‘No probs. I hope you find your brother soon,’ he called as she walked back towards the hospital.
She waved her hand in acknowledgement.
She hoped so too.
She had to find him, and quickly.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
DAY FIVE: MORNING
After a broken night tossing and turning, Alex was back at David’s offices again. A different girl was on reception.
‘Hi,’ said Alex. ‘I’m looking for Sadie.’
‘She hasn’t come in today.’ The girl smiled pleasantly.
Alex felt a hollow in the pit of her stomach. ‘Is she ill?’
‘I don’t know. I was called in from the agency to cover. Temporary, like.’
‘Alex, what are you doing here? Again.’
‘David.’
He took her by the elbow and led her away from the reception desk. ‘Considering you and I have nothing to say to one another you seem to be around here an awful lot.’
‘Actually, I was looking for Sadie.’
‘Sadie?’ He frowned. ‘Receptionist Sadie?’
‘Yes.’
‘Why?’ He was suspicious.
‘She wanted to talk to me, I don’t know what about,’ Alex said brightly. ‘She phoned me yesterday and set up a meeting. But she didn’t turn up.’
‘She didn’t come in this morning. She let us down quite badly as a matter of fact. I’ve got a big meeting later and I needed her to take the minutes.’
‘She hasn’t called in sick?’
‘No. Not a word. Always was a bit flaky.’ He sighed. ‘I really don’t know what I’m going to do—’
‘About your meeting, I know. Would you like me to come and take the minutes?’
David’s eyes were so wide with disbelief Alex wanted to laugh. ‘Don’t be so silly. I’m not having a journalist at a top-level meeting.’
Oh, the pomposity.
‘I’m going to do a series of articles on homeless for The Post, and I hope I’ll be able to include you and the organization?’
‘You’ve already done a feature on me.’
‘I know. I’m thinking a more general piece about Fight for the Homeless and the people you help.’
‘Maybe.’ His face was closed.
‘But first I want to find Rick Winterton. And talk to Sadie. And find Karolina.’
‘Karolina? Why do you want to find Karolina?’
Was it her imagination or was he sweating? ‘I met her at your hostel on Magdalene Street, and she was going to let me know me when the two men who are offering jobs to your clients turned up again. But apparently she hasn’t been seen around for the last couple of days.’
‘She could be anywhere. Like Rick, she will have moved on.’ He enunciated the words carefully.
Alex cocked her head to one side. ‘How did you know who I was talking about?’
‘What do you mean?’
He was dissembling, Alex could see it in his face. And he was very definitely sweating. ‘When I said Karolina, you knew who I was talking about. You didn’t ask me anything about her.’
‘I know many of our clients,’ he blustered.
She wasn’t going to let him get away with that. ‘Really? It’s possible, I suppose. Anyway, Karolina was willing to talk to me and to Cora Winterton. And now she’s gone. Sadie wanted to tell me something. She was frightened, whispering on the phone. And now she seems to have disappeared. That’s a lot of people who’ve disappeared in a short time. What did Sadie want to tell me, David?’
‘How the hell should I know?’ His face was red and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. He was clenching and unclenching his fists. Alex thought he was a good candidate for a stroke.
‘It seems to me, David,’ said Alex, evenly, ‘you’re frightened of something.’
‘Don’t be so stupid. Look, running a charity in this day and age is no picnic. The rules and regulations, the safeguarding issues, the sheer amount of paperwork—’
‘David. I’m on your side. If you’ll let me be.’
‘Alex, I—’
For a second Alex thought he was going to tell her something meaningful. But he blew out his breath and seemed to deflate. ‘There’s nothing, Alex. Absolutely nothing.’
She looked at him, unflinching.
‘Look, Karolina has got a new job.’
‘As?’
‘A cleaner. At the Riders’ farm. Marianne Rider likes to give homeless people an opportunity. She’s a great supporter of the charity.’ He looked everywhere but at Alex.
‘So you said before.’
