by Clare Revell
“Then my trip home can wait. Let’s go.”
~*~
Monday morning dawned hot and sunny. The rain from the previous week had done nothing to revive the dying grass or the plants. By midmorning, Zander was totally bored at home. He agreed Isabel had a point about working the case, and he got Gramps settled in front of daytime TV with the daily crossword. Then he headed off to hire a car for a week. Once that was done, he drove into work. He didn’t like desk duty, but there was no way he could run or jump fences for the next week or so. Maybe he could be useful at a desk, however.
The squad room was a hive of activity, which stopped abruptly as soon as he entered. He gazed at them all. “Well, this isn’t awkward at all, is it?”
Isabel stood and ran across the room, arms out. She threw herself onto him, almost knocking him backwards. “You’re back. I’m so pleased to see you.”
DI Holmes appeared from his office. “Zander? I said Monday week.”
“It’s a Monday. And I was bored at home. I figured I could sit at a desk and answer the phone if you want.”
“They let you out?” Austin glared at him.
“Yup. As I’m obviously not the Slayer, they kind of had to.”
“But we haven’t established this wasn’t a copycat,” Austin insisted.
“For crying out loud!” Isabel somehow didn’t stamp her feet, although it was apparent she wanted to. “I keep saying it’s not Zander. You just won’t listen to me.”
“You’re the one who came up with the theory in the first place! You can’t change your mind when things get too close for comfort.”
“That’s enough.” DI Holmes stood between them. “Zander, go find a desk and put the tip line phone on it.”
DS Painter stood. “Here, you can have your desk back.”
“I don’t want to push you out,” Zander began.
“You’re not. I was just keeping it warm until you got back. I can use the empty one next to yours.”
DI Holmes surveyed the room. “The rest of you listen up. Zander isn’t the Slayer. He’s been undercover the past few weeks. It was imperative you all thought his arrest was genuine. Even you, Isabel.”
Isabel glared at him furiously. “He’s my partner and you didn’t want me to know? You suspended me when I’d done nothing.”
“Operational reasons.”
She shook her head and dropped into her chair. She plugged her headphones into the speaker on her computer and whacked up the music so loud, Zander could hear it. Her acting ability was impressive.
“I think you upset her,” Will said, stating the obvious.
“Not my choice,” Zander said.
“Just so long as you all understand that Zander was working under my orders the whole time.” DI Holmes glanced at Zander. “You can type up the report and information gained whilst answering the phone.”
“Guv.” Zander jerked his head in response.
“Isabel, can I have a word in my office.” There was no response. DI Holmes raised his voice. “Isabel?”
Zander tried not to chuckle as there was still no response from his partner. He tapped her on the arm.
She pulled out her headphones and glared at him. “What?”
He nodded to the Guv. “You’re wanted.”
“Hah, right. No one wants me, remember? I’m just a woman who has a bee in her bonnet about stuff no one else wants to listen to.”
DI Holmes cleared his throat, loudly. “My office. Now.”
Isabel shoved her chair back as she stood. “If I must.”
Zander had to hand it to her. She sure knew when to act up. He leaned in. “Having fun?” he asked quietly.
“Yup. He’ll not find out I already knew. I have something to show you in a bit.” She stomped over to the DI’s office and slammed the door shut behind her.
Zander sat at his desk and began to tidy the top, putting things back where he liked them. Raised voices echoed from the glass panelled office. Isabel was obviously going for the Guv with both barrels. Hopefully this would get it out of her system and they could begin to get back to what passed for normal in this place. His desk was almost done to his satisfaction, when the Guv’s door flung open and Isabel stormed back to her desk.
He glanced at her. “Is the Guv’s head still on his shoulders?”
“Barely,” she muttered. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” He watched as she started working on the computer. “I have to admit whoever did this, set me up perfectly, the paintings, DNA, and so on.” He narrowed his eyes. “What are you doing?”
“I’m watching the zebra cam footage.”
