair, looking up at Anna through his eyelashes. ‘Margaret on reception deals with all the HR stuff, you’d be better off checking with her. Shall I call her in?’ He stretched out a hand and picked up the receiver of his desk phone.
‘That won’t be necessary at the moment.’ Anna paused for a second and made eye contact with Lambert. ‘Tell us more about Lauren Cook.’
‘There’s nothing to tell. She’s reliable as far as I know, turns up and does her job. I don’t know anything else about her.’
‘What about your other members of staff?’ Catherine put in. Lambert’s eyes flicked from her to Anna and back again.
‘Who should I answer first?’ He gave a broad, easy smile.
Anna nodded towards her sergeant. ‘She’s the boss.’
‘You haven’t given either of us a straight answer yet in any case, Mr Lambert,’ Catherine pointed out.
He gazed at her for a few seconds.
‘I think I have, Sergeant, but let me try again. Firstly, I know who Lauren Cook is but have never spoken to her, other than “good morning” or “good night”. I think I once said “excuse me” when I had to squeeze past where she was working. Secondly, I don’t know this woman … what was her name? Keeley?’
‘Thank you for clarifying that, Mr Lambert.’ Anna’s smile was an effort.
‘Please call me Alex.’
‘Could you tell me about disciplinary procedures here at Worthy and Son, Alex?’
‘How do you mean?’
‘Well, if an employee turned up for work drunk or under the influence of drugs, for example?’
Again, the reaction was subtle, but it was there. Lambert blinked a few times before forcing a smile. ‘I’d be very surprised if they did.’
‘Come on, Mr Lambert, you’re not running a convent,’ Catherine snapped.
‘Playing the bad cop, Sergeant Bishop?’ he asked with a smirk. She gave a hollow laugh.
‘You caught me out.’
Chris Rogers was chatting with John Worthy and Margaret from the reception desk. Catherine kept her distance, took out her phone and scrolled through her emails, not wanting to interrupt. Shit. She hadn’t replied to Ellie’s text yesterday. Opening the message, she read it again:Good to talk last night.She had no idea what to say to that. Just “You too” seemed almost rude, especially a day late. Glancing over at Chris, she closed the text again.
After another minute or so, he joined her.
‘All right, Sarge?’ he asked in an undertone. She nodded.
‘How’s it going with them?’
‘Interesting. John Worthy plays the role of bluff country gent quite well, but I don’t think he’s a naïve as he makes out. And a fly couldn’t fart around here without Margaret knowing about it - she’s switched on. She doesn’t like Alex
Lambert.’
‘She’s not the only one.’ Catherine screwed up her face.
‘Arrogant prick?’
‘Yep. I’ve left Anna talking to him because I was either going to slap him or throw up on his horrible chairs. Anna’s letting him think she likes him.’
‘I suppose you want me to go in there now?’
‘He might respond to a man-to-man type approach. He wasn’t going for mine.’
‘Which was what, bull-in-a-china-shop?’
‘As if. What about the staff out there?’ She jerked her head towards the packing and printing part of the building.
‘All very chirpy. I made myself noticed, did a lot of looming over people’s shoulders like you said.’ He grinned.
‘I’m going to go through and do some myself.’
Rogers laughed.
‘With respect, Sarge, you’re too small to loom. You’d be better off giving them a tap on the kneecap.’
‘Ha bloody ha. Go and give Alex Lambert a grilling with Anna.’
‘Will do.’
He turned away and she took her phone out again:Enjoyed chatting too. Coffee?
The packing department was cold, a bitter draft blowing through a pair of double doors that stood open as a delivery driver heaved a pallet of brown cardboard boxes out to his waiting lorry. A conveyor belt about half a metre wide snaked through a hole in the wall and ended in a semi-circle. Stacks of cardboard and rolls of tape were scattered around the place. The cement floor was painted a dark green with a yellow line warning employees not to stray too close to the conveyor while it was moving.
