He was stunned. ‘Yeah, I know you are.’
‘Oh, right. Look, she tried to reach me but I was a bit tied up and now I’m having no luck getting back to her.’
Dan snorted. They really did take him for an idiot. ‘Yeah, I’ll bet you’re tied up. Just roll over and talk to her, mate!’
‘Pardon?’
‘You heard.’
‘Dan?’
‘Don’t call me Dan as though you know me, as if we’re friends.’
‘Er, look, I’m not sure what’s going on here, or what you think is going on, but I’m Kate’s boss and I’m simply trying to return her call.’
‘Pull the other one. I’m going to have you reported, Hawksworth.’
‘Now, just a minute!’
‘No, this is bullshit! Why was Kate in Highgate this morning if she wasn’t with you, you sod?’
‘Highgate? I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have no idea where she is, which might explain why I’m calling you.’
Dan ignored him. ‘She didn’t come home last night. She rang me this morning from Highgate. I’m standing outside your place right now. If I could, I’d get up into your rich boy apartment and beat the shit out of you before I trash the place.’
He instantly regretted that comment. He was incapable of beating up anyone, and he certainly wouldn’t be testing his unknown fighting quantity on a senior policeman. He waited through the terrible pause, berating himself for how stupid he sounded and how ridiculously this situation was spinning out of control. Why did Hawksworth have to ring him at this time of all times?
He wasn’t prepared for compassion.
‘Dan, I’m really sorry, but whatever’s happening between you and Kate is nothing to do with me. Listen, come over to the Yard — can you do that?’
‘Why? Going to set your people on me?’ Dan said sulkily, wishing he’d held his tongue.
‘No. I think you’ve watched too many cop movies. Let’s have a drink. I’m not normally one for a Ruddles quite this early, but it’s nearly eleven and I can pretend it’s high noon if you can.’
Dan hadn’t expected this tack. ‘I don’t drink alcohol.’
‘A soda water, then. Orange juice, coffee, whatever. Let’s talk about what’s worrying you and perhaps we can find Kate in the meantime. I’ll help you.’
This didn’t sound like a man who was cuckolding him, but then he wasn’t eyeballing him and everyone was a better liar via phone. That said, Hawksworth’s offer was probably more than he deserved, given the accusation. ‘Where?’ he said.
‘Our local at the Yard. The Old Star, near the station. Don’t drive, it will take forever. If you’re at Highgate, then hop on the tube at the bottom of the hill. I’ll meet you in there in half an hour, okay?’
‘Right.’
Dan snapped his phone shut, a mixture of humiliation and remorse flowing through him now. He left Coleridge House, turned right towards the Village and the trek down the hill. He tried Kate one more time and was surprised when she answered.
‘So where are you now?’ she demanded. ‘I’m home, but you haven’t even bothered to stay around to save our relationship.’
‘I’m in Highgate.’
‘Highgate?’ she shrieked. ‘What the hell are you doing there?’
‘Trying to find you. So is your boss.’
‘What? I’ve only just this second turned my phone back on. Dan, you haven’t been speaking to Jack, have you?’
‘Jack, is it? Yeah, I’ve been speaking with him — we’re old pals. In fact, right now I’m on my way into the city to have a drink with him at the Old Star.’
‘You’re not serious?’
‘Deadly.’
‘This is madness. I’m at home, waiting for you.’
‘And we’ll be in the Old Star, waiting for you. Apparently you’ve been trying to reach him.’
‘Yes, that’s right.’
‘I feel like I’m being set up, Kate. You two could surely come up with a better plot than this.’
‘You’re acting so paranoid I could throttle you. If you embarrass me in front of my work colleagues, Dan, I won’t forgive you.’
‘Too late.’
He heard the line go dead and wasn’t surprised. Kate wasn’t one for idle threats. He had a few stops on the tube to decide just how repentant he was prepared to be.