“The what?”
“Zebra cam.” She pointed to the stuffed zebra on her desk. “I had a camera fitted weeks ago. He records my desk, my in-tray. Has done since we bought them. One of the tech blokes upstairs set it up for me.”
“Clever.” Zander smiled. “Who knows?”
“The Guv, and now, you.”
Zander shuffled on his chair around the desks to her side. “Show me?”
They spent the next hour, heads together, watching the footage.
Isabel made notes.
“Isabel?” The Dutch accent was unmistakable.
She glanced up. “Morning, Arend.”
The coroner held out a folder. “This is for you.”
She took it. “Thank you.”
“The rest of the results are back tomorrow or Wednesday.” He glanced at Zander. “I wasn’t expecting to see you back here.”
Zander nodded. “Yup. Since I’m restricted to desk duty until the ribs heal along with the surgical scars, I’m trying to tidy Isabel’s desk for her. It’s a disgrace.”
Arend laughed. “Good luck with that.” He headed out.
Zander tapped the folder. “What’s this?”
“It’s the only copy of the post mortem report on victim ten. Other than the one Arend has on his computer.” She opened the folder and began to read. “It’s the same. Right down to the—”
“Was that Arend I saw leaving?” DI Holmes voice cut across the room.
“Yeah. He was talking to Isabel,” Austin said.
DI Holmes crossed the room rapidly.
Zander quickly minimized the screen and shoved something across the desk. “And that is how you organise your desk in a way that it’s not offensive to anyone.”
“You know you can take desk duty too literally,” she told him.
“Did he leave the post mortem report, Isabel?” DI Holmes asked. “Only I haven’t had a copy yet.”
“I’m still reading, but there’s nothing new. It actually matches all the previous killings to a T.”
Her boss held out a hand. “I’d like it now.”
Isabel hesitated. “It’s the only copy. There won’t be another. And I haven’t finished…”
“Why won’t there be another?”
“Things go missing, sir. There have been three copies up until now and they have all vanished. Including the server copies.”
DI Holmes took the folder from her and headed to his office. He closed the blinds and shut the door.
Isabel shook her head. “Not saying it,” she whispered. “Not lowering myself to his level.”
DS Painter rose and came over to them. “Isabel, who had copies of those files?”
“Me, him, and the Chief Super,” she muttered.
“We need to take this out of the office.” DS Painter raised his voice. “I need you two to come and assist. Let’s go.”
~*~
Isabel sat at a back table in the Three Sixteen café. She glanced over at DS Painter standing by the counter then looked at Zander beside her. “Can we trust him? He’s been just as cagy as the rest of the squad.”
“Trust has to start somewhere and with one person. Especially if there is a senior officer involved in all this. I mean, that is why he was brought over from Fleet Street after my arrest.”
DS Painter came over with the tray. “
OK. One red berry for Isabel, a mango and passionfruit for Zander, and a mint choc chip for me.”
“Thank you.” Isabel took hers. “A what for Zander?”
“Mango and passionfruit.” Zander took a long sip. “Lovely.”
She scrunched her nose. “E-yuk. Mangy poison fruit more like.”
The men laughed. “Oh, I shall have to tell Eden that. She feels the same way.” DS Painter picked up his drink.
“Is Eden your wife?” she asked.
He nodded. “Yes. So talk to us.”
Isabel sipped her drink, choosing her words carefully. “There has to be someone in the squad involved.”
Zander tapped his fingers on the side of his glass. “My contact in prison said the same. High up copper was what he said and he mentioned the Guv by name. Before I could get anything else from him, he was murdered.”
“That’s the thing,” Isabel added. “The Guv has access to all the files, the whole system, all the evidence. He arranged the watch on the church yard and Colebrook Pastures. He’s the one who controls the cameras in the squad room. And he’s the only person who knew about the zebra camera. Whoever tampered with my computer and in-tray knew not to be seen. Plus all the relatives I spoke to said the victim was dating a cop. Or had done.”
