by Emily Selby
'What do you regret telling him?'
Zuza wiped her eyes with the tissue.
'Okay. Maybe I shouldn't have said it, but I was angry with him. I shouted at him. I told him I was sure there was another woman. I told him to choose between me and her. And that if he lied to me and I found out, I'd kill him and her. I told him to go to hell.' She paused. 'I wish I hadn't said that. I didn't kill him. I'd never kill anyone. And now, I feel like I made it happen.' She sobbed.
Katie hesitated. The sympathy for her friend was fighting against the detective in her and the need to remain unbiased. She had to tread carefully here.'Zuza, I know you're a lovely girl, not a violent person...' she said slowly. 'And there is no way a comment you made could have caused Zac's death. Don't blame yourself for what you didn't do. Whoever has killed Zac should be found and punished for that.'
'Thanks, Katie. I want justice for Zac, too.'
'I'm sure the police will find the murderer soon. And now do you need anything? Is there anything I can help with?'
'No, I'll be alright.' Zuza lifted her head. 'You've already helped. Thank you very much for coming to talk to me.'
'No problem. Let me know if you need to talk any more. Take care of yourself. Do you have anyone with you?'
'Yes, my friend, Anna. She is staying with me.'
'That's great.'
When Katie returned to the table the kids were still squabbling over the pencils and a colouring book. Michelle's in-laws looked very serious, but Michelle was smiling.
'Where have you been?' she asked.
'Oh, just chatted to a girl from work,' Katie said casually. It was safer not to mention any more at this stage.
5
When Katie, Michelle and her daughters returned from the lunch, Kevin wasn't home.
'I think uncle Jerry might have taken him for a walk, or to his place.' Michelle told the children. 'Don't worry, they'll be back soon. Why don't you take all those lovely leaves you've collected, put them in between two pieces of paper and stick them under the rug?' Michelle suggested with a smile, but two deep lines on her forehead told Katie, her friend was far from happy.
'Why don't you ring him, or Jerry?' Katie asked, when the kids ran to their bedrooms.
Michelle plopped onto the nearest chair.
'Pointless. Kev won't answer,' Michelle replied finally. 'I've tried. Jerry texted me that he'd come around twice. I think Kev had disappeared shortly after we left.'
'Do you think we should do something about it?' Katie asked cautiously. She had a bad feeling about Kevin’s change in attitude. It had worsened since her chat with Zuza.
'No. He'll be back.' She blew out a breath. 'I think the police have much more important things to do, than look for a bad boy who's out drinking with his mates. At least, the car is here.'
Katie chewed on her lip. Should she tell her friend about her conversation with Zuza and of Zac's connections to the underworld? But would having this information help Michelle worry less? Or would this simply add to her stress? After all, these were only Katie's suspicions, her guesses, based on incomplete information.
Katie's phone rang. Julia’s name appeared on the screen ID.
'Hi baby? How are you?' Katie said. 'What time are you coming?'
She was happy to hear Julia's voice again, but she also dreaded this conversation. With their flat still cordoned off as a crime scene, Katie didn't want to worry Julia. Of course, she could always make up a lie about a burst pipe or a faulty heating system and tell her they were staying with the Webbs. Julia loved Michelle's girls and was devastated when they had to move home. Julia would be delighted to spend a couple of nights with her little friends. But Barry... Barry would be difficult to convince with a half-baked lie. He would want to see the damage or insist on trying to help.
Katie only half-listened to Julia's report of the riding lesson.
'Mum? Are you listening?' Julia asked.
'Yes, of course,' Katie replied hastily.
'Okay, Dad asked me to tell you we'll be leaving later tonight.'
Oh, the coward! He was probably procrastinating. With over two hours drive ahead of them, he should be getting ready for the trip now. Katie fumed. He was so selfish. Julia had to prepare for school tomorrow. And with them spending the night at Michelle's, she really needed more time.
'What time is he thinking of leaving?'