26
Jack stared into his lime soda and contemplated how a morning that had started out so spectacularly, with his arms wrapped around a beautiful woman, could wind up so catastrophically before noon had even struck. His thoughts moved to Deegan’s threat and he briefly considered calling Liz. Not that he knew where to find her — but he was a senior policeman, and there were ways. It had been years since they’d spoken and even longer since they’d seen one another. It was as though Liz was from a previous lifetime and he decided to let her remain there. Let Deegan do the muckraking; Jack wouldn’t dignify the man’s menacing attitude by reacting in precisely the way Deegan hoped he would. If the mud was coming at him, it would arrive soon enough, but he was pretty sure there was nowhere for it to stick. Did Deegan bear him some sort of grudge? Probably, and the man was obviously using his new position to push it.
He saw a dark-haired man wearing rimless glasses enter the pub and glance around. Jack had no idea what Dan looked like, so he waited, but gave the guy eye contact, and right enough he walked over, slumping into the chair opposite.
‘Thanks for coming,’ Jack said, holding out his hand.
Dan didn’t take it. ‘I’ve spoken to Kate.’
‘Good. What can I get you?’
‘Flat white.’
Jack caught the glance of the barmaid. ‘Can we get a flat white?’
She nodded and Jack returned his attention to the sullen, unshaven man. He realised Dan was older than he had first appeared in his jeans and red Docs.
‘Is Kate okay?’
Dan shrugged. ‘Angry is the best way to describe it. Don’t say I haven’t warned you.’
‘Is she coming?’
‘I told her where and when I was meeting you. She may come. I have no idea.’
‘Listen, Dan —’
‘What the hell is going on here?’ said a familiar voice. Kate stormed up to them, a cold wind following her in to match her icy stare.
‘Hi,’ Jack said amiably. ‘Why don’t you sit down and we’ll sort this out. Coffee?’
‘Nothing, thank you,’ she snarled, but it was at Dan that she directed her fury. She scraped a chair back to sit down. ‘Dan, this is outrageous.’
‘Kate, why don’t you let him say what’s on his mind.’
‘Air our dirty linen in front of my boss? You must be joking! This isn’t your business, DCI Hawksworth, and I’ll be damned if I’ll let him make it yours.’
Jack scratched at his stubbly face as the barmaid put Dan’s coffee on the table. ‘I don’t want to interfere in a domestic, but Dan seems to have some skewed idea that our relationship isn’t as platonic as it should be, and indeed is.’
Kate looked ready to hurl the steaming coffee into her boyfriend’s face. ‘You’re a fucking idiot, Dan,’ she snapped. ‘How dare you.’
‘Is it true?’ Dan replied, ignoring her anger and staring at Jack.
‘Is it true that your fiancee and I are involved in some relationship outside of work? No, Dan. It’s pure fantasy — and she’s not my type, either.’ Neither man noticed how Kate’s lips thinned at Jack’s words. ‘No disrespect, but I’m not interested in pursuing amorous affairs with any of my work colleagues.’
‘That’s not what I’ve heard,’ Dan fired back.
Jack threw an injured glance towards Kate. She’d obviously shared the only skeleton that had been rattling in his cupboard. He watched her sit back and fix him with an embarrassed but hard stare he couldn’t read. He composed himself and continued. ‘As it happens, Dan, I’m seeing someone at present. She’s new in my life, very lovely — no, she’s better than that, she’s incredibly
gorgeous — and, if you must know, dominating my every waking thought outside of work hours.’
He saw Kate look away and out of the window. He hoped, with a pang of shock, that the glistening of her eyes was relief rather than what it looked like. He went on, keen to impress his innocence on Dan and help rescue this pair’s foundering relationship. ‘I met Sophie before Kate even started official work on this operation. She lives in my apartment building, and although the life of a detective is hardly conducive to an easy relationship — as you and Kate would know — it’s . . . well, it’s rather intense right now, you could say.’
Kate looked back and Jack could see she was as uncomfortable as he felt. Her voice sounded strained. ‘How was Les Mis last night?’
‘Even better the second time.’
She gave him a sad smile. ‘Shows are all well and good, but if you want to get close to this girl, you have to take her out dancing.’ It was obvious Kate was reaching for levity but she fell hopelessly short.
He nodded. ‘Well, it’s lucky in a way that I’m such an atrocious dancer with two left feet, because Sophie’s in a wheelchair. I suppose I could spin her around the floor.’ His own sense of wit failed him just as miserably but his words certainly caught their attention.