“One with dark hair and a beard.”
“The Guv and DS Philips both have dark hair.”
“Neither have a beard.” DS Painter looked thoughtful. At least he hadn’t dismissed this out of sight. “And I think their wives would take a dim view of them dating someone else.”
“Beards are easy to grow and get rid of. Zander got rid of his Friday and it was back this morning. ’Til he got rid of it again.”
“But we should keep them on the list for now,” Zander said.
“Well, the Guv definitely. DS Philips was out of town for one of them.”
Zander sipped his drink. “We need to get that composite artist to see Gramps.”
Isabel caught her breath, a horrid thought taking root in her mind. “Maybe it wasn’t kids who assaulted him and left him for dead.”
“The Guv said—”
She cut Zander off. “You honestly believe that. He was assaulted the weekend Lexi went missing. He saw this man she was dating. He spoke to him. He’s a witness. Maybe someone wants him out of the way.” She paused. “We need to get him out of town as soon as possible. We should send him to your parents. He’ll be safe there.”
“He won’t like it, and he won’t go.” Zander gazed at her. “You know how stubborn he can be.”
“We can’t give him a choice.” DS Painter looked at them. “Zander, you and Isabel head over there now. I’ll meet you with a composite artist.”
~*~
Zander stared at Gramps with frustration. Why did the old man have to be so stubborn? Even more so than normal. He scribbled fast. You have to go. Just for a few days.
Fine, but I want to come back here. Gramps snatched the board and wrote.
You will do. Zander promised. This is your home, but right now you’ll be a lot safer out of town. I’ll call Grace and get her to take you. Maybe she and the kids should stay there as well.
I’ll call her. Isabel wrote the words. She looked at Gramps. “It’s just for a few days.” She whispered.
Gramps harrumphed and scrunched up his nose.
Isabel laughed. “So that’s where Zander gets it from. I had wondered.” The doorbell rang and she headed into the hall to answer it.
Zander turned the music up even louder. He grabbed the whiteboard. At least you won’t need to communicate like this at Mum and Dad’s. By the time you come home, this will all be over. I promise.
Gramps nodded.
DS Painter and the composite artist came in.
Zander nodded to them. “I’ll leave you blokes to it and pack a bag for Gramps.” He glanced at Isabel. “You should go as well.”
“Neither of you are staying here,” DS Painter said. “The pair of you need to be in a safe house and under guard.”
“No way.” Isabel shook her head firmly. “There are enough leaks. No way can we afford anymore by getting protective services involved.”
“Isabel has spoken,” Zander said. “She’s a firecracker. Not to be argued with.”
The window shattered in a shower of glass. Smoke filled the room.
11
Isabel took a deep breath as DI Holmes’ car pulled up outside the house. She’d argued against calling him, but DS Painter had insisted.
The DI ran up the pathway. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, sir. It was just a couple of flash bangs, that’s all.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Really? Get in the car and wait for me there.”
“Sir…” she began to protest.
“Now, Isabel.” He vanished inside the house.
Isabel didn’t move. She heard voices from inside the house, before DI Holmes returned with Zander and Gramps. Neither of them looked happy either.
“Isabel, I told you to get in the car. We’re being watched. Or didn’t you know that?”
Zander nodded. “We knew. And the house is also bugged. I need to get Gramps over to Grace’s.”
“Yes,” Gramps said, using the script they’d rehearsed on sheets of paper that Isabel now had in her pocket. “I’m staying with Grace for a bit.”
“Uniform can do that. I need the both of you, plus DS Painter, back at the station, now.”
“Not until Gramps is safe,” Zander insisted.
DI Holmes groaned. He spun to face a uniformed officer. “Could you please drive Mr. McNally and his bags to his granddaughter’s so that DS Ellery will follow orders?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Thank you. Zander, give him the address. Isabel, get in the car. Don’t make me repeat myself again.”