A group of people huddled in one corner where an old kitchen unit and a sink stood. She’d caught them at breaktime. Perfect. There were two women and two younger men. As Catherine approached, Sarah Watson, the woman she and Anna had spoken to the previous day, looked up and smiled.
‘Back again?’ the taller man asked, the hostility clear in his voice.
‘That’s right. Can I have a quick word?’
‘Why not?’ he shot back. ‘Not like we’ve got anything better to do. Not as if we’ve been working all morning in this bloody icebox and these are the only fifteen minutes we get to ourselves.’ He took a mouthful from his cup and said, ‘Well?’
‘Come on, Billy, she’s just doing her job. Aren’t you bothered about Lauren?’ Sarah asked.
Billy gave a scornful laugh.
‘She’ll have gone off with some bloke, I don’t know what all the fuss is about.’
Sarah shook her head. ‘Not Lauren, she wouldn’t do that to Mark.’
‘God knows why, he’s a proper thicko,’ the other woman spoke up.
‘Would you like some hot chocolate?’ Sarah offered. Catherine accepted and thanked her.
‘Could you remind me of me your names, please?’ she asked, raising her voice over the whine of the kettle.
‘Can you tell us why we should?’ Billy retorted. He had broad shoulders and wore a belligerent expression. Catherine sighed.
‘Because it’ll be so much easier if we do this here rather than at the police station.’
‘Is that a threat?’
‘No, not a threat. More like a fact.’ Catherine had met people like Billy hundreds of times before. The best approach was to ignore the hostility. It was usually all hot air. He sniffed.
‘Let’s get it over with then.’
Billy Kilner, Dan Raynor and Josie Hayward. Catherine scribbled them all down, though they had a full staff list already. Sarah handed her a mug and she took it with a smile, the rich scent of the chocolate welcome in the chill air.
‘How can you work in here? It’s freezing.’ Catherine cupped both hands around her drink.
‘I’ll go and close the doors,’ Dan Raynor said, hurrying away.
‘Two pairs of socks, fingerless gloves, and we move around a lot.’ Josie Hayward smiled.
‘You’re busy?’
‘Not as busy as we were; there were ten of us working in this department a few years ago. It’s busy enough though, with Lauren away.’
‘You’re missing her then?’
‘It’s easier with five, especially when you’re loading pallets. We’re supposed to have two to a box, but we can manage them on our own if we need to.’ Josie shrugged her shoulders. ‘Don’t tell Margaret that, she’s Health-and-Safety mad.’
‘Do any of you remember a woman called Keeley Pearce? She worked here for a few weeks a while ago?’
Billy frowned. ‘The name’s familiar …’
‘I remember her. Bit of a dreamer,’ Dan put in as he rejoined them.
‘Spent more time in the loo than out here working,’ Josie sniffed. ‘Think the job centre told her they’d stop her money if she didn’t turn up. She couldn’t wait to get out of here.’
‘That’s right.’ Sarah was nodding. ‘She was lazy, but nice enough.’
‘Did she make any friends here? Did you see her talking to anyone in particular?’ Catherine asked. Headshakes all round.
‘Why do you ask?’ Billy wanted to know.
‘I’m afraid Keeley’s been found dead.’ Catherine was blunt, wanting to see their reactions. There was a short silence.
‘The poor lass,’ Sarah said after a few seconds.
‘Drugs, was it?’ Josie asked.
‘Why do you ask?’ Catherine hoped she sounded casual.
‘Just a feeling. She always seemed jumpy, she couldn’t seem to concentrate, and she was always moaning about having no money. I don’t know, it was just the impression I got.’
‘She was on drugs.’ Billy was firm. ‘She was spaced-out most of the time, you can see it a mile off.’
‘I bumped into her in town once and she was off her face then too,’ Dan offered.
‘Did she talk about drugs at all? What she was taking, where she got it from?’ Catherine knew it was a long shot, but she had to ask. Billy laughed.