Alex thought back to the charity event and remembered some of the silent but attractive waitresses. Probably cleaners when they weren’t needed as waitresses. It made sense now.
‘Do they have two heavies who go around trying to recruit people?’
‘Heavies?’
‘The Riders. Do they have two men who do their recruiting. One who wears a red jacket and has a bull neck, the other wears a smart coat?’
‘No.’ His answer came too quickly and Alex didn’t believe him.
‘David—’
A cold blast of air announced the entrance of two police officers into the reception area. Both had solemn expressions. Alex’s heart sank. She’d seen that sort of look on police officer faces before and it didn’t tend to signal good news. Could it be something to do with Sadie, or was she jumping to conclusions?
‘Mr David Gordon?’ asked one of them, a thin blonde woman who looked as though she could do with more sleep. The other officer looked as though he hadn’t started shaving yet.
‘Yes.’ David’s eyes darted from one officer to the other.
‘I’m Detective Sergeant Ash and this is Detective Constable Jackson. Could we go somewhere more private please, sir? Not you, madam,’ she said, as Alex made to follow.
‘Is it something to do with Sadie? The receptionist? Is that why you’re here?’ Alex didn’t have a good feeling about this.
‘And you are?’
‘Alex Devlin. Sadie was supposed to meet me last night, but she never turned up.’
DS Ash pursed her lips, then nodded. ‘Very well.’
Alex could hardly contain herself as they made their way through to David’s office. ‘Has something happened to Sadie?’
‘How well did you know her?’ DS Ash asked, sitting on one of the more uncomfortable chairs in David’s office. David himself was sitting behind his grand desk, as if he needed protection.
Alex shook her head, noticing the past tense. ‘Not well at all,’ she said. ‘I spoke to her here, but only briefly, when I came to see David, then yesterday I got a call from her. As I said, she didn’t turn up for our meeting. When I spoke to her on the phone she did seem frightened, though.’
DC Jackson was making notes.
‘I see. Do you know what or who she was frightened of?’
‘No idea. Look, what has happened to her?’
‘Why did she want to talk to you in particular?’
‘Probably because I’m doing an article on homeless people and I’m also looking into some disappearances. What’s happened to Sadie?’ She wished the officer would spit it out.
‘I’m afraid Ms Hartley was found dead last evening. Hit-and-run in Tombland, near the cathedral. She was crossing the road and it’s thought the driver didn’t see her.’
‘Did the driver stop?’ asked Alex.
The officer shook her head.
Alex glanced across at David. He had turned green.
‘What time was this?’
‘I’ll ask the questions if you don’t mind,’ DS Ash said. DC Jackson carried on scribbling, occasionally pausing to look around the office. Alex wondered what she was looking for. ‘So you had no idea what she wanted to talk to you about?’
‘She said she wanted to talk to me about homeless people being offered jobs. She sounded frightened. I arranged to meet her last night in the wine bar on Inkerman Street but she didn’t turn u
p. I tried ringing reception here and David’s office – I didn’t have her mobile number – but there was no reply.’
‘Who else knew she was meeting you?’
‘No one. I was talking to Detective Inspector Slater when she phoned, I might have mentioned it to him.’
‘DI Slater? What were you talking to him about?’
‘He is helping me with a story,’ said Alex, smoothly.
‘Hmm. And she would have to go through Tombland to get to the wine bar?’
‘Yes.’
DS Ash turned to David, who was looking greener by the minute. ‘Mr Gordon, have you any idea what was troubling Sadie?’
David spread his hands as if in supplication. ‘There was nothing troubling Sadie, as far as I know. She worked on reception. She was good at her job, but I didn’t really know her. I mean, it’s not as if she was privy to anything important.’ He stood up. ‘I need a drink.’ His filing cabinet held whisky and glasses. ‘Officers?’
‘We’re on duty, sir. And maybe a cup of sweet tea would be better?’
David took no notice. He waved the bottle at Alex.
‘Want one?’