Isabel slid into the front seat of DI Holmes’ car whilst Zander gave the uniformed officer Grace’s address. She just prayed they weren’t making a mistake.
Twenty minutes later, they were all shut in the DI‘s office with the door closed and blinds pulled down. He looked at them. “Talk to me.”
Zander glanced sideways at her. “You’d better do that. I haven’t been here.”
She resisted the urge to shoot him the look. Instead she picked at a fingernail as she explained about the phone being bugged, the house being watched, and the window being smashed.
“And the composite artist was there because?” DI Holmes prompted.
“Talking to Gramps, I realised he’d seen Lexi’s boyfriend. He was a cop or so she told me, and as several victims were also dating a cop, it wasn’t a huge leap to assume it’s the same bloke. Our killer. So as Gramps had seen him, and was potentially assaulted by him, we wanted a picture. Which we didn’t get a chance to get.”
“I’ll organise it once you’re both safe.”
“Sir…”
He glared at her. “I am not arguing this point. Both you and Zander are going into a safe house starting tonight. I’ll organise it myself. Now I want statements from the three of you, starting with Zander.”
Isabel stood and left the room, taking quick paces to her desk. Something niggled at her and she riffled through her in-tray. Nothing there in the mail she hadn’t already seen. Surely her copy of those DNA results should have come back now. The ones that either proved or disproved her relationship to CS Clydesdale. Yes, he said he’d seen them, but until she had physical proof in her hand, she wasn’t believing anything.
Perching on the chair, she grabbed the landline and dialled the police surgeon directly.
“Dr. Chandler speaking.”
“Hi, it’s DC York from TVP. I have a query regarding my DNA test results you did some weeks ago. When are they due back?”
“They were meant to go directly to you and the Chief Super. You should have had them by now.”
Isabel swallowed, bile rising. “I didn’t receive a copy. I need a couple of things actually. The first is a copy of that
report sent to me ASAP. And the second thing is would it be possible for them to be retested at a different lab? I need the results as a matter of urgency.”
“Let me just check on the system and get back to you.” The line went dead.
Isabel turned to DS Painter. “Can you do me a favour? Access the staff database and run a check on someone?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Who, and why?”
“I need to know their marital status.”
“You could just ask them,” he said, waving his left hand. “Or look for a ring.”
“The Prince doesn’t wear one and he’s very married.” Isabel grinned. “Thing is, this officer told me one thing, and the Guv told me another.”
“And you don’t date married men.”
“No way, but that’s not it.”
DS Painter logged onto the system. “OK, I’m in. Who is it?”
“Chief Superintendent Clydesdale.”
“Do you want to get fired?” He sounded amused, but probably wasn’t.
“Please.”
He chuckled. “Please fire you? Sure.”
Zander laughed as he joined them. “Don’t tell the Guv that.”
“Tell me what?” DI Holmes asked.
Isabel was convinced the man had an invisibility cloak as he just appeared from nowhere.
“Isabel wants firing,” DS Painter said helpfully.
DI Holmes shook his head. “I despair of the lot of you. Right, both Isabel and Zander are in a hotel for now. Adjoining rooms. Behave. No late-night parties or breaking things.”
Zander scrunched up his nose. “Spoil sport. Where’s the fun in that? I need to go back to the house and pick up my hire car. Not to mention a change of clothes.”
“I’ll organise that and having it changed. I don’t want you going anywhere other than to and from work.”
“Seriously? But there’s the gym, we play badminton once a week and we’ve already booked the court. And we run every morning.”
“Not anymore.”
Zander sighed, frustration evident. “Even the Prime Minister has more freedom than this. She gets a holiday.”
“I can provide you both with a bodyguard if you want.” DI Holmes’ tone turned annoyed.
“If he’s really tall, good looking and fit, sign me up,” Isabel said. “Preferably one who looks like that really hunky pirate on the TV series I’m watching.”