‘She lives on the Meadowflower, there’s a drug dealer in every other house up there. I should know, I live there too. Hate the place, but what can you do? Can’t afford anywhere else in town.’
‘What about money?’ Catherine asked.
‘Keeley? She never seemed to have any, but then who does?’ Dan gave a short laugh.
‘She was really skint though,’ Sarah said. ‘She told me her mum helped her out with food and clothes for her kids.’
‘None of us are rolling in it, that’s for sure.’ Billy took a gulp of hot chocolate.
‘Well, some have more than others,’ Josie sniffed. ‘Our resident blue-eyed boy for one.’
The others nodded. ‘Money’s never been a worry for Alex, with his cars and holidays and designer clothes. Talk about born with a silver spoon,’ Sarah commented.
‘What do you think of Alex Lambert?’ Catherine wanted to be sure. There were a few low groans and noises of disgust.
‘He’s a twat,’ spat Billy. ‘Looks at us who work through here like he’s found us on the bottom of his shoe.’
‘Thinks he’s a cut above us lot. Thinks we all fancy him too,’ Sarah agreed. ‘As if.’
Catherine drained more hot chocolate. ‘What about John Worthy?’
‘What about him?’ Billy butted in again.
‘Is he a good employer?’
Dan cleared his throat. ‘I’d say he’s fair,’ he said. ‘He cares about his staff, which is more than you can say for most bosses.’
The others nodded. Billy glanced around. ‘He likes to give people a chance, I’ll say that for him. A few of us have been in trouble, some have been in prison.’
‘Including you?’
Billy smiled for the first time. ‘Don’t tell me you haven’t already checked.’
Catherine said nothing, finished her drink, thanked them for their time, and went through to the printing room. The two men who were working in there eyed her with suspicion, throwing quick glances in her direction and then turning back to their work. She moved closer, careful not to get in their way as
they moved around the machinery. Rob Hunter was also there, watching the men as they worked.
‘Learning the ropes,’ he said with a shy smile. ‘I had a few hours in packing, now I’m through here.’
‘Can the three of you spare me a few minutes?’ Catherine asked.
The nearest man pulled off his baseball cap and ran a hand over his balding head. ‘I thought we’d been through it all yesterday.’
‘We’ve got an order to get out by lunchtime,’ his mate complained.
‘I won’t keep you long.’ They left their task and came to stand around her in a semi-circle, clearly not happy about it. ‘Thank you. Does the name Keeley Pearce mean anything to you?’
For a second or two, no one spoke. Catherine felt the already icy temperature fall another few degrees. When Phil Richards spoke, his voice was controlled.
‘Why do you ask?’
‘She’s dead. We want to know why.’ Catherine kept her eyes on his face but his expression didn’t change.
‘She wasn’t welcome here,’ the other man, Sid Benson, spoke up.
‘Not welcome?’
‘The first day she came to work, things started go missing,’ Benson elaborated. ‘As soon as she left, the thefts stopped. Seems a coincidence, wouldn’t you say, Sergeant?’
‘Thefts? What sort of thefts?’
‘Cigarettes, money. Most of us have worked at Worthy’s for years and we trust each other. When Keeley was here we had to start using the lockers again.’ Benson shook his head as if disgusted.
‘Sid’s right. Keeley was a sneak thief and we didn’t like it. She didn’t stay long,’ Richards confirmed.
The two men exchanged a grin. Rob Hunter was frowning.
‘You’re certain it was her?’ he asked.
‘Who else? Listen to me, none of us would steal, not from the people we work with.’ Richards snapped. ‘We’re all struggling to get by as it is.’
Hunter held up his hands.
‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean …’
Richards glared at him, but Benson smiled. ‘Forget it. You’re new here, but you’ll learn. We look after each other. Understand that and you’ll fit in fine. Keeley didn’t. Can we get back to work now?’ he asked. When Catherine nodded, the two older men went back over to the machine. Rob eyed her, his face wary.