‘No, thanks.’ She felt numb. What had Sadie wanted to tell her? And was it only a coincidence that she was knocked down? It must have been, surely? ‘Have you any leads on the car that killed her?’
DS Ash sighed. ‘According to witnesses it was a white van. Sped away. We will find it, though. It will have been damaged and if the driver takes it anywhere for repair then we will know about it.’
‘No licence plate?’
‘The plates were muddy according to witnesses and the CCTV in the area wasn’t working, though we may pick the van up elsewhere in the city.’
Alex saw David’s hands shaking as he drank his whisky.
A white van. Muddy number plate. Exactly like the van that may or may not have taken Rick Winterton away.
‘Look,’ said Alex. ‘I’m trying to find a homeless man, Rick Winterton – his sister and I have reported him missing – and—’
‘Ms Devlin, what has this got to do with the hit-and-run?’ DS Ash’s face was pinched with impatience.
‘I have CCTV of a white van that may have taken him away. Its number plate, too, was impossible to read because of the mud. Surely no coincidence?’
‘Surely,’ DS Ash said, obviously unconvinced.
‘If you talk to DI Slater, he knows all about it.’
‘Does he indeed.’ DS Ash still didn’t look impressed. ‘Very well. If you let me know where I can get hold of that CCTV we will have a look at it.’ The subtext written on her face was ‘but I think you’re leading us up the garden path’. Alex gave her the name of the solicitors in Unthank Road, not ready to give up her memory stick with the CCTV on it.
‘Mr Gordon. Tell me more about Sadie. Did she have a boyfriend? Girlfriend?’
‘Sadie?’ said David, looking surprised. ‘I don’t know. I didn’t see anyone and she didn’t talk about anyone. But—’ He shrugged.
‘And she had worked here for how long?’
‘A couple of months. She kept herself to herself, you know how it is.’
‘Indeed.’ She stood up. ‘That’ll be it for now. I am very sorry for your loss. I will need both of you to come to the station to give a statement. In your own time. As soon as possible.’
David sat at his desk with his head in his hands as soon as the detectives had left. ‘Sadie. Hitandrun. What a tragic accident.’
‘If it was an accident,’ said Alex, almost giving in to the lure of the whisky bottle.
David looked up at Alex. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It seems a bit of a coincidence, don’t you think, that Sadie had something to tell me, something she obviously thought was important, but she never made our meeting. Was it a coincidence?’
‘Has to be,’ said David, sitting up, his voice firm, as if he’d suddenly acquired backbone.
‘As I told the coppers, she said it was about the jobs homeless people were being offered. Do you know what she meant by that?’
‘Nope.’ He poured himself another whisky, this time with a steady hand.
‘I didn’t know Sadie, I only met her here. She knew I was a journalist and she wanted to talk to me. She was desperate to talk to me.’
‘What are you implying?’
‘That you do know what it was about. And it has something to do with Fight for the Homeless.’
David looked at her steadily. ‘If it did, I have no idea what. Now, I’m sorry, Alex, but you will have to go. I have a meeting to cancel.’ He poured more drink.
‘What was Lewis Rider doing here the other day, when I saw you?’
‘Funding meeting. Not that it’s any business of yours.’ The answer came quickly, as if he had been expecting her question.
He stood and opened the door of his office.
‘Goodbye, Alex.’
CHAPTER THIRTY
DAY FIVE: AFTERNOON
Alex didn’t know what to do with herself. She probably ought to go home, take Ethel out for a walk, maybe do some work. Or perhaps she could go and see Sam Slater, see if he knew any more about poor Sadie. Perhaps he might have some answers from forensics about the glass. No, he said it would be days at best.
She sat in a coffee shop with a mocha and a slice of passionfruit cake and rang Heath.
‘How’s it going?’ he asked. ‘Have you started on those features for me yet?’
‘Not yet. Still gathering material. Look, Heath, could you look someone up for me? I’ve found out a certain amount, but if you could get any more it would be helpful.’