'No idea, maybe you talk to him,' Julia said coldly. 'This is an adult conversation. I'm just a kid. Not a go-between.'
Katie winced. Her ten-year-old daughter often showed more maturity than her dad, and definitely more maturity that an average kid her age.
'You're right. Put him on the line.'
'What's up?'
Katie's heart sank, hearing the familiar voice.
'What time are you planning to leave because I have–'
'Julia's already told you that. You weren't listening.'
A wave of hot lava flushed over Katie's body. She tightened her grip on the phone and took a deep breath. She wasn't going to respond to this provocation.
'Barry, I have a serious situation here. I'd like Julia to be home as soon as possible. She has to get ready for school tomorrow, and we're staying at Michelle's tonight,' she said, controlling her voice, but finding it hard not to hiss.
'What happened? Why can't you stay at your flat?'
Katie considered her options. To admit to what'd happened and be subject to Barry's lecture on safety and the quality of the local police team without him? Or to lie and hear more blistering comments about her mothering and home management skills? She swallowed hard.
'I'm not sure why it really matters to you, but I'd like Julia to arrive home before 6 pm, as agreed.'
There was a tense pause on the other end of the line.
'Katie, I know you and I have had our issues, but I care deeply about Julia and her well-being. Something's not right – I can hear it in your voice. Can’t you just tell me?'
No, she couldn't just tell him. If she could, they probably wouldn't have had this conversation because Katie would have rung him first thing. But he was Julia's father and he had a right to know.
'There has been a murder in town, near our house,' she said as calmly as she could.
'Another one? I've just heard about the other two from last week.' Barry sounded shocked. 'Who was it this time?'
'Zac Greenberg, Liz Kimber's grandson. You're probably don't know him.'
'Ha! You'd be surprised,' Barry said in the same snotty-know-it-all-voice that used to drive Katie round the bend. Strangely, this time, she just ignored it. Maybe it was because, for once, this might be useful.
'You knew him?' Katie asked.
'I had him in the cells a couple of times in Sunnyvale. Was he in a fight?'
'No, the police suspect a stabbing.' Katie gave him a short summary of the circumstances, carefully omitting who the owner of the weapon was.
'Whoa!' Barry whistled. 'That's unusual. Zac got into many fights, was quite self-absorbed and spoilt. He had sticky fingers, but getting himself stabbed, that's different. There is a dangerous person out there. If the body was well hidden, and the ring is missing, there was someone smart at work. Zac was not the brains of the operation. That's for sure. The killer must have watched you for a few days. They knew you had that ring. They knew you were out, and they knew where to look. Just think about it. This is scary. That town has gone nuts since I left,' he added.
'Don't flatter yourself—'
'I'm not, Katie. I was just making a comment about safety.'
Yeah, right, he was... Katie pressed her lips tightly. It wasn't the time for another argument.
They both kept silent for a while.
'Katie, I'm really concerned about Julia's safety,' Barry said, his voice serious and tense. 'She'll stay with me, until this investigation is over.'
'But what about school?'
'You can ring the school. They'll know about the murder. I'm off tomorrow anyway. I'll ask my
mum to help. We'll organise something. That's a better plan than staying at Michelle's when the killer is still at large.'
Katie wasn't keen on admitting it, but it did sound like a better plan. She was relieved Barry actually offered it himself. If she’d asked him, he would have found millions of excuses.
'You'll have to come and pick up her stuff. I've got it all here.'
'I'll shoot off in the next thirty minutes,' he said and hung up.
For the first time since their divorce, Katie didn't feel anger or relief having finished a conversation with her ex-husband. She was glad Julia was going to be in a safe place, but most of all, Katie was scared. Because, however much she hated to admit it, Barry was right. Whoever killed Zac Greenberg, must have watched her for a while unnoticed. And the person was not afraid to kill to get hold of what they wanted. A chill went down Katie's spine, as if it was touched by an icicle. A smart, fearless, killer was out there, on the loose.