‘Oh,’ Kate said, her surprise obvious. ‘I, er, I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be. It doesn’t seem to affect us.’
‘So, you know about this Sophie, do you?’ Dan asked Kate.
‘Yes,’ she snapped. ‘I told you this morning. You’re being ridiculous and embarrassing.’
‘It’s alright, Kate, really,’ Jack soothed.
‘It’s not, sir,’ she said, her eyes watering now. ‘Dan, I can’t forgive you for humiliating me like this. How would you like it if I rang up your boss and accused you of bonking bloody Gail? How well would your sense of humour stand up then? And how could you have gone to Highgate?’
Dan shrugged with shame. ‘It’s alright for you to go there, I suppose.’
‘Dan, I work with DCI Hawksworth. I had something I needed to talk to him about.’
It wasn’t washing with Dan, and rightly so, she thought, hoping the warm feeling at her cheeks wasn’t showing her to be the liar she was. Instead, her fiance tried for contrition.
‘I wanted to confront you, Jack. I’m sorry.’
Kate closed her eyes and looked away. It was obvious Jack was going to be generous about this but her expression said she hated it all the same.
‘It’s forgotten,’ Jack said. ‘I’m not going to pry into how or why you made that leap to the wrong conclusion, Dan, but I’m glad we’re all clear.’ He put some brightness into his tone. ‘And especially glad you didn’t get access to my apartment to trash it.’
Dan gave a rueful grin. ‘Yeah, you’re lucky that strange German woman wouldn’t let me use her keycard.’
‘Mrs Becker?’
‘I suppose. The angels are certainly smiling on you to give you two great-looking women in such a small block.’
Jack looked at Dan quizzically. ‘What?’
‘Well, you’ve made it clear that Sophie isn’t ugly, and I’d certainly give Mrs Becker one if Mr Becker isn’t doing his duty.’
‘Dan!’ Kate said.
Jack gave a burst of embarrassed laughter. ‘Well, I wouldn’t. I’m not into women over sixty.’
It was Dan’s turn to frown. ‘Over sixty? Are you kidding? Mrs Becker is hot. I just wish she’d hung around a bit longer but she was in a hurry to get away from me.’
‘Who could blame her?’ Kate murmured.
‘Mrs Becker, who lives on the second floor for your information, is about sixty-seven,’ Jack said.
‘Then it wasn’t Mrs Becker,’ Dan said pointedly. ‘This woman came down from the fourth floor. I was at the lift, watching.’
Jack cleared his throat. ‘Um, fourth floor is Sophie.’
‘And this wasn’t Sophie either, then. This person wasn’t in a wheelchair. She walked out of the lift and out through the fire exit.’
‘No, that can’t be Sophie. And she’s not German either.’
‘Well, I’m glad we got that sorted out,’ Kate said, rolling her eyes. ‘Okay, Dan, you’ve done the damage that you came to do. Why don’t you —’
Jack was frowning as Kate spoke. He interrupted her. ‘Wait. Dan, no one can access the accommodation levels without a keycard. I don’t know who could have been coming down from Sophie’s apartment.’
Again Dan shrugged. ‘I know it was the top floor — I watched the numbers lighting as they came down.’
‘She obviously had a visitor,’ Kate said, picking up her bag and making ready to depart as Dan obviously wasn’t.
‘I don’t think so.’ Jack looked sheepish. ‘I, er, only left her apartment a matter of hours ago.’
‘Right. Ready, Dan?’ Kate said, acidly, and Jack noticed how she wouldn’t make eye contact with him.
‘Pity, you could have done them both,’ Dan said crassly.
Jack ignored the jibe. ‘What did this woman look like?’
‘Kate’s age, no, a bit older, I suppose. Dressed casually in jeans, hooded top. Darkish blonde, dark eyes, lovely skin, great bod. What else can I tell you?’
The vague sense of unease that had been creeping up on Jack since his unsuccessful rendezvous with Sophie at Paddington washed over him again. Before he could ask Dan any more questions, his phone began to ring.
Jack answered and listened intently. ‘Good work, Cam. Alright, I’m on my way up.’ He nodded. ‘Yes, she and Dan are here with me as a matter of fact.’ He added after a pause, ‘I don’t know, I suppose she will. See you shortly.’