‘Me? I’m the bloody news editor, not your lackey.’ He sounded amused.
‘It wasn’t that long ago that you were my lackey.’
‘I think you will find, if you search your memory properly, that it was the other way round.’
She laughed. ‘Maybe. Whatever. I know you’re a very busy man, so perhaps you could put someone else on it, but I don’t have the resources here to do it. And you have. Please.’
‘Will you buy me dinner?’
‘Yes, yes, of course.’
Heath gave a sigh which seemed to smack of satisfaction. What had she agreed to? Only dinner. Nothing more.
‘What’s the name?’
‘Boney.’
‘Boney. What sort of name is that?’
‘You should see him, too. A sight for sore eyes. Maori, or something similar, tattoos all over his face. Incisors sharpened to a point.’
‘Easy to spot then?’
‘And known to the police. Low-level fixer and drug dealer. His real name is Nigel Bennet and he went to school with the Riders. I want to know if there’s any more of a connection. I need to know his story. Who his acquaintances might be, that sort of stuff. It’s a long shot and probably won’t have any bearing on anything, but, you never know.’
‘I’ll get on it.’
‘You or a minion?’
‘For you, my dear Alex, it will be me.’
‘Sure. One more thing—’
‘Alex, please.’
‘Sorry, making you work, I know. Gisford Ness.’
‘What’s that?’
‘An island off the coast here. I’m sure there’s more to it than I’ve managed to glean.’
He groaned. ‘Alex. I have meetings to go to. Decisions to make. Palms to grease.’
‘Come on, Heath, think what you owe me. And don’t tell me you don’t miss the cut and thrust of actually writing stories.’
She was laughing as she pressed ‘end’ on the call.
Her phone rang immediately. Not even Heath was that fast. She looked at the display. It was Cora. Damn. She ought to have told her about Sadie.
‘Alex, where are you?’ She sounded breathless, hardly able to get her words out.
‘I’m in Norwich—’
‘Great. Can you call by? Now?’
‘Cora, what is—’
But she had gone.
‘I saw him.’ Cora’s eyes were bright, almost feverish as she handed a cup of coffee to Alex.
‘Who?’
‘Rick.’
‘What?’ Alex began coughing – the hot drink had gone down the wrong way. ‘You’ve seen him? Where? How?’ she said eventually, though her eyes were watering and her throat was on fire.
Cora sat, her hands curled around her cup. ‘I was at work in Ipswich and was coming back from a break outside when Rick barged out of the main doors, then I lost him and I saw him being chased by a man in a red jacket, but by the time I got to the hospital forecourt, they’d both gone.’ She stopped, her eyes wide. ‘It was the man from the CCTV, I’m sure of it.’
‘And you’ve no idea where they went?’
Cora shook her head, deflated. ‘Rick could have got on a bus, in a taxi, anything. The man in the red jacket might have caught up with him. Anything could have happened to him, Alex. Anything.’
Alex frowned. ‘Rick must be heading somewhere, but where? Have you any idea?’
Cora shook her head.
Alex was convinced Cora knew more than she was saying.
‘He’s alive, though, Cora, that’s great news. And somehow he managed to get away from those men.’
She was shaking her head. ‘He’s on the run. Maybe they’ve caught up with him again. Oh, God.’ She buried her face in her hands.
‘Are you sure you don’t know where he might go?’
Cora shook her head again.
‘Cora, if there’s something you’re not telling me—’
‘There’s nothing,’ she said stubbornly. ‘Honestly. I only want Rick back. That’s all.’
‘Cora—’
‘If you’re not going to help me, then I’ll do it myself. Find him, I mean.’
Alex looked at Cora, at her thin, bird-like figure, her hollow eyes and her tired skin. ‘Of course I’ll help you. But you’re not telling me everything.’
Cora bit her nails. ‘There’s nothing else to know. I only need to find Rick.’
‘What about the Riders?’
Cora flinched. ‘What about them?’
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