6
The next morning, after another long, sleep-deprived night, Katie was keen to return to work. Among the chaos of the previous couple of days, the thought of being with her team, a bunch of people she knew and trusted, was soothing.
'Hey, Katie! You're in early,' Celia greeted her at the door. 'How are you?'
'Happy to be here. You don't even realise how much,' Katie replied throwing her handbag on the chair beside the coffee machine. 'Coffee?'
Celia raised her mug to show she was already drinking.
'I'm dying for another one,' Katie said. 'I didn't sleep much last night.'
'Is your daughter at your friend's place as well?'
'No, Julia’s with her dad, in York.'
'That’s a good idea.' Celia said.
'Any news?'
'Our favourite detective Inspector Jack Heaton will arrive soon,' Celia said and winked. 'I quite enjoyed working with him last time. If only he could be a little less of a Mr Smarty-Pants.'
'And if he could learn to not wear his tie at least on Fridays.'
'He still does it? I thought Chris had a conversation with him. You know, bees, butterflies and why it's good to have a casual Friday.'
Katie chuckled. 'I think he's one of those who likes to boost his self-importance,' she said.
'Oh, don't be so cruel, Katie. He doesn't have to boost his self-importance. He's important enough.'
They giggled.
The man in question arrived a few minutes later. Indeed, he was wearing a steel grey suit with a brightly white shirt and, of course, a tie. With a tired-looking briefcase in his hand like an old dog's leash, DI Heaton walked through the glass automatic door, past the reception area and into the staffroom. Katie watched him, thinking how strangely familiar the picture felt, even though DI Jack Heaton wasn't part of Sunnyvale's police team, and even though Katie or her team had not known him until about three weeks earlier.
'Good morning, Celia. Morning Katie.'
Katie's knees turned cotton-candy weak when she heard his smooth baritone. 'Thought I’d be back at some point, but I wasn't planning on it being so soon.'
'Yeah, we loved working with you so much, we've organised another murder,' Celia said, keeping a straight face.
'I detect a hint of irony in your voice,' Jack replied. 'I'm not sure if it's to do with organising another murder or with your proclaimed love for me.'
Celia’s dark skin blushed. Katie felt a pinch of jealousy, and she chastised herself for it immediately. Celia was a nice girl with a great sense of humour. She joked with everyone, but there was absolutely no reason to suspect that Celia was trying to chat up Inspector Heaton. Besides, from what Katie knew, Celia already had a serious boyfriend.
And Katie didn't really care about Inspector Jack Heaton. Not in the least, and she was going to prove to everyone this was the case.
'Katie, you found the body, I hear.' Jack Heaton put his briefcase on the desk. 'Any chance of a coffee?'
Katie glanced at him. At least he'd learned to have a coffee with the team. When he first arrived at the station, Jack preferred to take his coffee before work or on his own. This went against the team’s tradition of sharing the morning coffee in the latest gossip in the staff room.
'I'll make it,' Katie offered.
'Thank you. So, what about that body you found?'
'I thought you'd know.'
'Always best to get it from the horse’s mouth, if you can. The horse is proverbial and metaphorical of course,' he added promptly. His pale cheeks pinked.
'No problem,' Katie replied, feeling her face turning a little warmer than she'd like under his gaze. She cleared her throat and gave him a brief summary of her part in the discovery.
'Now, it's your turn,' she said when she finished her report. 'Who is your main suspect?' She handed him a steaming mug.
DI Heaton thanked her with a smile. 'You shall see very soon,' he said.
At 9 o'clock on the dot the, double doors swooshed-open. Katie, who was about to disappear into her office, stopped to check.
No, she wasn't all that surprised. It was Zuza and her waitress friend, Anna. Katie waved at the women. Zuza smiled weakly in response. They sat on the bench at the reception area waiting for Jack to call them in.