Kate frowned at him. ‘What’s happening?’
‘I have to go. If you want to come into work, I think you should, because something’s going down. I’ll brief you on the way in the lifts. Otherwise, I’ll call you later.’
‘See you,’ Kate said without hesitation to Dan. ‘I’ll phone you at home, shall I?’
‘Will you be back this evening?’ Dan said sadly.
Jack left them to it, embarrassed. He cleared security at the main staff entrance and walked slowly to the lifts.
Kate caught up with him. ‘Sir, I’m really sorry —’
‘Kate, please, enough apologising. I want to forget this as much as you.’ He gestured for her to enter the lift before him. Mercifully, no one else followed them in. ‘In fact, I’m sorry that Dan could ever think such a thing.’
She looked at him sideways, unable to hide how offended the comment obviously made her feel. ‘Is it really so far-fetched? I can’t be that unattractive.’
Jack heard alarms klaxoning in his head. He’d been here before. Liz had used almost the identical phrase to lure him into her arms and look where that had led. Martin Sharpe’s warning sounded in his mind as he spoke seriously to Kate.
‘Listen, you’re a great girl and in another situation, another time zone, another life, perhaps things may have been different. But right now, I’m definitely the wrong guy.’
She tried to hide it but Jack saw the pain flicker in her eyes. He felt instantly mortified that he had read Kate so wrong, or, more to the point, that he’d misled her with his friendly manner. He now saw that Dan’s suspicions weren’t based on paranoia, and was reminded again of Sharpe’s warning that Jack tended to allow his team to get too close and was much too vulnerable where women were concerned. Keep a distance, Sharpe had told him. It’s fine to be friendly and informal but draw a line around yourself and keep that personal space clear. Jack had failed with Kate, obviously.
‘What do you mean “another life”?’ she asked, determined to make him squirm, it seemed.
‘Just that. You and I are colleagues. We can’t be anything more.’
‘Out of interest . . . why? It’s not in the Scotland Yard Rule Book for Detectives, is it?’
‘It’s dangerous, that’s why.’
‘Oh yeah, that’s right, the last time you got ro
mantically involved with a colleague, it led to a death.’
Jack hissed a pain-filled breath through gritted teeth, desperately wishing the lifts could whisk them faster to the top floor. The doors opened on the fourth floor and someone got in.
‘Hey, Jack.’
‘George, how are you?’
‘I’m okay, mate,’ the man said, pushing the button for the next floor. ‘Any breaks on Danube?’
Jack nodded. ‘Just this minute, actually. Wish us luck.’
George made a point of crossing his fingers in front of them and got out on the fifth, presumably to chase down some fingerprint information.
Jack punched the ‘close doors’ button and seared a glance at Kate. ‘I’m going to allow that you’re a bit emotional today and forget you just said what you did. But if you refer to anything connected with my private life again, Kate, you’re off Danube and back at HAT Kingston.’
She looked back at him. ‘What about my private life?’ Her tone was tart.
‘I didn’t invite myself into it. You and Dan did.’ Jack became businesslike. ‘I’m not going to discuss this any further. I hope we both understand one another. Now, back to work. A phone call came in earlier today — Brodie took the call — from a guy called Phil Bowles. Apparently he was panicky, wanted to speak with me and wouldn’t speak to anyone else and said he’d call back. He’s hopefully on the line now.’
Much to Jack’s relief, Kate clicked into professional mode as well. ‘One of the four?’
‘We don’t know, but Brodie’s taking the call seriously. He says his sixth sense tells him it’s not one of the usual hoax calls and the guy seems to know there’s four of them.’
Kate nodded. The doors opened on the twelfth floor and Jack strode out into the corridor, leaving Kate to follow in his wake.
Inside the Operation Danube office, the skeleton staff were subdued but Jack sensed a quiet undercurrent of tension. A red-eyed, clearly weary DC Brodie met him.
‘Line two, sir. Hi, Kate.’
Jack pulled off his coat. ‘Thanks, Cam. Get home, get some shut-eye.’
‘No way. I’ll go and take a shower, see if I can perk up a bit, but I’m not leaving, not now.’
Bye Bye Baby Page 28