Sadly, Katie was not part of their police force per se. However much she wanted to collect more information and help solve the case, it was not her job. She couldn't hope to be invited into the interview. She grabbed her handbag and pushed the door to her little office. A pile of reports on the youth crime prevention program was still awaiting. She hadn't achieved much over the previous couple of weeks dealing with the chaos due to two murders. But if she worked hard through the week, she could catch up and finish entering the data by Friday, unless, of course, she stumbled across another murder. But there wouldn't be another body. And if there was, she would not be involved in finding it. She was through with investigating murders. It was time to get on with normal life.
A squeak of the door opening, and a whisper pulled her from above the paperwork. 'Katie, are you there?'
'Hi, Celia. What can I do for you?'
Celia sneaked into the room and closed the door behind her. Her face looked serious.
'I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but someone will tell you sooner or later.'
'What is it?'
'Jack is interviewing Kevin Webb. He's your friend's husband, isn't he?'
Katie's heart skipped a beat. Her jaw dropped.
'Kevin?' she croaked. 'Why? What happened?'
She probably could have guessed herself, but it was always better to hear it from the horse's mouth, as Inspector Heaton said earlier. And rather cruelly, she thought.
'We have a witness who saw your friend and the victim arguing.'
Her suspicions were correct. Kevin's bizarre behaviour over the previous couple of days might have had something to do with Zac's death. But Kevin was not a killer.
'People argue all the time,' Katie said weekly. 'Why Kevin?'
'The witness heard Kevin threatening Zac.'
Katie turned away to hide the gathering tears. Her chest felt tight as if being crushed in a vice. It must be a mistake. An exaggeration. A silly comment made while drunk!
'Kevin's not a killer. He's a good man,' Katie said weakly. 'Jack’s wrong.'
Celia put a hand on Katie's shoulder. 'I know you're worried for your friend, but you know what it's like during an investigation. If Kevin didn't do it, we'll find out. We just need to go through the process.'
Celia was right, yet Katie didn't like the message. It was easy to say, "go through the process", but people's lives were at stake. And not just any people - it was Michelle and her two girls, and of course Kevin – Katie’s dearest friends. People she loved. People who had been there for her in her darkest times. Katie shook her head.
'What can I do to help?'
'Support your friend. Tell Kevin to work with us. You know the drill.'
Katie hugged her chest. She kept breathing slowly until her
breath steadied and the knot in her throat loosened. She was going to do whatever she could to help clear Kevin's name. She had to focus. Focus, Katie!
She cleared her throat. 'Has the cause of death been confirmed? Was he really stabbed with my dip pen?' she asked, her voice still trembling.
'The autopsy report isn’t ready yet. But the preliminary results indicate that Zac was poisoned. The poison was in the pen.'
Katie blinked and turned to face Celia.
'Any fingerprints on the pen?'
'Yes. Your old fingerprints, of course and some fresher ones. They haven't been matched though.'
Katie considered this piece of information. 'Have you checked Kevin's prints?'
'Just sending them off to the lab, but I can already tell you the prints look different to Kevin's.'
Katie's heart flipped. 'So, it’s unlikely to be him, then?' she asked hopefully.
A line appeared on Celia's smooth face. 'Sadly, it's not so straightforward. He could have been wearing gloves when he used the pen. That's why we need a thorough analysis.'
And so much for the glimmer of hope.
A cold hand squeezed Katie's heart. Kevin. Michelle. The girls. The world was no longer a safe place she could understand. Kevin might have been a bad boy in the past, but he was a good husband, a good father, and an all-around good bloke. He was definitely not a killer. She had to put it right.
Despite her earlier commitment to keep out of murder investigations, she had to help Jack find the real killer.
7
On her way to cleaning job at Willow Park Nursing Home, Katie reviewed the events of the morning. She tried to ring Michelle, but her call kept transferring to her voicemail. Katie left couple of messages and sent her friend a text. Katie reached the home heavy-hearted and still a little giddy. She hoped Zuza wasn't on this afternoon. Otherwise, it would be very hard to concentrate on work. She was looking forward to doing some cleaning. Moving things around. Being in control. Making the place neat and tidy. In certain situations, she found the manual labour somehow therapeutic.